Witold Lutosławski, Tadeusz Baird and Krzysztof Penderecki – Polish contemporary classics

★★★★

   After an anti-romantic turn in 20th century music, in the wake of great social changes, European composers constantly expanded the boundaries of musical language and forms. Between great wars many of them were building theories for avant-garde music, trying to exchange old tonality system and traditional attitude to constructing musical forms. This process was stopped in outburst of Second World War, but after it has end, many composers renew their hopes and were still experimenting with various, even more advanced ideas of creating music in alternative way. Many had applying different techniques, electronic or experimental sounds and extreme theoretical ideas. Some composers however, maintaining their radical approach, gave great pieces of symphonic music, entering the symphonic repertory.
   In Polish post-war music most famous composers were Witold Lutosławski, Tadeusz Baird and Krzysztof Penderecki. Witold Lutosławski (1913-1994) was one of most acclaimed composers in Polish history. Main features of his music were clear connection between ideas and means, the balance between the substance and a form and wide stylistic range of his musical output. He was merging different tendencies like folk music influences, twelve-note techniques and aleatoric ideas. In the period of his mature works he was searching for new constructive ideas. One was finished in 1976 Mi-Parti, composition based on duality, double division and difference between parts. It sounds like a kind of minimalistic idea of impressionism, focused on slight, subtle differences and contrasts. Tense orchestral textures are the base forming narration of this work.

Kasprzyk conducts Penderecki, Lutosławski and Baird (1980)

   Great personality of the newest history of Polish music was Tadeusz Baird (1928-1981), composer, teacher and organizer of Warsaw Autumn Festival. He was called the last Polish romantic, although his style was based on contemporary sound and modern orchestrations. Looking for historical background his style had more common with expressionism and was more neoclassical by his artistic program. He uses many elements of historic styles, from archaic sound to construction patterns, but still his music was lyrical, concentrate on melody. The example of such attitude is Elegeia. Composed in 1973, this orchestral piece sounds as a sequence of contrasting episodes where elegiac elements are separated by dramatic inclusions of deep emotional effect.
   Most successful composer of generation debuted after the 2nd World War was Krzysztof Penderecki (b. 1936). Shortly after his debut in late fifties and early sixties he became the face of Polish avant-garde movement. Original conceptions of sonoristic space, deep relation with various elements of tradition and fresh ideas of formal principles, were definition of his early style, evolving in seventies to postromantic tradition. The Awakening of Jacob composed in 1974, is orchestral miniature evoking strong emotions based on contrasts, clusters and string instruments glissandos. Its illustrative biblical context was used by Stanley Kubrick for soundtrack setting of the horror movie Shining.
   The closing piece of the album is Anaklasis for string orchestra and percussion by Krzysztof Penderecki. This composition written in 1959-1960 is one of crowning achievements of sonorism.  During three day session on January 1980, at Studio No. 1 of Prague Radio Polish conductor Jacek Kasprzyk with the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra recorded this choice of orchestral works by leading Polish composers of this time. Very good program, relevant performances and recordings made this album a full blown contribution in phonographic picture of Polish music. Four stars for music and performance.

Kagan, Lubimov & Mikhailov – Chamber Music of the 20th Century

   When romantic music has divided into professional concert music and more popular forms of musical culture, its place in public attention started to decline. Later, in XX century, when great symphonic works were still able to attract, works of less scale, sometimes experimenting with form and highly complex idiomatic language were seen as devoid of deeper meaning. With few exceptions of course, but these were the exceptions that prove the rule. These records as well as concerts of chamber music of the twentieth century composers are rather rare. This applies especially to these works which has crucial importance in creating new approaches and styles. Finally, there are not too many fans listening to the music of this kind.
   The more interest needs to be paid to any attempt of breaking the monopoly of mainstream art. And projects of this kind are sometimes taking place in various countries and in different ways. Most popular forms of publicizing niche works are festivals and independent artists’ recitals, present both in public performances and in recordings. Many of these are really valuable artistic achievements. One of such interesting and almost forgotten albums is Russian anthology Chamber Music of the 20th Century (Камерная музыка ХХ века) pressed in seventies by Mелодия label. One-record edition comprises works by Charles Ives, Anton Webern, Arnold Schőnberg, Krzysztof Penderecki and Alban Berg so it is only a glance at avant-garde chamber music but also quite rich showcase of three Russian artists.

