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Karol Szymanowski and Polish Folklore. Compositional copy or inspiration? What musical choices might be made for performing Harnasie and other violin pieces by using knowledge of Podhale folk music to inform violin performance practice. In this exposition I present my research which consists of a few elements. Firstly, to get acquainted with the composer - Karol Szymanowski and focus on his Nationalistic period. While exploring Podhale folklore and understanding its main characteristics, I did analyze the way Szymanowski uses this particular folklore in his pieces. Then, the focus goes to Szymanowski’s most important work of the period - ballet Harnasie and its comperisement with the violin transcription. To discover whether the folk citations used in his pieces are just a copy of original melodies or inspiration and how do they connect with each other? A significant and most important part of my research is finding out how the knowledge gained through this process can improve and enrich the performance of Szymanowski’s violin music. In short my conclusions are as follows. Folkloristic parts should be treated as original Highlanders would play it. Therefore, violinists need to get some sound simplicity such as no vibrato or playing in the first position. On the other hand, the lyrical parts are very contrasting. Szymanowski was inspired by singers and the way his dear violinist friend Paweł Kochański played. Therefore, the lyrical parts can be compared to the human voice, with a sweet romantic sound, natural voice like breathing in the phrases, continuous fast vibrato.

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  • contents
    • default page
    • Table of contents
    • 1. Introduction
    • 1a) Podhale region - Folk music and Gorals
    • 2. Karol Szymanowski - Biography
    • 3. Nationalistic period of Szymanowski - Interest of Podhale folklore
    • 3a) Characteristics of the style and pieces
    • 3b) Harnasie - General information and its connection to the transcription for violin and piano
    • 3c) Paweł Kochański's performance style
    • 3d) Approaching Harnasie and other violin pieces of Szymanowski
    • Conclusions
    • Bibliography
    • Ania Szafraniec
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  • abstract
    Karol Szymanowski and Polish Folklore. Compositional copy or inspiration? What musical choices might be made for performing Harnasie and other violin pieces by using knowledge of Podhale folk music to inform violin performance practice. In this exposition I present my research which consists of a few elements. Firstly, to get acquainted with the composer - Karol Szymanowski and focus on his Nationalistic period. While exploring Podhale folklore and understanding its main characteristics, I did analyze the way Szymanowski uses this particular folklore in his pieces. Then, the focus goes to Szymanowski’s most important work of the period - ballet Harnasie and its comperisement with the violin transcription. To discover whether the folk citations used in his pieces are just a copy of original melodies or inspiration and how do they connect with each other? A significant and most important part of my research is finding out how the knowledge gained through this process can improve and enrich the performance of Szymanowski’s violin music. In short my conclusions are as follows. Folkloristic parts should be treated as original Highlanders would play it. Therefore, violinists need to get some sound simplicity such as no vibrato or playing in the first position. On the other hand, the lyrical parts are very contrasting. Szymanowski was inspired by singers and the way his dear violinist friend Paweł Kochański played. Therefore, the lyrical parts can be compared to the human voice, with a sweet romantic sound, natural voice like breathing in the phrases, continuous fast vibrato.
  • Ania Szafraniec - Karol Szymanowski and Polish Folklore. Using Podhale folk music to inform performances of Szymanowski's Harnasie - 2022
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                                           TABLE OF CONTENTS


 Chapter 1. Introduction and Podhale Region 

  1. Introduction 

 1a) Podhale Region - Folk music and Gorals 

 

Chapter 2. Karol Szymanowski

 2. Karol Szymanowski - Biography

 

Chapter 3. Szymanowski's Nationalistic Period

3. Interest of Podhale folklore 

3a) Characteristics of the style and pieces 

3b) Harnasie - General information and its connection to the transctription for violin and piano 

3c) Paweł Kochański's performance style

3d) Approaching Harnasie and other violin pieces by Szymanowski 

 

Conclusions

 

Bibliography 

 

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