Bruzdowicz-Tittel Joanna, *17 V 1943 Warsaw, †3 XI 2021 Taillet, polish composer, pianist, music critic, and publicist. She was daughter of a cellist Konstanty Bruzdowicz and pianist Maria Bruzdowicz (née Wilczek). In 1966, she graduated with a degree in composition under K. Sikorski at the Higher State School of Music in Warsaw (she also studied piano under I. Protasiewicz and W. Łosakiewicz). She began her piano career already during her studies, giving concerts, among others, in Belgium, Austria and Czechoslovakia. She co-founded the Polish section of “Jeunesses Musicales” and in 1964–68 she was the Secretary General. In 1968 she received a scholarship from the French government, and until 1970 she studied composition in Paris under N. Boulanger, O. Messiaen, and P. Schaeffer, as well as musicology under J. Chailley at the Sorbonne, where she obtained her PhD on the basis of her thesis Mathematics and logic in contemporary music. In 1969 she was a co-founder of Groupe International de Musique Electroacoustique de Paris (GIMEP). In addition to composition, Bruzdowicz was also involved in music criticism and journalism. She co-produced programmes promoting new music on French, Belgian and German radio, gave lectures, and, together with her husband H.J. Titteel wrote film scripts for French and German television. She also led composition courses, mainly in France and the United States. Bruzdowicz was a founder, a president of the Frederic Chopin and Karol Szymanowski Society of Belgium, and a vice-president of the International Federation of Chopin Societies. From 1996 she organised an International Music Festival in Ceret, France. In 2006, on Bruzdowicz’s initiative, a film production and distribution centre and a film music recording studio (CAT.Studios) were founded in Perpingan, southern France. Bruzdowicz held Polish and French citizenship. From 1975, she lived in Tervuren near Brussels, and then from 2002 in Céret (Northern Catalonia). Joanna Bruzdowicz received the Order of Polonia Restituta (2001), Silver Medal for “Merit to Culture Gloria Artis” (2013), and Honorary Award of the Polish Composers’ Union (2019). She raised three sons (Mark, Jan and Jörg); she passed away in her music studio in Taillet, in the Eastern Pyrenees.
Bruzdowicz’s early works are characterised by a free form, the use of modern means of compositional technique, a variety of timbres, original juxtaposition of performance techniques, also electronic, particularly frequent use of tape. In the 1970s, the composer began to create serious pieces for performers, addressing her works to a wide audience, including stage compositions, television, and soundtracks for movies. In her instrumental works she referred to classical forms and genres (symphony, concerto, quartet, sonata). In Bruzdowicz’s stage works, historical and socio-political themes often appear. Her first opera, Kolonia karna is a protest against the tyranny of authority. Trojanki carries a feminist undertone, while Bramy raju addresses the issue of religious fanaticism. In Tides and Waves the subject is fight with drug addiction, and the ratorio profane Lella touches upon the theme of defence against fascism. Significant are her piano pieces, for piano solo, accompanied by orchestra or tape, written regularly throughout her sixty-year compositional career. All of Bruzdowicz’s work is characterized by a strong sense of drama, which is particularly expressed in her instrumental compositions through a specific, tension-filled melody, sometimes with references to folk elements. Bruzdowicz’s compositions are primarily intended for audiences from France and Belgium. Nevertheless, the composer’s attachment to the Polish national tradition is evident, for instance, in Mater Polonica for organ, the central motif is Bogurodzica. Historical references to significant Polish historical events and programmatic literary overtones, for example Sonata d’Octobre for piano is subtitled “In memory of October 16, 1978, the day of the election of Pope John Paul II”; in String Quartet No. 1 “La Vita”, dedicated to K. Szymanowski, each of the three movements corresponds to different stages of the composer’s life, with the highland atmosphere market subtly. The Cry of the Phoenix evokes the tragedy of the Warsaw Uprising, while Song of Hope and Love refers to the extermination of Polish Jews. According to the composer, it is equally important to consider national traditions in the creation process as it is to work within a contemporary, international musical language.
