• Duration: 3'15''
• Instrumentation: 2222-4230-batt pf-archi
• Year: 1954
• Language of edition: pol
• Type: parts, score

From a conversation between Stefan Kisielewski and Jacek Żakowski about the situation of the editors after the Tygodnik Powszechny weekly was dissolved in 1953: My musical situation had not been really clarified. It wasnt clear whether my music could be played or not. In Warsaw Szpilman, the head of the light music department, would often willingly offer me something. On the other hand, anyone in charge of a classical music department would avoid my name. - I believe you wrote arrangements for Szpilman - Yes, but I also wrote Perpetuum Mobile for him which was supposed to be a light composition. Unfortunately, Szpilman said that the orchestra burst out laughing. I told him it was all right because, after all, it was supposed to be a light composition. Then he was really upset: You are making fun of me. Putting all jokes aside, the composition is full of musical humour. Even the provocatively banal theme can bring a smile. It resembles a childish, monotonous nursery rhyme. Still, during the less than four minutes of the composition the theme evolves, changes its instrumental colour proceeding from the wind instruments through the xylophone and the string section to finally reach the piano, pitilessly chopping the remains of its musical shell with harsh chords to eventually reduce it to the perpetuum mobile. The closing bars belong to percussive instruments (bass drum, snare drum and cymbals) troubled by only three strong chords from the orchestra. It is possible that this percussion rally is a reference to the catacomb jazz concerts that used to be held in Kraków in the 1950s. After all, Stefan Kisielewski often took part in those secret meetings.