March 2006 – Polish Music Center

Polish Music Center Newsletter Vol. 12, no. 3

News

Dutkiewicz in LA

On Saturday evening, March 11, the Pacific Unitarian Church will present a concert of Polish music featuring pianist and composer Andrzej Dutkiewicz. This concert will mark the only public performance in Los Angeles by Dutkiewicz while on his spring Southwestern United States tour.

The concert program will consist of works by Polish composers, from Chopin to some of the most important of the 20th and 21st century composers. One of the most important early 20th century Polish composers is Karol Szymanowski, and Dutkiewicz always includes one or more of his pieces in his concerts. For March 11, Dutkiewicz will perform Szymanowski’s Etudes, opus 33. Also on the program will be works by Kazimierz Serocki and Bogusław Schaeffer.

In addition to being a virtuoso pianist, Dutkiewicz is an internationally renowned composer. During the evening’s program, Dutkiewicz will perform his Three Sketches in Retrospectand his Suite for Piano.

March 11, 2005, 8:00 pm
Pacific Unitarian Church
5621 Montemalaga Drive
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275
Phone: (310) 378-9449, Fax: (310) 378-1508

Dobber Debuts At Paris Opera

Polish baritone Andrzej Dobber is currently singing the title role in Verdi’s Rigoletto in the Paris Opera. It is his debut with the French company. The French press speaks very highly of Dobber’s performances with the Paris Opera. The cast of the opera is truly international; along with Dobber, the soloists include singers from the United States, Turkey and Estonia.

Andrzej Dobber is a graduate of the Music Academy in Kraków. In 1990 he was the winner of the German Television Singer’s Competition in Munich. This award opened the doors for him to perform with the best opera companies in the world, including La Scala, Amsterdam, Dresden, Paris and Berlin. He has sung under Riccardo Muti, Colin Davis, Roger Norrington and Zubin Mehta.

Chamber Music, Not To Be Missed

In the December 2005 issue of the Polish periodical Ruch Muzyczny [Musical Movement], author Aneta Derkowska opens her article entitled “Let them regret it!” (transl. Hanna Lachert) bemoaning the dearth of attendees at chamber music concerts. But she moves on quickly to describe the joys experienced by the small-but-mighty audience that was present at the captivating concert performed by the Waterville Trio on November 4, 2005 in Toruń. Luckily, for those of us unable to attend this concert, much of the same music will be performed again at New York’s Bargemusic on Thursday, March 9th, at 7:30 pm and Friday, March 10th, at 7:30 pm.

The Waterville Trio (pictured above) consists of Hélène Jeanney, piano, Hanna Lachert, violin, and Qiang Tu, cello. In describing this truly international ensemble, Derkowska can barely contain her admiration. Hanna Lachert’s, “captivating phrasing, beautiful tone quality, always polished phrases and impeccable intonation—these are only some of the violinist’s virtues revealed in the exposed parts of Piotr Lachert’s 25th Sonata Le Coucou. On the piano and cello, “Jeanney represents a modestly noble style of music-making, winning the audience with her concentration of thoughts and emotions.” And the cellist Qiang Tu also impressed the author with, “his beautiful cantilena and vivid and coloristically varied phrase line.”

Waterville Trio at Bargemusic
(at Fulton Ferry Landing near the Brooklyn Bridge)
March 9th & 10th, 7:30 pm
Tickets & info: (718) 624-2083 (office), (718) 624-4061 (Barge), ormusic@bargemusic.org

Program:

Rachmaninov – Piano Trio in G Minor, Op. 9 Elegiaque
P. Lachert – 25 Sonata Le coucou
Chopin – Piano Trio in G Minor, Op. 8

Musicologica Wratislaviensia Series

The musicology department at the University of Wrocław has started a new series of musicological publications, Musicologica Wratislviensia. The series consists of individual and collaborative works from the fields of music history, theory and ethnomusicology, with an emphasis on the aspects of Silesian music culture.

The 1st volume of the series, titled Musicology in Wrocław and edited by Maciej Gołąb is a product of the Polish-German-Ukrainian Conference that took place in 2003 on the Wrocław University campus. Articles included discuss the history of musicology in German Breslau as well as Polish Wrocław from the perspective of musical history at the Wrocław Universtity and Lwów Musicology School. This volume is published by Wrocław University Publications, Wroc?aw 2005.

30 Years of Atma

This year’s celebrations mark the 30th anniversary of the creation of the Karol Szymanowski Museum in Zakopane. The museum is housed in the Atma, a villa built around 1890. The first idea of creating a museum dedicated to Szymanowski came about in 1937. Another initiative was started 30 years later, then in 1972 the Warsaw Music Society bought Atma. Finally, in 1976 after renovations, the museum was opened to the public. During the week-long anniversary celebration, organizers have prepared concerts and lectures. For the full program go to:meloman.interia.pl/news?inf=722993

Polish Guitar Music

2005 marked the 200th anniversary of the birth of Jan Nepomucen Bobrowicz (1805-1881, Kraków), a prolific composer of great ingenuity and a virtuoso guitarist. On the occasion of this anniversary, several volumes of his music have been published. Robert Coldwell of Digital Guitar Archive has published his first volume of works by J.N. Bobrowicz, with an introduction in both English and Polish written by Krzysztof Komarnicki. This edition includes all of Bobrowicz’s known variations in new engravings. More pieces recently discovered will be put into a second volume later this year. The title of the current edition is: J.N. de Bobrowicz Selected Works Volume I: Variations. The editions are published under DGA Editions, on the web at: www.digitalguitararchive.com

Eufonium, a Polish publishing house that focuses primarily on guitar music, was established in February 2005 with this concern: “It appears that Polish music of the 19th century (not only guitar music) needs careful examination. Moreover, some steps should be taken in order to restore the worthwhile works to the contemporary audience’s awareness.” (Jarek Pabisiak, April 2005). J.N. Bobrowicz is one of these great forgotten Polish composers, and Eufonium has taken the opportunity of his anniversary to publish two editions of Bobrowicz’s works. They also have published works of Felix Horetzky and have plans to release more works by Horetzky, Chopin, and Szczepanowski. Visit Eufonium publishing at: www.eufonium.pl.

Musica Polonica Nova Correction

The Festival Musica Polonica Nova took place between February 17 and 26 in Wrocław, rather than between the 9th and the 16th as previously reported. At the official festival website you can find information regarding program artists and all surrounding events. The address is: www.musicapolonicanova.pl/program.html. Our apologies for the incorrect information listed in last month’s newsletter.

Ochlewski Composition Competition

PWM Edition has announced the subject for this year’s 4th Annual Ochlewski Composition Competition. The instrument is trumpet and the competition is open to Polish citizens under 30 years of age. The works have to be in before April 30, 2006. For detailed regulations and information please visit: www.pwm.com.pl.

IV Internat’l Saxophone Festival

The inauguration of the Fourth International Saxophone Festival will take place on the 31st of March at the Szczecin Philharmonic. The soloist will be American saxophone player Joseph Wytko, accompanied by the Szczecin Philharmonic Orchestra and conducted by Zygmunt Rychert. The program: Gerswin’s Cuban Overture, Debussy’s Rhapsody for saxophone, and Binge’s Concertino.

Days Of Harpsichord Music

The Days of Harpsichord Music Festival will take place at the Wrocław Music Academy between March 4 and 8. During the festival, the audience will hear music for harpsichord and/or music that uses this instrument, mostly early and baroque compositions. Alongside the festival there will be two cycles of masterclasses, one for harpsichord interpretation by Nicholas Parle and one for flauto traverso interpretation by the young Karolina Zych. For a more detailed information and program go to: meloman.interia.pl.

Grand Piano For Blechacz

PKN Orlen, one of the largest oil refining companies in Poland, has announced its plans to finance the new Steinway grand piano being made especially for the young Polish pianist Rafał Blechacz, winner of the recent International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw. The pianist will receive the symbolic check during a concert at the National Philharmonic.

PKN Orlen has long bee a friend of Polish culture; in 2004, they co-financed the purchase of the manuscript of Chopin’s Etude in C# minor, Op. 10 no. 4, from London’s Southey’s Auction House. The manuscript was then donated to the F. Chopin Museum in Warsaw.

Awards

Award For Marta Ptaszyńska

The American Academy of Arts and Letters has honored Polish composer and Helen B.& Frank L. Sulzberger Professor in Composition at the University of Chicago Marta Ptaszyńska(pictured at right) with the prestigious Benjamin H. Danks Creative Music Award for 2006, with a special distinction for opera and oratorio. The Benjamin H. Danks Award is given to an exceptional composer of large ensemble works. Candidates for the music awards are nominated by the 250 members of Academy. The Award will be presented at the Academy’s headquarters in New York on the 17 May 2006.

2005 Foundation For Culture Award

The Foundation for Culture is a non-government organization. It was created in 1990 as the first cultural foundation in Poland. The goal of the foundation is to promote Polish culture and national art. The Foundation’s Grand Award was established in 1993 and was first given to Jerzy Nowosielski, Paweł Szymański and Piwnica pod Baranami. For the year 2005, the winners of the Grand Award are theater director Jerzy Jarocki and pianist and jazz composer Leszek Możdżer. The award is given to artists who, in the past year, were of great importance in the Polish cultural scene. The award will be presented on February 22, 2006 for the thirteenth time.

Blechacz’s Double Honor

The Warsaw Voice, a weekly Polish magazine, has awarded its Chair of the Year Award for 2005 to Rafał Blechacz, a young Polish pianist and winner of the 15th International Chopin Competition in Warsaw. Rafał Blechacz is the first musician to receive the 17-year-old award.

The Chair of the Year Award is given by the Warsaw Voice to the person or the institution that was important to Poland in that given year. The award is in the form of the director’s chair.

Trio Aristos Wins Chamber Music Competition

Szymon Krzeszowiec (of Silesian Quartet fame,) together with two Danish musicians, performs as Trio Aristos. This fine group has won this year’s first prize in the prestigious Chamber Music Competition of the Danish Radio. The trio members are: Szymon Krzeszowiec – violin; Alexander Ollgard – viola; and Jakob Kullberg – cello.

This competition takes place once every two years in Copenhagen. The artists must prepare 80 minutes of repertoire from which the jury picks the performance pieces in the first two rounds. The artists have their choice in the final round. Trio Aristos performed pieces by Beethoven, Schubert, Webern, Norgard, Dohnányi, and Ysaye.

Discography

Rathaus & Fitelberg on CD

Two Polish composers of notoriety, Karol Rathaus and Jerzy Fitelberg, along with Grete Von Zieretz, are featured on a CD entitled Franz Schreker’s Masterclass in Vienna and Berlin (EDA 019-2). The CD is a collection of piano sonatas premiered by Kolja Lessing. Distributed by Editons Abseits, EDA 019-2 is available now and further information can be found at www.eda-records.de.

Karol Rathaus (1895-1954) wrote his Sonata No. 1 C minor Op 2 in 1920. The composition consists of four movements: (1) Grave e Maestro, (2) Lento con espressione, (3) Sherzo. Presto, and (4) Finale. Grave. Allegro energico.

The 1st movement follows the classical sonata form in every detail with its two contrasting subjects: the dramatic first subject in C minor, declaimed with great pathos, and the contrasting lyrical second subject beginning in the third-relationship of E flat major before appearing in C major at the recapitulation. Then E flat major is established as the principal key of the three-part 2nd movement, with its stormy middle section framed by two calm passages in a curious twilight mood. This twilight is the result of the harmonically ambivalent tritonic tension rooted in the alternating broken E Flat major in A major chords at the beginning of the movement.

