Szalonek, Witold (Jósef)

Szalonek, Witold (Jósef), Polish composer and pedagogue; b. Czechowice-Dziedzice, March 2, 1927. He was a student of Wanda Chmielowska (piano) and of Boleslaw Woytowicz (composition) at the State Higher School of Music in Katowice (1949-56), and later pursued his training with Naida Boulanger in Paris (1962-63).In 1970-71 he was in Berlin on a Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst scholarship. In 1967 he became a teacher of composition at the State Higher School of Music in Katowice, where he served as chairman of theory and composition from 1970 to 1974. In 1973 he became a prof. at the Berlin Hochschule der Künste. In 1964 he received the music award of the City of Katowice, in 1967 the Minister of Culture and Arts Award, and in 1994 the prize of the Polish Composer’s Union.

Works

orch: Pastorale for Oboe and Orch. (1951-65; also for Oboe and Piano, 1952); Toccata polyphonica for Strings (1954); Suita poifoniczna (Polyphonic Suite) for Strings (1955); Satyr a symfoniczna (Symphonic Satire; 1956); Concertino for Flute and Chamber Orch. (1962; Warsaw, Sept. 22, 1963); Les Sons (Warsaw, Sept. 30, 1965); Mutazioni for Chamber Orch. (1966; Hamburg, June 25, 1969); Concerto for Strings (1971-75); Musica concertante for Double Bass and Orch. (Warsaw, Sept. 20, 1977); Mala symfonia B-A-C-H (Little B-A- C-H Symphony) for Piano and Orch. (1979-81; Poznan, March 28, 1985); Dyptyk II for 16 Saxophones (1993; Berlin, Jan. 1996). CHAMBER: Pastorale for Oboe and Piano (1952; also for Oboe and Orch., 1952-65); Trio for Flute, Clarinet, and Bassoon (1952); Cello Sonata (1958); Arabeski (Arabesques) for Violin and Piano (1964); Quattro monologhi for Oboe (1966); Proporzioni I for Flute, Viola, and Harp (1967; Warsaw, Sept. 26, 1969), II for Flute, Cello, and Piano (1967-70), and III for Violin, Cello, and Piano (1977); Improvisations sonoristiques for Clarinet, Trombone, Cello, and Piano (London, Feb. 22, 1968); 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 for 1 to 4 String Instruments (1969; version for String Quartet, Warsaw, Sept. 22, 1975); Aarhus music for Wind Quintet (1970; Katowice, March 2, 1971); Trzy szkice (Three Sketches) for Harp (1972; Berlin, Jan. 15, 1973); Connections for Chamber Ensemble (Bergisch Gladbach, Sept. 23, 1972); Piernikiana for Tuba (1977; Brussels, Jan. 6, 1978); Trio for Oboe, Clarinet, and Bassoon (1978); Take the Game... for 6 Percussionists (1981); Alice’s Unknown Adventures in the Fairy Land of Percussion for Percussionist (1981); D. P.’s Five Ghoulish Dreams for Alto Saxophone (1985; Warsaw, Sept. 27, 1986); Inside?—Outside? for Bass Clarinet and String Quartet (1987; Viitasaari, July 25, 1988); Elegia na smierc przyjaciela (Elegy on the Friend’s Death) for Clarinet and Piano (Katowice, Nov. 7, 1989); Glowa Meduzy I (Medusa’s Head I) for 1 to 3 Recorders (1992; Berlin, Feb. 9, 1993) and 17 for 1 to 3 Flutes (1993; Berlin, Sept. 24, 1994); Invocationi for 2 Guitars (1992; Espoo, Nov. 7, 1993); Sept épigrammes modernes for Saxophone Quartet (Katowice, Nov. 1994); Meduzy sen o Pegazie I (Medusa’s Dream of Pegasus I) for Horn and Recorder (1997) and II for Horn and Flute (1997). KEYBOARD: Piano: Mutanza (1968); Toccata e corale (1990; Berlin, Oct. 1992; also for Organ, Berlin, Nov. 16, 1988). Organ : Toccata e corale (Berlin, Nov. 16, 1988; also for Piano, 1990; Berlin, Oct. 1992). VOCAL: Nokturn for Baritone, String Orch., and Harp (1953; Warsaw, Sept. 23, 1980); Suitakurpiowska (Suite from Kurpie) for Alto and 9 Instruments (1955); Wyznania (Confessions) for Reciter, Chorus, and Chamber Orch. (Warsaw, Sept. 17, 1959); Ziemio mila...(Oh, Pleasant Earth...), cantata for Voice and Orch. (1969; Katowice, Sept. 18, 1970); Dyptyk I for Chorus (Berlin, June 19, 1993).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire