Paciorkiewicz, Tadeusz (1916-1998)
Trio (10:00) 1963 Publisher: PWM (c1967)
Allegretto
Lento
Scherzando
Comodo
Allegro non troppo
Instrumentation: oboe, clarinet, bassoon
This work is dedicated to Benedykt Górecki, bassoonist of the Polish National Radio Orchestra. It maintains classical forms with atonalism. The work starts out with an entrance of two instruments playing a dissonant accompaniment, which sets the stage for a bassoon solo, followed by a short development where the texture becomes more complex. The second movement written in fugue follows the ABA formal idea, and it seems too fast and rushed as Lento marked as quarter note=80, (this might be a publisher error). However, the movement is charming with its soloistic melodic line, and its tempo and texture changes in development. The third movement is light and playful in character. Here, the accompaniment idea of the first movement comes back at the beginning, but it gives way to other ideas and disappears. This is the only movement that ends on unison. The Comodo movement charms the listener with the falling quintuplet lines, and meandering sextuplet lines. It is in the style of a cadenza for three instruments. The fifth and last movement has a very Stravinskyesque feeling with trills in the beginning, irregular rhythms, and complicated rhythmical trade offs between the voices.
Although the technical demands in all the movements are not of virtuoso level, the often-awkward runs and rhythmical layering between the voices require great precision from the whole ensemble.
Grade: V
Recordings: Lubelskie Reed Trio (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oG7UbmpFO48)
Sheet music source: out of print
Tadeusz Paciorkiewicz
Born in Sierpc on October 17, 1916 and died in Warsaw on November 2, 1998.
He was a composer, teacher and organist. Paciorkiewicz as a young boy studied organ playing at the Bishops’ School of Organists in Płock. From 1936 to 1943 he studied organ performance at Music Conservatory in Warsaw. In 1941 he started his compositional study with K. Sikorski, and he obtained his composition degree in 1953 at the PWSM in Łódź. During the World War II he worked as an organist in Warsaw and Nasielsk. After the war he established a music school in Płock and became headmaster until 1949.
In February of 1945 he established People’s Music Institute in Łódź. In 1947 he made his debut as an organist at the Polish Radio. In 1949 he started to teach harmony, counterpoint and organ performance at a Music High School in Łódź and later at PWSM in Łódź. In 1954 he began to teach at PWSM in Warsaw, in 1966 became an assistant professor and in 1979 he became a full time professor. Between 1961-1969 and 1978-1981 he was the Dean of the Composition, Theory and Conducting Department. Between 1969-1971 he was the Rector of the Academy of Music (PWSM). He retired in 1986. Paciorkiewicz’s compositional output remains in the late romantic aesthetic and often has folklore elements. His compositions were mostly written as commissions. His music is maintained within classical forms, but with a note of atonalism. His chamber compositions are frequently used as a didactic works for instrumentalists.
Learn more: http://www.paciorkiewicz.pl/home/