The 3rd movement acts as a dominant to the E flat conclusion of the 2nd movement—a demonic scherzo in B flat minor. A tritone (C-G flat) again gains prominence at the onset of the movement, at first giving the movement a degree of harmonic instability, which is later given direction by the fortissimo cue of the bass octave B flat. Piu lento (Con sentimento) is the title of the nostalgic G flat major trio—a deliberately romantic episode colored with melancholy which stands in contrast with the incredibly complex, and at times rather dissonant, rondo-like Finale.

The numerous allusions to Eastern Jewish chants in this sonata are noteworthy. These are recognizable in the transition to the second subject of the 1st movement, but are particularly clear in the far-reaching melody at the beginning of the 2nd movement and in the melismatic motion circling around the smallest interval cells at the beginning of the 3rd movement. Perhaps these moments can be understood as a personal testimony on Rathaus’ part to specific Jewish traditions in his East Galician home, as his childhood friend Soma Morgenstern impressively describes in his memoirs, In einer anderen Zeit [In a Different Time] (Luneburg: zu Klampen 1995.)

In his 1st Piano Sonata, composed in one movement in the year 1926, Jerzy Fitelberg strives for the utmost concentration regarding the formal conception as well as the piano setting, which is characterized by crystal-clear polyphony in the neo-baroque spirit. The rapid succession of marked, at times grotesque, segments is a distinguishing feature of the sonata, as are the imaginative yet always organic shifts between tonal, polytonal and free tonal movements far removed from academic formula. Within a brief space, passages of strict style inspired by Bach are linked with elements of jazz and popular music of the 1920’s in a humorous, pianistically brilliant manner and a toccata-like “drive” is contrasted with halting syncopated rhythms.

The difference between Karol Rathaus’ emotive 1st Piano Sonata and the extremely brief form of Jerzy Fitelberg’s 1st Piano Sonata could hardly be greater—Fitelberg’s deliberate rejection of all late-romantic and impressionistic influences is typical of the “atmosphere of departure” displayed by the generation of composers born after 1900, for whom the magical sound of Schreker’s works seemed far less attractive than the rhythmic force and instrumentation skills of Stravinsky. Comparison reveals remarkable parallels between Fitelberg’s 1st Piano Sonata and the finale of Goldschmidt’s 1st Piano Sonata Op. 10, also composed in 1926, and a similarly light, crystal-clear piano setting based on baroque models is to be found in the Suite (1928) by Zdenka Ticharich, who studied with Schreker from 1923 to 1925. Fitelberg’s sonata, the earliest documented performance of which was given by Kurt Applebaum on July 17, 1928 at a recital evening by Walter Gmeindl’s composition class in the concert hall of the Hochschule für Musik in Berlin, is not only typical of the stylistic preferences of Schreker’s composition class in the mid-1920’s, but also characteristic of major anti-romantic tendencies in the music of that decade.

G. Fitelberg Tribute CD

A special tribute to conductor GRZEGORZ FITELBERG, released on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of his death, is now available. Grzegorz Fitelberg’s immense contribution to the music culture of Poland cannot be overestimated, and his influence can still be felt today. He began his career as a composer and violinist, then later championed the cause of composers in his prestigious role as conductor of the Warsaw Philharmonic and Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra. This CD, featuring Grzegorz Fitelberg as conductor, received the 2003 Frederyk Award in the symphonic category, the Polish equivalent to the American Grammy. The two CD commemorative set (PRCD 184) was released by Polskie Radio, SA (www.radio.com.pl) in cooperation with the Music Foundation of the Grzegorz Fitelberg International Competition for Conductors (www.konkursfitelberg.art.pl) held in Katowice every four years since 1979. The two-CD set celebrates Polish composers Stanisław Moniuszko (1819-1872), Zygmunt Noskowski (1846-1909, Gzregorz Fitelberg (1879-1953), Witold Lutosławski (1913-1994), Mieczysław Karłowicz (1876-1909) and especially Karol Szymanowski (1882-1937), all of whom influenced Grzegorz Fitelberg in their own way.

The first CD in the set features Stanisław Moniuszko’s concert overture Bajka [Fairy Tale]; Zygmunt Noskowski’s symphonic poem Step [The Steppe], Op. 66; Grzegorz Fitelberg’s symphonic poem Pieśń o Sokole [Song about a Falcon]; Witold Lutosławski’s symphonic version of Mała suita [Little Suite], consisting of three movements: Fujarka [A Pipe], Hurra Polka and Piosenka [A Song]; as well as Mieczysław Karłowicz’s symphonic poem Episod na Maskaradzie [An Episode at a Masquerade], completed by Fitelberg after the composers tragic and untimely death while skiing in the Tatra mountains.

The second CD is solely devoted to the second greatest Polish composer after Chopin, Karol Szymanowski, with whom Fitelberg enjoyed a close companionship and collaboration. The first featured composition is none other than Szymanowski’s Symphony No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 19, in three movements. The second is Szymanowski’s Concerto No. 1 for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 35 featuring soloist Eugenia Umińska. The third features four fragments from the ballet Harnasie, including The Sheep are Driven to Pastures, A Highlander Dance, Highlander Robbers March and Highland Robbers Dance, inspired by the local townspeople of the Tatra mountains. The forth composition featured is Pieśń Roksany [Roxana’s Song] from the opera Krol Roger [King Roger]. The fifth and final Szymanowski piece is Nocturne and Tarantella, op. 28 which was arranged and orchestrated by Fitelberg.

Performances

Janaki Trio Performs Penderecki

On Thursday, January 23rd, the Janaki Trio played a recital featuring Krzysztof Penderecki’s Streichtrio at the Colburn School of Performing Arts. This recital was in preparation for the Concert Artists Guild International Competition, “which is one of the most prestigious of all competitions in the world,” according for Serena McKinney, the group’s violinist. This year’s competition is March 1-7, 2006 in New York City, with the winners Awards Showcase Concert in Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall on March 8, 2006.

