''Lithuanian Rhapsody'' (Polish ''Rapsodia litewska'') in A minor, Op. 11 is the third of

Mieczysław Karłowicz Mieczysław Karłowicz (, 11 December 18768 February 1909) was a Polish composer and conductor. Life Mieczysław Karłowicz was born in Vishneva, in the Vilna Governorate of the Russian Empire (now in Belarus) into a noble family belonging to ...

's six

symphonic poem A symphonic poem or tone poem is a piece of orchestral music, usually in a single continuous movement, which illustrates or evokes the content of a poem, short story, novel, painting, landscape, or other (non-musical) source. The German term ''T ...

s. A typical performance lasts 18—20 minutes.

History

Origins of the composition

The ''Lithuanian Rhapsody'' differs from the other of Karłowicz's symphonic poems in the way that it was not inspired by any narrative or philosophical concern. It is a highly personal work and originates in the composer's own roots: he spent his early years in Lithuania (his family were Polish landowners). Moreover, unlike other compositions by Karłowicz, the ''Rhapsody'' is based on actual folk material (Lithuanian and

Belarus Belarus,, , ; alternatively and formerly known as Byelorussia (from Russian ). officially the Republic of Belarus,; rus, Республика Беларусь, Respublika Belarus. is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by ...

ian melodies), much of which was collected by the composer in 1900 while on vacation at his family estate. This is how he wrote about the piece in a letter to his friend

Adolf Chybiński Adolf Chybiński (1880–1952) was a Polish historian, musicologist, and academic. Early life and education Adolf Eustachy Chybiński was the son of the industrialist Adolf and Maria z Górskich. He was educated at a gymnasium in Kraków, and stu ...

(24 Nov 1906): According to Leszek Polony, the leading Polish authority on Karłowicz, the ''Rhapsody'' had to do with "recollections of childhood, with the portrayal of the family home and children’s games".Alistair Wightman.
Booklet notes
' to Chando
209986

Composition and performance history

It was composed between April and November 1906.Paul Banks

to a MPH edition Leszek Polony. ''Booklet notes to'' DUX 0132/0133 While Karłowicz began working on it in

Warsaw Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is official ...

, he later moved to

Zakopane Zakopane ( Podhale Goral: ''Zokopane'') is a town in the extreme south of Poland, in the southern part of the Podhale region at the foot of the Tatra Mountains. From 1975 to 1998, it was part of Nowy Sącz Voivodeship; since 1999, it has been p ...

. At the time he finished the ''Rhapsody'', he was already residing in

Leipzig Leipzig ( , ; Upper Saxon: ) is the most populous city in the German state of Saxony. Leipzig's population of 605,407 inhabitants (1.1 million in the larger urban zone) as of 2021 places the city as Germany's eighth most populous, as ...

. The first performance took place in Warsaw on 25 or 26) February 1909 under

Grzegorz Fitelberg Grzegorz Fitelberg (18 October 1879 – 10 June 1953) was a Polish conductor, violinist and composer. He was a member of the Young Poland group, together with artists such as Karol Szymanowski, Ludomir Różycki and Mieczysław Karłowicz. Lif ...

, shortly after Karłowicz's tragic death (8 February).Richard Whitehouse.
Booklet notes
to'' Naxo
8.570452
In 1910 or early 1911 a Gebethner and Wolff first edition was published by the Warsaw Music Society (plate ''G 4791 W''). In later years the ''Rhapsody'' was heard in Polish concert halls of Warsaw,

Kraków Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland until 159 ...

and

Lviv Lviv ( uk, Львів) is the largest city in western Ukraine, and the seventh-largest in Ukraine, with a population of . It serves as the administrative centre of Lviv Oblast and Lviv Raion, and is one of the main cultural centres of Ukra ...

, but also abroad: in

Nice Nice ( , ; Niçard: , classical norm, or , nonstandard, ; it, Nizza ; lij, Nissa; grc, Νίκαια; la, Nicaea) is the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in France. The Nice agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative c ...

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated pop ...

Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...

and

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

. It was performed by several prominent conductors like Grzegorz Fitelberg,

Emil Młynarski Emil Szymon Młynarski (; 18 July 18705 April 1935) was a Polish conductor, violinist, composer, and pedagogue. Life Młynarski was born in Kibarty (Kybartai), Russian Empire, now in Lithuania. He studied violin with Leopold Auer and composi ...

Mieczysław Sołtys Mieczysław Sołtys (February 7, 1863 - November 11, 1929) was a Polish composer, conductor, teacher, music and public figure. Biography He studied in Lviv Conservatory as a composer (under Carl Mikuli) and at the same time as philosopher in Lv ...