Instrumental works:
Concertino for 2 pianos, 1957–1959
Wariacje for piano, 1962
Listy for piano, 1962
Wariacje for string quartet, 1963
Miniatury for clarinet and piano, 1963
Koncert for vibraphone and piano, 1963
Sept miniatures for solo flute, 1964
Quintet for wind instruments, 1966
Per Due for violin and piano, 1966
Epigramy for violin solo, 1966, published in Kraków 1967
Erotiques for piano, 1966, Paris 1972
Suite in memoriam Sergei Prokofiev in memoriam, 1967
Impresje for two pianos and symphonic orchestra, 1968
Éclairs for chamber orchestra, 1969
Esquisses for flute, viola, cello and piano, 1969
Stigma for cello, 1969, published in Paris 1971
Salto for percussion and tape, 1970
Fas et nefas for tape and prepared guitar, 1970
Pehnidi for solo harpsichord, 1970
Epitafium (“pamięci mojego ojca [in memory of my father]”) for harpsichord and tape, 1973, published in Paris 1973
Epizod for piano and 13 string instruments, 1973, published in Paris 1973
Esitanza for 2 pianos or piano four hands, 1973, published in Paris 1974
Mater Polonica, fantasia for organ on the theme of Bogurodzica, 1973, published in Paris 1973
An der schönen blauen Donau for 2 pianos and tape, 1974, published in Paris 1974
I Koncert fortepianowy, 1974
Ette for solo clarinet, 1974
I Koncert skrzypcowy, 1975
Einklang for harpsichord and organ 1975, published in Paris 1976
Symfonia, 1975
Trio for soprano or baritone, cello and piano, second version for any 6 performers with piano, third version for any 9 performers with piano, 1975
October Sonata (Sonate d’Octobre) In Memoriam 16 X 1978 (the election of Pope John Paul II), 1978
Equivocita for clavichord, 1978
Aquae Sextiae, suite for brass quintet and brass orchestra, 1978
Fantasia hermantica on S-A-B-B-E theme for viola and piano, 1979
Tre contra tre for flute, oboe, viola and 3 percussions, 1979
Marlos Grosso Brasileiras “Chant d’amitié” for flute, violin, harpsichord, and tape, 1980
Preludium i fuga for harpsichord solo, 1980
Trio dei due mondi for violin, cello and piano, 1980
II Koncert skrzypcowy, 1981
Trio per Trio, suite for flute, violin, and harpsichord, 1981
Dum spiro spero, musical scenario for flute and tape, 1981, premiered at Warsaw Autumn 1983
Para y contra for double bass and tape, 1981
Dreams and Drums for percussion solo, 1982
Concerto for double bass and orchestra, 1982
Oracle for bassoon and tape (first version for bassoon solo), 1982
String Quartet No. 1 “La Vita”, 1983, premiered at Warsaw Autumn 1986, published in Kraków 1995
Aurora Borealis for harp and organ, 1988
String Quartet No. 2 „Cantus Aeternus” with recitative, text by H. Miller, Cz. Miłosz, I. Bachmann et al., 1988
Four Seasons Greetings for string chamber orchestra and soloists, 1989
Je me souviens for marimba solo, 1990
Violin Sonata No. 1 “Il Ritorno” 1990
Violin Sonata No. 2 “Spring in America”, 1994
Spring in America, sonata for violin and piano, 1994
The Cry of the Phoenix, concerto for cello and orchestra, 1994
Song of Hope and Love for cello and piano, 1997
Symfonia for 2 guitars, percussion and string quintet or chamber orchestra, 1997
16 pictures from Salvador Dali’s Exhibition for piano, 2004
Fanfare for Celebration of Women in Music for brass ensemble, 2005
Quintet “Tramuntana” for saxophone and string quartet, 2006
Symphony No. 2 “Concertino for Orchestra”, 2007
Toccata for organ, 2007
Concertino for piano and orchestra, 2010
Vocal and instrumental works:
Mały Apollo, song for soprano and piano, 1961
Niobe for soprano, speaker and instrumental ensemble, text by K.I. Gałczyński, 1964
Czystość song for soprano and piano, 1965
Etiudy przestrzenne, 3 songs for mixed choir a cappella, text by K.A. Jeżewski, 1965
Już kocham cię tyle lat, song for bass and piano, text by K.I. Gałczyński, 1965
Oto widzisz znowu idzie jesień, song for soprano and piano, text by K.I. Gałczyński, 1965
Prośba o wyspy szczęśliwe, song for baritone and piano, text by K.I. Gałczyński, 1965
Śpij w spokoju, song for soprano and piano, text by K.I. Gałczyński, 1965
Wczoraj, song for soprano and piano, text by K.I. Gałczyński, 1965
Wierszyk o wronach, song for baritone and piano, text by K.I. Gałczyński, 1965
Wizyta, song for baritone and piano, text by K.I. Gałczyński, 1965
Rysunki z przystani for mezzosoprano, flute, piano and percussion, text by J. Gorostiz, 1967, published in Kraków 1975
