Modern Harmonic Technique, Vol. 2

SKU: BT.PWM5447

''Stabat Mater'' by Karol Szymanowski for solo voices, chorus and orchestra, Op. 53, is one of the most famous and, at the same time, most personal works of the composer, making its appeal to the audience through the depth of its expression and sheer artistry. The first sketches of the work were made in the spring of 1925, while work on the full score occupied the composer from 20 January to 2 March 1926. Józef Jankowskis Polish translation of the medieval sequence formed the basis of the composition. This text, which was simple in a folk-like way, devoid of pathos but full of religious zeal, harmonized perfectly from the poetic point of view with the composers creative design. In an interview for the monthly Muzyka Szymanowski stated: ''in its Polish vestments that eternal, naive hymn was filled for me with its own immediate expressive content; it became something painted in colours which were recognisable and comprehensible as distinct from the black and white of the archaic original'' (''A Footnote to Stabat Mater'', Muzyka 1926, Nos. 11/12). In the score, the Latin text is given beside the Polish text, making it possible for the work to be performed more easily by foreign performers. In this work, the universal tradition of the Christian church was fused with the Polish religious tradition. The composer creates the religious folk-like climate primarily through the character of the melodies which are akin to to the plainchant melodies to the text of Stabat Mater (the sequence, and especially the hymn) and their paraphrases in Polish religious songs (e.g. Sta a Matka Bole ciwa [The Dolorous Mother was standing]) as well as motifs from Polish Lenten songs and Gorzkie ale (Bitter Laments). Szymanowski did not introduce them as quotations, but intersperses the melodic lines, which are more fully developed and frequently highly chromatic, with diatonic phrases, based on modal scales. They appear in all the movements of the work determining its cohesion. In dividing the twenty-stanza text into separate segments, Szymanowski created a six- movement cantata. He took care to distinguish between the emotional shades of the various movements, varying his selection of solo voices (soprano, contralto, baritone), the voices of the chorus (female or mixed) and the orchestral forces. In the first and third movements the lyrical idiom prevails; the first movement, portraying the Mother of God at the foot of the cross, has a narrative character, whereas the third is a kind of prayer from a man who sympathizes with, and who wishes to be associated with Mater Dolorosas pain. In these movements only the female voices are used (soprano, contralto and female chorus), while the orchestra is employed in a chamber style, sometimes drawing on solo accompanying parts (e.g. the beginning of the third movement). The fourth movement, which continues the mood of prayerful contemplation, is designed for soprano and contralto solo as well as unaccompanied chorus. On the other hand, the second and fifth movements, involving the participation of solo baritone and the full chorus and orchestra, are similar with regard to forces and their dramatic character, which is austere in expression, harsh in tone, and markedly dissonant. Here grand climaxes appear with powerful orchestral tutti. The sixth movement crowns the whole. The lyrical, soft melody of the solo soprano at the beginning is gradually strengthened by the addition of the female chorus and the solo contralto, and in the final section, the solo baritone as well as the tutti of chorus and orchestra. The conclusion, subdued and full of concentration, suggests the introvert character of the experience as opposed to its dramatic pathos. Stabat Mater by Szymanowski is part of a long tradition of compositions based on the text of the medieval sequence - ranging from polyphonic works by Josquin des Prés and Palestrina to the romantic Stabat by Giuseppe Verdi and Anton n Dvo ák. And it was perhaps because of his consciousness of this tradition that Szymanowski used stylizing devices in the spirit of early music. The archaization manifests itself not only in the character of the melodies and their modal framework, but also in the harmonies (with their predominance of triads, open fourths and fifths chords and doubled thirds), the simple rhythms as well as the texture of the choruses (esp. the fourth movement). The composer does not, however, imitate the style of any specific historical epoch, but combines resources taken from early music with modern tonal and harmonic techniques. Archaization in Stabat Mater serves, moreover, a symbolic function; in evoking the many-centuries old tradition of church music, it emphasizes the universal nature of the idea contained in the text of the sequence, while the re-reading of the text by the composer gives the work its individual features. [Zofia Helman, translated by Ewa Cholewka].

SKU: HL.132274

UPC: 884088971083. 9.25x12.0x0.194 inches.

In this most perfect of Chopin's rondos the orchestra becomes an expressive and important partner for the piano soloist. The solo piano version is published in 00132229. The two piano reduction is published in 00132232. The National Edition of the Works of Fryderyk Chopin Published by PWM Exclusively Distributed by Hal Leonard Corporation Co-Editors Jan Ekier and Pawel Kaminski The objective of the National Edition is to present Chopin's complete output in its authentic form, based on the entire body of available sources. Sources were analyzed with up-to-date scientific and musicological methodology. The National Edition was based on sources originated from the composer, mainly autographs, copies of autographs and first editions with the composer's corrections, and pupils' copies with Chopin's annotations. In cases when original sources were lacking, the closest possible materials were used. Collecting the source materials was a laborious task which took years of effort. The characteristics of sources, the links and discrepancies between them as well as the reasons for particular editorial decisions are discussed in the Source Commentary in each volume. The Performance Commentary appended to each volume includes: the realization of ornaments, comments on pedal markings (the original markings sometimes are inadequate, due to the difference in sound between pianos used in Chopin`s times and modern pianos), suggestions as to the harmonic legato (a performance technique often used by Chopin and now forgotten). About the National Edition Full Introduction to the Polish National Edition of the Works of Fryderyk Chopin.

SKU: HL.49045531

ISBN 9781495094767. UPC: 888680685058. 9.0x12.0x0.401 inches.

My Piano Quintet consists of four contrasting movements. The first movement, entitled Mannheim Rocket, is a modern take on the 18th-century musical technique in which a rising figure speeds up and grows louder. Marked 'Furioso', the movement is gradually filled with rising scalar figures which build in volume and finally 'launch' into space with ethereal string harmonics. At this point, the music becomes almost static, though the inner rhythm continues.The second movement, entitled Kyrie, is marked 'Still, chant-like'. The principal idea, stated between first violin and viola, is a chromatically transformed chant-like motive. It also features a long, lyrical cello line, made up exclusively of natural harmonics, emphasizing the non-tempered ('out of tune') 7th and 11th partials.The third movement is a scherzo in which the strings and piano sometimes alternate and imitate each other, reacting to each other's gestures, and at other times, combine and synchronize to produce a more blended sound. A short Trio-like section appears before the return of the scherzo music.The last movement, Pulse, is made up of perpetually moving 8th notes, sometimes harmonically static, but always pushing forward. The work is interrupted twice with short, freer sections, but always returns to its pulse-oriented nature.- Pierre Jalbert.

SKU: HL.49030376

English.

Aural Matters provides useful resource material for aural training at Advanced level in a single volume with two accompanying compact discs. the first part is packed with examples of dictation and discrimination exercises, carefully graded in difficulty. The recordings on disc allow these practice-materials to be used by the student at home, as well as by teachers in the classroom. The text provides a systematic approach to aural training - melody and two-part dictation, harmonic recognition, identifying errors in performance - with frequent hints and tips that will enable the student to develop increasing skill and confidence in the tests. Part Two provides an recorded anthology of the compositional techniques with wich students are expected to be familiar at Advanced level. A huge variety of extracts has been specially selected from British folk-songs, world music, jazz, pop and the main periods of art music from the late Renaissance to modern times. A detailed commentary shows how to recognize periods, styles, structures, instruments and techniques in this music, with all of these features copiously illustrated in the examples on disc. The complete work provides an invaluable resource not only for the Advanced level aural syllabus, but also for any study of style and analysis in the wide variety of music that is encountered today.