• Szymanowski Letters in English, vol.1

Wednesday, 30 March 2016 Leave a comment

Other than Polish publications, the greatest insights and investigation into the life and music of Karol Szymanowski have come from English-language authors.  Jim Samson, Christopher Palmer and Stephen Downes are just three major contributors over recent decades.  But when it comes to documentary sources in translation, only now is the interested reader able to appreciate something of the range of material available to Polish readers for a much longer time.

Since February 2012, William Hughes has undertaken the gargantuan task of translating a host of Polish articles about Szymanowski.  The tally continues to rise (see http://drwilliamhughes.blogspot.co.uk); today’s post is ‘Karol Szymanowski – Diary of the First Journey to America (1921)’.  Hughes published the first stage of his project – Karol Szymanowski.  Posthumous Tributes (1937-38) – in hard copy in 2013.  I wrote about his book in an earlier post, The Indefatigable William Hughes.

Since 1999, however, there has been one printed source in English, and it is a real treasure trove: Szymanowski on Music.  Selected Writings of Karol Szymanowski, edited and translated by Alistair Wightman.  Wightman is also the author of two hard-copy studies of the music: Karol Szymanowski.  His Life and Work (1999) and Szymanowski’s King Roger: The Opera and its Origins (2015).Screen Shot 2016-03-30 at 20.27.58Wightman has now published – and it would appear to be online only – the first volume of a series devoted to the composer’s letters: Karol Szymanowski: Correspondence,  Volume 1: 1902-1919.  There are 401 letters in the volume and it is available from Smashwords at $15.99.  I have not yet had time to read it, but it includes explanatory footnotes, a very brief Bibliography, a Personalia and Indexes.  The first years of the correspondence are available to read as a free sample at https://www.smashwords.com/extreader/read/622747/2/karol-szymanowski-correspondence-volume-1-1902-1919.

Such acts of selfless dedication by Hughes and Wightman to broaden the readership of Szymanowski materials is hugely to be applauded and supported, so the more people who buy Hughes’s hard-copy book and Wightman’s new online volume the better.

Filed under Books & Articles, Music Dissemination, Music pre-1938, Other, Szymanowski Tagged with , , ,

• The Indefatigable William Hughes

Wednesday, 8 October 2014 1 Comment

It is two and a half years since I first posted on the extraordinary translating odyssey on which William Hughes had embarked early in 2012.  It has been his mission to translate into English a host of Polish articles and documents relating to Karol Szymanowski.  There has been a crying need for this, and you won’t find a finer English-language source than Hughes’s translations.  In earlier posts (20 March 2012, 13 May 2012 and 18 August 2012), I posted links to the growing list on his website http://drwilliamhughes.blogspot.co.uk.  Then on 11 January 2013 I put up a short post marking the completion of his project.

Today I realised my great sin of omission.  I totally failed to write a post celebrating the publication in June 2013, in hard copy, of many of these translations.  My apologies – I had intended to (I did celebrate it on Facebook!), but other work got in the way and I forgot.

ScanKarol Szymanowski. Posthumous Tributes (1937-38) is published by Moon Arrow Press in Norwood, South Australia. It contains over 80 items, ranging from reminiscences, eulogies and letters of condolence to over a dozen photographs from the funeral ceremonies in Warsaw and Kraków.  Hughes’s sources include Muzyka, Muzyka Polska, Prosto z Mostu, Śpiewak and Wiadomości Literackie.  The paperback, which is cleanly and handsomely produced, runs to over 350 pages.  The list of contents is reproduced below.

Scan 3

Scan 2

I had imagined that this enormous labour of love would end here.  Not a bit of it.  In the eighteen months since the volume went to press, William Hughes has taken his project much further.  I have lost count of the new translations, but they must come to over 120, making some 250 in all.  This is truly staggering.  The ‘new’ translations come from a variety of sources: Szymanowski himself, his sister Zofia, his cousin and co-author of the libretto of King Roger (which is the subject of a number of entries) Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz, as well as friends, composers and critics.  There is surely a second or third volume ready and waiting in amongst these treasures.

Although the items in Hughes’s first volume are still available on his website, I do urge you to support his notable – and noble – achievements by purchasing Karol Szymanowski. Posthumous Tributes (1937-38) in hard copy.

Meantime, here’s the link to today’s post, marking the exact 90th anniversary of the publication in Kurier Warszawski of Szymanowski tribute to his lifelong friend, the pianist Artur Rubinstein, who was in Warsaw after an absence of twelve years.  When Rubinstein had last been there, in 1912, Poland was still partitioned.  By 1924, Poland had achieved independence and relative peace after the Great War and several difficult post-war years.  Szymanowski writes eloquently and passionately, and William Hughes – characteristically – brings his article to life as if we were reading it ‘live’ on 8 October 1924.

