Roman Palester

Roman Palester (copyrights unclear)

Roman Palester (born December 28, 1907 in Śniatyn , Austria-Hungary ; died August 25, 1989 in Paris ) was a Polish composer.

Life

Palester was born in Śniatyn, which belonged to Austria-Hungary until 1918, then to Poland. From the age of seven he received piano lessons. He studied the instrument from 1919 to 1921 at the Kraków Music Institute and until 1925 at the Lviv Conservatory with Maria Soltys . From 1925 he studied philosophy at the University of Warsaw and at the same time at the Music Conservatory with Kazimierz Sikorski . In 1930 he made his debut as a composer with the performance of the Muzyka symfoniczna in Warsaw.

In 1932 Palester won Psalm V in the Singers' Societies Association competition , and Wariacje in 1935 in the Polish Music Publishing Society competition. In 1937 his ballet Pieśń o ziemi was awarded a gold medal at the World Exhibition in Paris . In addition , numerous film, drama and radio music were created during this time, among others in collaboration with Leon Schiller and Juliusz Osterwa .

From 1936 Palester was vice-president of the Polish composers' association, from 1937 vice-president of the Polish section of the International Society for Contemporary Music , whose 17th festival he directed in 1939 in Warsaw and Krakow. During the Second World War he lived in Warsaw. Some of his compositions were lost during the Warsaw uprising , and Palester himself was in a Gestapo prison for six weeks.

From 1945 to 1947 Palester was Vice Rector and Professor of Composition at the Cracow State Music Academy. In 1947 he left Poland and finally settled abroad after the proclamation of socialist realism in music by the Polish composers' association. He first lived in Paris and from 1952 to 1972 in Munich. Here he worked for the Polish section of Radio Free Europe .

While in Poland his name was not allowed to be mentioned in the media and the composers' association canceled its membership, Palester had international success with his compositions. The Italian section of the International Society for Contemporary Music awarded him first prize in 1962 for the opera Smierc Don Juana , and two years later he received the Alfred Jurzykowski Prize for his work in emigration.

Since the late 1970s, Palester has been rehabilitated in Poland. In 1981 the Composers' Association canceled its expulsion, and the Polish section of the International Society for Contemporary Music and the Karol Szymanowski Music Society followed suit. However, Palester only visited Poland once again for the premiere of his hymn pro gratiarum actione in 1983.

Works

Sonatina na skrzypce i wiolonczele (Sonatina for violin and cello), 1929

Kwartet smyczkowy nr 1 (String Quartet No. 1), 1929–1930

Trzy pieśni do słów Kazimiery Iłłakowiczówny (Three songs based on texts by Kazimiera Iłłakowiczówna ) for soprano and piano, 1930

