Tadeusz Szeligowski

[Robert]

Anyone heard of this composer?  Maybe Maciek...

[Maciek]

Hi Robert!

Well, I wouldn't call myself an expert but I do know the composer and some of his work. I find it quite enjoyable. It is quite traditional and accessible.

He was a lawyer and composer. Born in 1896, died in 1963. Studied instrumentation with Paul Dukas!! He taught some of my favorite composers: Zbigniew Bargielski, Augustyn Bloch, Henryk Czyż, Włodzimierz Kotoński.

Not much has been released on CD but he's sometimes featured on the radio here. I could upload a piece or two.

Why do you ask?

Maciek

[Maciek]

Here's one of his pieces, written shortly after Karol Szymanowski's death:

DownloadLink: [link expired]
(should, of course, be renamed to end in ".mp3" - rapidshare sometimes cuts off the extenstions when the name is too long)

File-Size: 24,38 MB

Performed by the Amadeus Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Agnieszka Duczmal.

[karlhenning]

If you will indulge me in a frank tangent, Maciek, what syllable is accented in "Agnieszka"?

[Maciek]

Here you go, Karl:

A-gnie-szka

(it's practically always the penultimate syllable in Polish - the rest are all exceptions)

[Maciek]

"Last Active: June 29th 2007"? Robert, where are you? We miss you!

I think I know what might have happened but let me try to lure you back in. Here is another piece by Szeligowski, his Concerto for Orchestra (1928-30). Revealed only last year after more than 70 years of oblivion!

DownloadLink: [link expired]
File-Size: 32,37 MB

Performed by the Polish Radio Orchestra conducted by Krzysztof Slowinski.

[BachQ]

Happy birthday! 

[Maciek]

You're in a birthday mood today, I see?

[BachQ]

You're in a birthday mood today, I see?

Can you prove that it's not his birthday today?

[Maciek]

I'm not sure if that counts as proof for you but he's said to have been born on September 13th 1896. But yes, there is a connection with Kilar - they were both Lvovians!

[Dundonnell]

Naxos have just announced the release of a new CD featuring Szeligowski's Concerto for Orchestra, Piano Concerto-played by Bogdan Czapiewski, Four Polish Dances, Nocturne and Comedy Overture with the Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Mariusz Smolij.

Due out in early October(in the UK). I shall place it on order!

[Maciek]

Wow! Thanks for the exciting news!

[johnQpublic]

Good timing!!

I just received a Muza LP I bought, entitled "Symphonic Works by Polish Composers" that contains Szeligowski's "Epitaphium in memorium Karol Szymanowski"!!

[Maciek]

That's an excellent LP!!! Szabelski's Toccata = masterpiece. Perkowski's Nocturne = masterpiece. Both works are lamentably little known. Jan Krenz also happens to be one of my favorite conductors - perhaps the favorite.

[Lilas Pastia]

Szeligowski's "Epitaphium in memorium Karol Szymanowski" is a superb work! The Concerto for orchestra is very good, too. I'll certainly go for that Naxos issue when it comes out!

I've never heard the Perkowski or Szabelski works, though. Masterpieces, hm?

[Maciek]

Oh, no, André! You have heard the Perkowski and you liked it very much:

Perkowski:  Sinfonietta (1927), Nocturne for orchestra (1955), Violin Concerto (1960) and Cello Concerto (1974). As the dates show, Perkowski's carreer was a long one (1901 - 1990). Everything here is smashing good.

(...)

The Nocturne is a 10 minute work encompassing a wide range of emotions and orchestral rythms and colours. A mysterious and somber introduction gives way to a splendidly alive and exhilarating allegro section. Brilliant.

As for the Szabelski - remember to check your e-mail regularly. 0:)

[Lilas Pastia]

Goodness! All these kikis got me confused...

[Dundonnell]

OK, I have just listened to my purchase of the Naxos CD of Szeligowski's works.

First impressions? The Concerto for Orchestra(1930) is the earliest piece on the CD but easily the most advanced in idiom. It shows a great deal of promise for a (realtively) young composer and demonstrates an awareness of trends in contemporary music. An interesting piece!
I cannot think of another Concerto for Orchestra written before 1930 with the obvious exception of the Hindemith. Are there any?

The other works seem to step steadily backwards in idiom. The Piano Concerto(1941) is a pleasant piece with a lot of virtuoso piano work but the Comedy Overture(1952) and Four Polish Dances(1954) are-to my mind-less interesting. The Nocturne(1947) is a good deal better with its very obvious echoes of French impressionism.

I wonder? Was Szeligowski inhibited by the artistic climate of Poland under Communism? I read that his opera "The Student's Rebellion" was an example of "Socialist Realism" in music-which isn't encouraging! On the basis of the Concerto for Orchestra I would have said that Szeligowski could have developed into a most interesting composer but the later works seem to belie this impression.

Am I being unfair? 

Maciek?

[Maciek]

Can't really help, I'm afraid... I only know a few of his pieces, and descriptions of a few more. I have a very hazy recollection of the Piano Concerto - I think I pretty much enjoyed it. He wrote 3 operas (the last one about a robot). "Bunt żaków" was his first. AFAIK (but I may be wrong) it is labelled as a "socialist realism" piece mainly because of the libretto. The action takes place in the Renaissance (in Cracow), and there are supposed to be lots of references to Renaissance music. I wouldn't know myself though - I've never heard or seen a single note of it. The storyline is politically oriented though. It also happens to have been the first Polish opera written and staged in Poland after the war.

Anyway, "socialist realism" in Poland basically just meant tonal music based on folk motifs, so it wouldn't have to be bad.

[Maciek]

Two days ago 45 years passed since the man's death. I'll try to post some pieces later today when mediafire finally starts to work...