The Janaki Trio is proving to be one of today’s fastest-rising young ensembles and has created quite a buzz among Southland chamber music aficionados. Founded at the Colburn School’s Conservatory of Music in February 2005, the ensemble consists of Serena Mckinney – violin, Katie Kadarauch – viola, and Arnold Choi – cello. The trio recently won Grand Prize at the 59th Annual Coleman Chamber Music Competition in May, which puts it in the rarified company of past winners such as Glenn Dicterow, Grant Gershon, Jeffrey Kahane, Paula Robison, Nathaniel Rosen, Morton Subotnick, the Ahn Trio, eighth blackbird, and the Tokyo String Quartet. In past months the Trio has performed at a variety of venues, including the Doheny Mansion, Zipper Hall, and Temple Beth Hillel, “Sundays At Two” at the Beverly Hills Library and the “Previews” at Trinity Lutheran, Manhattan Beach, in Dabney Lounge of Caltech’s Lagerstrom Chamber Music Concerts, and LACMA’s Sundays Live. Individually, its members study with Southern California’s premier teachers: Robert Lipsett, violin; Paul Coletti, viola; Ronald Leonard, cello; and Yehuda Gilad, conductor (Colburn Orchestra). Serena McKinney performs on a Camillus Camilli violin (circa 1742) on loan to her from the Mandell Collection of Southern California; Katie Kadarauch performs on a viola by Bartolmeo Obici (Verona, 1748); and Arnold Choi performs on a Carl Becker cello made in 1916.

Penderecki String Quartet at LACMA

By Gary Fitelberg

On January 23rd, 2006 the Penderecki String Quartet delighted the audience with its superb musicianship and tremendous performance of Leo Janacek’s String Quartet No. 1, Kreutzer Sonata (1923), the World Premiere of Laurie Radford’s Everything We See in the Sky (2005), and Christopher Rouse’s String Quartet No. 2 (1988), as well as a rousing encore of one of the movements from Bartok’s Fifth String Quartet. With Jeremy Bell and Jerzy Kaplanek as violinists, Christine Vlajk on viola and Simon Freyer on cello, the audience was guaranteed an electrifying and inspiring evening of music. Each one is a master of music.

The concert performance, the quartet’s ninth consecutive appearance, took place at the final season of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) Monday Evening Concert Series. A complimentary wine reception was held following the concert.

The Penderecki String Quartet, approaching its third decade of an extraordinary career, has become one of the most celebrated chamber ensembles of their generation. They are in demand internationally and their performing schedule takes them around the world annually to the great concert stages of North and South America, Europe and the Far East. The recent schedule has included concerts in New York (Miller Theatre), Amsterdam (Concertgebouw), St. Petersburg (State Music Museum), Paris (University 8), New Haven (Yale University), Los Angeles (Bing Theatre) Atlanta (State University), Bloomington (Indiana University), Wieczory Arsenale Festival in Poland, Is Arti Festival in Lithuania, Rive-Gauche Festival in Italy, the Festival International de Musica in Venezuela, Musicarama festival in Hong Kong, and the Shanghai International Arts Festival. The Penderecki Quartet also has performed extensively in all major centers in Canada, from coast to coast.

The Penderecki String Quartet devotes much of its time to Quarterfest, an intensive Spring-term seminar held at Wilfred Laurier university in Waterloo, Ontario where invited guest faculty have included the Tokyo Quartet, the Ying Quartet, and the Colorado Quartet. The Penderecki Quartet also pride’s itself in their mission to be the best in active education involvement worldwide. This year they will enter their 14th year as Quartet in Residence at Waterloo’s Wilfred Laurier University, their year-round commitment to education. Under the Quartet’s direction, the University’s string program has become one of the top programs in Canada, attracting an international body of students.

The Penderecki Quartet was founded in Poland in 1986 at the urging of the pre-eminent Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki. The fruit of their association includes the authoritative interpretation of Penderecki’s complete works for String Quartet on CD (United Records, England.) To this day, the Quartet is completely devoted as a champion of the modern music. The repertoire is diverse and vast ranging from back to Brahms, Bartok to Ligeti, Frank Zappa to John Oswald. The group has given over 100 world premieres of new works by composers including Brian Cherney, Linda C. Smith, Randolph Peters, Harry freedman, Glen Buhr, Alice Ho, Peter Hatch, Omar Daniel and Gilles Trembley with assistance from the Canada Council, the Laidlaw Foundation, the CBC, the Ontario Arts Council and the Hong Kong Arts Development Council. The Penderecki String Quartet is now probably the most sought after ensemble for new and young composers today.

According to the Santa Barbara Independent, “The Penderecki String Quartet happily leads a double life…It has devoted considerable faith and energy to the contemporary music cause. Simultaneously it also flexes its artistry on standard repertoire turf, to dazzling ends.”

Described by Fanfare Magazine as “an ensemble of formidable power and keen music sensitivity,” the Penderecki String Quartet’s large discography includes over 20 recordings including the chamber music repertoire of Johannes Brahms on both the Marquis and Electra labels, as well as a new release of the six Bela Bartók quartets, under the auspices of the Napa Valley Chamber Music Society (I’ll drink some wonderful wine and make a toast to that one. Cheers!). The Quartet has also recorded CDs for CBC, CMC EMI, United and Artifact labels among others.

For additional information regarding the Penderecki String Quartet visit their website at http://info.wlu.ca/~wwwpsq/.

E.U. Music Festival

By Gary Fitelberg

In September 2005, the European Union Music Festival was held in Warsaw. The inaugural concert featured the symphonic poem Pieśń o sokole [Song of the Falcon] by Grzegorz Fitelberg (1879-1953) composed during 1905, “I koncert skrzpcowy fis-moll, op. 14” by Henryk Wieniawski (1835-1880) composed during 1852-53, and September Symphony by Wojciech Kilar (1932-present) composed during 2003. The works were performed under conductor Antoni Wit with the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra. Piotr Plawner was the featured violinist. Other countries participating in the European Union Music Festival were Austria, Belgium, England, France, Finland, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Spain and Sweden.

