Late last year I had the opportunity to immerse myself in the atmosphere of Lviv’s interwar music scene at a live performance of a young band from Warsaw, which plays famous tunes from Poland’s 1920-1930s musical heritage.

Warszawska Orkiestra Sentymentalna (Warsaw Sentimental Orchestra) comprises a group of young musicians united by their passion for urban folklore. They play familiar and forgotten dance melodies as well as more sentimental tunes for singing and listening. Their repertoir includes songs from prewar theaters, courtyard ballads and couplets from interwar Warsaw and Lviv. The also play compositions by modern artists inspired by urban folklore and traditional Polish melodies, and enliven dance parties with their lively polkas and foxtrots, sultry tangos, and romantic waltzes.