Świerzyński, Adam
Świerzyński Michał, *25 October 1868 Kraków, †30 June 1957 Warsaw, composer, conductor and teacher. From 1888, he studied at the Conservatory of the Music Society in Krakow with W. Żeleński (theory and composition), later in Warsaw with Z. Noskowski and in Prague with O. Nedbal. From 1890, he led a few choirs in Krakow. In 1906–08, he conducted opera orchestra in Lviv. From 1908 to 1930, he taught piano and theoretical subjects at the conservatory in Krakow, and in 1930–36 at the Wielkopolska Szkoła Muzyczna in Poznań [Music School of Greater Poland]. He retired in 1936; he moved to Warsaw, where he worked as a choir conductor. He was a director of the 3rd Department of the F. Chopin State Higher School of Music [PWSM] in Warsaw from 1945. In 1952, he received a diploma of recognition from the Polish Composers’ Union [ZKP] for his 70 years of compositional, social and pedagogical work; in 1952, he was awarded the Golden Cross of Merit. Świerzyński’s work, diverse in genre, falls into the romantic style with a strong national nature.
Instrumental:
orchestra, including:
6 symphonies
Piano Concerto
Violin Concerto
Uwertura podhalańska for orchestra, 1948
Utwory for small orchestra, 1948
Marsz żałobny na sprowadzenie zwłok Słowackiego for orchestra
Krakowiak for orchestra
Oberek for orchestra
Legenda for violin and orchestra
chamber:
Sen artysty, piano quintet
Romanza, piano quintet
7 quartets for 3 violins and piano
Z łąk i pól, string quartet
4 piano trios
works for violin and piano
piano, including:
4 études mélodiques for piano
Melodie ludowe for children for piano
Motywy tatrzańskie for piano
Petite suite all’antico for 2 pianos
Suita pasterska for 2 pianos
Suita baletowa for 2 pianos
Miniatury, suite for 2 pianos
Utwory dla młodych pianistów for 2 pianos
Vocal-instrumental:
ca. 100 sacred, secular and soldierly pieces for voice and piano
vocal duos, trios and quartets
songs for mixed, male and female choirs
several dozen cantatas, including:
Kantata Mickiewiczowska for solo voices, choir and orchestra, lyrics J. Świerzyński
Kantata Kościuszkowska for male choir and orchestra, lyrics K. Ujejski
Hymn polski, cantata, lyrics J. Świerzyński
Misterium Bożego Narodzenia, cantata, lyrics L. Rydel
Boże Narodzenie, oratorio, lyrics J. Świerzyński
Suita for mixed choir and orchestra, 1948
Scenic:
Kenia, opera, libretto T. Urbański, 1895
Nocleg w Apeninach, opera, libretto A. Fredro, 1922
Książę Ordynat czyli Powrót do ojczyzny, opera, libretto S. Turski, 1929
Trójgraniasty kapelusz, opera, libretto K. Krumłowski
Czar munduru, operetta, libretto S. Turski, staged in Kraków 1920
Sen artysty, pantomime, 1930
music to ca. 60 theatre plays