ANAKLASIS / seria / Portraits / ANA 033

CD / 08.11.2024

CD 1

[1] Silesian Folk Ballad for solo soprano and unaccompanied mixed choir (1953)
words: Aleksander Baumgardten

[2] In the Little Town of Bytom for unaccompanied mixed choir (ca 1950)
traditional words

[3] The Bell for two unaccompanied boys’ or mixed choirs (1953)
words: Federico García Lorca (przeł. | transl. Włodzimierz Słobodnik)

[4] Work-Worn Hands for mixed choir and piano (1953)
words: Władysław Broniewski

[5] On Johnny’s Kate for unaccompanied mixed choir (1953)
words: Aleksander Baumgardten

[6] The Opole Land for unaccompanied mixed choir (1964)
words: Aleksander Baumgardten

[7] Greetings for unaccompanied male choir (1964)
words: Kazimierz Przerwa-Tetmajer

[8] Greetings for unaccompanied mixed choir (1995)
słowa | words: Kazimierz Przerwa-Tetmajer

[9] The Katowice Ballad for unaccompanied mixed choir and solo soprano (1964)
słowa | words: Aleksander Baumgardten

[10]–[11] Diptych I for 16-strong unaccompanied mixed choir of soloists (1993)

[10] Prayer

[11] The Silver Prelude
words: Kazimierz Józef Węgrzyn

CD2

[1] The Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Litany of Loreto for unaccompanied mixed choir (1996)
traditional words

[2]–[4] Tres Hymni ad Honorem Sancti Joannis Nepomuceni Nominis
for unaccompanied mixed choir (1995)

[2] Ad laudes matutinas 03:00
[3] Deus tuorum militum 02:55
[4] Beate martyr 08:56
traditional words

[5] Miserere for 12-strong unaccompanied mixed choir of soloists (1997)
traditional words

[6] Gloria per tre soprani e tre alti (2000)
traditional words

Anna Szostak - CONDUCTOR

THE KATOWICE CITY SINGERS’ ENSEMBLE ‘CAMERATA SILESIA’

ANA 033

WITOLD szalonek

SONGS OF SILESIA

‘Art, and within its space also music to a significant extent, is a key ingredient of social bonding and human communication. Without art, humans become stunted. This is the knowledge, unsystematised though it still may be, that I have derived from my work with choirs,’ commented Witold Szalonek. ‘It was from those people that I learned to love music.’ Szalonek conducted amateur choirs: ‘Hejnał’ at Łagiewniki Coalmine and ‘Echo’ at the Śląsk Coalmine in Chropaczów. His academic colleagues thought it was a loss of time, but this was his way of exploring the first and most original of all instruments – the human voice and singing, viewed both as a language and nearly a primal need.

The album SONGS OF SILESIA comprises a collection of the Silesian master’s vocal pieces, which perfectly reflect his broad horizons. Szalonek was a visionary and an innovator, but also an artist inspired by local folklore (On Johnnie’s Cathy, Katowice Ballad, From Opole Region, Silesian Folk Ballad for solo soprano and mixed choir) and by religious subjects (Litany of Loreto – to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Miserere). His music could be charmingly simple or extraordinarily complex. On this album, it is performed by Camerata Silesia Katowice City Singers’ Ensemble under Anna Szostak.