# Karol Kurpiński



## Aramis

The muzzle is self-explaining. Karol Kurpiński is composer of cravat-and-sideburns period. The vulgar, non-academic term is "early romantic". Born in 1785, he is contemporary of C. M von Weber (born 1786). Some source claims that music of Kurpiński might have inspired some of instrumental effects that Weber used in his works. Truth or not, legitimacy of such suspection tells much.

So much of introduction. I start this thread particularly to post one work that I have discovered recently - Kurpiński's _Te Deum_. I think it's special. What's so special about it? There is very little sacred music touched by winds of romantic spring. Even progressive composers in early XIXth century were not inclined to do their progressive job in that genre. The only examples of sacred music written in this idiom are masses of Hummel and this work by Kurpiński.

Here is the technically and sound-wise imperfect recording of this splendid work:






This is my top recommendation for this composer. Neverthelss, I'm going to post some other, instrumental music.

Fairly enjoyable clarinet concerto:






Romantic, agitated and quasi-programmatic piano miniature:


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## WJM

Unfortunately, Karol Kurpiński is almost forgotten in the world, even in Poland his works are rarely performed.

_Te Deum_ is most impressive. The recording posted above is the only existing recording of this work, and is not even commercially released (it's a recording of radio broadcast of a live concert from 2011). There was one recording made in 1990's, which was released but it's now very hard to find, and it wasn't even really a recording of Kurpinski's original work but a rather loose arrangement of it, which made it sound kinda like a fake baroque piece.

Kurpinski wrote _Te Deum_ for the coronation of tsar Nicholas I of Russia for King of Poland in 1829. Kingom of Poland was a puppet state of Russian Empire back then, and Kurpinski was resistant about doing this. However, together with a few other composers (amongst them Józef Elsner, Chopin's teacher) he was ordered to write music for the coronation by Russian authorities. For the same occasion he wrote _Polonaise in D major "Witaj, królu!"_ ("Welcome, King"):






Interestingly, Chopin's _Polonaise Op. 40 was No. 2 in C-minor_ is most likely based on the main theme of Kurpinski's Polonaise (from 0:30). Chopin took the joyful and solemn melody Kurpinski composed and turned it into something almost resembling a funeral march.

A few years later, Kurpinski wrote patriotic songs for Polish soldiers during Polish-Russian War which broke out after the tsar was deposed by polish parliament. Most famous of those songs is _La Varsovienne_. Another one, _Litwinka_ ("Lithuanian Song") became one of the main themes of Richard Wagner's concert overture _Polonia_, in which Wagner put almost an exact orchestral arranegment of the song's melody.

Kurpinski also wrote more than 25 operas. More than half of them are lost, and there's only one I know about which was recorded in full - _Zamek na Czorsztynie_ ("The Castle of Czorsztyn"):






Some other works:

_Elegie in C minor for piano and orchestra_:






_The Battle of Mozhaysk - Grand Symphony depicting a battle_. This recording is unfortunately incomplete, however a few years ago polish Chopin Institute released a CD with the complete work performed by Frans Bruggen and Orchestra of the 18th Century.


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## bachfan7

In case anybody is receiving notifications from this post. A commercial recording by Collegium 1704 is being released on 2 July (2021) and is available on Spotify already.


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