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Szymanowski, Karol Maciej 1882 - 1937

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  • Author: PWM Edition

  • Last updated:September 30, 2022
  • Note: This article is automatically translated from the original Japanese text. The author of the original work did not supervise this translation.

    Karol Szymanowski

    (Tymoszówka [Poland/Ukraine], 1882 – Lausanne [Switzerland], 1937)

    Karol Szymanowski was a Polish pianist and composer, one of Poland's most distinguished composers, representing the 'Young Poland' movement. He began his musical education under his father's guidance in 1889, subsequently pursuing professional musical studies in Yelizavetgrad (Elisavetgrad) and then Warsaw. Although the piano was his primary instrument, he was never recognized as a virtuoso. Upon completing his musical studies in 1905, he traveled to Italy with the poet Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz, and later founded the 'Young Polish Composers' Publishing Company,' comprising members who would come to be known as the 'Young Poland' movement in music.

    In 1906, the company commenced concert activities in Warsaw and Berlin. Szymanowski subsequently visited Berlin and Leipzig numerous times over the following years, also extending his travels to Italy in 1908. In 1912, he established his base in Vienna and entered into a collaborative relationship with Universal Edition, which continues to publish some of Szymanowski's works to this day. From 1914 to 1922, he traveled through Italy, France, England, Russia, North Africa, and America. After World War I, he first visited Zakopane in 1922, and through repeated visits to the region, he deepened his knowledge of Polish folklore. From 1927 to 1932, Szymanowski served as the rector of the Warsaw Conservatory (reorganized as the 'Higher School of Music in Warsaw' in 1930). From 1930 onwards, he resided in his villa 'Atma' in Zakopane. The building continues to serve as a museum dedicated to his works.

    Szymanowski gave concerts across Europe from 1933 to 1936, but his frequent travels deteriorated his health, eventually leading to tuberculosis. In his later years, he visited sanatoriums in France and Switzerland multiple times. He died in Lausanne in 1937.

    Karol Szymanowski's works are rooted in the late Romantic tradition, yet they also frequently exhibit Impressionistic influences. Oriental influences, gained from his visits to North Africa, are incorporated into his compositions, exemplified by The Mad Muezzin's Songs. Furthermore, elements of traditional Polish folklore, deepened through his frequent stays in Zakopane, are masterfully fused in works such as Kurpie Songs and the ballet Harnasie. His early compositions predominantly consist of instrumental works, such as Preludes for Piano, while his later period focuses on orchestral works, including operas, and instrumental works with vocal parts.