Ives, Webern, Schőnberg, Penderecki, Berg – Chamber Music (1978)

   The three virtuoso artists, playing in duos and in trio, created imposing bunch of modern classics. This set has been performed by violin virtuoso Oleg Kagan, pianist Alexei Lubimov and clarinetist Lev Mikhailov. Oleg Kagan (Олег Моисеевич Каган) as young artist achieved prominent position in concert and chamber music. He was active in various styles and wide spectrum of repertoire. Died of cancer in 1990 at the age of 44 years but left a collection of great recordings. Chamber Music of the 20th Century is one of his early recording projects. In his renditions one can see a concise history of 20th century avant-garde music – selected works are terse and important achievements, from Largo by Charles Ives (1901), through Vier Stücke op. 7 by Anton Webern (1910) and Phantasy for Violin with Piano Accompaniment op. 47 by Arnold Schönberg (1949) to Three Miniatures for Violin and Piano by Krzysztof Penderecki (1959).
   Selection of works reveals characteristics of one of the most important trends of 20th century music. Largo composed by Charles Ives in 1901 has many versions for different sets of instruments. This arrangement for violin and piano shows deep lyricism and simplicity being main idea of modern music. Simplicity of language and laconic form can be traced in this program as a leitmotif, although in Schönberg’s Phantasy level of technical complications makes it a virtuoso composition. Phantasy for Violin with Piano Accompaniment op. 47 has been composed in March 1949. Arnold Schőnberg wrote his dedication for “Adolf Koldofsky who pleased me with his performance of my String Trio”. In original version this was composition for solo violin, as Schőnberg called it “for violinist with six fingers”. Later he added the piano accompaniment.
   Whole A-Side program is great recital of Oleg Kagan with precise and balanced participation of Alexei Lubimov (Алексе́й Бори́сович Люби́мов), pianist of great merit and importance in modern Russian music. He is the one who took part in all performances on B-Side which comprises two works by Alban Berg Vier Stücke für Klarinette und Klavier op. 5 and Adagio from Kammerkonzert. Chamber Concerto originally written for piano, violin and 13 wind instruments was finished in 1925, but ten years later, in 1935 composer made arrangement of 2nd movement for trio. Berg’s compositions are the program of Lev Mikhailov (Лев Николаевич Михайлов), clarinetist and saxophonist known as great solo and chamber artist. Last composition is a kind of crown for this set of recordings. The three artists made a perfect team, where every one is virtuoso alone and all of them can find their place in synergic relations with the others.

Krzysztof Penderecki - Polish Requiem

In late 1970s it became clear that Krzysztof Penderecki has turned to neoromanticism. The public opinion received this turn as a meaningful gesture towards tradition and against progress-focused contemporary culture. The profound meaning of this attitude was strongly visible in the era of changes, when political and economical stabilization in end of decade has run to an end. In Poland, after strikes, the rise of Solidarity and political collapse of the system, a quite new context for new music was established. And social acceptance of new traditional style was bigger than anybody could expect.

Two months after victorious workers’ strikes, Penderecki received historical order. The monument of shipyard workers killed in 1970 was going to be unveiled in Gdansk December 1980. For this ceremony composer wrote Lacrimosa. After the death of the Polish primate cardinal Stefan Wyszyński in May 1981, in few hours Penderecki wrote Agnus Dei for choir a cappella. It was performed for the first time during the funeral in St. John Cathedral in Warsaw. These pieces became the two parts of his newly planned work. The next two movements which the composer wrote for the cycle were Dies irae, devoted to 40th anniversary of Warsaw Uprising, and Libera me, Domine in memoriam of Katyń victims.  The premiere performance of the complete Polish Requiem took place in Stuttgart, September 28th, 1984 under the direction of Mstislav Rostropovich.

Krzysztof Penderecki - Polish Requiem

In April 1985 Polish Requiem has been recorded in Center of Arts in Katowice. Performance was successful and was recorded under the direction of Antoni Wit, who was an alumnus of Krzysztof Penderecki's composition class. The performing team was the best possible of this time. Soloists Jadwiga Gadulanka, Jadwiga Rappé, Henryk Grychnik and Carlo Zardo, two Krakow choirs: Radio-Television and Philharmonic and Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra in Katowice joined the top quality performing body. Dramatic tension and monumental construction of the Polish Requiem are features which made impact on public acceptance.
Musical form of Polish Requiem is in close relations with the order of missa pro defunctis. Traditional construction of mass for the dead was based on contrasting comparison of lamentations alternated by dramatic movements pointing visions of the last judgment. Krzysztof Penderecki gave this composition clear message. The most dramatic and moving fragment of the whole cycle is Recordare where lyrical lamentation in Latin is sung along with Polish supplication Święty Boże, Święty mocny (Holy Lord, Holy and Mighty). This culmination point is so much affecting on listener because of the double musical narration. Themes to the Latin text and Polish religious song come together in form of passacaglia. The supplication I have mentioned before is based on Polish religious song which is singing while the moments of peculiar threat. The same motive returns in final part Libera animas and it is clearly a prayer for his country.

