Sinfonia Sacra (Panufnik)

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Sinfonia Sacra is the third symphony by the Polish composer, Andrzej Panufnik. It was written in 1963 to mark Poland’s millennium of Christianity and Statehood in 1966. Panufnik intended the work as an expression of his religious and patriotic feelings. He based the symphony on the first known hymn in Polish, the Bogurodzica plainchant.[1]

It received its world premiere in

Louis Fremaux.[2]

Description

The symphony has two parts: "Three Visions" and "Hymn". Both parts are based on the Bogurodzica. This Gregorian plainchant was sung on battlefields by Polish knights and in church as a prayer to the Virgin. The Visions and Hymn thus represent the atmosphere of the battlefield and of prayer respectively. Panufnik believed the elements of battlefield and prayer were the two dominating forces in Poland’s tragic history.[3]

The first part of the symphony comprises three strongly contrasting sections, or "Visions". They are all based on the first three intervals of the Bogurodzica (D-C-F-E). Vision I (Maestoso) is based on the

minor second (F-E). The rest of the orchestra joins in to produce an agitated and dramatic tutti which abruptly ends in silence.[4]

The second part is the "Hymn" (Andante sostenuto – Maestoso). It begins

crescendo builds up until the seven notes of the Bogurodzica are stated in order for the first time in the work. At this point, the four antiphonal trumpets return with the opening fanfare from Vision I. The combination of the heroic trumpets and the religious hymn theme bring the work to a dramatic close.[5]

The symphony lasts around 22 minutes.[6]

Reception

Sinfonia Sacra is one of Panufnik’s most accessible and popular works.[7] It received early critical acclaim in many countries worldwide.[8] The piece has attracted the attention of many respected conductors, including Georg Solti, Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt and Tadaaki Otaka.[9]

Leopold Stokowski gave the US premiere of the work in 1965 with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. The British premiere occurred in London in 1968 with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra conducted by Constantin Silvestri.[10]

It did not enjoy critical success in communist Poland. Following its performance in Warsaw in 1978, Polish critics claimed the work was unsubtle. Some used the term "bogoojczyźniana" (God-jingomania) to describe it.[11]

Recordings

Concertgebouw Orchestra
(7559-79228-2ZK).

Other recordings include:

Notes

  1. ^ Panufnik
  2. ^ Panufnik
  3. ^ Panufnik
  4. ^ Hall, p.16
  5. ^ Hall, p.22
  6. ^ Panufnik
  7. ^ Conway, p.75
  8. ^ Bolesławska, p.195
  9. ^ Bolesławska, p.195
  10. ^ Bolesławska, p.193
  11. ^ Bolesławska, p.195

References

Bolesławska, B., The Life and Works of Andrzej Panufnik (1914-1991) trans. R. Reisner (Farnham: Ashgate, 2015)

Conway, P., 'Andrzej Panufnik Symphonies: CD Round-up', Tempo 61 (2007), pp. 74-76

Hall, B, 'Andrzej Panufnik and His Sinfonia Sacra', Tempo no.71 (Winter 1964-65), pp. 14-22

Panufnik, A., Sinfonia Sacra (Symphony no.3) composer’s notes (Boosey and Hawkes, 1963)

External links

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