Unique concert in Berlin: Malakoff Kowalski combines music and poetry

Unique concert in Berlin: Malakoff Kowalski combines music and poetry

On Tuesday evening, June 4, 2025, an outstanding concert took place in the Philharmonie Berlin, which became known under the title "Songs with Words". This event was the only Germany station of the current tour of the versatile artist Malakoff Kowalski, who appeared as the central singer of the evening and wore his striking Prinz-Heinrich hat. He was supported by an impressive trio consisting of Igor Levit, Johanna Summer and Chilly Gonzales, who performed individually and did not appear as a quartet. The musical mix of the evening included elements from classical, pop and jazz, which was also underlined by the selection of piano pieces by renowned composers such as Robert Schumann, Frédéric Chopin, Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel, Gabriel Faurs, Edvard Grieg and Aram Chatschaturjan. Kowalski, not only as a singer, but also as a moderator of the concert, accompanied the piano pieces with poems by the American poet Allen Ginsberg.

one of the outstanding features of the concert was the inspiring arrangement of the music and texts. So Schumann's night, which was reminiscent of Elvis Presley's famous song "Can’t Help Falling in Love with you", was treated as well as the Ginsberg poems specially selected for the evening. This artistic connection created a special atmosphere in which the audience was able to experience music and content as a unit. Kowalski's approach to interpret the piano works as songs, which is why he chose the title "Songs with words", produced both the change of perspective and discussions about the role of singing in the performance of classical music.

highlights of the evening

The highlights of the concert included both the emotional solo performances by Johanna Summer and Igor Levit as well as the joint appearance of all artists. The audience was particularly enthusiastic about Kowalski's performance by "Fly Me To The Moon", which ended the evening in a spectacular finale.

The influence of jazz on classical music forms an interesting context of these performances. As [lexolino.de] (https://www.lexolino.de/cinmusik_klassische-muschen-muschorische-kontexte- und-Developments, the development of the-jazz-als influence-on-the-classic), jazz, which is harked in late 19th century, left deep music in classical music. This interaction led to innovative merger, with composers like George Gershwin and Leonard Bernstein used elements from jazz to enrich their works. These interactions between jazz and classical music have not only revolutionized the composition and improvisation techniques, but also enriched the sound image of classic work.

other events and influences

Another remarkable aspect of the current musical event was the piano festival in Lucerne, where Malakoff Kowalski presented his new song cycle on May 31, 2025. Similar to the concert in Berlin, this composition connects poems by all Ginsberg with esteemed piano miniatures by Schumann, Chopin, Debussy and Ravel, which is protected by jazztime.swiss became. It remains to be seen how such musical mergers continue to work as well as the expectations of the arts and how the border between the genres remains permeable.

All in all, the concert by Malakoff Kowalski and his colleagues in the Philharmonie Berlin was a passionate homage to the connections and influences between classic, popular and jazzy elements that made the musical experience for the audience unforgettable.