Symphony No. 1 “Polish Symphony” [originally: Symphonic Pictures] (1950

Symphony No. 1 “Polish Symphony” [originally: Symphonic Pictures] (1950–1951)

Orchestral works

Ballade

Performers: Orkiestra Polskiego Radia w Krakowie, Jerzy Gert – conductor

Elegy

Performers: Orkiestra i Chór Polskiego Radia w Krakowie, Jerzy Gert – conductor

instrumentation: 2 fl picc, 2 fl, 2 ob, cor ing, 3 cl B, cl b B, 3 fg, cfg, 4 cor, cornet B, 3 tr, 3 trbn, tb, trng, pt, tmt, gr c, 4 tmp, ar, pfte, quintetto d’archi

dedication: –

duration: ca 30’

edition: PWM 1961

premiere: Warsaw, 21 September 1951, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, cond. Witold Krzemieński

I. Ballade
II. Scherzo
III. Elegy
IV. Rondo e finale

In April 1947, in a letter to his mother, Zygmunt Mycielski described the dilemmas associated with the creative process: “I’m writing the Symphony a bit because I feel ‘obliged’ to do so, which is always bad and doesn’t make sense, but perhaps it will pass” (excerpt from Zygmunt Mycielski’s letter to his mother of April 1947).

This was a period when Mycielski was very busy as a community activist, for example in the Polish Composers’ Union, and accepted many composing commissions to earn money (music for radio plays, for theatrical productions), so work on Symphony No. 1 continued until 1951.

Award to Zygmunt Mycielski for composing Symphony no. 1. Zygmunt Mycielski Archive, National Library

Initially, the various movements had titles that were clear references to the state’s cultural policy more and more strongly forced through: Land (Homeland) – Work (Scherzo) – Elegy (Emotion, feeling, love) – Fight (Agitato), and the title of the entire piece – Symphonic Pictures. In the end, however, Mycielski decided to stay with ideologically “neutral” titles that were rooted in musical terminology and to call the cycle Polish Symphony.

The form of the work draws on that of the classical symphony, with the composer reinterpreting the model by introducing a number of changes individualising the final form of his composition.

Award for Polish Symphony, diploma. Zygmunt Mycielski Archive, National Library

The first movement (Ballada) is a reinterpreted sonata form, tonally (Lydianisms) and rhythmically (mazurka) rooted in Polish folk music. The second movement (Scherzo) takes the reprise form of ABA1, the third (Elegia) becomes melancholic, making it possible to have a rest before the energetic finale (Rondo e finale). The material cohesion of the work is ensured by reminiscences of the first theme (sometimes referred to as the Podhale theme) from the first movement.

As Polish Symphony was composed a time when various tendencies clashed in Polish music, it is possible to find in it elements of neoclassicism (in the composer’s attitude and the musical form rooted in the classical model) as well as folklorism and national style with ideological overlays of socialist realism (scalability, mazurka stylisations, attempt to convey the essence of Polishness: “I’m writing a symphony. I would like it to be like a spinning wheel, to become widely known...” – Zygmunt Mycielski’s letter to Adolf Chybiński of 14 September 1950).

The premiere of the work took place on 21 September 1951, during the inaugural concert of the Polish Music Festival (National Philharmonic Orchestra, cond. Witold Krzemieński).