Download SLAVONIC DUETS *** Urszula KRYGER - mezzo

DUX 1102 / 2014
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SLAVONIC DUETS
Stanisław MONIUSZKO (1819-1872) :
* Poleć, pieśni, z miasta, * Niemen i Wilija do Litwinek, * Naprzód ciebie wspomina
* Pierwsze wrażenie, * Duettino, * Kolęda
Aleksandr DARGOMYZSKI (1813-1869) :
* Минувших дней очарованья, * Девицы, красавицы, * Что мне до песнeй
Cesar CUI (1835-1918) :
* Последние цветы op. 19 nr 5, * Тучки небесные op. 19 nr 6, * Так и рвётся душа op. 3 nr 3
Antonín DVORAK (1841-1904) : Moravské dvojzpěvy op. 29b
* A já ti uplynu, * Veleť, vtáčku, * V dobrým sme se sešli, * Slavíkovský polečko malý
Moravské dvojzpěvy op. 32
* Holub na javoře, * Prsten, * Zelenaj se, zelenaj, * Zajatá
***
Urszula KRYGER - mezzo-soprano
Jadwiga RAPPÉ - alto
Mariusz RUTKOWSKI- piano
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DUX Małgorzata Polańska & Lech Tołwiński ul. Morskie Oko 2, 02-511 Warszawa
tel./fax (48 22) 849-11-31, (48 22) 849-18-59
e-mail: [email protected], www.dux.pl
Aleksandra Kitka-Coutellier – International Relations kitka@dux
Stanisław Moniuszko, the father of Polish opera, was also the father of Polish song, which he composed
vigorously and made an effort to publish immediately. He worked with poems of contemporary Polish poets
and he gave special attention to the works of Adam Mickiewicz – to his poetry he created one of his best
compositions, including ballad Czaty (The Ambush), and the cycle Sonety Krymskie (Crimean Sonnets). For
Moniuszko needed exactly a splendid text which would inspire him and lead to a musical setting. By putting
himself in a subservient role to the poet, the composer followed the structure of the text and created
melodies so natural and so in accordance to prosody of the language, as almost imperceptible – until an
hour or two after hearing a song, a listener starts to orient themselves what exactly they are constantly
humming.
Mickiewicz’s poems were not only used to create songs, but also an exquisite and still underappreciated,
composed in the 1850s cantata Widma (Phantoms), on the basis of II part of Dziady (The Forefathers).
From approximately the same time (the exact chronology of Moniuszko’s works is still undetermined) comes
Duettino, which is also a set to the text of The Forefathers Part II, but this time only a fragment of the
poem is used. The cast (soprano and a low voice) derives from the structure of the text: here is a phantom,
Zosia, describing her fate, and Guślarz who repeats her words to those who cannot see her. In turn, the
poem Naprzód ciebie wspomina (First remembers you) is taken from The Forefathers Part IV: Moniuszko
treated the poetry satirically, building the tension from a lyrical beginning to a tasty culmination of truly
comedic bent – here he shows his true colors of an operetta composer. Another beautiful duet, with a clear
division of the roles, comes from Antonii Odyniec’s poem Niemen i Wilija do Litwinek (Niemen and Wilija to
Lituanians, “I am Niemen”, “I am Wilija”), with gently waving, illustrating motifs for the right hand in the
piano part. Although the remaining duets presented here display more lyrical features, less dramatization
and limited independence of the voices, Moniuszko did not intend it like this. In the duets, no less than in
the solo songs published in consecutive volumes of Śpiewnik Domowy (Home Song-Book), the composer
wanted to give easily accessible material to be performed at home. Conscious simplification of the means,
including the part of the piano, however, did not cause any lowering of the artistic level of the composition.
On the contrary, one may wonder if those self-limitations led to so many outstanding achievements on the
field of song, and opera in later years. Nevertheless, the characteristic features of song are strongly present
in Moniuszko’s most splendid stage compositions, with Halka and Straszny Dwór (The Haunted Manor) in
the foreground.
Moniuszko, coming from the eastern territories of the Poland did not model his works on the folklore of this
country, although he was its expert and collector. In fact, he did not refer to the music of any specific
region, therefore any Polish person could easily identify themselves with the composer’s songs. The Polish
trait, however, is clearly visible through the use of rhythms of national dances: krakowiak (Fly, song from
the city) or polonaise (First impression). On the other hand, if Moniuszko exploited any melodic patterns,
they were Russian salon romances, which had much durability in terms of being an inspiration as both
Alexander Dargomyzhsky and César Cui also created in this style.