Internet News

Rmf Classic On-Line

If you are interested in listening to classical music via the internet, tune in to the Polish RMF Classical station. It is available at www.mojemedia.pl/stacje,s,3 and the stream quality is very high. It is a stream of live radio, so you will also hear Polish announcers and information.

Polish Business On The Web

FREE web hosting for Polish-American non-profit organizations is available at: www.polsystems.com. They also have very reasonable prices for for-profit businesses.

Also, if you have something to sell, you are looking for job or you offer a job, the Polish-American community finally has a place to do advertising: www.polmarket.org.

Stojowski Collection Update

In 2005, the Polish Music Center at USC received a generous donation of manuscripts, sketches, correspondence, and published scores of music by Zygmunt (Sigismond) Stojowski (1870-1946) from the composer’s family. Now known as the Stojowski Collection, this new addition to the PM archive consists of 32 boxes of varying sizes. During the summer of 2005, the Stojowski Collection was appraised by a specially hired expert. Although study copies will remain in the Polish Music Center, the originals will reside permanently in Special Collections at the Doheny Library on the USC campus. In the coming months, as the Collection’s detailed inventory is being made, we will continue publishing the contents in our Newsletter, informing our public of this important legacy left by a fascinating and undeservedly forgotten composer. All inquiries regarding the Stojowski Collection should be directed to the Polish Music Center at USC via e-mail to: polmusic@usc.edu.

[MZ]

Box 1

Case I: Manuscripts

1. Black hardbound music notebook 6.5 x 9 in. (16.5 x 24 cm). Approximately 95 continuous pages, not numbered. Contains clean copy of the following works:

a. Tęsknota – Pieśń do słów N. Żmichowskiej [Longing – A Song to text by N. Żmichowska]. Lento ma non troppo. Inscribed top right: Ischl, w sierpniu 1884 [Ischl, in August 1884]. 4 pagesb. Feuille d’Album [for piano]. Andantino quasi allegretto. Inscribed top right: Ischl, sierpień 1884 [Ischl, August 1884]. 2 pages

c. Waryacye [Variations for piano in E minor]. Inscribed top right: we Lwowie w lutym 1885 [in Lwów in February 1885]. 12 pages

d. Trois morceaux en miniature [for piano]. Inscribed top right: Kraków maj 1885 [Kraków May 1885]. 1. Petite Marche: Vivace. 4 pages; 2. Petite Barcarolle: Andante molto cantabile. 2.5 pages; 3. Petit Scherzo. Inscribed top right: Wiedeń sierpień 1885 [Vienna August 1885]. 3 pages

e. Niegodziwy. Słowa Rodocia [Ungrateful. Words by Rodoć]. Inscribed top right: Kraków marzec 1886 [Kraków March 1886]. 2 pages

f. Szkoda. Pieśń do słów A. Asnyka [Pity. A song to text by A. Asnyk]. Andantino. Inscribed top right: Kraków czerwiec 1886 [Kraków June 1886]. 4 pages

g. Impromptu [for piano]. Presto. First 9 bars only

h. Caprice [for piano]. Allegro con fuoco. Inscribed top right: Kraków czerwiec 1886 [Kraków June 1886]. 12 pages

i. Phantaisie [for piano]. Inscribed top right: Kraków czerwiec 1886 [Kraków June 1886]. I. Andante sostenuto. II. Allegro assai. 18 pages

j. Berceuse. Title only (no music) followed by 4 blank pages

k. Romances sans paroles pour Violoncelle [and piano] in A major. 7 pages

2. Black softbound music notebook 6 x 9 in. (15 x 23 cm). Approximately 28 continuous pages, not numbered. Contains clean copy of the following works:

a. Untitled [String trio on an original theme? Possibly a study in fugue and counterpoint]. Includes annotations in French of various polyphonic techniques used in the composition. 14 pagesb. Fugue du ton. Andante sostenuto [in A-flat major]. In 3 parts, on an original theme. Possibly a study in fugue and counterpoint]. Includes annotations in French of various polyphonic techniques used in the composition. 9 pages

3. Dark blue softbound music notebook 7.5 x 4.75 in. (20 x 12 cm). Approximately 20 continuous pages, not numbered. Contains sketches of various works, written in pencil, blue pencil, and ink

4. Light blue softbound music notebook 6 x 9 in. (15x 23 cm). Approximately 40 continuous pages, not numbered. Contains sketches of various works, written in pencil

5. Brown softbound music notebook 6 x 9 in. (15x 23 cm). Approximately 28 continuous pages, not numbered. Contains sketches of various works, written in pencil

6. Dark green softbound music notebook 6 x 9 in. (15x 23 cm). Approximately 43 continuous pages, not numbered. Contains fair copy in ink of counterpoint exercises (?) [fugues, canons, etc. with annotations in French of various polyphonic techniques used throughout the composition]

7. Folder: Aspirations | (piano) | Op. 39. Contains fair copy scores on a 12-stave paper of the following works:

a. Vers la tombe (Elegie). Lento e mesto. Top right: Sig. Stojowski op. 39 no. 2. 4 pages

b. Vers le caprice (Intermède). Allegretto capriccioso. Top right: Sig. Stojowski op. 39 no. 3. 3 pages

8. Folder (no title); Inside leaf: “Op. 3 Concerto | First draft.” Contains a fair copy score in ink on 18-stave paper of the following work: Concerto pour piano avec accompagnement d’orchestre | Sigismond Stojowski. Top right (in blue ink, likely added later by the composer): “first draft of | 1 Concerto.” A 2-piano arrangement (with annotations by the composer in French in blue pencil to the engraver). 68 pages, numbered.

