Cities – opposites, as if at the two poles of reality and history. A visit to Berlin cannot be complete without a concert of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Great place and great music. Such an evening will be remembered for a long time, although walking through the streets of Berlin in the twilight is not very pleasant. It’s really dark on the streets of Berlin, the lights are dimmed, could it be to save money?
However, during the day it is difficult to get rid of the feeling of darkness and the traces of recent history and its monuments make a depressing impression. It was here that the greatest extermination in the history of the world was planned, and here evil in its worst organized form crawled out of the depths. And that’s what this city is about. The bright spot of wandering around the city is undoubtedly the presence of the Pilecki Institute, opposite the Branderburg Gate. It’s good that it’s so close and the exhibitions presented should be a must-see – as a warning.
An interesting place is Charlottenburg Palace. The collections placed there generally come from many sources, so the interiors often do not have original furnishings. But there is also a harpsichord, with Chinese decorations, probably used by Bach. It’s probably about CPE Bach, who was a court musician in this area, but for the author, Bach is Bach, no matter which one. Polish accents also attract attention. One of the vases shows a panorama of the center of Kalisz. The problem is that there is a friendly parade of Prussian and Russian occupation troops taking place there. In the oldest Polish city, where there is also an extraordinary philharmonic orchestra.
Against the background of Berlin, Warsaw appears as a city bustling, bright and cheerful. Despite the traces of the communist regime and its architectural monsters, at every turn we encounter testimonies of heroism, honor and, unfortunately, indescribable suffering. It is a city-symbol of noble courage and refusal to accept evil. And the Warsaw Philharmonic is wonderful. However, it would need a more spectacular concert hall (the current one is beautiful but too small) and working conditions worthy of the name. Maybe high-up will finally realize that we need to invest in musical culture if we want to be recognized and respected in the world.