# A great fusion of folklore and classical music. Did you know Harnasie?



## Wojciech Oleksiak (May 29, 2014)

IMHO Stravinsky was the trail blazer of incorporating true folklore into classical music. One of the most recognised Polish composers Karol Szymanowski decided to follow his path and took on a project of presenting Polish Highlanders' (Gorale) folklore in the form of ballet-pantomime. The outcome is worth getting to know.

Valery Gergiev said of it:
Szymanowski not only deserves to be widely heard and recognised, but his music also gives us a tremendous opportunity to understand better the development of classical music through the twentieth century.

Have a nice read!
http://culture.pl/en/article/breaking-it-down-karol-szymanowskis-harnasie


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## Fagotterdammerung (Jan 15, 2015)

I love Szymanowski, but I've only touched the surface of his work, really. I remember enjoying his opera, King Roger. I will have to hunt down Harnasie.


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## Cosmos (Jun 28, 2013)

I'll have to check it out! From Szymanowski I've only heard his Stabat Mater and Symphonies 3 and 4. Very unique works, tbh


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

Nationalism via folk music and themes from folklore has nearly one century of precedent previous Stravinsky et alia, and examples of that are not from but a mere one or two composers.


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## Wojciech Oleksiak (May 29, 2014)

PetrB, partially you are right but nationalists merely put some of the folklore melodies into 100% classical compositions, adjusting them to major and minor system. Stravinsky, as a first composer in the history (p.e. in Petrushka or The Rite Of Spring) presented folk melodies in their original form, with melodies far out from tempered scale and with rhythm given primacy over harmony. This is why I think we should call him an innovator.


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

Wojciech Oleksiak said:


> PetrB, partially you are right but nationalists merely put some of the folklore melodies into 100% classical compositions, adjusting them to major and minor system. Stravinsky, as a first composer in the history (p.e. in Petrushka or The Rite Of Spring) presented folk melodies in their original form, with melodies far out from tempered scale and with rhythm given primacy over harmony. This is why I think we should call him an innovator.


It is but one small reason to call Stravinsky an innovator. I am happy anyone is drawing attention to Stravinsky, or the fascinating 'transitional' music of Szymanowski, i.e it is music from a fine composer with a distinct voice while one can also hear so many of the various 20th century influences within it. (But I am not so happy with a presentation which makes it seem these composers nearly invented the wheel all on their own :-/


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## Guest (Feb 4, 2015)

Are you inviting us to Zakopane to come listen to it?


Jezeli tak, wtedy chetnie!


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