9. Folder (no title). Contains:

a. A 4-page ink manuscript of various folk-songs and dances in a setting for piano: Branle; Wolga Boatman’s Song; Love-Song (Tatra mountains); Brigand’s step (Tatra) Nehody Hryciu (Ukraina); Chanson triste (Tschaikovsky); Peruvian Lullaby; Lento; Andantino; etc. Some excerpts have texts entered above the top RH part. 4 pages

b. pencil sketch (solo part of the Violin Concerto?)—5 lines of music

c. fragments of piano unidentified piano pieces, in ink. 3 pages, manuscript very fragile and frayed at the edges

10. Folder (no title). Contains fair copy in ink of two songs for voice and piano on 4 pages of manuscript, 16-stave paper:

a. Ach jak mi smutno. Lento e mesto [Ah, I’m so sad]. Upper right: Zygmunt Stojowski | Op. 11 no. 1. Text in Polish with French translation]. Fair copy in ink (French text in pencil)

b. Letni wieczór. Andante con moto. [Summer Evening]. Top right: Zygmunt Stojowski | Op. 11 no. 3. Texts in Polish and French.

11. Folder (no title). Contains several piano pieces in fair copy in ink on a 12-stave paper:

a. Berceuse. Lento. [in A-flat major] Top right. Sig. Stojowski | op. 11 no. 1. 2 pages

c. Gondoliera [for piano]. Title page: A Mademoiselle Augusta Benwick. | Gondoliera | Sigismond Stojowski | Op. 11 no. 3 [in G-flat major]. 2 pages with annotations

12. Folder: (no title): ContainsBallade, Andante non troppo [for Orchestra] in full score. Fair copy in ink on a 20-stave paper. No title page. 35 pages, numbered

13. Folder (no title): Contains Concerto pour violon et orchestre, Op. 20

a. Arrangement for violin solo with piano reduction of the orchestral part. Fair copy in ink on a 15-stave paper, with annotations, corrections, etc. Title page: Concerto | pour violon et orchestre | Sig. Stojowski | Op. 20. 32 pages, not numbered with rehearsal numbers only, containing all 3 movements

b. Full orchestral score of the Violin Concerto Op. 20. In pencil on a 20-stave paper with frequent changes, corrections and blue pencil indications of rehearsal letters. Title page: Concerto | pour violon et orchestre. | Sig. Stojowski | op. 20. I. Allegro appassionato: pp. 1-61; II. Andante non troppo, pp. 62-80. III. Allegro giocoso, pp. 81-138.

14. Folder (no title): Contains the following works in manuscript:

a. Concerto [for Violin and orchestra. Piano reduction.] Fair copy in ink on a 20-stave paper. I. Allegro con fuoco, ma poco maestoso [in D minor]. II. Aria. Andante con moto. [in A major]. III. Allegro molto con fuoco, quasimente presto [in D minor]. 20 pages

b. Caprice-Etude pour le piano. Allegro tempestuoso. Title page: Caprice-Etude | pour le piano | Sigismond Stojowski. Clean copy in ink on a 18-stave paper. 3 pages. Dated at the end: “3 mai 1888.”

c. L’Automne [for chorus and orchestra]. Title page: L’Automne. | Choeur a 4 parties avec accompagnement d’orchestre. | Paroles de Lamartine. | Sigismond Stojowski. Clean copy in ink on a 18-stave paper. Chorus with piano reduction. 7 pages, not numbered. Dated at the end: “Fin. Mai 1888.”

d. A double-sided sheet of sketches [possibly for the Violin Concerto listed above] in pencil on a 15-stave paper

Case II: Manuscripts

1. Folder: Stojowski | 2nd Piano Concerto, containing the following works:

a. 2eme Concerto. Signed Sig. Stojowski upper right. Clean copy of the full orchestral score, written in pencil on a 20-stave paper, 16 pages, numbered. I. Allegro energico. [Incomplete-the ms. ends on p. 15 of the score]b. 2eme Concerto. In composer’s hand, unsigned. Upper right: “Opus 32” added later, possibly by the composer. A two-piano arrangement (orchestral accompaniment written above the solo part). Fair copy with occasional corrections and crossing out (pages 12-14, part of p. 15, etc.) written in pencil on a 15-stave paper. 48 pages, numbered 1-45 (the ms ends on p. 45). Allegro energico (p. 1); Molto vivace, scherzando (p. 15); Andante (p. 25), Allegro (p. 32); Animato (p. 35); The ms ends on p. 45 with a change of key (from F major to F minor) indicated at the very end of the page

c. Untitled. 2eme Concerto[?] Ms in composer’s hand, written in pencil on a 16-stave paper. A sketch-continuation [?] of the Concerto’s 2-piano arrangement (change to 4 flats indicated at top left of the page and the indication of orchestration: “Fl.”). 4 pages, not numbered. Fair copy, with corrections and crossed-out bars. The soloist’s part begins on p. 2 with an octave passage. Top of p. 3 (upper right corner) and p. 4 (upper left corner) are torn out. Incomplete

2. Folder: Dumka (parts), containing orchestral parts only for Dumka [for Voice and Orchestra, Op. 14?]. Fair copy (with occasional corrections and annotations, some in composer’s hand), written in ink on a 10-stave paper, unsigned. Flute; Oboe; Clarinets I & II in B-flat; Bassoon; Horns I & II in F; Violin I (also called Violin Imo) – 3 sets of parts; Violin IIdo; Viola; Cello; Bass

3. Folder: Concertstück pour Violoncelle et Orchestre, containing the full orchestral score of the work. Title page: Concertst?ck | pour | Violoncelle et Orchestre| Sig. Stojowski | Op. 31. Clean copy, in pencil, 72 pages, numbered. Occasional annotations [to the engraver/publisher] in German on the margins. No tempo designation at the beginning

4. Folder: Concertstück pour Violoncelle et Orchestre, containing pencil sketch for the work with the orchestral part notated as piano reduction below the solo part. Title: Concerto p. violoncello et orchestre. Top right: Sig. Stojowski | Op. 31. Written in pencil on a 12-stave paper, 22 pages, not numbered. Incomplete Allegro vivace (opening tempo). The ms ends with a portion of the Animato section in 2/4 (in the full score in Folder no. 3 it is marked: Allegro assai). Compare with p. 59 of the full score

