The Sorrowful Tale (Preludes to Eternity) Op. 13
symphonic poem for orchestra
„In this poem, cast in a free form, the composer depicts the psychology of suicidal Man (…). This struggle is fought out between two contending themes, and the latter is victorious, the shot is fired.” (Ignacy Chabielski, „Scena i Sztuka” 1908) The structure of this compact literary and musical story is intriguing. The work constitutes, to all intents and purposes the first manifestation of expressionism in the history of Polish music. “The Sorrowful Tale” presents in a maximally condensed form the main thematic plots embodied in Karłowicz’s compositions, i.e. resignation bathed in melancholy, suffering and plaint, a dread of tragic fate, a feeling of guilt and a fear of an unknown judgement, recollections of an unfulfilled love and the lost paradise of childchood.
- Introduction by: Leszek Polony
- Series: Karłowicz - Works
- ISMN 979-0-2740-0955-7
- Language of edition: eng, ger, pol
- Number of pages: 28+36
- Cover: hardcover
- No. of edition: 1
- Published: 2013
- Type: score