Pieśni do poematów Konstantego Ildefonsa Gałczyńskiego for vocal and instrumental ensemble, 1968
Jour d’ici et d’ailleurs for mixed choir, vocal quartet, narrator and chamber ensemble, text by P. Miguel, 1971
A claire voix for mixed choir, 3 various brass instruments, piano and tape, 1973
From Love and Death for low voice and tape, text by L. Bruder, 1978
Urbi et Orbi, cantata for tenor, children’s choir, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones and organ, text by H.J. Tittel and H. Hess, 1985
La Espero, cantata for soprano, baritone, harpsichord and strings, text by L. Zamenhof, 1990
On Prayer, song for soprano and piano, 1990
Stabat Mater for choir a cappella, 1993
World, 5 songs for soprano and piano, text by Cz. Miłosz, 1996
Salvador Dali, poem for baritone and piano, text by P. Eluard, 2004
Ave Maria for contralto and organ, 2007
From the Fever World for mezzo-soprano, string quartet and piano, text by J. Dubrow, 2013
Stage works:
In der Strafkolonie, musical drama, libretto J. Simonides based on F. Kafka, 1968, premiere in Tours 1972, second version 1995
Les Troyennes, musical tragedy, libretto J. Luccioni based on Euripides, 1972, premiere in Paris 1973
Die Geschichte eines neugierigen Vogels, music theatre for children with improvisation on electronic music, 1976, premiere in Versailles 1976
Le petit prince, ballet for 12 instruments and tape, libretto based on A. de Saint-Exupéry, 1976, premiere in Brussels 1976
The Gates of Paradise, opera for voice solo, 8 actors, young singers’ choir and tape, libretto by J. Lisowski after J. Andrzejewski, 1984, premiere in Warsaw 1987
En attendant Anaïs, musical for children, libretto by M. Fuks and T. Danblon, 1987, premiere in Brussels 1987
Tides and Waves, opera-musical, libretto by J. Bruzdowicz, H.J. Tittel and H. Fuerst-García, 1991, premiere in Barcelona 1992
Lella – Oratorio Profane for mezzo-soprano, soprano, oboe, string quartet, percussion, female choir and speaker, libretto by Ch. Shapira, based on the play written by her, entitled Lella, Danielle Casanova, une vie, 2011, premiere in Céret, 2015
Film music:
Objects de réflexion, documentary on I. Xenakis, directed by B. Nyberg, 1969
La mort de Lord Chatterley, directed by G. Katz, 1972
Chita je t’aime, directed by G. Katz, 1973
Les Cyclopes, television play based on Euripides, 1973
La foret d’Orleans, directed by G. Katz, 1976
Aussagen nach einer Verhaftung, directed by G. Moorse, 1978
A propos de la neige fondue, directed by G. Katz, 1979
Bobo la tête, directed by G. Katz, 1980
Tante Blandine, directed by G. Moorse, 1982
Islande, directed by Ph. Morse, 1982
Sans Toit, ni Loi [Vagabond], directed by A. Varda, Golden Lion award in Venice 1985
Un échec de Maigret, directed by G. Katz, 1985
Stahlkammer Zürich, television series (36 episodes), script by J. Bruzdowicz and H.J. Tittel, directed by C. Bleisaiss, P. Fratcher, K. von Kotze, 1985–91
Le dernier prix, seria 5 dernières minutes, directed by G. Katz, 1987
Le Jupon rouge, directed by G. Lefevbre, 1987
Kung Fu Master, directed by A. Varda, 1988
Jane B. par Agnès V., directed by A. Varda, 1988
Jeumont, 51 minutes d’arrét, directed by G. Katz, 1989
Jacquot de Nantes, directed by A. Varda, 1991
L’homme que j’ai tué, directed by G. Moorse, 1994
Les grandes dames du strip-tease, directed by F. Levie, 1994
L’uomo che ho ucciso, directed by G. Moorse, 1996
Un air si pur, directed by Y. Angelo, 1997
Glaneurs et la glaneuse, directed by A. Varda, 2000
Deux ans plus tard, directed by A. Varda, 2002
Le lion volatil, directed by A. Varda, 2003
Les Âmes grises, directed by Y. Angelo, 2005
Entrepreneur, documentary, directed by J. Bricklin, 2006
Testudo, directed by J. Tittel, 2007
Les plages d’Agnes, directed by A. Varda, 2008
J’ai oublié de te dire, directed by L. Vinas-Raymond, 2009
Battle for Britain, directed by A. Helfrecht, 2010
Gilbert Planche, documentary, directed by G. Treves, 2010
De ci de la Agnes, 6 TV films for Canal Plus, directed by A. Varda, 2011
The White King, directed by A. Helfrecht and J. Tittel, 2016
Electronic and electroacoustic music:
Ek-Stasis, electroacoustic music, 1969
Phobos for tape, 1969
Homo Faber, electronic trilogy: 1. Le souffle, 1971, 2. La solitude, 1972, 3. La solitude, 1975,
Inner Space – Outer Space for tape, 1978
Bartokalia for Béla Bartók for tape, 1979
Neue Kinderszenen, electronic suite for children, 1980