    Major Works

    • 9 Preludes for piano, Op. 1 (1899–1900)
    • 6 Songs for solo voice and piano, to poems by Kazimierz Tetmajer (1900–02)
    • 4 Etudes for piano, Op. 4 (1900–02)
    • Variations on a Polish Folk Theme in B minor for piano, Op. 10 (1900–04)
    • Variations in B-flat minor for piano, Op. 3 (1900–03)
    • 3 Fragments from Poems by Jan Kasprowicz for solo voice and piano, Op. 5 (1902)
    • Piano Sonata No. 1 in C minor, Op. 8 (1903–04)
    • Salome for solo voice and orchestra, to a poem by Jan Kasprowicz, Op. 6 (1904)
    • The Swan, song for solo voice and piano, to a poem by Wacław Berent, Op. 7 (1904)
    • Sonata in D minor for violin and piano, Op. 9 (1904)
    • 4 Songs for solo voice and piano, to poems by Tadeusz Miciński, Op. 11 (1904–05)
    • Concert Overture in E major for orchestra, Op. 12 (1904–05)
    • Fantasy in C major for piano, Op. 14 (1905)
    • 5 Songs for solo voice and piano, Op. 13 (1905–07)
    • Prelude and Fugue in C-sharp minor for piano (1905–09)
    • Symphony No. 1 in F minor, Op. 15 (1906–07)
    • Trio for piano, violin, and cello, Op. 16 (1907)
    • 12 Songs for solo voice and piano, Op. 17 (1907)
    • Penthesilea, song for solo voice and orchestra, to a poem by Stanisław Wyspiański, Op. 18 (1908)
    • The Lottery for Husbands, operetta in 3 acts (1908–09)
    • 6 Songs for solo voice and piano, to poems by Tadeusz Miciński, Op. 20 (1909)
    • Symphony No. 2 in B-flat major, Op. 19 (1909–10)
    • Colorful Songs for solo voice and piano, Op. 22 (1910)
    • Romance in D major for violin and piano, Op. 23 (1910)
    • Piano Sonata No. 2 in A major, Op. 21 (1910–11)
    • Love Songs of Hafiz for solo voice and piano, Op. 24 (1911)
    • Hagith, opera in 1 act, Op. 25 (1912–13)
    • Love Songs of Hafiz for solo voice and orchestra, Op. 26 (1914)
    • Symphony No. 3 “Song of the Night” for tenor (or soprano) solo, mixed choir, and orchestra, Op. 27 (1914–16)
    • Nocturne and Tarantella for violin and piano, Op. 28 (1915)
    • Métopes, 3 poems for piano, Op. 29 (1915)
    • Myths, 3 poems for violin and piano, Op. 30 (1915)
    • Songs of the Fairy Princess for solo voice and piano, Op. 31 (1915)
    • 3 Songs for solo voice and piano, to poems by Dimitr Davidov, Op. 32 (1915)
    • Masques, 3 pieces for piano, Op. 34 (1915–16)
    • 12 Etudes for piano, Op. 33 (1916)
    • Violin Concerto No. 1, Op. 35 (1916)
    • Piano Sonata No. 3, Op. 36 (1917)
    • String Quartet No. 1, Op. 37 (1917)
    • Demeter for alto solo, female choir, and orchestra, Op. 37b (1917)
    • Agaue for alto solo, female choir, and orchestra, Op. 38 (1917)
    • 3 Caprices of Paganini for violin and piano, Op. 40 (1918)
    • 4 Songs for solo voice and piano, to poems by Rabindranath Tagore, Op. 41 (1918)
    • The Mad Muezzin's Songs for soprano solo and piano, Op. 42 (1918)
    • King Roger, opera in 3 acts, Op. 46 (1918–24)
    • Mandragora, pantomime for orchestra, Op. 43 (1920)
    • Solemn March for orchestra (1920)
    • Słopiewnie, 5 songs for solo voice and piano, to poems by Julian Tuwim, Op. 46b (1921)
    • 3 Lullabies for solo voice and piano, Op. 48 (1922)
    • Children's Songs, 20 songs for solo voice and piano, to poems by Kazimiera Iłłakowiczówna, Op. 49 (1922–23)
    • Harnasie, ballet-pantomime in 3 scenes for tenor solo, mixed choir, and orchestra, Op. 55 (1923–31)
    • Young Mountaineers Go to the Valley Singing, mountaineer song for solo voice and piano (1924)
    • 20 Mazurkas for piano, Op. 50 (1924–25)
    • 2 Basque Songs for solo voice and piano, Op. 44 (1925)
    • Potemkin, music for Act 5 of Tadeusz Miciński's dramatic poem, Op. 51 (1925)
    • Lullaby for violin and piano, Op. 52 (1925)
    • Stabat Mater for 3 solo voices, mixed choir, and orchestra, Op. 53 (1925–26)
    • 4 Songs for solo voice and piano, to poems by James Joyce, Op. 54 (1926)
    • String Quartet No. 2, Op. 56 (1927)
    • Vocalise-Etude for solo voice and piano (1928)
    • 6 Kurpie Songs for unaccompanied mixed choir (1928–29)
    • Veni Creator for soprano solo, mixed choir, organ, and orchestra, to a translation by Stanisław Wyspiański, Op. 57 (1930)
    • Kurpie Songs for solo voice and piano, Op. 58 (1930–32)
    • Litany to the Virgin Mary, 2 fragments for soprano solo, female choir, and orchestra, Op. 59 (1930–33)
    • Symphony No. 4 (Symphonie Concertante) for piano and orchestra, Op. 60 (1932)
    • Violin Concerto No. 2, Op. 61 (1932–33)
    • 2 Mazurkas for piano, Op. 62 (1933–34)

    Author: PWM Edition
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    Author : Jitsukata, Kosuke

    Last Updated: January 1, 2010
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    Note: This article is automatically translated from the original Japanese text. The author of the original work did not supervise this translation.