Filed under Books & Articles, Music pre-1938, Szymanowski Tagged with , , ,

• William Hughes completes his Szymanowski

Friday, 11 January 2013 Leave a comment

It is almost five months since I last posted links to William Hughes’s invaluable English translations of Polish articles on Szymanowski (The Chronicles of Dr Hughes), the vast majority of them from 1937-38.  Since then, he has posted 68 more, making a final total of over 130 translations.  This has been a mammoth task, undertaken with love and care as well as from a burning desire to share these important documents with a wider audience.  I hope that his efforts will one day be rewarded with a hard-copy publication, so if you appreciate his extraordinarily selfless achievement and agree with me about wanting to see this material in print, do let him know.  He has redesigned his website so that is is easy to scroll through the summaries and click for the full articles.  He’s also added images to many of the items.

It’s superfluous for me to itemise these documents as in my previous posts, so it gives me great pleasure to direct you straight to his own site: http://drwilliamhughes.blogspot.co.uk/.  Bravo, William!

Filed under Books & Articles, Music Dissemination, Music pre-1938, Szymanowski, Websites Tagged with , , ,

• More Szymanowski from Doctor Hughes

Saturday, 18 August 2012 Leave a comment

In the three months since I last posted links to William Hughes’s invaluable English translations of Polish articles on Szymanowski (The Chronicles of Dr Hughes), he has posted 36 more, making 63 to date, with more to come.  I am in awe of his industry and generosity as well as his insights in those postings where he provides commentaries or explications.

I’m adding here the two previous tranches of links posted on 28 March (14 items) and 13 May 2012 (13 items).    The 36 new pieces focus in the main around the reaction within Poland to the death of Szymanowski in March 1937.  But William Hughes has also selected further writings, by Mycielski and Iwaszkiewicz, which are more revealing of the music itself, of Szymanowski’s character, his writings or his faith.  Hughes is also not afraid in these translations to reveal (where others have glossed over) Szymanowski’s occasional anti-Jewish jibes or vulgarity.

You can find The Chronicles of Doctor Hughes at http://drwilliamhughes.blogspot.co.uk/.

