A Survey of the Triangiel Catalog

In spite of the PMC being closed since March 16 due to the Covid-19 virus pandemic, gifts to our library are still arriving from near and far. We are delighted and very grateful to our supporters worldwide for thinking of us during these difficult times.

A very substantial donation of published music arrived in mid-March from Włodzimierz Sołtysik, Editor-in-Chief of the Triangiel Music Publishers. Incorporated in 1991 and covering over five hundred years of Polish music, Triangiel focuses mainly on choral music in a variety of new arrangements. Most volumes feature substantial historical, biographical and musicological commentary in Polish and English, which might prove to be particularly useful for foreign researchers of Polish music. Triangiel also concentrates on musical education, providing a wide catalogue of items suitable for instructing younger musicians, both instrumental and vocal. Music textbooks, biographies of famous composers, recordings and computer programs for music schools represent yet another sector of activities and an important mission of this publisher.

Włodzimierz Sołtysik’s March 2020 gift to the PMC includes the following items:

  • 1000 Pieśni—Tom I [1000 Songs—An Anthology; Vol. I]
  • 300 Kanonów—Antologia [300 Canons—Anthology]
  • 100 Kolęd na 2 i 3 głosy równe [100 Christmas Carols for 2 or 3 equal voices]
  • Marsz Pierwszej Brygady—Pieśni Legionów [March of the First Brigade—Legions’ Songs]
  • Arcydzieła polskiego średniowiecza na chór żeński, męski, mieszany [Masterpieces of the Polish Middle Ages for female, male and mixed choir]
  • 18 Kolęd na chór mieszany [18 Christmas Carols for mixed choir]
  • Pieśni świeckie polskiego renesansu na 3-6 głosów a cappella. Tom I: Pieśni królewskie [Secular Songs for the Polish Renaissance for 3-6 parts a cappella. Vol. I: Songs of Kings]
  • Pieśni świeckie polskiego renesansu na 3-6 głosów a cappella. Tom II: Pieśni obyczajowe i okolicznościowe [Secular Songs for the Polish Renaissance for 3-6 parts a cappella. Vol. II: Traditional and Festive Songs]
  • Feliks Nowowiejski—Rota
  • 15 Kolęd na chór męski [15 Christmas Carols for men’s choir]
  • Polskie hymny—Polish National Anthems
  • Negro Spirituals for mixed choir
  • Fryderyk Chopin—Pieśni na głosy mieszane a cappella [Songs for mixed voices a cappella]
  • Mało nas—piosenki dziecięce na fortepian [Few of Us—children’s songs forr piano]
  • Władysław Ludwik Anczyc—Pieśń strzelców na chór mieszany [The Riflemen’s Song for mixed choir]
  • Władysław Ludwik Anczyc—Pieśń strzelców na 3 głosy równe; na 4 głosy męskie [The Riflemen’s Song for 3 voices and 4 men’s voices]
  • Trzy znamienite polonezy na głos z akompaniamentem [Three Distinguished Polonaises for solo voice and piano]
  • Michał Sołtysik—Usque ad finem siedem pieśni na chór mieszany a cappella [Seven Songs for mixed choir a cappella]
  • Karol Kurpiński—Śpiewy wolności na chór mieszany [Songs of Freedom for mixed choir]
  • 20 Kolęd dla najmłodszych na fortepian [20 Christmas Carols for piano beginners]
  • 9 Kolęd na chór mieszany [9 Christmas Carols for mixed choir]
  • 30 Pieśni ludu i szlachty na 2 głosy równe [30 Songs of folk and gentry for 2 voices]
  • Najpiękniejsze kołysanki na głos solo z akompaniamentem [Good Night—the most beautiful lullabies for solo voice and accompaniment]

Importantly, Włodzimierz Sołtysik is listed as the arranger for a great majority of these titles; he also provided insightful and detailed introductions in Polish and English for each volume. His father, Dr. Stefan Sołtysik, a longtime supporter of the Polish Music Center, graciously brought these treasures over to us.

 

A Tansman Treasury

Another very interesting donation that reached us recently came from Sylvain Frémaux, an orchestral conductor, university professor, author of books on music history and a laureate of the Stefan and Wanda Wilk Prize. Professor Frémaux sent us several publications about Alexandre Tansman, one of the great émigré Polish composers, who spent most of his long life in Paris. They include a two-volume biography of Tansman by Janusz Cegiełła, Dziecko szczęścia: Aleksander Tansman i jego czasy, a definitive and magisterial opus on Tansman’s fascinating life and great career.

Two other fascinating items that came to from Professor Frémaux’s library us are catalogues of Tansman’s works. The first, Alexandre Tansman—Catalogue des oeuvres, was published by Gérard Billaudot Éditeur. The second, Alexandre Tansman: Catalogue de l’oeuvre, was published by Max Eschig. While both publications include biographies (in French and English) and photos of the composer, the Eschig catalogue in particular is very extensive and detailed with the added bonus of alphabetical index of Tansman’ compositions at the end. Since Eschig was Tansman’s longtime publisher in Paris, this catalogue will be especially valuable to students and researchers interested in music by this composer.

As always—to all our donors—a very hearty Thank You! Dziękujemy!