    Born into a Polish noble family with estates in present-day Ukraine. Both parents had a deep appreciation for the arts, and he naturally became familiar with music. Due to his consistently radical tendencies in Poland during this period, he left his homeland, which was then strongly conservative, during his youth and primarily based his activities abroad. However, in 1929, near the end of his life, he was appointed director of the Warsaw Conservatory.

    His creative period can be broadly divided into three stages. The first stage encompasses the period until he left Berlin in 1908, characterized by a style influenced by late-Romantic composers such as Chopin, Brahms, Reger, and Richard Strauss. The second stage is marked by his unique style, a blend of Orientalism and influences from Stravinsky and Debussy, developed while based in Italy and Paris and traveling through the Mediterranean region. The third stage began after Poland regained independence, when he returned to his homeland, devoted himself to the study of folk music, and produced works under its influence.

    Works(21)

    Concerto (1)

    concerto (1)

    Symphonie concertante(Symfonia Nr.4) Op.60

    Composed in: 1932  Playing time: 24 min 40 sec 

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    Piano Solo (9)

    sonata (3)

    Sonata fortepianowa Nr.1 Op.8

    Key: c-moll  Composed in: 1903  Playing time: 27 min 00 sec 

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    Sonata fortepianowa Nr. 2 Op.21

    Key: A-Dur  Composed in: 1910  Playing time: 28 min 30 sec 

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    Sonata fortepianowa Nr.3 Op.36

    Composed in: 1917  Playing time: 18 min 30 sec 

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    pieces (2)

    Meropy - 3 Poematy Op.29

    Composed in: 1915  Playing time: 15 min 30 sec 

    Sheet Music 0

    Arrangement 0

    Maski Op.34

    Composed in: 1915  Playing time: 20 min 00 sec 

    etude (2)

    4 Etiudy Op.4

    Composed in: 1900  Playing time: 13 min 30 sec 

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    12 Etiudy Op.33

    Composed in: 1916  Playing time: 13 min 30 sec 

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    prelude (1)

    9 Preludiow Op.1

    Composed in: 1899  Playing time: 19 min 00 sec 

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    fantasy (1)

    Fantazja Op.14

    Composed in: 1905  Playing time: 13 min 40 sec 

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    Arrangement 0

    variation (2)

    Wariacje ne temat ludowy polski Op.10

    Composed in: 1900  Playing time: 19 min 30 sec 

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    Arrangement 0

    Wariacje Op.3

    Key: b-moll  Composed in: 1903  Playing time: 11 min 00 sec 

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    Arrangement 0

    fuga (1)

    Prelude and Fugue

    Key: cis-moll  Composed in: 1905  Playing time: 7 min 00 sec 

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    mazurka (2)

    20 mazurka Op.50

    Composed in: 1924  Playing time: 50 min 40 sec 

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    Wariacje Op.62

    Composed in: 1933  Playing time: 5 min 30 sec 

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    other dances (2)

    Explanation 0

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    Four Polish Dances

    Composed in: 1926  Playing time: 10 min 00 sec 

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    Arrangement 0

    Chamber Music (3)

    sonata (1)

    Violin Sonata Op.9

    Key: d-moll  Playing time: 20 min 40 sec 

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    pieces (1)

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    character pieces (1)

    Nocturne and Tarantella Op.28

    Composed in: 1915  Playing time: 11 min 40 sec 

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    etc (1)

    opera (1)

    opera 『Król Roger』 (King Roger) Op.46

    Playing time: 1 hr 25 min 00 sec 

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