• 13.08.12  Witold Hulewicz, ‘Bibliographic Sketch’, Muzyka Polska no.4 (1937)
• 13.08.12  Witold Hulewicz, ‘On Karol Szymanowski’s Literary Activity’, Muzyka Polska no.4 (1937)
• 9.08.12  Zbigniew Drzewiecki, ‘Szymanowski’s Testament’, Muzyka Polska no.4 (1937)
• 7.08.12  Kazimierz Sikorski, ‘Address’ [at Szymanowski’s funeral], Muzyka Polska no.4 (1937)
• 4.08.12  Prof. Ujejski, ‘Address’ [at Szymanowski’s funeral], Muzyka Polska no.4 (1937)
• 31.07.12  Adolf Chybiński, ‘Karol Szymanowski (1883[sic]-1937)’, Muzyka Polska no.4 (1937)
• 27.07.12  Stefania Szurlejówna, ‘The Funeral of Karol Szymanowski in Kraków, Prosto z mostu no.18 (1937)
• 24.07.12  Zygmunt Mycielski on Szymanowski’s Symphonie Concertante, pt.2, Ucieczki z pięciolinii (1952)
• 21.07.12  Zygmunt Mycielski on Szymanowski’s Symphonie Concertante, pt.1, Ucieczki z pięciolinii (1952)
• 17.07.12  Zygmunt Mycielski, ‘Nine Years Ago’, Ucieczki z pięciolinii (1946)
• 14.07.12  ‘From Letters and Remembrances of Szymanowski’, pt.3, Prosto z mostu no.17 (1937)
• 12.07.12  ‘From Letters and Remembrances of Szymanowski’, pt.2, Prosto z mostu no.17 (1937)
• 10.07.12  ‘From Letters and Remembrances of Szymanowski’, pt.1, Prosto z mostu no.17 (1937)
• 6.07.12  Stanisław Piasecki, ‘Szymanowski’s Final Moments’, Prosto z mostu no.17 (1937)
• 4.07.12  Stefania Szurlejówna, ‘The Funeral of Karol Szymanowski [in Warsaw], pt.3, Prosto z mostu no.17 (1937)
• 2.07.12  Stefania Szurlejówna, ‘The Funeral of Karol Szymanowski [in Warsaw], pt.2, Prosto z mostu no.17 (1937)
• 1.07.12  Stefania Szurlejówna, ‘The Funeral of Karol Szymanowski [in Warsaw], pt.1, Prosto z mostu no.17 (1937)
• 29.06.12  Jerzy Waldorff, ‘Szymanowski, the ‘Educator of a Generation’ ‘, Prosto z mostu no.17 (1937)
• 27.06.12  Michał Kondracki, ‘A Memoir about Szymanowski’, Prosto z mostu no.17 (1937)
• 25.06.12  Karol Szymanowski, ‘Religion as a Power Fortifying the Life of the Soul’ [poem ‘To Man’, plus commentary], undated
• 21.06.12  Stanisław Piasecki, ‘From Tymoszówka to the Skałka’, Prosto z mostu no.17 (1937)
• 19.06.12  Zygmunt Piasecki, ‘Lecioły Zórazie’ [on the Kurpian Songs], Ucieczki z pięciolinii (1934)
• 17.06.12  Jerzy Andrzejewski, [untitled], Prosto z mostu no.17 (1937)
• 15.06.12  Konstanty Regamey, ‘Szymanowski’s Oeuvre’, pt.2, Prosto z mostu no.17 (1937)
• 12.06.12  Konstanty Regamey, ‘Szymanowski’s Oeuvre’, pt.1, Prosto z mostu no.17 (1937)
• 10.06.12  Karol Szymanowski, ‘A Man’s Individual Ethic’, [undated]
• 9.06.12  Bolesław Miciński, ‘Memory’, Prosto z mostu no.17 (1937)
• 8.06.12  Roman Maciejewski, ‘Szymanowski’s Religiousness’, Prosto z mostu no.17 (1937)
• 6.06.12  Zygmunt Mycielski, ‘Karol Szymanowski’, Prosto z mostu no.17 (1937)
• 3.06.12  Zygmunt Mycielski, ‘What was Szymanowski Like?’, pt.2 (1972)
• 3.06.12  Zygmunt Mycielski, ‘What was Szymanowski Like?’, pt.1 (1972)
• 28.05.12  Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz, ‘Karol in Słupsk’ (1972)
• 26.05.12  Iwaszkiewicz, ‘About a Friendship’ [Dzieje przyjaźni – Szymanowski’s Correspondence], Życie Warszawy no.7 (1972)
• 24.05.12  Zygmunt Mycielski, ‘Szymanowski’s Letters’, Notatki o muzyce i muzykach (1958)
• 21.05.12  Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz, ‘ ‘From the Letters’ of Karol Szymanowski’ (1957)
• 17.05.12  Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz, ‘Szymanowski as a Writer’ (1947)
…….

• 12.05.12  Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz, ‘Szymanowski’s ‘King Roger”, Wiadomość Literackie no.26 (1926)
• 11.05.12  Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz, ‘Ahead of the premiere of King Roger’, Wiadomość Literackie no.25 (1926)
• 10.05.12  Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz, ‘The History of ‘King Roger”, Muzyka no.6 (1926)
• 8.05.12  Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz, ‘My composition lessons with Szymanowski’, Muzyka Polska no.3 (1939)
• 5.05.12  Stanisława Korwin-Szymanowska, ‘The Last Days of Karol Szymanowski’, pt.3, Muzyka Polska no.4 ( 1937)
• 1.05.12  Stanisława Korwin-Szymanowska, ‘The Last Days of Karol Szymanowski’, pt.2, Muzyka Polska no.4 (1937)
• 26.04.12  Stanisława Korwin-Szymanowska, ‘The Last Days of Karol Szymanowski, pt.1, Muzyka Polska no.4 (1937)
• 22.04.12  Zygmunt Mycielski, ‘Szymanowski’s Horizon’, Nowiny Literackie no.3-4 (1947)
• 16.04.12  Zygmunt Mycielski, ‘Szymanowski – the Romantic?’, Odrodzenie (1947)
• 11.04.12  Mycielski reminisces… Muzyka Polska no.4 (1937)
• 8.04.12  Zygmunt Mycielski, ‘Harnasie in Paris’, Prosto z mostu no.19 (1936)
• 4.04.12  Leonia Gradstein, ‘Harnasie in Paris’, pt.2, Ruch Muzyczny no.3 (1948)
• 1.04.12  Leonia Gradstein, ‘Harnasie in Paris’, pt.1, Ruch Muzyczny no.3 (1948)
…….