Those two Russian composers were within Moniuszko’s close circle; the composer of Paria even called
Dargomyzhsky “an older brother”. They appreciated each other, and Halka and Rusalka show similarities,
which is probably something more than just the result of a coincidence. César Cui, a son of a Frenchman
and a Polish woman, composing to the poetry of Mickiewicz, in his youth was Moniuszko’s student, and just
like him, Cui most fully expressed himself in songs. Dargomyzhsky’s and Cui’s duets exhibit many similar
features to Moniuszko’s songs: predilection to great poets’ texts (Pushkin, Lermontov), generally national
characteristics yet without refereeing to a specific folk model, much influence of the salon romance,
declamatory treatment of the text and simplicity of the musical means. Here, however, it seems that the
Russian composers did not go as far as Moniuszko – Dargomyzhsky liked to use initial imitations, and the
piano part, like in Cui’s compositions, is quite sophisticated in details.
A completely distinct phenomena, however, are Moravian Duets by Antonín Dvořák, which refer to a folk
model in an absolutely direct way, and the musical setting of folk poetry is so tasty, that it brought to this
growing-old and almost an unknown composer, fame and appreciation, and as a result, a position. But first
things first.
Moravské dvojzpěvy (The Moravian Duets) were created for musically gifted amateurs: a Prague merchant
Jan Neff, his wife Marie and their children’s governess Marie Blažkova (Dvořák worked for the Neffs family
as a piano teacher from 1875 onwards). We can only long to the times when the level of amateur
performers and singers was so high! Neff was a Czech patriot and he turned Dvořák’s attention to the work
of František Sušil Moravské národní písně s nápěvy do textů vřazenými (loosely translated as: Moravian
songs – lyrics and melodies). The composer’s patron commissioned Dvořák to make an arrangement of the
melodies from that collection as vocal duets with a piano accompaniment. After first few attempts Dvořák
came to a conclusion that the effect of his creation was not satisfactory enough. Since then, the composer
used only poems from Sušil’s collection, writing the music entirely by himself. What is interesting, however,
is that the music exhibits a few characteristic features of Moravian folk songs: the inclination to modulating
to the key a second apart, and constant oscillation between two different keys. Sometimes the folk
elements are so distinctive, that a duet looks like an arrangement of a folk melody and not an original
composition (Slavíkovský polečko malý – Slavik’s tiny plot).
But in the duets there is the most of Dvořák. The simplicity of the melody, which perfectly fits the naïve
texts, should not deceive us. The composer perfectly applies the possibilities of the ensemble, no two duets
are the same. The vocal parts collaborate in many sophisticated ways, from simple imitations (more often
rhythmic only, than melodic) to totally unrestricted polymelody, and everything is decorated with an
elaborated in details piano part. No wonder that ravished Neff, using his own money, published five duets
known today as op. 29 and op. 32.
Dvořák added those published works to his application for a grant from the Austrian government for
underprivileged musicians (1877). One of the committee members granting the support was Johannes
Brahms, who wrote with enthusiasm to his publisher, Simrock: “Dear S. For the past few years I have been
enchanted with the works of Antonín Dvořák (you read it as Dvorschak) from Prague… this year he has
submitted, among other things, duets for two sopranos and piano, which are exceptional compositions and
attractive for performing. You should ask the composer to send them to you! If you play them, I am sure
you will be enchanted like me with their savory charm… Dvořák is an exceptional composer! He is also
impoverished, what fact I leave to your thought”.
Simrock published the duets as op. 32 in 1878 (therefore some compositions have double opus numbers in
the catalogue of the composer’s works). Dvořák was not given any money, but instead he became
instantaneously famous – he already had five symphonies on his record, two operas, a great deal of
chamber music compositions with piano, Stabat Mater and a piano concerto; however it was the Moravian
Duets which brought a breakthrough in his career. The power of song!
Krzysztof Komarnicki
Translated by Dorota Burke
Urszula KRYGER – mezzosoprano
The graduate of two faculties of the Łódź Music Academy: instrumental (piano) and vocal and acting under
Jadwiga Pietraszkiewicz. She continued vocal studies under André Orlowitz in Copenhagen, which led to
many successes in various international vocal competitions. Between years 1992-1994 she was awarded
the 1st prize in the Moniuszko Competition in Warsaw, the Brahms Competition in Hamburg, and the ARD
Music Competition in Munich.
Urszula Kryger’s repertory extends from baroque oratories through German and Italian opera to romantic
and modern songs. She has performed concerts and song recitals in the biggest music venues of Europe
such as Munich, Paris, Frankfurt (Alte Oper), Berlin (Schauspielhaus), Milano (La Scala), Stuttgart, Madrid.
She has co-operated with famous conductors: Jerzy Semkow, Jan Krenz, Rafael Frübeck de Burgos, Sir
Colin Davis.
