Let the Winter Olympic Games begin! Today at 8 p.m., the opening ceremony of the 25th Winter Olympic Games will take place at San Siro Stadium in Milan. But what does this event have to do with music and Grażyna Bacewicz?
The common denominator is the Olympic Cantata, for which the Polish composer received a distinction at the International Art Competition accompanying the first post-war Olympic Games in London in 1948.
Olympic Cantata is a 7-minute composition for mixed choir and orchestra to the words of an ancient Olympian Ode to Agesidamos of Locri – victor in boxing by Pindar, a Greek author of choral lyric poetry from the 5th century BC.
It is a single-movement work with an instrumental introduction divided into three sections varying in tempo and expression. Rhythm plays an important role in the piece, particularly in the percussion section.
The Polish premiere took place in Kraków on 30 September 1949.
It is worth mentioning that in the category of choral and orchestral compositions the gold medal was awarded to Zbigniew Turski for his Olympic Symphony. Among the distinguished Polish composers, apart from Bacewicz, was also Stanisław Wiechowicz. The names of the winners were officially announced at a ceremony at the Empire Stadium in Wembley, and their works were presented during special concerts for Olympic audiences.
The autograph manuscript of the Olympic Cantata can be found in the collection of the Polish Music Library – be sure to check it out!
