Palester, Roman (1907-1989)
Trio (14:30) 1967 Publisher: PWM (c2004)
Allegro giusto, deciso
Andante affettuoso e flessibile
Allegro moderato
Instrumentation: oboe, clarinet, bassoon
The main characteristics of this composition are the rhythm and material lightness in the faster movements, plus canonic texture treatment and the constant use of intervals of a second, seventh and fifth in the slower movement.. The first movement begins with all three voices in rhythmical unison in a very short staccato followed by a more melodic second statement. The whole movement is built in a rondo form with the first statement coming back three times, each time shorter, and the lyrical material being more developed each time. The second movement showcases the independence of musical lines with each instrument having an equal melodic value. In the beginning of the movement the voices enter in canon with the same opening pitch motive built on the intervals of major seventh and perfect fifth. This lyrical section is interrupted by a short episode of frantic character, followed by a return to the previous mood. The third movement is a three-part fugue, where the first fast fugal material ends abruptly. Here, the reference to the second movement appears, and is followed by a fast fugal recap that ends the work with rhythmical unison.
Palester was greatly influenced by works of Stravisnky and in his memoirs he stated that Stravisnsky’s “The Rite of Spring” was a “breviary of modern music”. This composition attests to his interest in Stravinskyesque treatment of musical texture. The technic, rhythm, pitch considerations, mixed meter and frequent meter changes with irregular accents, make this composition challenging to perform. Thus it is advised for a well-seasoned ensemble.
Grade: V-VI
Recordings: Szalowski, Spisak, Palester, Lutosławski, Tansman, Krauze, Krakowskie Trio Stroikowe (Crocow Reed Trio), Lebel: DUX 0493, 2005
Sheet music source: pwm.com.pl
Roman Palester
Born in Śniatryń, Podola on December 28, 1907 and died in Paris on August 25, 1989.
He was a composer and pianist. He started his musical journey with piano lessons which he started to take in 1914. In 1919, his mother died of tuberculosis and from then on, he lived with the Przypkowski family in Kraków. He graduated from high school in 1925 and moved to Warsaw to study Art History at the Warsaw University while attending some classes at the Music Conservatory. However, after 6 months he withdrew from the music courses. He went back to study music in 1928. He became a student in a composition class of Kazimierz Sikorski. In 1931, his composition was accepted to be performed at the 9th Festival of Contemporary Music in London and Oxford. Between 1932-1938, he was an active member of the Association of Polish Composers. His work for the organization encompassed various duties such as secretary, deputy chair and vice president.
During the second World War, Palester lived in Warsaw where he was rounded-up on the street and sent to Pawiak. He was released and after 6 weeks, he left Warsaw for Jędrzejów where he and his wife lived with the Przypkowski family. The compositions from that time are characterized by his developed and mature musical language, intense with emotionality. Afterwards, Palester became a professor at the PWSM in Kraków (one of his students was Stanisław Skrowaczewski). In 1948, he was on the jury of Bela Bartok International Competition.
In the late 1940s, his musical language was changing, morphing into one that was not accepted by the cultural policy. In 1947, Palester moved to Paris to escape the radical cultural policy in Poland. In 1951, Palester accepted the status of political immigrant and permanently stayed in Paris. Soon after, his works were forbidden to be performed and published in Poland. This decision was revoked in 1977. His output in the coming decades was not huge but substantial. He adopted the principles of open form, combining post-serialist atonality with traditional structural concepts.