- Stabat Mater (Szymanowski)
Karol Szymanowski 's "Stabat Mater" was composed in 1925-1926 forsoprano ,alto andbaritone soloists, SATBchoir , andorchestra . The work is divided into six movements and usesJozef Janowski 's (1865-1935) Polish translation of the Marian hymn,Stabat Mater :# "Stała Matka bolejąca.." ("Stabat mater dolorosa") for soprano, SA choir, and orchestra
# "I któż widział tak cierpiącą.." ("Quis est homo qui non fleret") for baritone, SATB choir, and orchestra
# "O Matko Źródło Wszechmiłości.." ("O, Eia, Mater, fons amoris") for soprano, alto, SA choir, and orchestra
# "Spraw niech płaczę z Tobą razem.." ("Fac me tecum pie flere") for soprano, alto, SATB choir (a cappella), and orchestra
# "Panno słodka racz mozołem.." ("Virgo virginum praeclara") for baritone, SATB choir, and orchestra
# "Chrystus niech mi będzie grodem.." ("Christe, cum sit hinc exire") for soprano, alto, baritone, SATB choir, and orchestraSzymanowski's first composition on a liturgical text, "Stabat Mater" was written during his late
Nationalist period of 1922-1937, characterized by his use of Polish melodies and rhythms. Following a trip toZakopane in 1922, Szymanowski wrote of Polish folk music: " [it] is enlivening by its proximity to Nature, by its force, by its directness of feeling, by its undisturbed racial purity." [Leon Pommers, "Polish Aspects ofSzymanowski 's Style" (Masters thesis, Queens College of the City University of NEw York, 1968), 30] Szymanowski's pairing of Polish musical elements with a liturgical text in "Stabat Mater" is unique, and a clear reflection of his Nationalist convictions as a composer.Origin and performances
First commissioned in 1924,
Princess Edmond de Polignac (1890-1927) requested "a piece for soloists, choir, orchestra (perhaps with Polish text) - a kind of Polishrequiem ." [Samson, Jim. "The Music of Szymanowski" (New York: Taplinger Publishing, 1981), 180; quoted in Zielinski, Richard. "Karol Szymanowski 1882-1937: The Father of Contemporary Polish Choral Music" "Choral Journal", Sept 2005: 9.] Teresa Chylińska indicates Szymanowski's intentions for the piece: "a type of peasant requiem - something peasant andecclesiastical , naively devotional, a sort of prayer for souls - a mixture of simple-minded religion,paganism and a certain austere peasant realism." [Zielinski, Richard. "Karol Szymanowski 1882-1937: The Father of Contemporary Polish Choral Music" Choral Journal, Sept 2005: 9] Szymanowski and the Princess lost touch, thus the commission lost momentum. However, later that year thoughts on such a composition were revived whenWarsaw industrialist Bronisław Krystall commissioned Szymanowski for a work in memory of his late wife. In addition, circumstances in the composer's personal life also served as an inspiration for the work. [Zielinski, 9.] Upon the death of his niece, Alusia Bartoszewiczówna, in January of 1925, the composer spent time consoling his sister in her loss, subsequently choosing to set the "Stabat Mater" text, with its profound reflection on the "grieving mother." [Zielinski, 9.] External circumstances also served as motivation for the work, including financial need, although there is no evidence of the composer receiving compensation for this work. [Belland, Douglas Keith. An examination of the Persichetti, Poulenc, and Szymanowski Stabat Mater settings with pertinent information on the text. Dissertation: University of Cincinnati, 1992.]Premiered on
January 11 ,1929 inWarsaw , conducted byGrzegorz Fitelberg .Published by Universal Edition, Austria.
Instrumentation
Soprano solo,Alto solo,Baritone solo,SATB Chorus, and Orchestra (pairs of flutes, oboes, clarinets, and bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, percussion, harp, strings, and organ).
Polish Text
Szymanowski chose to set Jozef Janowski's (1865-1935) Polish translation of the Latin
Stabat Mater text. Although the 13c. text is inherently dramatic, Janowski's translation is especially raw. Kornel Michałowski indicates the composer's initial attraction to the Polish translation was a result of its "unusually primitive, almost 'folk-like' simplicity and naivety.". [Zielinski, 10.] For a full English translation and commentary on the Polish text and translation, and see: Belland, Douglas Keith. "An examination of the Persichetti, Poulenc, and Szymanowski Stabat Mater settings with pertinent information on the text". Dissertation: University of Cincinnati, 1992.Study of Early Music
Coinciding with his composition of "Stabat Mater", was Szymanowski's study of early music - encompassing "pre-Palestrinian" and Palestrinian periods, as well as a study of old-Polish religious music. [Zielinski, 14.] Devices used indicating this influence include: parallel movement between voices, modal pitch organization, and strongly patterned rhythms such as
ostinati . Also incorporated into the work are melodic elements of two Polish Hymns: "Święty Boże" [Holy God] andGorzkie żale [http://acweb.colum.edu/users/agunkel/homepage/easter/eastgz.html] [Bitter Sorrows] .." [Zielinski, 15.]Nationalism and Folk Music
Influenced by composers such as
Stravinsky andBartók , Szymanowski began to incorporated folk music into his composition during his Nationalist period of 1922-1937. In the years preceding the composition of the "Stabat Mater", the composer kept a notebook of highlanders' melodies that he encountered in his visits to theTatra region, which were later incorporated into his compositions. For example, his use of the Podhalean mode, an ancient Polish folk mode characterized by its raised fourth scale degree (Lydian), can be seen in "Stabat Mater"." [Zielinski, 19.]References
Bibliography
* Belland, Douglas Keith. "An examination of the Persichetti, Poulenc, and Szymanowski Stabat Mater settings with pertinent information on the text". Dissertation: University of Cincinnati, 1992.
* Chylinska, Teresa. John Glowacki, trans. "Karol Szymanowski : his life and works". Los Angeles: University of Southern California, School of Music, 1993
* Howard, Luke. "Pan-Slavic parallels between Stravinsky and Szymanowski". Context: A journal of music research, Issue 13, Winter 1997, pp. 15-24. Melbourne: University of Melbourne. ISSN: 1038-4006.
* Jeffers, Ron. "Stabat Mater", "Translations and Annotations of Choral Repertoire". earthsongs, Corvallis, Oregon: 1988.
* Maciejewski, B. M. "Karol Szymanowski: his life and music". London: Poets & Painters' Press, 1967.
* Saffer, Bernard Agnes, Sister. "A stylistic analysis of Stabat mater for solo voices, mixed chorus and orchestra by Karol Szymanowski." Dissertation: University of Rochester, 1965.
* Samson, Jim. "The music of Szymanowski". New York : Taplinger, 1981.
* Samson, Jim. “Szymanowski, Karol (Maciej),” Grove Music Online ed. L. Macy (Accessed 2/1907), http://www.grovemusic.com
* Szymanowski, Karol. Wightman, Alistair, ed. "Szymanowski on music : selected writings of Karol Szymanowski". London: Toccata, 1999.
* Szymanowski, Karol. "Karol Szymanowski and Jan Smeterlin; correspondence and essays." London, Allegro Press, 1969.
* Wightman, Alistair. "Karol Szymanowski : his life and work". Brookfield, VT : Ashgate, 1999.
* Zielinski, R. “Karol Szymanowski (1882-1937): The father of contemporary Polish choral music.” Choral Journal No. 46 September 2005, 8-24.
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