Krzysztof Penderecki – Jutrznia

Born in 1933, Krzysztof Penderecki was first composer in after war generation, who has emancipated from dictatorship of avant-gardism. In mid seventies his style evolved and reach the point close to post-romantic stylistic idiom. Seventies and than eighties were the decades many listeners became weary of conceptual and experimental music. And so did composers who were more and more isolated in close circle of contemporary festivals and workshops. Considerable group of composers was looking for the ways to reunite with the audience expectations. But still it was a kind of surprise when after period of short and formally simple compositions, Penderecki turned towards great cycle-forms leaning on polyphonic structures and traditional narrative ideas of musical construction.
In predominant majority of critical studies, this turn marks second period of Penderecki’s creative output, but from perspective of few next decades it looks like consistent process of creating his own and highly legible style. After St. Luke’s Passion (1965) and Dies irae (1967) he composed two part oratorio Orthros (sometimes called Matins but best know from original Polish Jutrznia or in Old Church Slavonic Утреня). Based on Orthodox canonical prayers of Great Saturday and Sunday oratorio consists of two parts – The Entombment of Christ and The Resurrection of Christ. Oratorio finished in 1971 together with composed five years earlier Passion according to St. Luke forms a Holy Week triptych. Composer was planning and preparing for this piece many years before. Looking for inspiration he studied rites of various Orthodox churches and sects as well the connection between them and religious works of Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff. Especially Bulgarian spiritual heritage became significant experience in composer’s research.

Krzysztof Penderecki – Jutrznia

Oratorio Jutrznia or Утреня – the major work of Polish composer was also the great recording project in early ’70s. The Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Andrzej Markowski was good basis for National Philharmonic Choir and Polish Pioneer Choir. Vocal parts, especially massive choral entries are crucial factor in sonoristic structures of first oratorios written in ’60s by Krzysztof Penderecki. Narrative functions were carried mainly by soloists, so this made essential the presence of wide set of solo voices. In this performance took part sopranos Delfina Ambroziak and Stefania Woytowicz, mezzosoprano Krystyna Szczepańska, tenor Kazimierz Pustelak basses Włodzimierz Denysenko and Bernard Ładysz as well as bassi profondi Boris Carmeli and Peter Lagger.  The double album was published in 1971 (Muza - Polskie Nagrania SX 889-890) and become the cornerstone of composer’s international career. In next decades this recording was reedited for digital media, and widely cited.

Krzysztof Penderecki - Passio et mors domini nostri Jesu Christi secundum Lucam

   Krzysztof Penderecki became famous in his twenties. Shortly after completing studies in classes of great Polish composers Artur Malawski and Stanisław Wiechowicz, he gained recognition as a representative of the Polish post-war avant-garde. His debut came about time of breakthrough after 1956 and rejection of socialist realism esthetic standards – finished his studies in 1958, one year later he won three first prizes in competition of Polish Composers Union. Being one of youngest in the group of composers grown after the war, he was as radical as focused on exploring newest formal ideas and possibilities of new sonority. Primarily his creative output in Poland and in whole Europe was mainly judged as experimental. Limited role of the melodic and harmonics, as well as the subordination of other elements to an individual concept of organizing musical narration, determined his original, highly personal composing style, which quickly paved the way for success in whole world’s stage.

   The first period in the artistic work of Krzysztof Penderecki brought such works as Emanations (1958), Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima (1960), Anaklasis (1960), Polymorphia (1961) and Psalmus “1961” for voice and tape (1961). The second period is marked by some more frequent references to traditional forms especially oratorios and opera, which allowed the composer to deepen his search on the basis of sonoristic technique. The first oratorio was Passio et mors domini nostri Jesu Christi secundum Lucam (St. Luke’s Passion) which he composed in years 1963-1965, having been commissioned by the Westdeutsche Rundfunk for the 700th anniversary of Münster Cathedral. The same place in March 30, 1966 the mighty work of young Polish composer had its world premiere.

Krzysztof Penderecki - St. Luke's Passion (1966)

   Next performances took place in Kraków – in Philharmonic Hall and in the courtyard of Polish kings’ castle Wawel. This set of musicians was recorded and published on double album by company Muza – Polskie Nagrania (SX 0325-0326). Though this recording is highly underrated it still has a great impact in Polish artistic life. Soprano Stefania Woytowicz, baritone Andrzej Hiolski and bass Bernard Ładysz were most appreciated singers for decades. The list of solo voices feels out the profound reciting voice of actor Leszek Herdegen and featured as one mighty instrument boys and men groups of the Cracow Philharmonic Chorus prepared by Janusz Przybylski and Józef Suwara. Immense group of voices and Cracow Philharmonic Orchestra were conducted by Henryk Czyż, who was one of brightest Polish artists, conductor, writer, teacher  and popular TV personality.