Psalm V for baritone, mixed choir and orchestra 1930–1931

Taniec z Osmolody (Dance from Osmoloda) for symphony orchestra, 1932

Symfonia dziecięca (Children's Symphony ) for seven instruments, 1932

Symfonia nr 1 for large orchestra, 1934–1935

Wariacje (Variations) for chamber orchestra, 1935

Mała uwertura (Little Overture) for symphony orchestra, 1935

Piosenka łowicka (Song from Lowicz) for piano, 1935

Pociąg towarowy (Freight Train) for piano, 1935

Canon for piano, 1935

Concert na fortepian i orkiestre , 1935–1936

Kwartet smyczkowy nr 2 (String Quartet No. 2), 1936

Sonatina na trzy klarnety (Sonatina for three clarinets), 1936

Pieśń o ziemi (Song of the Earth), ballet, 1937

Tańce Polskie (Polish Dances) from Piesn o ziemi for orchestra, 1937

Suita symfoniczna , 1937-1938

Concertino for alto saxophone, 1938

Sonata na dwoje skrzypiec i fortepian (Sonata for two violins and piano), 1939

Divertimento for six instruments, 1939–1940

Koncert na skrzypce i orkiestrę (Concerto for Violin and Orchestra), 1939–1941

Sonatina na fortepian na 4 rece (Sonatina for piano four hands), 1940

Symfonia nr 2 , 1941-1942

Concertino for piano and orchestra, 1942

Kołacze , wedding poem for female choir and chamber orchestra, 1942

Kwartet smyczkowy nr 3 (String Quartet No. 3), 1942–1944

Polonezy MK Oginskiego (MK Oginskis Polonaisen) for small orchestra, 1943

Dwie etiudy na fortepian (Two Etudes for Piano), 1943

Requiem for four solo voices, mixed choir and orchestra, 1945–1949

Serenada for two flutes and string orchestra, 1946

Trio smyczkowe no.1 ( string trio no.1 ), 1946

Nokturn , 1st version for string orchestra, 1947

Mała serenada (Little Serenade) for flute, violin and viola, 1947

Sinfonietta for chamber orchestra, 1948

Divertimento for nine instruments, 1948

Suita weselna ( bridal suite ) for small instrumental ensemble, 1948

Symfonia nr 3 for two string orchestras, 1948–1949

Wisła , cantata for speaker, mixed choir and instrumental ensemble, 1948–1949

Symfonia nr 4 , 1st version, 1948–1952

Missa brevis for mixed choir a cappella, 1951

Passacaglia for orchestra, 1953

Nokturn 2nd version for string orchestra, 1954

Adagio for string orchestra, 1954

Preludia for piano, 1954

Variazioni per orchestra , 1st version, 1955

Taniec polski (Polish Dance) from the ballet Piesn o ziemi , 1955

Concertino per clavicembalo e dieci strumenti su temi di vecchie danze polacche , 1955

Muzyka na dwa fortepiany i orkiestrę (music for two pianos and orchestra), 1955–1959

Koncert na skrzypce i orkiestrę (Concerto for Violin and Orchestra) 2nd version, 1957–1959

Study 58 for chamber orchestra, 1958

Piccolo concerto for chamber orchestra, 1958

Trio smyczkowe no.2 ( string trio no.2 ), 1959

Śmierć Don Juana (The Death of Don Juan), musical action in one act, 1959–1961

Treny , three excerpts by Jan Kochanowski for voice and instrumental ensemble, 1962

Śmierć Don Juana (The Death of Don Juan), three symphonic episodes for orchestra, 1963

Varianti for two pianos, 1963–1964

Duety for two violins, 1965

Metamorfozy for orchestra, 1966–1968

Trio stroikowe (wind trio), 1967

Variazioni per orchestra [2. Version], 1968

Sonata na skrzypce i wiolonczele (Sonata for violin and cello), 1968

Suita we czwórkę (Suite for four instruments) for oboe, violin, viola and cello, 1969

Sonata na fortepian nr 1 , 1970-1971

Symfonia nr 4 (2nd version), 1972

Wariacje na fortepian (Variations for piano), 1972

Passacaglia for piano, 1973

Ekspresje (Expression) for piano, 1974–1975

Kwartet smyczkowy nr 3 (String Quartet No. 3) 2nd version, 1974

Trzy wiersze Czesława Miłosza (Three Poems by Czesław Miłosz ) for soprano and twelve instruments, 1975–1977

Koncert na altowke i orkiestre (Concerto for Viola and Orchestra), 1975–1978

Concertino for alto saxophone and string orchestra, 2nd version, 1977–1978

Symfonia nr 5 , 1977-1981

Monogramy , Chamber Concerto for Soprano and Piano, 1978

Wisła , 2nd version, Kanata for speaker, mixed choir and instrumental ensemble, 1979

Hymnus pro gratiarum actione for children's choir, two mixed choirs and instrumental ensemble, 1979

Etiudy na fortepian , 1979-1981

Sonata na fortepian nr 2 , 1980

Koncert na skrzypce i orkiestrę (Concerto for Violin and Orchestra), 3rd version, 1984–1985

Listy do matki (Letters to Mother), cantata for baritone and small orchestra, 1984–1987

Trio na flet, altowke i harfe (Trio for flute, viola and harp), 1985

Wisła , 3rd version, cantata for speaker, mixed choir and two pianos, 1985

Suita Symfoniczna , 1986

Kolędy (Christmas carols) for mixed choir, 1988

Kolędy (Christmas carols) for solo soprano and instruments, 1988

Psalm V 2nd version, for baritone, mixed choir and orchestra, 1988

Filmography (selection)

1937: The girls from Nowolipki Street (Dziewczeta z Nowolipek)
1948: The border road (Ulica Graniczna)
1948: The last stage (Ostatni etap)

literature

Zofia Helman: Palester, Roman. In: Ludwig Finscher (Hrsg.): The music in past and present . Second edition, personal section, volume 13 (Paladilhe - Ribera). Bärenreiter / Metzler, Kassel et al. 2005, ISBN 3-7618-1133-0 , Sp. 4–7

swell

personal data
SURNAME	Palester, Roman
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Polish composer
DATE OF BIRTH	December 28, 1907
PLACE OF BIRTH	Sniatyn
DATE OF DEATH	August 25, 1989
Place of death	Paris