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NOTES ON THE COMPOSERS Fryderyk Chopin (1810 –1849) is widely regarded as the greatest Polish composer, and ranks as one of music's greatest tone poets. He "had the rare gift of a very personal melody, expressive of heart-felt emotion, and his music is penetrated by a poetic feeling that has an almost universal appeal.... Present-day evaluation places him among the immortals of music by reason of his insight into the secret places of the heart and because of his awareness of the magical new sonorities to be drawn from the piano" (Arthur Hedley.) Besides numerous compositions for solo piano, Chopin wrote music for piano and orchestra, chamber music (all including piano), and songs. Chopin’s works are mainstays of Romanticism in 19th-century classical music. Henryk Wieniawski (1835-1880) was one of the greatest violinists of the Romantic era. As a performer, often compared to Paganini, he dazzled audiences with his stupendous technique, expressive phrasing, and rich tone. His compositions, such as mazurkas and polonaises, celebrate the spirit of Poland. Wieniawski's talent as a composer came to the fore in his extraordinary Violin Concerto No. 2, regarded as one of the great works of the Romantic violin repertoire. Ignacy Jan Paderewski (1860–1941), a virtuoso pianist, composer, politician (the first Prime Minister of independent Poland after World War I), humanitarian, and orator, was universally acclaimed as a "Modern Immortal" by his contemporaries. His charismatic personality and popular appeal made him one of the most cherished figures of the 20th century. Following debuts in Vienna (1887) and Paris (1888), his brilliant, sensitive playing won him worldwide popularity exceeding that of any performer since Franz Liszt. In 1890 he made the first of many concert tours of the United States. H is compositions include a piano concerto, an opera, a violin sonata, some orchestral music, and many piano pieces and songs. Mieczysław Karłowicz (1876 –1909) was the most significant Polish composer between Chopin and Szymanowski. Sadly, his career was cut short when he died in an avalanche while skiing. Besides an important symphony (Revival) and a violin concerto, he wrote several tone poems, including Eternal Songs, Stanisław and Anna Oświęcimowie and The Returning Waves. He also wrote a number of songs for voice and piano. Karol Szymanowski (1882 – 1937) was one of the truly outstanding composers of the first half of the 20th century and certainly the greatest and most influential Polish composer of that period. His works include four symphonies, two violin concertos, the operas “Hagith” and “King Roger,” the ballet-pantomime “Harnasie,” the oratorio “Stabat Mater,” as well as numerous piano, violin, vocal and choral compositions. Today, Szymanowski’s compositions are more loved and more widely performed and recorded than ever before. Grażyna Bacewicz ( 1909-1969) was the most prominent Polish female composer of the twentieth century and a renowned violinist. Her appearances throughout Europe met with critical acclaim and enthusiastic reception from audiences. She left a legacy of over two hundred compositions. Bacewicz's earliest works were for violin or piano, but her catalog quickly grew more diverse and included orchestral music, instrumental concertos, chamber music, and numerous works for violin and piano including five sonatas. She also has to her credit over a dozen solo and choral songs, three ballets, as well as music for theatre and film. Witold Lutosławski (1913 –1994) was one of the major composers of the 20th century. His compositions (of which he was a notable conductor) include four symphonies, a Concerto for Orchestra, and several instrumental concertos and orchestral song cycles. The Third Symphony , completed in 1983 and first performed by the Chicago Symphony and Georg Solti, quickly sealed the composer’s reputation as a cultural figure of world renown. His last major work, the Fourth Symphony, was first performed in Los Angeles in 1993. During his lifetime, Lutosławski earned many international awards and prizes, including the Order of the White Eagle, Poland's highest honor. Andrzej Panufnik (1914 –1991) became established as one of the leading Polish composers, and as a conductor he was instrumental in the re-establishment of the Warsaw Philharmonic orchestra after World War II. In 1954 he left Poland as a protest against political control over creative artists and settled in England, eventually being adopted as one of Britain's greatest composers. In 1991 he received a British knighthood. Panufnik's oeuvre includes ten symphonies, concertos for piano, violin, bassoon and cello, three string quartets, vocal and choral music, works for young people, and transcriptions of old Polish music. Panufnik's compositions have been commissioned for the Boston, Chicago and London Symphony Orchestras and performed by many leading musicians, including Stokowski, Horenstein, Solti, Ozawa, Previn, Menuhin and Rostropovich. Krzysztof Penderecki (born 1933), an outstanding Polish composer whose novel and masterful orchestration won him worldwide acclaim. Perfomances of Anaklasis, Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima and Passion According to St. Luke brought him international fame. The first of Penderecki's stage works, The Devils of Loudon, became a European sensation in 1969 with numerous performances and considerable discussion. Penderecki has amassed a sizeable catalog of orchestral works, chamber music, concertos, and choral works. He is among the most honored composers ever, having been recognized with national orders from Germany, Austria, and his native Poland. He holds honorary memberships in many of the world's most prestigious conservatories, awards from numerous competitions, and several honorary doctorates.
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Bozena Sobolewska Copyright © 1998–2002 University of Rochester |
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