5. Folder: Concertstück pour Violoncelle et Orchestre, containing an envelope with photostatic copies of the orchestral parts (incomplete). All written on a 12-stave paper in composer’s hand and stamped with the Maison du Ménestrel hire library stamp. Piccolo & 3rd flute; Flute I; Flute II; Oboe I; Oboe II & Corno inglese; Clarinetto I in A & B; Clarinetto II in A & B; Fagotto I; Fagotto II; Arpa; Corno I in F; Corno II in F; Corno III in F; Corno IV in F; Tromba I in F; Tromba II in F; Trombone I; Trombone II; Trombone basso; Timpani in A, C, E et Piatti; Piatti

6. Folder: Concertstück pour Violoncelle et Orchestre, containing an envelope with the orchestral parts (incomplete). Clean copy in ink on a 12-stave paper [likely in composer’s hand] with numerous additions, corrections and interpretative markings [some in composer’s hand; others from musicians rehearsing and performing the work]. Violino I, 8 pages (4 sets of parts); Violino II, 8 pages (4 sets of parts); Viola, 8 pages (3 sets of parts); Cello I, 8 pages; Cello II, 8 pages; Basso (ou Cello), 6 pages; Basso II, 6 pages

Case III: Manuscripts

1. Folder: Fugue de concours [for string quartet]. Contains clean copy of the score, in ink on a 14-stave paper. Title page: A | Charles René | témoinage d’amitié et de reconnaissance. | Sigismond Stojowski | 1er prix de fugue en 1889. | Paris, le 25 juillet 1889. Inside title page: Fugue du ton | a quatre parties. | Sigismond Stojowski | [with a musical quotation of the fugue subject below]. 8 pages, written on one side only, with comments in French of the polyphonic techniques used

2. Folder: In Tempo di minuetto [for piano]. Clean copy, in ink, with a few corrections and indications in pencil [at the end of the piece for the Da capo], 4 pages, written on a 14-stave paper. Top left: Moderato con anima. Top right: Sig. Stojowski | Op. 26 no. 2

3. Folder: 2 Piano pieces [Op. 41 no. 1], containing:

a. Intermède lyrique pour piano. Clean copy in ink on a 12-stave paper, 8 pages (including the title page), not numbered. Title page: A Seńorita Luisa Morales-Macedo | Intermède lyrique | pour Piano | Sigismond Stojowski | Op. 41 no. 1 | Copyright by Heugel 1921 | 27742. Inside title: Intermezzo. Top left: Andantino con moto. Top right: Stojowski, Op. 41 no. 1b. Intermède. (Op. 41 no. 2). Clean copy in ink on a 12-stave paper, 8 pages (including the title page), not numbered. Numerous indications of fingering in ink and pencil as well as remarks on performing grace notes at the end of the piece. Further inscription at the end: Bakeloo Cottage, Twilight Park, Catskills, N.Y., July 1916. Although numbered Op. 41 no. 2, it is probably an earlier version of the item a. above

4. Folder: Piano Quartet. Contains sketches for a Piano Quartet, in pencil on a 15-stave paper. Undated and unsigned. Incomplete (4 pages of full score) [opening movement?]

5. Folder: Romanza [for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 15?]. Contains a clean copy of the full orchestral score, in ink, on a 20-stave paper. Title: Romanza; top left: Andante non troppo. Top right: Sig. Stojowski | Op. 15. 22 pages, numbered

6. Folder: 2 Piano pieces, containing:

a. Scherzo-Caprice. Clean copy (with a few corrections and annotations) in ink on a 12-stave paper, 8 pages. Top left: To Mildred Titcomb. Top right: Sig. Stojowski | Op. 41 no. 2. Inscribed at the end: “June 1931 | Newburgh.”

b. Romance. Clean copy (with a few corrections and annotations) in ink on a 12-stave paper, 4 pages. Top left: Andante con moto. Top right: S. Stojowski | Op. 41 no. 3. Inscribed at the end: “Sonthold, N.Y. | Sept. 1936.”

7. Folder: Prayer for Poland, containing a choral score with orchestral accompaniment in orchestral reduction. Fair copy in ink on a 15-stave paper, with numerous annotations, corrections, and performance directives in ink, pencil and color pencil. 24 pages, including title page. Title page: Sigismond Stojowski | Op. 40 | Prayer for Poland | Poem by | Sigismond Krasiński | (Translation by George Harris, Jr.) | for mixed chorus, Soprano solo, Baritone solo, Organ and orchestra | Modlitwa za Polskę. | Hymn | do słów | Zygmunta Krasińskiego. | Na sopran solo, baryton solo, chór mięszany, orkiestrę i organy | Zygmunt Stojowski | Op. 40

8. Folder: Pageant (Wedding) Wesele. Contains various solo sheets of Polish folk songs and dances, some with words in Polish (occasionally transliterated into the English) with stage directions, involving roles for the performers [inc. Madame Sembrich]

9. Folder: Fantaisie pour piano, Op. 38. Clean copy in ink on a 22-stave paper. Title page: Fantaisie | pour piano | Sigismond Stojowski | Op. 38. 16 pages, numbered [the piece ends on p. 9, but there is a passage of 4 bars with fingering on the following blank page – to be inserted at the spot marked with an “x” on p. 7]. Inscribed at the end: “Maplewood | Sept. 1911.”

