Karol Szymanowski and Polish Folklore. Using Podhale folk music to inform performances of Szymanowski's Harnasie

Ania Szafraniec

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.

Conclusions

Understanding the music of Karol Szymanowski and the music of Podhale is certainly an achievement. However, this understanding is accompanied by the awareness that this knowledge can be applied practically - as a musician, then the satisfaction is indescribable.

While researching Szymanowski and the music of Podhale, I learned so much about the composer himself, Polish folklore, and the traditions and ethnic groups of my own country. During this process I have come to certain conclusions, especially about the way Szymanowski’s violin works can be performed by musicians. I also analysed folklore citations in order to find out whether his works were musical copies of folk material or inspired by it. Through this process, I was able to discover the relationship between folk quotations and find some that were used in multiple works.

Podhale folklore plays a significant role in Szymanowski’s works. From the many sources I used during the research I can state with conviction that Highland culture and music was very close for the composer. Szymanowski spent every spare moment in Zakopane, soaking up the life, culture and music of the highlanders. The use of the folklorism in his pieces is very special and as described in chapter number 3a). Characteristics of the style and pieces and 3b). Harnasie - general information and its connection to the transcription for violin and piano the references appear in three different forms. Therefore, there is no specific answer to my sub question whether the folk elements by Szymanowski were cited or inspired. They come (as I already mentioned above) in three versions: by quoting the Highlander melodies in detail, by developing or transforming these quotations and lastly drawing inspiration from folklore to create an entirely personal compositional language. Depending on what the composer wished to communicate he used different techniques for interweaving folk materials in his work.

One of the most important parts of my research was to analyse the compositional style of Szymanowski and look for the major characteristics of Podhale folklore in order to find out how this knowledge could help with the performance of Harnasie and other folkloristic violin pieces. My main conclusion is that for violinists it is important to divide the lyrical moments from the lively ones with regard to performance style. In my opinion, this is very important, as the two elements should be played in contrasting manners. The lyrical parts, as they were inspired by human voice and Kochański's playing, should be performed in an exceptionally romantic manner, using continuous vibrato, natural glissandi at changes of position and phrasing resembling natural breathing in singing. It is worth noting that the lyrical fragments in the transcription of Harnasie come from the vocal parts in the original ballet. In other works by Szymanowski, the lyrical parts often have their origins in the original Highland melodies. On the other hand the lively parts, contrasting not only in tempo or character, should be performed in a manner close to highland music. I mean here, of course, playing as much as possible in the first position, using no vibrato and (where possible) open strings, connecting the notes unless they are syncopated and having a fast speed of the bow on the longer notes. As an exercise that after a certain amount of time of practice could actually work, one could try the ornamentation “vibrato” so the movement of the left hand which is something between vibrating and trilling. Even if the practice of it will stay between the walls of the practice room and never will be seen out, it is good to do it and realise it is part of original folk Podhale music.

All the above approaches are meant to help violinists better communicate character and features of these works.

In sum, I believe that knowledge of Szymanowski's compositional style and of the music of Podhale is of great importance for understanding his works from the Nationalistic period and performing them in a way that reflects the influences that informed their composition. In my opinion, everything I learned during this research will continue to have a great influence on my future performances of Szymanowski's works.

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