• 28.03.12  Szymanowski’s Piano Concerto, pt.2 (1950)
• 28.03.12  In memoriam Karol Szymanowski (28/03/1937)
• 24.03.12  Szymanowski’s Piano Concerto, pt.1 (1950)
• 19.03.12  Tadeusz Baird, ‘Szymanowski’s music has always meant so much to me’ (1979)
• 17.03.12  Stefan Kisielewski, ‘Karol Szymanowski’s Final Journey’, pt.3 (1937)
• 15.03.12  Stefan Kisielewski, ‘Karol Szymanowski’s Final Journey’, pt.2 (1937)
• 10.03.12  Stefan Kisielewski, ‘Karol Szymanowski’s Final Journey’, pt.1 (1937)
• 4.03.12  ‘Stefania Łobaczewska, ‘The Myth of Karol Szymanowski’, Muzyka no.4-5 (1937)
• 28.02.12  Paying Homage, pt.4: Roman Maciejewski, Muzyka no.4-5 (1937)
• 24.02.12  Paying Homage, pt.3: Zygmunt Mycielski, Muzyka no.4-5 (1937)
• 22.02.12  Paying Homage, pt.2: Piotr Perkowski, Muzyka no.4-5 (1937)
• 21.02.12  Paying Homage, pt.1: Jan Maklakiewicz, Muzyka no.4-5 (1937)
• 17.02.12  ‘The Breath of Greatness’: Lutosławski on Szymanowski, Muzyka Polska no.4 (1937)
• 13.02.12  Andrzej Dobrowolski analyses Szymanowski’s ‘Preludium and Fugue’, Ruch Muzyczny no.20 (1948)

Filed under Literature, Music pre-1938, Szymanowski Tagged with , , , , , , , , , ,

• More Szymanowski from Doctor Hughes

Sunday, 13 May 2012 Leave a comment

William Hughes has been busy translating more Polish accounts of Szymanowski to extend the list that I linked to on 28 March (The Chronicles of Dr Hughes). The thirteen new translations include accounts of the Paris premiere in 1935 of the ballet Harnasie (Mountain Robbers) by Szymanowski’s secretary Leonia Gradstein and his young friend, the composer Zygmunt Mycielski.  There are three further articles by Mycielski and contributions from the writer Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz.  Iwaszkiewicz was Szymanowski’s cousin and the co-author with the composer of the libretto for Szymanowski’s opera King Roger.  Iwaszkiewicz’s three articles about King Roger are particularly interesting.  The highlight of William Hughes’s new translations is the account of Szymanowski’s sister Stanisława of the composer’s last days.  She is remarkably frank and detailed, and her emotional description is still moving today, 75 years after his death.

I’m posting links to these new translations below, starting with the most recent. Further down the page I’ve reprinted the list from 28 March, so that they can be viewed together.

You can find The Chronicles of Doctor Hughes at http://drwilliamhughes.blogspot.co.uk/.

• 12.05.12  Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz – ‘Szymanowski’s ‘King Roger” (‘Wiadomość Literackie’ 1926, nr 26)
• 11.05.12  Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz – ‘Ahead of the premiere of King Roger’ (‘Wiadomość Literackie’ 1926, nr 25)
• 10.05.12  Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz – ‘The History of ‘King Roger” (‘Muzyka’ 1926, nr 6)
• 8.05.12  Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz – ‘My composition lessons with Szymanowski’ (‘Muzyka Polska’ 1939, nr 3)
• 5.05.12  Stanisława Korwin-Szymanowska – ‘The Last Days of Karol Szymanowski’ (‘Muzyka Polska’ 1937, nr 4) [part III]
• 1.05.12  Stanisława Korwin-Szymanowska – ‘The Last Days of Karol Szymanowski’ (‘Muzyka Polska’ 1937, nr 4 [part II]
• 26.04.12  Stanisława Korwin-Szymanowska – ‘The Last Days of Karol Szymanowski’ (‘Muzyka Polska’ 1937, nr 4 [part I]
• 22.04.12  Zygmunt Mycielski – ‘Szymanowski’s Horizon’ (‘Nowiny Literackie’ 1947, nr 3-4)
• 16.04.12  Zygmunt Mycielski – ‘Szymanowski – the Romantic?’ (‘Odrodzenie’ 1947)
• 11.04.12  Mycielski reminisces… (‘Muzyka Polska’ 1937, no.4)
• 8.04.12  Zygmunt Mycielski – ‘Harnasie in Paris’ (‘Prosto z mostu’ 1936, nr 19)
• 4.04.12  Leonia Gradstein – ‘Harnasie in Paris’ (‘Ruch Muzyczny’ 1948, nr 3) [Part II]
• 1.04.12  Leonia Gradstein – ‘Harnasie in Paris’ (‘Ruch Muzyczny’ 1948, nr 3) [Part I]

