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By:
Besarte Elshani
- September 27, 2025 08:00
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“Every note, a story”, is the now well-known motto of the Kosovo Philharmonic, which also accompanies it in the quarter-century celebration, but Mendi Mengjiqi’s creativity is a story in itself. His mastery is revealed through the work “Homagium: Matri Teresiae”, performed as the Balkan premiere in a concert with the Kosovo Opera under the direction of Wojciech Czepiel, as well as with “Symphonic Pain”. For these and other works by Mengjiqi, he has said that they are brilliant, and his creativity deserves to be promoted and played all over the world.
It was the 90s when one of the current central figures of classical music in the country would pursue doctoral studies at the Academy of Music in Krakow, Poland. In the class of the Polish master, Krzysztof Penderecki, he would graduate and the ticket to this success would be the work “Homagium: Matri Teresiae” – the first and only oratorio by an Albanian composer. It would have its world premiere in 1999, under the direction of the Polish Wojciech Czepiel.
Under his care, the work has been brought to Pristina for the first time, dissecting the work's verses and melodies, along with those of the work "Symphonic Pain".
Two works by the master Mendi Mengjiqi, author of the Kosovo Anthem, have been the initiators of the new season of the Kosovo Philharmonic. The new chapter in the history of the institution, which is celebrating a quarter of a century this year, is the opposite of the outdated and increasingly difficult conditions, when the audience increases each time.
And, the space of the Atelier hall at the Youth Palace, on Friday night, was smaller than usual. It was packed both in the hall and in the corridors above it.
There are no new conditions, just one more black curtain covering an ugly part of the hall, as well as temporary decorations there: screens with the symbol of the Philharmonic's 25th anniversary and red carpet in the corridor and in the corners of the hall.
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The state music institution and the Kosovo Opera have joined forces to bring two works by Mengjiqi to life in Pristina. The first was "Symphonic Pain."
It was like a collage of sounds of deep pain accompanied by dynamism when it peaks, while by melancholy as a result of the overlapping of the xylophone sounds in the rhythms of the Orchestra. The sounds of symphonic pain turn into a force version when the game becomes more intense. When the pain escalates, the force flourishes. The harpsichords are constant in the game. The wind instruments often intervene, creating different situations. The pain in Mengjiqi's work is often increased and transformed.
Polish conductor Wojciech Czepiel considered this work brilliant, while also praising the work of the musicians from Kosovo.
"A very beautiful, brilliant, beautifully written work for orchestra. I am very happy about the collaboration with the Orchestra. There are excellent musicians. The sound of the strings is beautiful, the metal instruments are wonderful, while the percussion and woodwind instruments are very good," he said.
He appreciated Mengjiqi's work, emphasizing that it deserves to be recognized in the world.
"I am very happy that with our work we brought these beautifully prepared works for two weeks. I think the composer is happy and he deserved it, because the works are wonderful, as are his other chamber and solo works. He deserves to be promoted and played all over the world," said conductor Czepiel, one of the most interesting figures of the current generation of Polish conducting.
In May 2012, he was awarded the “Gloria Artis” medal by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage in Poland. He collaborates as a guest conductor with orchestras and operas in Poland and abroad, and continues his creative work on new compositions.
The oratorio “Homagium: Matri Teresiae” was a historic moment and a special chapter for the classical music scene in the country. For the first time in Kosovo, an oratorio by an Albanian composer has been performed. It is the only composition of this musical form. According to the explanation of the work, it brings the spiritual, ethical and humanitarian dimensions of the life and mission of Mother Teresa. Mengjiqi was at the concert.
He refused to talk.
For conductor Wojciech Czepiel, the performance of this work is a special moment in his career, bringing it back to its place, 26 years after the world premiere, which he had worked on himself.
"The occasion of the first visit here is very special. We performed two extremely beautiful works by Mendi Mengjiqi, the most important composer in Kosovo. I met Mengjiqi about 20 years ago. He studied in Krakow and when he did his doctorate he composed this oratorio. I performed its world premiere. Afterwards we met many times to talk about music, about composition, without knowing that after 22 years this concert would take place. I was very happy when I realized that the Kosovo Philharmonic wanted me to perform this music again", said the distinguished Polish conductor.
