Łuciuk Juliusz Mieczysław, *1 January 1927 Brzeźnica (near Radomsko), †17 October 2020 Kraków, Polish composer. He was initially taught to play the piano and organ by his father, Andrzej Łuciuk (1894–1970), who was the main organist at the sanctuary at Jasna Góra in Częstochowa in 1914–21. In 1937, Łuciuk moved in with his family there and began to study piano with S. Chętkowski, and in 1945–47 with M. Borkowska. In 1947–52, he studied musicology at the Jagiellonian University, and in 1947–56 at the State Higher School of Music in Kraków, playing piano (S. Nadgryzowski and J. Hofman), organ (J. Chwedczuk), theory (A. Frączkiewicz) and composition (S. Wiechowicz). In 1958–59, he studied composition in Paris with N. Boulanger and M. Deutsch and attended seminars by O. Messiaen. In 1959, he took part in the International Composition Courses in Darmstadt. He was the winner of over 20 awards and distinctions, both domestic and foreign, including 1st prize for Symphonic Sketch No. 4 and 2nd prize for Symphonic Allegro at the Composition Graduates’ Competition (1958) and the Grand Prix for Lyrical Portraits at the competition in Monaco (1974). In 1995, he received the MKiS award. He was a long-standing board member of the Kraków branch of the Polish Composers’ Union [ZKP].
In the first period of his work (up to ca. 1960), in which instrumental genres predominate, Łuciuk’s musical language suggests the existence of certain neoclassical features, mainly revealed in the choice of forms (e.g. sonatas for wind instruments); these features are consistent with the composer’s general attitude, expressed by a preference for compact, logical, uncluttered constructions and transparent textures. The need to focus on the issue of timbre prompted Łuciuk, around 1960, to undertake research 1. within the scope of large sound masses (the original version of the ballet Niobe with characteristic cyclical clusters in the choral parts, however far from fashionable “sonorism” due to the strong rhythmicity of the course conditioned by the purpose of the work), 2. in the field of using subtle instrumental combinations in a clash with contemporary poetic text (a chamber version of Flowery Dream) and 3. in the scope of discovering new sound possibilities of instruments (prepared piano solo and in combination with other instrumental and vocal means). The time of research and initially rapid changes in the sound language is crowned by Lyrical Portraits (1974). Then came the period, which lasted until now, in which the composer initially aimed at a synthesis of individual achievements (Medea, Saint Francis of Assisi, Demiurgos) but with time, Łuciuk focused almost exclusively on religious music. The not-so-sharp boundaries between these periods are further blurred by the fact that many of Łuciuk’s works were published and entered the repertoire with a delay of several years, which created the impression of a greater than actual simultaneity of diametrically opposed trends in his work, thus distorting its image.
Łuciuk was one of the most outstanding representatives of Polish contemporary vocal lyricism. In his song cycles, intended for various casts, he initially reached for texts by poets associated with the literary avant-garde (J. Przyboś); in later works, he mainly used reflective texts, consistent with his characteristic introverted, discreet type of musical expression, achieving in them – thanks to flawless prosody and deep knowledge of vocal issues – a high degree of coherence between the poetic and musical layers. This feature is also characteristic of Łuciuk’s choral works, both such as Marian Suite (referring to the tradition of joyful and, at the same time, lyrical Polish Marian songs), and works constructed on the basis of transparent texture and clearly outlined motifs, in which the basic role is played by the articulation of the text drawn into the area of colour (the beginning of Apocalypsis). A similar lightness of texture, despite the use of a full orchestra, is characteristic of the oratorio Saint Francis, consisting of a series of compact scenes with a very expressive melody.
A separate chapter of Łuciuk’s oeuvre is his stage works; in a number of pieces intended for the Wrocław Pantomime, as well as in music for theatre plays, Łuciuk used his experience in the field of piano preparation, the sound of which is here the basic element of the musical layer; among stage works intended for a full vocal and instrumental cast, the ballet Medea is very popular; in the opera Demiurgos, Łuciuk revealed his skills in combining scenes into large arcs characterised by a powerful gradation of tension of a symphonic nature.
The main trends of Łuciuk’s compositional activity also included his piano works, both for prepared piano, of which he was a pioneer in Poland, also as a performer of his own works and intended for children and young people, including the famous Children’s Improvisations and the very instructive 4 Sonatinas, gradually introducing the adept to the issues of the contemporary sound language.
