The improvised musical form is a unique type of personal expression. It is a musical work fully con-tained within a given time and form, using the tools and stylistic convention of the given period. The works contained on this album are all an attempt to record that mysterious moment and grasp this one-of-a-kind creative act in the making.

Recording a programme consisting exclusively of organ improvisations has not been an easy task. My aim has been to demonstrate and preserve this art so that it can become more widely accessible rather than being pre-sent only during the liturgy in the church or a concert performance. The works presented here were inspired, first and foremost, by Protestant melodies, as well as by the unique historical Schlag und Söhne organ form 1900 of Warsaw’s Polish Reformed Church. With barely 24 stops, it is perfectly suitable for improvising historical forms taken from the Baroque and Romantic periods as well as quite contemporary ones. Since the Warsaw Reformed Church organ is a historical instrument boasting more than 120 years of history, the noise of pneumatic action and wind system could not entirely be eliminated. We have decided to preserve it as an element of the organ’s authentic historical sound.

Michał Markuszewski
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