Henryk Melcer (1869-1928)
Songs and Piano Transcriptions
Magdalena Witczak (soprano)
Ewa Filipowicz-Kosińka (mezzo-soprano)
Mariusz Drzewicki, Robert Marat (piano)
rec. 2023/24, Chamber Hall of the Academy of Music of G. and K. Bacewicz in Łódź, Poland
Acte Préalable AP0595 [57]
Henryk Melcer-Szczawiński was one of those many composers who had a successful career, won awards, held prestigious positions and generally garnered acclaim but whose fame has not survived their passing, perhaps because he never pursued the modernist trends that several of his contemporaries did. He was a fine pianist having studied with Rudolf Strobel and that doyen amongst piano tutors Alexander Michałowski and his compositional pedigree was equally impressive with study under Zygmunt Noskowski. That said his output is fairly modest and includes one stage work, Protesilas i Laodamia (his opera Maria appears to have not survived), a symphony, two piano concertos, enough chamber music and solo piano works for a single CD each and a handful of songs and transcriptions. Hyperion recorded the two concertos very successfully (CDA67630 review) but it is Acte Préalable who have been most instrumental in giving a voice to Melcer with the two concertos (AP0163), the chamber works (AP0111 review ~ AP0333 review) and nearly all the piano works (AP0261). To this collection the label now add the songs, complete as far as I can see, and seven piano transcriptions by Melcer; six of these are of songs by Stanisław Moniuszko, the well loved and respected composer who was Melcer’s grand-teacher while the seventh, Ach, na tym świecie – Ah, in this world, is an extract from his lost opera Maria. It would have been nice if Melcer’s other unrecorded piano work, the Variations on a theme by Moniuszko – la cosaque could have been included here to complete that connection.
His songs are undated but the earliest seems to be a Canzone for soprano and alto that was written while he was still a student of Noszkowski. The two voices sing over a flowing accompaniment of chords that holds more attention than the melodies; it is pleasant but has nothing of the harmonic subtleties found in his other songs. These are two short cycles of three and five songs respectively.
The lyrics of the first of the three songs op.6, song of longing describe the grave in the singer’s heart, empty of all but the single ray that once brought life and light and is given a suitably funereal treatment. The mystical words of Sisters, in which the eponymous siblings carry tears, blood and darkness in their pale hands are matched by the constantly unsettled accompaniment and halting nature of the melody while Wrap me up, dark forest is more optimistic in its lilting nature.
The five songs, presumably written later, were published in a joint German and Polish edition. They are presented out of order here with the fourth song, Moonlit night, opening the recital. As with the other songs in this short cycle I am finding that much of the interest lies in the piano part, in this case a broad chordal accompaniment, slowly unfolding and with a slightly whole tone harmonic edge. The cycle officially opens with a voice in the darkness, unsettling in its depiction of an unidentified wailing. Voice and piano are excellently partnered here and mezzo-soprano Ewa Filipowicz-Kosińka is wonderfully evocative. The Grand Carousel is an ecstatic evocation of the grand circling dance of the heavens and stars. Its accompaniment brilliantly captures that dizzying whirl, negotiated with ease by pianist Mariusz Drzewicki, and matched with a joyful line from Filipowicz-Kosińka. Human Folly tells the simple truth of not falling for the siren’s song; the siren here does not know that death follows her gaze. Another ecstatic piano accompaniment introduces in a dream, the final song of the five, with dreams of passionate kisses and breathless adoration. Soprano Magdalena Witczak sings moonlit night, human folly and in a dream as well as the second and third of the op.6 songs; I am not particularly taken with her tone in the slower numbers – the opening of the disc is not perhaps the best introduction displaying her somewhat uncomfortable vibrato and notes that sit rather on the bottom edge of their pitch – she is more successful in the brighter songs though she does not charm. Ewa Filipowicz-Kosińka’s voice is certainly richer and she seems to have more colours at her disposal.
Melcer’s transcriptions of Moniuszko songs are well done, absolutely following the tradition of Liszt; the simple strophes of evening song are decorated with a steadily increasing but delicate decoration, Spring is a jewel that becomes multi-faceted and the dangerous girl is a dramatic miniature tone-poem. The best of the set must be the Spinner however, a virtuoso show-piece that is deservedly popular. I got to know this from Maria Barówna’s stunning disc made in 1931 for Syrena and while Marat has some felicitous touches here and there – he makes small changes the score along the way – he can’t match her dazzling pianism. A dangerous girl and do you know the country? show him in a better light.
Pianist Mariusz Drzewicki is the star of the show for me alongside Ewa Filipowicz-Kosińka. They are recorded in good sound and the booklet provides texts of the songs in Polish and English though notes about the music are minimal. Checking consistency of translations might have been in order; the contents list Human illusion where the lyrics say Human folly, the voice of darkness which is slightly different to the lyrics’ a voice in the darkness and wrap me up, dark forest is listed in the contents as sail me, dark forest. This is not a perfect release but it is mostly decent and certainly the five later songs are well worth hearing.
Rob Challinor
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Contents
Noc księźycowa – Moonlit night
Pieśń tęsknoty – Song of longing Op.6 No.1
Siostry – Sisters Op.6 No.2
Opłyń mnie, ciemny lesie – Wrap me up, dark forest Op.6 No.3
Wielka karuzela – The Grand Carousel
Głos w ciemności – the Voice of darkness
Ludzkie złudzenie – Human folly
We śnie – In a dream
Ach, na tym świecie – Ah, in this world
Canzona for soprano and alto
Stanisław Moniuszko (1819-1872) arr. Henryk Melcer
Groźna dziewczyna – The dangerous girl
Wiosna – Spring
Dumka
Pieśń wieczorna – Evening song
Prząśniczka – Spinner
Znasz-li ten kraj? If you know this country?