Instrumental:
Sonata for clarinet and piano, 1956
Sonata for bassoon and piano, 1956, published in Kraków 1979, 2nd ed.1993
Capriccio for violin and piano, 1956, published in Kraków 1959
Four Symphonic Sketches, 1957
Four Miniatures for piano, 1957, published in Warsaw 1978
Symphonic Allegro, 1958
Composition for 4 orchestra ensembles, 1960
Children’s Improvisations for piano, 1962, published in Kraków 1965, 5th ed. 1982
Marathon for prepared piano, 1963 (concert version of the 1st part of the pantomime)
Lirica di timbri for prepared piano, 1963, published in Kraków 1967
Passacaglia for prepared piano, 1968, published in Kraków 1974
Speranza sinfonica, 1969
4 Sonatinas for piano, 1969, published in Kraków 1970
Lamentazioni in memoriam Grażyna Bacewicz for orchestra, 1970
Mini-Opus for piano for 4 hands, 1971, published in Kraków 1972
Concertino for piano and small orchestra, 1973, published in Kraków 1977
Warsaw Legend – quasi Lullaby for orchestra, 1974
Monologues and Dialogues for soprano recorders, 1977, published in Kraków 1979
W jaworowym lesie [In the Maple Wood] for piano, 1977, published in Kraków 1979
Image for organ, 1977, published in Kraków 1979
Wiklina [The Willow] for string orchestra, 1979, published in Warsaw 1984
Variations for cello and piano, 1980, published in Warsaw 1985
Marian Preludes for organ, 1982, published in Kraków 1987
3 Miniatures for violin and piano, 1984, published in Warsaw 1992
Concerto for double bass and orchestra, 1986, published in Kraków 1995
Arabesque No. 2 for 2 pianos, 1987, published in Warsaw 1990
Ballata for guitar, 1990, published in Warsaw 1991
M-Allegretto for 4 pianos, 1991
Tripticum Paschale for organ, 1993
Vocal:
religious a cappella:
Missa gratiarum actione for mixed choir, 1974, published in Kraków 1985
Hymnus de Caritate for mixed choir, words of Paul the Apostle, 1976, published in Kraków 1979
Hymnus de Sancto Norberto for female of children’s choir, 1982
Marian Suite for mixed choir, words by J. Twardowski, 1983
4 Antiphons (Alma Redemptoris Mater, Ave Regina coelorum, Regina coeli, Salve Regina) for male choir, 1984, published in Kraków 1988
Apocalypsis for 4 solo voices and mixed choir, words after John the Evangelist, 1985
Partes Variabiles for female choir, words from the Book of Psalms, 1985, Lyon 1986; also versions for female choir and organ and with a string orchestra, 1986
Vespera in Assumptione Beatae Mariae Virginis for male choir, 1989
Magnificat for mixed choir, 1990, published in Kraków 1991
Three Antiphons (Assumpta est Maria, In odorem unguentorum, Pulchra es, Benedicta filia), 1992
Oremus pro pontifice Joanne Paulo Secundo for mixed choir a cappella, 1992, premiere Rouen (France) 6 April 1993, performed by Chór Akademii Teologii Katolickiej, conductor K. Szymonik; published in Kraków 2003 PWM
9th Slavonic Sonnet for mixed choir, words by K. Wojtyła, 1995
secular songs a cappella:
Dzikie wino for soprano and mixed choir, words by K.I. Gałczyński, 1958, published in Kraków 1960, 2nd ed. 1974
Three Highland Robbers’ Songs for tenor and mixed choir, folk words, 1975, published in Kraków 1979
Three Peasant Women for mixed choir, folk words, 1977, published in Kraków 1981
Vocal-instrumental:
Three Songs for voice and piano, words by L. Staff, 1954, published in Kraków 1956
Latin Mass for male choir and organ, 1958
Flowery Dream [Sen kwietny] for voice and piano, words by J. Przyboś, 1960; version with 12 instruments, published in Kraków 1962
Pour un ensemble for reciting voice and 24 string instruments, words by J. Przyboś, 1961
Pacem in terris for soprano and prepared piano, 1964, published in Kraków 1967
Narzędzie ze światła [Tool of the Light] for voice and piano, words by J. Przyboś, 1966, published in Warsaw 1973; version with orchestra, published in Kraków 1970
Poème de Loire, cycle for soprano and orchestra, words by A. Kosko, 1968, published in Kraków 1970
Kaszëbë for soprano, mixed choir and orchestra, cantata, words by A. Nagel, 1969
Wiatrowiersze [La souffle du vent] for baritone and chamber orchestra, words by W. Broniewski, 1971, published in Kraków 1975
Skrzydła i ręce [Wings and Hands] for baritone and orchestra, words by T. Różewicz, 1972, published in Kraków 1980
Portraits lyriques for soprano, 2 violins, cello and piano, words by A. Świrszczyńska, K.I. Gałczyński, J. Górec-Rosiński, J. Iwaszkiewicz, H. Poświatowska, 1974, published in Warsaw 1978
Saint Francis, oratorio for soprano, tenor, baritone, mixed choir and orchestra, words by M. Skwarnicki, 1976, published in Kraków 1987
Three Passion Songs for soprano and organ, 1982, published in Warsaw 1986
Polish Lithany for soprano, mezzo-soprano, alto, bass, mixed choir and string orchestra, words by J. Twardowski, 1984
Pory życia for voice and piano, words by A. Kamieńska, 1982, published in Warsaw 1988
Polish Mass for mezzo-soprano, mixed choir and wind orchestra, 1993
15th Slavonic Sonnet for baritone, mixed choir and wind orchestra, words by K. Wojtyła, 1995
Gesang am Brunnen, oratorio, words by K. Dantzer after Locumer Brevier, 1996
Scenic:
Niobe, ballet-pantomime, libretto A. Tatara-Skocka, 1962; 2nd version staged in Gdańsk 1967, published in Kraków 1972
Marathon, pantomime, libretto H. Tomaszewski, staged in Wrocław 1964
Suknia [The Dress], mimodrama, libretto H. Tomaszewski, staged in Wrocław 1965
Brand-Peer Gynt, choreodrama, libretto after H. Ibsen, staged in Oslo 1967
Pancernik Potiomkin. Ballet-pantomime in 4 scenes, libretto A. Afanasyev, 1967
Legenda czasu, ballet-pantomime, libretto after F. Garcia-Lorca, staged in Amsterdam 1972
Śmierć Eurydyki, libretto H. Świrszczyńska, TV premiere Warsaw 1974
Medea, ballet, libretto A. Lis, staged in Poznań 1975
Miłość Orfeusza [The Love of Orpheus], opera-ballet, libretto H. Świrszczyńska, staged in Wrocław 1980
Demiurgos, opera, libretto A. Lis and composer after B. Schulz, 1976, concert performance Kraków 1990
Music for theatre plays:
e.g. directed by H. Tomaszewski: Męczeństwo i śmierć Marata by P. Weiss and Warszawianka by S. Wyspiański, staged in Poznań 1967, 1976
film music
works from the so-called ‘third stream’
