Twardowski, Romuald (1930- )
Little Triptych (12:00) 1986 Publisher: PWM (c1993)
I. Introitus
II. Gloria
III. Amen
Instrumentation: flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, bassoon
Dedicated to the memory of the composer’s professor, the work is neo-classical style. It is a charming, easy piece, written as a pedagogical tool. The first movement is in a closed form, and it begins and ends with the same melodic material in the oboe. The contrasting second movement starts with the bassoon having a lively theme followed by a highly vibrant melody in the flute. The third movement begins with a slow chorale to be interrupted four measures later by fast sixteenth-note staccatos that last two measures. That part ends with a pause and the movement goes back to the chorale that is interrupted yet again. The whole movement is based on these interruptions that build momentum at the very end of the piece.
Grade: III
Recordings: none
Sheet music source: pwm.com.pl
Romuald Twardowski
Born in Vilnius on June 17, 1930.
He is a composer and a teacher. After World War II he was an organist at numerous churches. From 1952 to 1957 he studied composition at the State Conservatory of the Lithuenian Soviet Socialist Republic in Vilnus. From 1959 to 1965 he studied composition at the PWSM in Warsaw in the class of B. Woytowicz, and at the same time he was a teacher of piano at State Music School in Częstochowa. From 1963-66 he studied in Paris with Nadia Boulanger. From 1972 he has been teaching at the Fryderyk Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw.
He has been a recipient of numerous awards and distinctions for his compositions in Poland and abroad. Just to name the most prestigious: 2nd prize at the UNESCO International Composrs’ Rostrum in Paris (1963), 1st prize in the International Composition Competition founded by Prince Rainier III in Monaco (1965, 1973), 1st prize in the International Composers’ Competition in Prague and 2nd prize at the A. Malawaski Competition (1966). In his output Twardowski concentrated on orchestra, stage, choral, opera and ballet music.
Inspired by Gregorian chant Twardowski created his own writing style, which he has named “musical neoarchaism”. In the 70s he shifted his focus stylistically onto romanticism, which resulted in more emotional tensions and contrasts in his music. His music has characteristic dominant melodic line, transparent instrumentation and a good sense of dramaturgy.