Oslo Philharmonic's Chamber Series Grażyna Bacewicz
George Enescu

After Germany's invasion of Poland in 1939, life in Warsaw became extremely challenging, including for the composer and violinist Grażyna Bacewicz (1909–1969). Even during these difficult times, Bacewicz continued composing, as well as performing secret underground concerts, until she and her family escaped the city after the Warsaw Uprising. Four years after the war, she released what is today considered one of her most famous pieces—Quartet for Four Violins. The work is written in a neoclassical style but, like much of her music, also contains elements of Polish folk music.

The child prodigy George Enescu (1881–1955) started composing at a young age—he took up the violin at four, composition at five, and by the time he was seven, he was admitted to the Vienna Conservatory. He later continued his composition studies at the Conservatoire de Paris, and just a year after graduating, he completed his Octet in C major. At the time, the piece was praised as an impressive achievement for a 19-year-old, and today it is considered one of his masterpieces. It is a melodically rich and complex work, written in a late Romantic style while also drawing inspiration from Romanian folk music.