• 28.03.12  Szymanowski’s Piano Concerto [Part II] (1950)
• 28.03.12  In memoriam Karol Szymanowski (28/03/1937)
• 24.03.12  Szymanowski’s Piano Concerto [Part I] (1950)
• 19.03.12  Tadeusz Baird – ‘Szymanowski’s music has always meant so much to me’ (1979)
• 17.03.12  Stefan Kisielewski – ‘Karol Szymanowski’s Final Journey’ [Part Three] (1937)
• 15.03.12  Stefan Kisielewski – ‘Karol Szymanowski’s Final Journey’ [Part Two] (1937)
• 10.03.12  Stefan Kisielewski – ‘Karol Szymanowski’s Final Journey’ [Part One] (1937) 
• 4.03.12  ‘The Myth of Karol Szymanowski’ – Stefania Łobaczewska (‘Muzyka’ 1937, nr 4-5)
• 28.02.12  Paying Homage (Part IV): Roman Maciejewski (‘Muzyka’ 1937, nr 4-5)
• 24.02.12  Paying Homage (Part III): Zygmunt Mycielski (‘Muzyka’ 1937, nr 4-5)
• 22.02.12  Paying Homage (Part II): Piotr Perkowski (‘Muzyka’ 1937, nr 4-5)
• 21.02.12  Paying Homage (Part I): Jan Maklakiewicz (‘Muzyka’ 1937, nr 4-5)
• 17.02.12  ‘The Breath of Greatness’: Lutosławski on Szymanowski (‘Muzyka Polska’, 1937, No 4)
• 13.02.12  Andrzej Dobrowolski analyses Szymanowski’s ‘Preludium and Fugue’ (‘Ruch Muzyczny’, 1948 nr.20)

Filed under Lutosławski, Music Dissemination, Music pre-1938, Szymanowski Tagged with , ,

• The Chronicles of Doctor Hughes

Wednesday, 28 March 2012 1 Comment

A few months ago, I heard again from a colleague whom I’d last met in the mid-2000s.  It turned out that he’d been posting on Szymanowski for some time and was about to translate key Polish tributes to the composer into English.  I can’t emphasise too strongly how important this is.  Polish is a tricky language and far too little of its literature, especially that written earlier than the last 50 years or so, has been translated.  This applies to texts on music too.

So, as the 75th anniversary of the hour of Szymanowski’s death approaches, all praise to William Hughes for his selfless service to lovers of Szymanowski’s music by giving us access to Polish writings, especially those penned immediately after his death.  I’m posting links to these translations below, starting with the most recent.

You can find The Chronicles of Doctor Hughes at http://drwilliamhughes.blogspot.co.uk/.

• 28.03.12  Szymanowski’s Piano Concerto [Part II] (1950)
• 28.03.12  In memoriam Karol Szymanowski (28/03/1937)
• 24.03.12  Szymanowski’s Piano Concerto [Part I] (1950)
• 19.03.12  Tadeusz Baird – ‘Szymanowski’s music has always meant so much to me’ (1979)
• 17.03.12  Stefan Kisielewski – ‘Karol Szymanowski’s Final Journey’ [Part Three] (1937)
• 15.03.12  Stefan Kisielewski – ‘Karol Szymanowski’s Final Journey’ [Part Two] (1937)
• 10.03.12  Stefan Kisielewski – ‘Karol Szymanowski’s Final Journey’ [Part One] (1937) 
• 4.03.12  ‘The Myth of Karol Szymanowski’ – Stefania Łobaczewska (‘Muzyka’ 1937, nr 4-5)
• 28.02.12  Paying Homage (Part IV): Roman Maciejewski (‘Muzyka’ 1937, nr 4-5)
• 24.02.12  Paying Homage (Part III): Zygmunt Mycielski (‘Muzyka’ 1937, nr 4-5)
• 22.02.12  Paying Homage (Part II): Piotr Perkowski (‘Muzyka’ 1937, nr 4-5)
• 21.02.12  Paying Homage (Part I): Jan Maklakiewicz (‘Muzyka’ 1937, nr 4-5)
• 17.02.12  ‘The Breath of Greatness’: Lutosławski on Szymanowski (Muzyka Polska, 1937, No 4)
• 13.02.12  Andrzej Dobrowolski analyses Szymanowski’s ‘Preludium and Fugue’ (‘Ruch Muzyczny’, 1948 nr.20)

There are other posts connected to Szymanowski, one on the vagaries of Polish publishing standards, insights into another of William Hughes’s passions – Bill Evans, and sound files of some of Hughes’s own compositions.

Filed under Literature, Music pre-1938, Szymanowski Tagged with , ,

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