She performs regularly at well known music festivals such as the Menuhin Festival in Gstaad, the Berliner
Festwochen, the Kissinger Sommer, the Warsaw Autumn.
Urszula Kryger is particularly keen on chamber music and has been accompanied by such great musicians
as Hartmut Höll, Charles Spencer, Melvyn Tan, Pascal Rogé, the clarinetist Paul Meyer as well as string
quartets: the Tokyo String Quartet, the Petersen Quartet and the Sine Nomine Quartet.
Her international opera debut took place in 1996 in the SemperOper in Dresden as Angelina in Rossini’s
Cinderella.
She has recorded for radio stations in Poland, France, Germany and Switzerland. Her CD recordings include
Poulenc’s Polish Songs with Pascal Rogé (Decca 1999), Chopin Songs with Charles Spencer (Hyperion
1999), Russian Duets with Jadwiga Rappé and Tomasz Herbut (Dux 2001), Moniuszko Songs (Dux 2002),
Szymanowski Songs (Dux 2002).
In 2003 a recording of Beethoven’s arias was released (BNL) followed in 2004 by a complete recording of
Szymanowski’s songs for Channel Classics. The latter won the Fryderyk Prize for the Most Outstanding
Polish Music Recording in the same year. In January 2006 Urszula Kryger received The Szymanowski
Foundation Prize for her masterly interpretations of Szymanowki’s songs.
Jadwiga RAPPÉ – alto
one of the most outstanding Polish singers. Her first singing tutor was Zofia Brégy, then later Jerzy Artysz.
During her studies at Wroclaw Music Academy her competence was brought up to the level of the best
performers of compositions for alto voice. She won 1st Prize at the International Bach Competition in
Leipzig, followed the next year by the Gold Medal at the International Festival of Young Soloists in
Bordeaux. For the recording of the Three fragments from the Jan Kasprowicz poetry Op.5 by Karol
Szymanowski played with Maja Nosowska, she was awarded 1982 with the Polish Radio Prize, granted the
initiative of Jan Weber.
Jadwiga Rappé has appeared on stage in numerous European countries, USA, Canada, Japan, performing
at the most prestigious concert halls including Musikverein and Konzerthaus (Vienna), La Salle Pleyel and
Théâtre des Champs-Elysées (Paris), Gewandhaus (Leipzig), Philharmonie im Gasteig and Herkulessaal
(Munich), Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), Royal Albert Hall (London), Carnegie Hall (New York), Kennedy
Center (Washington), The State Hall Jerusalem. She has participated in renowned festivals including the
Handel Festspiele in Karlsruhe, MDR-Musiksommer, Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspiele, Salzburger Festspiele,
Brucknerfest Linz, Styriarte Graz, Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Proms in London, ‘Wratislavia Cantans’,
‘Warsaw Autumn’, Cassals Festival in Puerto Rico.
She works with numerous reremarkable conductors as Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Marek Janowski, Bernard
Haitink, Sir Colin Davies, Seiji Ozawa, Leopold Hager, Helmut Rilling, Riccardo Chailly, Jesús López-Cobos,
Charles Dutoit, Aleksandr Lazarev, Armin Jordan, Krzysztof Penderecki, Stanisław Skrowaczewski, Lorin
Maazel, Kent Nagano, Sir Simon Rattle, Klaus Tennstedt. Her repertoire is wide and comprises songs
alongside opera and oratorio-cantata parts from Baroque through Romanticism to contemporary music
(including i.e. Polish Requiem and Te Deum by Krzysztof Penderecki) The artist willingly participates in
premiere performances of Polish contemporary music as she sang in Seven Gates of Jerusalem by
Penderecki – a work written especially to commemorate the third millenium of this city. Her original voice
inspired Wojciech Kilar when composing the alto part of the Missa Pro Pace, Paweł Mykietyn (III
Symphonie). She took also part in the successful world premiere of the Gong by Ladislav Kubik – a Czech
composer living in USA.
