Garścia, Janina (1920-2004)
Tema con Variazioni (5:26) Kraków, 1967 Publisher: PWM (c1967)
Giocoso
Var. I Vivace
Var. II Meno mosso
Var. III
Var. IV Comodo
Var. V Cantabile
Var. VI Vivo
Instrumentation: flute, clarinet, bassoon
Janina Garścia stands out in her own right, being a woman composer and foremost an educator. She created practical music – music that is and was used in everyday instrumental teaching in Polish elementary, middle and high music schools.
As an educator and composer Garścia was a special kind of person who wanted to bring music closer to the student through her own compositions and through her own musical experiences. She is quoted to say, “I try to do all I can to make my pieces develop, above all, the children’s love for music and their musical imagination…I try to write in such a way as to develop the children’s love for music in every respect. The problem of rhythm and ensemble playing are engaging a good deal of my attention, even in a small way. I would like the child to get a lot of fun out of music, just like myself in bygone days.”
Her work centered on piano teaching books and pieces, although she wrote for other instruments and chamber groups. Among 900 compositions the “Tema con Variazioni ”, written in 1967, is the only woodwind trio she wrote. It is a piece of music composed for young players who are just developing their ensemble playing skills. The piece starts with a beautiful simple melody in the flute accompanied by the other 2 instruments. The theme is followed by six variations, which vary in tempo and difficulty. In Variation V, Garścia shows us that she does what she preaches – she presents the players with the problem of rhythmical playing when two voices are in different meter – 2 against 3.
It is important to mention that the flute part is printed as a part of the score, and only the clarinet and bassoon parts are separate from the score.
Grade: III-IV
Recordings: From Shadow to Light, Sonora Winds Label: MSR
Sheet music source: pwm.com.pl, trevcomusic.com
Janina Garścia
Born in Kraków on March 12, 1920 and died in Kraków on March 1, 2004.
She was a pianist, composer and educator, whose life and work centered in Kraków. As a composer and educator, she created “practical music”, which to this day is used in everyday instrumental music instruction in Polish elementary and middle schools. Garścia was inspired to bring music closer to students through her own compositions as well as through her own musical experiences.
In her words: “I try to do all I can to make my pieces, above all, stimulate a child’s love for music and their musical imagination. This is why the works, for the most part, are provided with titles. Developing child’s technical apparatus is for me very important; nevertheless, the music ought to be flowing ’from the child’s head to their fingers’ and not vice versa. I would like the child to get a lot of fun out of music, just like myself in bygone days.”
Garścia’s work focused on piano method books and pieces, although she also composed for other instruments and chamber groups. Among her 900 compositions, the Tema con Variazoni of 1967 is the only woodwind trio she wrote, having created it for educational purposes.