The dramatic opening of the work with the section “Gaudium et spes” stops at the choral section, which is stabilized with the inclusion of soloists who emphasize the vibrations of the vocals. The section “Pax” opens with solo musical parts by the flute and xylophone accompanied lightly by the strings. The first vocal heard in this section is that of the soprano Adelina Paloja.
The piece “Gloria Del” has a dramatic opening by the orchestra followed by a parallel duet song by soprano Adelina Paloja and Polish mezzo-soprano Ewa Menaszek. Their vocals were very much in the shade due to the very poor acoustics in the hall. But at the end of the concert, their professionalism was appreciated, while the shortcomings of the conditions are already known.
Mezzo-soprano Menaszek said she felt more connected to the work, considering that the oratorio's author spent a lot of time in Krakow, their hometown.
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"The music is very challenging, initially to learn, being music, contemporary oratorio and it is not easier than learning the music, for example, of Mozart, but it was a very good experience to sing this work in Pristina. It was a wonderful experience," said the mezzo-soprano of great operatic roles.
She has performed as: Mercedes in “Carmen”, as Olga in “Eugene Onegin” by Tchaikovsky, as Stéphano in “Romeo and Juliet” by Gounod and many more. Her solo performances include institutions such as: the Kraków Philharmonic, the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, the “Subcarpathian” Philharmonic, the “Warmian-Masurian” Philharmonic and others.
“Vera sanctitas” and “Tempus hominis” are the subsequent pieces in the oratorio. The surprises there are the uniqueness, while the closings of the pieces are those that usually occur in sacred songs, with vocal extensions.
“Quae mane oramus” was harmonious while soprano Adelina Paloja performed as a soloist, while the part was repeated by the entire choir. The last part “Hortamentujm as caritatem” was quite meditative. The sounds there are blurred, unlike the singing of soprano Paloja.
She considered the trust of the role as soloist in this work an honor to her work.
"It is an extraordinary honor that our professor and mine, Mendi Mengjiqi, this capital work of our creativity, which has now had its world premiere in Poland, where it began to be composed in Krakow, finally we as an institution of the Kosovo Philharmonic, with all our capacities, managed to bring it to the stage. It has a very deep message, carries a very great spiritual weight, the dedication as an oratorio of large proportions, then let's not talk about the demands and musical connections, for which professor Mendi is distinguished in terms of his compositional weight", Paloja expressed.
Her delicate interpretation of vocals and music seems to mark the end of the work, until the duet follows as a dialogue between her and Polish bass Grzegorz Szostak. He considered that Mengjiqi makes the music shine.
"It's fantastic music, simply wonderful. It's the first time I've sung a work by Mendi Mengjiqi. His music is like a glow from the sky. He shines and brightens the music. It's very beautiful music, I hope I'll perform more of his works," said bass Szostak, considering Mengjiqi's music challenging.
"It's not easy to sing because it's a contemporary work, it's not something that's sung in everyday life. We are opera singers and opera is primary music. This oratorio is a new experience," said Szostak.
He has collaborated with the National Opera, the Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic in Białystok, the Silesian Opera in Bytom, the Krakow Opera and the Wrocław Opera. He has participated in concerts and performances throughout Europe, including at the Palais des Festivals, Cannes and Montreux.
This concert, and those that have been held since the beginning of this year, have been a celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Kosovo Philharmonic.
The institution's deputy director, Dardan Selimaj, emphasized that this season also finds the Philharmonic without a home, hoping that the winning project for the Opera House, which also includes the Philharmonic Hall, will not fail.
"The hope is that he will end the saga of failures in building a worthy temple of art, which began in 2009. The clashes between local and central authorities once again seem to be history repeating itself. In 25 years, the Philharmonic has grown, but the road ahead remains long," said Selimaj, who preceded the solemn concert on Friday at the Youth Palace Atelier.
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The same program, with the same cast, is presented tonight (Saturday) in Skopje, at the Concert Hall of the Macedonian Philharmonic Orchestra.