10. Folder: Siedzi ptaszek na drzewie [Bird on a Tree]. Fair copy of a song Siedzi ptaszek na drzewie, in ink on a 12-stave paper, with corrections in pencil and colored pencil, 2 pages. Also contains a French translation of the text, written in pencil above the Polish original as well as a separate leaf with the French translation written out in ink in the composer’s hand. Top left: Andantino con moto. Top right; Zygmunt Stojowski | Op. 14 no. 1

12. Folder: Modlitwa za Polskę. Prayer for Poland. Contains a fair copy of the orchestral score, with numerous corrections, additions and changes, in ink on a 34-stave paper. 31 pages, numbered. Top left: Andante con moto. Top right: S. Stojowski | Op. 40 [NOTE: The manuscript was folded in half and is in extremely fragile condition]

Case IV: Manuscripts

1. Folder: Symphony [in D minor, Op. 21]. Contains a full orchestral score in pencil, on a 22-stave paper. First movement-Andante mesto-Allegro; 67 pages, numbered. (Several pages that were cut from the final version of the score but are included here, are not numbered). Second movement-Andante, 27 pages, numbered (also included a clean copy in ink on a 20-stave paper of the last 12 bars of the movement). Third movement-Molto vivace, 77 pages, only partially numbered 1-7, with bar numbers in lower right running throughout-1-617. Ending of the movement in sketches, with bar numbers continuing from 618 to the final chord in 656. Fourth movment-Allegro con fuoco, 59 pages, numbered. Title page: from top left: Andante mesto. | Symphonie | I | Sig. Stojowski

3. Folder: Thème cracovien varié [for piano]. Fair copy of Thčme cracovien varié Op. 26 no. 4 in ink on a 12-stave paper. 10 pages, numbered. Another, possibly definitive version of the final section, Allegro vivo, and the 16 opening bars of the Allegretto capriccioso, ma non vivace variation on a separate sheet. A further sheet of a 12-stave paper has a 17 bar long fragment of an unidentified piano piece in A major.

4. Folder: Scherzo [for orchestra]. Clean copy in ink on a 20-stave paper of the third movement for a symphony. From top left: III. Scherzo.| Vivacissimo. | Symphonie | Sig. Stojowski | Op. 10 [added in faintly visible pencil]. 50 pages, numbered.

5. Symphony in D minor, Op. 21. A bound manuscript copy of the score. Inscribed To be or not to be. above the title, Symphonie, and the composer’s signature underneath. On the inside cover, left side page: Adresse: Sig, Stojowski | Paris, 12 rue Leo Delibes. 236 pages, numbered.

6. Folder: Spanish American Berceuse [for piano]. Clean copy on a 9-stave paper, 2 pages, not numbered. Top left: Andantino poco mosso. Top right: arr. by S. Stojowski.

7. Folder: Untitled work for violin and orchestra in F major. Clean copy in ink on a 20-stave paper. 15 pages, numbered.

8. Folder: Sketches for Piano Trio. Contains two fragments:

a. Fragment 1: pencil on a 12-stave paper, 3 pages, not numbered. [Possibly the opening movement in G minor, Agitato]. At the bottom of p. 3, an 8-bar opening of a fugue, in ink, not necessarily related to the sketches of the trio.b. Fragment [possibly for a second movement] in E-flat major, marked Moderato. 1 page, in pencil, on a 12-stave paper

9. Folder-miscellaneous writings:

a. Contains several loose sheets of paper with Stojowski’s thoughts, remarks and observations on various composers and their music. Some in English, some in Polish, some in ink, some in pencilb. green, leather-bound address book

Case V: Manuscripts

1. Contains the score for Prologue, Scherzo & Variations [for Piano and Orchestra]. Title page, written on an 11-stave paper: Partition Orchestre | Prologue, Scherzo, & Variations. | Sig. Stojowski | Op. 32. The full orchestral score, written in ink on a 24-stave paper. 203 pages, numbered. Includes added pages and indications for deleting sections of varying lengths throughout the score

Anniversaries

Born This Month

1 March 1810 – Fryderyk Chopin, virtuoso pianist, Poland’s greatest composer
2 March 1927 – Witold Szalonek, composer (d. 2001).
3 March 1922 – Kazimierz Serocki, composer, co-founder of the Warsaw AutumnFestival
6 March 1785 – Karol Kurpiński, composer, father of national opera
6 March 1835 – Ludwik Grossman, composer, pianist, and piano merchant (d. 1915)
7 March 1911 – Stefan Kisielewski, composer, essayist, writer
10 March 1937 – Bernadetta Matuszczak, composer
14 March 1913 – Witold Rudziński, composer
17 March 1901 – Piotr Perkowski, composer
17 March 1925 – Tadeusz Prejzner, composer, pianist active in popular music
18 March 1961 – Hanna Kulenty, composer
21 March 1936 – Marek Stachowski, composer
23 March 1933 – Andrzej Trzaskowski, composer, jazz pianist and conductor
23 March 1888 – Lidia Kmitowa, violinist and teacher (d. 1980)
27 March 1927 – Joachim Olkuśnik, composer
28 March 1954 – Paweł Szymański, composer

Died This Month

1 March 2004 – Janina Garscia, composer of music for children and teacher
2 March 1887 – Wilhelm Troschel, singer and son of piano maker
4 March 1939 – Józef Sliwiński, pianist, composer (b. 1862)
4 March 1925 – Maurycy (Moritz) Moszkowski, composer and pianist (b. 1854)
4 March 1895 – Stanisław Niedzielski, singer (baritone), choral conductor.
14 March 1954 – Ludomir Rogowski (b. 3 Oct 1881)
15 March 1883 – Karol Studziński, violinist (b. 1828)
15 March 1948 – Konrad Neuger, conductor, active in the U.S. since 1931 (b. 1890)
19 March 1876 – Józef Stefani, composer, conductor, violinist, son of Jan (b. 1800)
21 March 1973 – Antoni Szałowski, composer
22 March 1893 – Adam Herman Hermanowski, cellist, child prodigy and virtuoso (b. 1836)
29 March 1937 – Karol Szymanowski, composer, pianist (b. 1882)
29 March 1959 – Zdzisław Szulc, curator of music instruments museum in Poznań
31 March 1880 – Henryk Wieniawski, composer, virtuoso violinist (b. 1835)
31 March 1946 – Aleksandra Stromfeld-Klamzynska-Szuminska, soprano (b. 1859)