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Signed:~ Date: 3,1. 0'8. ~o<q Sonorism and the Polish A vant-Garde 1958-1966 (Two Volumes) VOLUME I 18 SEP 2009 Anna Maslowiec ""~- A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Conservatorium of Music The University of Sydney 2008 ABSTRACT Towards the end of 1950s a new trend in Polish music now known as 'sonorism' [sonorystyka, from the French sonore], pioneered by young composers such as Krzysztof Penderecki and Henryk Mikolaj G6recki, infiltrated the works of both younger and older generations of composers. The prominent Polish musicologist J6zef Chominski responded to this trend in a number of articles and referred to the new technique, in which timbre and texture are used as the principal means of expression and sonorous quality assumed the primary role in shaping a musical structure, as 'sonoristic'. This study reappraises the sonoristic trend in Polish music and reexamines the core sonoristic repertoire written between 1958 and 1966 by members of the Polish post-war avant-garde, including Krzysztof Penderecki, Henryk Mikolaj G6recki, Boguslaw Schaeffer, Kazimierz Serocki, Wojciech Kilar, Witold Szalonek and Tomasz Sikorski. While some of the key sonoristic works such as Threnody by Penderecki have received much analytical attention in the musicological literature, many equally important emblematic sonoristic pieces remain neglected or completely forgotten. The aim of this study is not only to provide a context for the better known works by Penderecki and G6recki but more importantly to critically reassess emblematic sonoristic works according to the typical criteria which help to define a sonoristic work. These criteria are sharp and often rapid contrasts in timbre and texture and particular aspects of articulation and notation. The study examines two complementary aspects of sonorism together: the widely shared sonoristic traits prevalent in all works participating in this style ('footprints') and individual stylistic traits that distinguish different composers ('fingerprints'). The concept of 'footprints' as the characteristics that define the movement is best seen in the broader European context and enables one to distinguish sonoristic works from contemporary textural pieces by other European composers such as Xenakis and Ligeti. The 'fingerprints', however, are equally important and highlight traits that shape the distinct sonoristic profiles of individual composers. 11 The study also highlights the importance of the unique historical and political circumstances out of which sonorism grew, and reappraises the importance of the Warsaw Autumn Festival in understanding the sonoristic trend. A consideration of the legacy of sonorism and retrospective views of it concludes the study. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the great number of people who at various stages of this project provided me with support, encouragement and advice. My deepest gratitude should be paid to my supervisor, Peter McCallum for his assistance, patience, ongoing support and enthusiasm for my work. I greatly appreciate his insights into analytical issues and valuable feedback. During the course of tbis project I also greatly benefited from discussions with Richard Toop whose knowledge of the Polish contemporary music and invaluable insight into the Polish repertoire was inspiring. For anyone involved in research into post-war Polish music - especially from the antipodes - would know that access to scores and recordings is a great challenge. In tbis matter I am indebted to Richard Toop whose impressive collection of original scores and recordings from tbe 'Warsaw Autumn' festivals on semi-permanent loan to me, apart from being a source of inspiration, was an invaluable resource. One of tbe most exciting parts of my research was to meet and talk to the composers and musicologists who were part of tbat fascinating era in Polish music. I offer my thanks to the Human Research Ethics Committee (Ref. No. 8679) who granted permission to interview Wojciech IGiar, Wlodzimierz. Kotonski, Boguslaw Schaeffer and Krzysztof Baculewski. I had a rare opportunity to talk to Wojciech Kilar in Dzierzoni6w, my home town, during the celebrations for the 30th anniversary of my primary music school which is now proud to bear his name. I thank him for his sincere and honest comments about his works and vivid memories of that period. I visited Wlodzimierz Kotonski in his home in Warsaw. He was very generous witb his time and hospitality. Our discussion of his works, technical issues surrounding sonorism in general together with his personal experiences from the time of tbe Second World War immensely enriched my understanding of the complexity of tbe time. I extend my gratitude to Krzysztof Baculewski whose insight first of all as a composer but also as a writer was of great reassurance to me. He was very generous with his time, resources and information. I also thank Boguslaw Schaeffer for his letters and sincere answers to my questions regarding sonorism. IV I also extend my thanks to the Conservatorium of Music for their generous research grant to study in Berlin which allowed me to visit the late Witold Szalonek who was extremely helpful and provided me with scores, recordings, his writings and articles. Witold Szalonek's generously extended the time to a whole day visit which concluded with a concert of his music. It was a pleasure to see great respect given to him by his students, colleagues and musicians. His sensitivity to art and music, his memories of Poland, vitality and enthusiasm for sonorism will always have a special place in my memory. I also wish to thank Zygmunt Krauze and Michal Bristiger for offering their time to respond to my questions. Here at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music we are very fortunate to have on staff Wanda Wilkomirska who was also a part of that distinctive period. Her recollections of experiences in learning new scores and colourful details from the point of view of a performer add to the complex historical picture of sonoristic period. I would also like to thank Jennie Shaw, Kathleen Nelson, Diane Collins, Peter Dunbar-Hall, Jane Hardie, and Marcus Hartstein for their ongoing support and advice at various stages of this project. The Sydney Conservatorium library staff, particularly Claire McCoy and Jackie Luke, were always very helpful in obtaining numerous materials. I wish to thank Oxford University Press, Chester, Schott and the Polish Music Publishers (PWM) for granting permission to reproduce parts of the scores in this thesis. I am grateful to the Head of the Copyright Department at the PWM Janina Warzecha who was kind to show me around and spend time discussing the involvement of visual artists in the publication of the scores during the 1960s. I thank the Warsaw Autumn Archives staff, Mieczyslaw Kominek and Izabella Zymer for assisting me in the research of archival recordings and scores. I extend my thanks to Malgorzata Salo-Frycz, Malgorzata and Marcin Gmys, Iwona Lindstedt and Martina Homma for help in collecting research materials. I'm also indebted to very special people, David Harvey and Jane Hardie, Marcus Hartstein, Alex Newman and Patricia Del Favero who kindly offered to read drafts of my thesis and helped with corrections. v I owe in no small part the completion of this project to the support from Leonie Henderson in particular. Leonie was instrumental in providing a vital thread that helped me to return to my research after the passing away of close family members and the birth of my son Conrad Joseph during this project. I thank my family, my parents and my sister, for their love and ongoing support, and last but not least my husband and my son for their patience and tolerance, particularly during the final stages of completion. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Volume 1 Abstract 11 Acknowledgements iii Table of contents vi List of figures IX List of tables X111 Abbreviations XV Introduction I. PART 1: SONORISM Chapter 1 Historical Overview 10. Poland after the War: between 1945 and 1954 15. The Polish 'thaw': between 1954 and 1956 22. After 1956: the Warsaw Autumn Festival of Contemporary Music and the Birth of the Polish Avant-Garde 31. Chapter 2 Concept of Sonorism and Sonoristics 42. J6zef Chominski and the Notion of Sonorism 42. Early Responses to Chominski's Article 44. Towards the Theory of Sonoristics: Chominski's Later Writings 46. Resonance: Writings from 1970s and 1980s 51. Sonorism Revisited: after 1990 54.