, Zdzisław Birnbaum,

Henryk Opieński Henryk Opieński (13 January 187021 January 1942) was a Polish composer, violinist, teacher, administrator and musicologist. His writings on, and collected letters by, Frédéric Chopin, were considered of paramount importance in Chopin studies o ...

and

José Lassalle José is a predominantly Spanish and Portuguese form of the given name Joseph. While spelled alike, this name is pronounced differently in each language: Spanish ; Portuguese (or ). In French, the name ''José'', pronounced , is an old vernacu ...

. In 1923 a ballet with the music of this tone poem was staged at the Grand Theater of

Poznań Poznań () is a city on the River Warta in west-central Poland, within the Greater Poland region. The city is an important cultural and business centre, and one of Poland's most populous regions with many regional customs such as Saint Joh ...

. In 1983 together with the

Violin Concerto A violin concerto is a concerto for solo violin (occasionally, two or more violins) and instrumental ensemble (customarily orchestra). Such works have been written since the Baroque music, Baroque period, when the solo concerto form was first dev ...

and some songs of Karłowicz the ''Rhapsody'' was included in a theatre play of

Adam Hanuszkiewicz Adam Hanuszkiewicz (16 June 1924 – 4 December 2011) was a Polish actor and theatre director. Hanuszkiewicz was born in Lwów, Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 ad ...

at the Grand Theatre of

Łódź Łódź, also rendered in English as Lodz, is a city in central Poland and a former industrial centre. It is the capital of Łódź Voivodeship, and is located approximately south-west of Warsaw. The city's coat of arms is an example of cant ...

Scoring

It is scored for three flutes, two oboes, English horn, two clarinets (B♭), bass clarinet (B♭), two bassoons, four horns (F), two trumpets (C), three trombones; timpani, triangle, cymbals and strings.

Structure

The ''Rhapsody'' is a sequence of loosely related five sections: :Allegro ben moderato ( A minor) — :Lento (

C♯ minor C-sharp minor is a minor scale based on C, with the pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. Its key signature consists of four sharps. The C-sharp natural minor scale is: : Changes needed for the melodic and harmonic versions of the scale ...

) — Allegretto pastorale (

E major E major (or the key of E) is a major scale based on E, consisting of the pitches E, F, G, A, B, C, and D. Its key signature has four sharps. Its relative minor is C-sharp minor and its parallel minor is E minor. Its enharmonic equiv ...

) — Lento (C♯ minor) — :Andante tranquillo ( D♭ major) — :Allegretto giocoso (

F major F major (or the key of F) is a major scale based on F, with the pitches F, G, A, B, C, D, and E. Its key signature has one flat. Its relative minor is D minor and its parallel minor is F minor. The F major scale is: : F major is ...

) — :Tempo I (Allegro ben moderato)

Analysis

In this composition, Karłowicz used Russian formal models. They are essentially non-developmental and rely on harmonic, textural, colouristic and orchestral variation. The sense of connectedness of the sections is made by occasional direct thematic links (the third and the fourth sections), more subtle allusions and the return of the opening material at the end. The work is based in A minor and its mediant-related keys. The outer sections draw on an incantatory three-note melody, which is most likely an old Lithuanian harvest-time song ''Békit, bareliai'' (there is a harmonization of it by Čiurlionis). The second section is a lyric one containing pastoral elements (as there are two themes instead of one). The theme of the third section is a popular

ian lullaby. The fourth section uses a version of this, dancing and vigorous, resembling a Lithuanian song ''Mylu, mylu, mylu'' sung by children. It leads to the whole work's climax.

Recordings

* (first rec.)

Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra (NOSPR), is one of Poland's radio orchestra and premier musical institutions. It was founded in 1935 in Warsaw. In 1945 the orchestra was re-established in Katowice and since 2006 it has become a "Nati ...

Tadeusz Mazurkiewicz ''Tadeusz'' is a Polish first name, derived from Thaddaeus. Tadeusz may refer to: * Tadeusz Bór-Komorowski (1895–1966), Polish military leader * Tadeusz Borowski (1922–1951), Polish writer and The Holocaust survivor * Tadeusz Boy-Żeleń ...

– (LP, 1934)

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...

DMX 260-261 *

Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra The Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra ( pl, Orkiestra Filharmonii Narodowej w Warszawie) is a Polish orchestra based in Warsaw. Founded in 1901, it is one of Poland's oldest musical institutions. History The orchestra was conceived on ...

