Syzmanowski remains a mystery

by Gwen Heart at the Royal Albert Hall, London

The virtuoso composer-violinist, Syzmanowski's violin convertos have been relatively slow to make their mark at the Proms performances. The first to arrive recently in 1998 when Raphael Oleg was accompanied by Libor Pesek with Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. Kyoko Takezewa in 2002 and Freank Zimmerman in 2006 have been its only redeemers.

Poland's greatest composer of the 20th century, he wrote his first two concertos in 1916 which he later described as his Impressionist period when he discovered himself as a composer.

Karol Syzmanowski enchanted by nature could not restrain himself on its beauty until he made lyrics out of it. Violin Concerto No. 1 is a passionate tribute to nature.

Violin concerto No. 1, Op. 35 scored in 1916 draws from the orchestra a unique and instantly recognisable concerto. The sheer number of instruments judging by the standards of the early 20th century, is hardly remarkable though the instrumentation is derived from two harps as well as from a piano along with several percussion instruments. The effect of spaciousness is extraordinary. His melody and harmony are typical of iconic composers of the time.

Melodious

The bitonal and whole-tonal elements mixed to score VIOLIN CONCERTO No. 1 makes this work exceptionally melodious and soothing on strings and achieve an effect of transparency. Syzmanowski admits with profound joy that the style of writing the solo part was developed with the help of his friend, violinist, Pawel Kochanski and together, they created a new mode of expression for the violin.

Pitched mostly very high, it is intended only for very high and most accomplished players, possessing a very sweet tone. All these technical devices are collexted in the cadenza which Kochanski played near the end of this work.

Today, maestro violinist-Baiba Skride raises her violin sky-high to resurrect Karol Syzmanowki. Her brilliant playing for which she is noted world wide, never fell short of this great score. It was her day under the baton of conductor, Vasily Petrenko. Baiba Skride proved nothing is impossible when the violin speaks under magical fingers.

However, dazzling the writing for the violin, the concerto is not a vehicle for masterly display while the orchestra is used with restraint, there is no dramatic confrontation or argument between the soloist and orchestra. Syzmanowski's inspiration for Violin concerto no. 1, is from a poem May night by Tedeusz Micinski.

Fabulous

If Szymanowski's fabulous score has lately acquired greater mainstream appeal, it was the advocacy of 2004's BBC Young musician of the year, Nicola Benedetti who played the work in the final of the competition and recorded it with Harding and the LSO. Sir Simon Rattle set down both Szymanowski violin concerto with Thomas Zehetmair and the CSBO in 1995.

Syzmanowski just could not resist the lyrics found in May night by poet, Tadeusz, he put every fabulous vision of nature in to Violin concerto no. 1. One will find the shimmer of the pond, fireflies kissing the wild-rose, flowers of the lake, twinkling blue water, oak grove, kingfishers, woods and the glades. Nature is unlimited in this concerto.

The violin reaches for the hills far away, clustered around with the hanging boughs of trees, the composer found his dream. He used to open out his heart to them; they were his inspiration. The violin reveals his heart.

The enigma

All emotions rolled into one; that is Karol Syzmanowski the celebrated Polish composer of the 20th century. He and the later Pope John Paul II are the country's most precious sons who areered. Piano was his first instrument but his scores were mostly directed at the violin and they all sizzled on strings.

Both his parents played; and were wealthy and cultured landowners that account to the composer's achievements and status in society. His youthful music is rich with Chopin influence, a quality that appealed to the pianist, Arthur Rubinstein whom he met at the Warsaw Conservatory in 1901 and remained lifelong friends as well as a champion of his music.

His fame spread rapidly after the publication of his first score by the Association of Young Polish Composers.

Following his father's death in 1906, he travelled extensively from Paris to Rome, Greece, Algiers and Morocco.

With his homosexuality and a boyhood suffering from a limp condition, threw him back to a reserved, fastidious, highly sensitive personality which he confronted in a novel called, Efebos that partly influenced his First symphony but was criticised for being too elaborate. However, his Second symphony revealed a stylish change influenced by Stravinsky and was received better.

Death

He suffered much pain when in 1917, his family estate was plundered by the revolutionists and lost everything. Although his music is tonal and not readily accessible at first hearing, it was a strange individual voice full of mysticism.

As his music gained international recognition, he accepted the post of director of the Warsaw Conservatory. He suffered from throat and lung infection due to heavy emoking and a fondness for vodka. He passed away in a Lousanne clinic.

Again the maestro conductor, Petrenko rose to the occasion to do proud to a great master from Poland, Syzmenowski and weild the baton over a very complicated and difficult symphony that many conductors over look. He had the full orchestra of the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, surfacing strings to the fore though the score was written for the keyboard.

It enabled to bring out the best of one of the world's leading violinists, Baiba Skride centre-stage as lead violinist. Petronko had the ability to draw out the best from her that amazed the audience when she played solo.

And Autumn did her best providing fresh aura for the new season.