# Karol Szymanowski's vocal music with orchestra



## Prodromides (Mar 18, 2012)

Szymanowski's stylistic developments over several decades offer listeners an eclectic _oeuvre_.

From Szymanowski's early period of Germanic romanticism, through his heady and hedonistic and highly idiosyncratic middle-period works, and onto his neo-classical late period, the _song_ remained central to his creative output throughout his life.

So central indeed was Szymanowski's predilection for orchestral accompaniment to his vocal and choral lines that these featured together in other forms (i.e. a symphony, a ballet, etc.) as well as in their more customary and expected position in sacred works.

Probably half of Szymanowski's major works are listed here; select one or more opus which is a favorite (or with which you are most familiar).


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

The three I know are my favorite ones. I guess that means I like everything I've heard by him.


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## quack (Oct 13, 2011)

Haven't heard a few of these such as the Infatuated Muezzin, the title must be less silly in Polish, apparently that is for soprano, a female muezzin? Anyway his Stabat Mater is beautiful and King Roger is among my favourite operas, slow, romantic, elegiac and not too melodramatic.

Hmm seems like The Infatuated Muezzin can be sung by tenor too.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Own them as well as his songs with piano, but can´t say that I know them all by heart; "King Roger" and "Roxana´s Song" are among the most catchy of course, but I remember finding "Harnasie" not that good last time I played it.

There was a great Naxos series of these works with Polish soloists, which can be recommended.

Visited the Szymanowski Villa in Zakopane last spring, and some interesting museums in Cracow related to the Polish culture of those days, influenced by Orientalism, Symbolism, Art Nouveau etc. too - the Wyspianski Museum in particular, also the National Museum.


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## Head_case (Feb 5, 2010)

You're really fortunate ...I only get to visit Szymanowsk's villa when I take the CD cover by the Varsovia String Quartet out:










I love the 'Song to the Virgin Mary'. Very unusually sung in Polish, which has a completely different meter than Latin. Love the scoring of the parts. Although the 'Song of the Night' is a favourite, the baritone winds me up with Stryja conducting (all baritones wind me up lol). Elzbieta Szmyka and Florence Quivar are a stunning combo in the EMI set. Harnasie ..I didn't get on with that all all either - male vocalists aren't my cupcake programming.


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