, Witold Rowicki – (LP, 1956/1958)

Polskie Nagrania Muza Polskie Nagrania "Muza" ("Polish Records 'Muse' ", official name since 2005: "Polskie Nagrania Sp. z o.o", i.e., Polskie Nagrania Ltd.) is a Polish record label based in Warsaw. It has produced records in many genres including pop, rock, jazz, fol ...

br>XL 0006
(CD, 1999)

PNCD 473 A/B *

, Stanisław Wisłocki – (LP, 1966/1970)

br>XL 0290
* (rec. 1981 or 1983)

Silesian Philharmonic The Filharmonia Śląska w Katowicach ( en, Silesian Philharmonic in Katowice) is a music institution in Katowice, Silesia, Poland. The Silesian Philharmonic in Katowice was founded in 1945. The first concert of the orchestra took place on 26 of Ma ...

Jerzy Salwarowski Jerzy is the Polish version of the masculine given name George. The most common nickname for Jerzy is Jurek (), which may also be used as an official first name. Occasionally the nickname Jerzyk may be used, which means " swift" in Polish. People ...

– (LP, 1984) Wifon 064; (CD, 1989)

Le Chant du Monde Le Chant du Monde is a French music publishing house. It was created in 1938 by Léon Moussinac and was supported in the beginning by classical composers Georges Auric, Arthur Honegger, Charles Koechlin, Darius Milhaud, Francis Poulenc, Albert ...

LDC 278 966-967; (CD, 1999, 2008) DU
132/133
* (live rec. 1996) Warsaw Symphony Orchestra,Warszawska Orkiestra Symfoniczna. It was composed of two opera orchestras of

Warsaw Chamber Opera The Warsaw Chamber Opera ( pl, Warszawska Opera Kameralna, WOK) is a Polish opera company founded in 1961 by Stefan Sutkowski, its managing and artistic director from its inception until his retirement in 2012. On 15 October 1986, the Warsaw Cham ...

(cf
''Orkiestra Symfoniczna Filharmonii Śląskiej, "Mieczysław Karłowicz. Poematy symfoniczne"''
. Jacek Kaspszyk – (1997) Pro Musica Camerata PMC 013/14 * (rec. 2001)

BBC Philharmonic The BBC Philharmonic is a national British broadcasting symphony orchestra and is one of five radio orchestras maintained by the British Broadcasting Corporation. The Philharmonic is a department of the BBC North Group division based at MediaC ...

Yan Pascal Tortelier Yan Pascal Tortelier (born 19 April 1947) is a French conductor and violinist. Biography Born in Paris, Tortelier is the son of the cellist Paul Tortelier, and the brother of Maria de la Pau. Tortelier began piano and violin studies at age 4. ...

– Chandosbr>209986
* (rec. 2006)

Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra The Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra ( pl, Orkiestra Filharmonii Narodowej w Warszawie) is a Polish orchestra based in Warsaw. Founded in 1901, it is one of Poland's oldest musical institutions. History The orchestra was conceived on ...

Antoni Wit Antoni Wit (born February 7, 1944) is a Polish conductor, composer, lawyer and professor at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music. Between 2002 and 2013, he served as the artistic director of the National Philharmonic in Warsaw. Life and career ...

–

Naxos Naxos (; el, Νάξος, ) is a Greek island and the largest of the Cyclades. It was the centre of archaic Cycladic culture. The island is famous as a source of emery, a rock rich in corundum, which until modern times was one of the best ...

br>8.570452
* (rec. 2015)

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London, that performs and produces primarily classic works. The RPO was established by Thomas Beecham in 1946. In its early days, the orchestra secured profitable ...

, Grzegorz Nowak �
RPO SP 52
* (rec. 2016)

Szczecin Philharmonic Szczecin Philharmonic, officially Mieczysław Karłowicz Philharmonic ( pl, Filharmonia im. Mieczysława Karłowicza), founded in 1948, is a philharmonic of the city of Szczecin, Poland.

Łukasz Borowicz Łukasz or Lukasz () is a Polish masculine given name, derived from Greek Λουκᾶς, Lukas. Derived family names are Łukaszewski, Łukaszewicz/Łukasiewicz/Lukashevich, Lukash (as transliterated from Ukrainian and Belarusian), Lukashenko (U ...

– DU
1377

References

External links

* {{IMSLP, work=Rapsodia litewska, Op.11 (Karłowicz, Mieczysław), cname=Lithuanian Rhapsody, Op.11 Symphonic poems by Mieczysław Karłowicz 1906 compositions Compositions in A minor