Zygmunt Mycielski. Complete Songs
This is the first complete (2CD) recording of all the songs composed by writer and journalist Zygmunt Mycielski (1907–1987), editor in chief of Ruch Muzyczny music journal and an intellectual actively involved in the 1960s social and political work (for which the Polish communist authorities imposed restrictions on him). He was also a composer (a fact we sometimes tend to forget), educated in Cracow and later (at Karol Szymanowski’s instigation) a pupil of Paul Dukas and Nadia Boulanger in Paris (the latter became his long-time friend). Mycielski himself did not recognise his pieces written before the late 1930s as ‘serious’ works. Still, he had also composed music, including songs, before that time.
Two duos present Mycielski’s songs on this album. Joanna Freszel and Bartłomiej Kominek interpret his prewar output, including the now most frequently performed Five Wedding Songs to words by Bruno Jasieński (1934). Tomasz Konieczny and Lech Napierała take up his postwar achievements, down to Eight Songs to words by Zbigniew Herbert, which Mycielski completed in 1984, three years before his death.
Mycielski wrote songs throughout his life. They bear testimony to his erudition and sophisticated taste. We find in them a kaleidoscopic reflection of his fascinations with the Parisian school, folklore, modernism, and new composition techniques. Some are serious, some tongue-in-cheek, but all feature meaningful texts by poets such as Norwid, Iwaszkiewicz, Miłosz, and Herbert. Mycielski used to be viewed as a writer one should read. It is now high time we also started listening to his music.
- Współautor: Lech Napierała, , Joanna Freszel, Bartłomiej Kominek
- Series: ANAKLASIS
- No. of edition: 1
- Published: 2025
- Type: CD
