Spring 2024
Location
Barbara Massey Room 414
Start Date
7-5-2024 12:30 PM
End Date
7-5-2024 1:00 PM
Description
Classical composer Henryk Górecki’s Symphony No. 3, subtitled ‘Symphony of Sorrowful Songs,’ interweaves his devout Catholicism and interest in Polish folk music with three texts that deal with motherhood and loss of a child. Written for solo soprano voice and orchestra, the piece’s expressive clarity provides optimal space for the voice—in the many literal and figurative senses of the word—to illuminate the text.
Though much has been written about this symphony’s emotional impact on listeners, little has been written about the piece from an analytical, interpretive point of view. In this talk, I perform a close analysis of the piece with regard to voice. To help distinguish between various meanings of voice, I use the German words Gesang (singing), Stimme (voice), and Stimmung (mood). In addition, I draw a distinction between soprano and orchestra. The soprano portrays the mother and motherhood in sorrow. The orchestra, via undulating rhythms and chords, 1) shows the inner thoughts of the mother, and 2) simultaneously helps her cope with her loss. Through my reading, I discover that the literal vocal line ultimately embodies the text and serves as an agent that breaks free from the bondage of anguish through quiet acceptance.
Recommended Citation
Jedlicka, Jason, "Hearing Voice in Henryk Górecki's "Symphony of Sorrowful Songs"" (2024). Faculty Scholarship Symposium. 1.
https://repository.belmont.edu/fac_schol/Spring_2024/Spring_2024/1
Included in
Hearing Voice in Henryk Górecki's "Symphony of Sorrowful Songs"
Barbara Massey Room 414
Classical composer Henryk Górecki’s Symphony No. 3, subtitled ‘Symphony of Sorrowful Songs,’ interweaves his devout Catholicism and interest in Polish folk music with three texts that deal with motherhood and loss of a child. Written for solo soprano voice and orchestra, the piece’s expressive clarity provides optimal space for the voice—in the many literal and figurative senses of the word—to illuminate the text.
Though much has been written about this symphony’s emotional impact on listeners, little has been written about the piece from an analytical, interpretive point of view. In this talk, I perform a close analysis of the piece with regard to voice. To help distinguish between various meanings of voice, I use the German words Gesang (singing), Stimme (voice), and Stimmung (mood). In addition, I draw a distinction between soprano and orchestra. The soprano portrays the mother and motherhood in sorrow. The orchestra, via undulating rhythms and chords, 1) shows the inner thoughts of the mother, and 2) simultaneously helps her cope with her loss. Through my reading, I discover that the literal vocal line ultimately embodies the text and serves as an agent that breaks free from the bondage of anguish through quiet acceptance.