Furthemore, Jadwiga Rappé has recorded 49 LPs and CDs for such record labels like Philips, Eterna, EMI,
Erato, Teldec, Orfeo, BMG, Decca, Naxos and Polskie Nagrania. Recordings of the artist include the alto
parts from Bach’s St Matthew Passion, Cantatas and Mass in B minor, Handel’s Sosarme, Mozart’s
Coronation Mass K.317, Ceremonial Vespers K.339, Weissenhausmesse K.139, Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis
and Ninth Symphony, Mahler’s 2nd and 3rd Symphonies, Das klagende Lied, Wagner’s Rheingold und
Siegfried (Erda), Szymanowski’s Stabat Mater, King Roger and Demeter, Honneger’s King David,
Penderecki’s Polish Requiem are found on. Many of her recordings was awarded in Poland (7 gained the
Fryderyk Awards, 5 were nominated to this prize) and abroad (Polish Requiem by Penderecki recorded for
Naxos was nominated to the Grammy 2005 Award). Her CD “Stanisław Moniuszko – Songs”, recorded with
Maja Nosowska gained Orphée d’Or 2011 Award, given by Academie du Disque Lyrique for the best
recording of the songs and received excellent reviews all other the world. Similar award gained 2012 her
live recording of Das Lied von der Erde by Mahler (with Piotr Kusiewicz and Grand Symphony Orchestra of
Polish Radio and Television in Katowice. Her CD “Chagall” recorded with the Opium Quartet enclosing song
cycle Le lien entre les jours by Peter Moss gained the “Fryderyk 2014” prize.
Jadwiga Rappé’s repertoire includes parts in operas by Handel, Tchaikovsky, Gluck, Verdi, Ponchielli,
Strauss (i.e. Gaea in his Daphne and Klitamnestra in Electra, staged in Deutsche Oper in Berlin and Opera
du Rhin in Strasburg). She received great acclaim for her Erda in Wagner’s Ring at performances in the
Deutsche Oper Berlin, Covent Garden, Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie, Festival d`Orange, Wiener Staatsoper,
Oper Frankfurt, Grand Théâtre de Genève.
She is a frequent jury member of vocal competitions. Over the last few years she has been running a solo
singing class at the F. Chopin Music University in Warsaw. Since 2013 she is engaged as a professor at the
Music Academy in Gdańsk. Since march 2006 till march 2009 she was president of Witold Lutoslawski
Assotiation in Warsaw.
Mariusz RUTKOWSKI – one of most prominent polish chamber pianists. Graduated from the Chopin
Acdemy of Music in Warsaw with M.Szraiber (piano) and M.Nosowska (chamber music). Laureate of many
chamber music competitions, among others at the I.J.Paderewski Competition in Bydgoszcz (1999, 2006) –
J.Lefeld’s Polish Radio Prize, International S.Moniuszko Competiton in Warsaw (2001).
He has performed at the most important concert halls in Poland and abroad (Russia, Ukraine, Germany,
Hungary, the Czech Republic, Italy, Sweden, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland). He participates in renowned
music festivals, e.g. ‘Wratislavia Cantans’, Łańcut Festiwal, the Lutosławski Festival (Warsaw), Hoffman
Festival (Poznań), Beethoven Festival (Głogówek).
He performs with eminent soloists such as Jadwiga Rappe, Urszula Kryger,Jadwiga Kotnowska, Stefania
Toczyska,Anna Radziejewska,Joanna Cortes, Joanna Woś,Joanna Kozłowska, Barbara Kubiak, Jadwiga
Teresa Stępień, Irina Zakyan,Joanna Freszel, Agata Igras-Sawicka, Kamila Grott, Bogdan Paprocki, Jerzy
Artysz, Leonard Andrzej Mróz, Adam Kruszewski, Tomasz Tomaszewski, Bartłomiej Nizioł and chamber
groups: Camerata Vistula, Pegasus Quartet. He also collaborates with theatre directors and actors on stage
productions (Hanna Chojnacka, Krystyna Janda, Anna Seniuk, Barbara Wachowicz, Henryk Konwiński,
Barbara Gołaska).
He is equally accomplished in 20th and 21th century music, and has many times taken part in world
premieres of contemporary compositions (Henryk Mikołaj Górecki, Maciej Małecki, Anna Jastrzębska). He
was a lecturer at the Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw, in the years 2007-2009 he holds the position as
head of the vocal department at the Grand Theatre in Poznań.
He has recorded extensively for Polish Radio and Television and phonograph firm Dux: W.Żeleński – Songs
(with J. Rappé) – Fryderyk 2006, S.Niewiadomski – Songs, I.J.Paderewski – Songs (with J.T.Stępień),
A.Jastrzębska – Chamber music (with J.Kotnowska) – world premiere recording, A.Kulikowski – Chamber
music (with Camerata Vistula) – world premiere recording, I.J.Paderewski – Complete songs (with
A.Radziejewska) – first ever recording of all of the songs by the composer, Fryderyk 2007 – nomination,
Fantaisie (with A.Igras-Sawicka), K.Szymanowski – Songs (with A.Radziejewska) – Fryderyk 2008 –
nomination, ARTE-distinction, Prix Special Academie de Disque Liryque (Paris),W.Lutosławski-Songs and
Carols, Fryderyk 2014 – nomination.