Henryk Górecki - Three Dances (1973) [with score]

In 1973, at age 40 and with a growing international reputation, Górecki, characteristically, turned aside any more prestigious or lucrative commissions to compose an orchestral work for the Rybnik Philharmonic, the orchestra he himself had played in (on the violin) during his early music studies. It is dedicated to the conductor of that orchestra, who had encouraged him and offered support. And, the Rybnik Philharmonic did give the work's premiere.
Three Dances is simply scored, and clearly structured, but it is not an uncharacteristic work.
0:00 - Dance 1
3:01 - Dance 2
8:18 - Dance 3
The first movement is in triple meter, propelled by a low, thickly orchestrated ostinato pattern. The violins play a simple, narrow melody that winds around and around, never quite repeating a whole phrase in exactly the same way. A middle section switches to a duple meter (though the pattern is often thrown off by the inclusion of an odd bar of triple meter), with the horns blowing a folk-like, march melody. A brief shift to triple meter returns to the opening material, but the tonal center shifts from E to C and the melody is taken by the clarinets and bassoons along with the violins. After another horn episode, the opening material returns in a more explicit recapitulation.
The second dance is slower, but flowing, featuring the strings alone. A long, drawn-out melody in the violins unfolds over the first two-thirds of the movement, gradually rising. A series of sustained chords in the upper strings gradually takes over the underlying pulse, closing on a soft chord that superimposes a triad with a few other notes that add spice.
The third dance is the fastest and most ambitious. A march pattern starts up in the lower strings, and a fast melody unfolds over top, heard first in the bassoons, then the clarinets, followed by the oboes and then the piccolo. The music stops, briefly, only to start up again with the full string orchestra playing the march pattern while all the woodwinds play the modal-tinged melody. Another break leads to something new, a single repeated chord (a C major triad) with a different melody overtop, reminiscent of the main tune of the first dance. The repeated chord eventually shifts to another, and the melody shifts too, followed by a return to the march material. This music builds and builds, before another brief pause triggers a shift to the contrasting material, heard this time with full strings and brass. Finally, the march returns for a final round, with the full orchestra blaring away full blast. The piece ends with a triumphant E major triad, repeated with Beethovenian finality. (James Harley)
Thanks to Thomas Van Dun for the preparation of this score video. / thomasvandun

[@12345677396]

Questo lavoro sinfonico di Henryk Gorecki è un piccolo grande capolavoro musicale!!! 14 m. di musica stratosferica, ineguagliabile, inarrivabile!!!

[@12345677396]

Più lo ascolto e più mi convinco che queste "Three Dances" di H. Gorecki siano un capolavoro assoluto e che nulla abbiano a che fare con la "Sacre" di Stravinski!!! Qua, in questo lavoro c'è un materiale folk/etnico subliamto da una scrittura sinfonica stratosferica ... un materiale di per sè semplice, quasi elementare, ma lavorato/orchestrato in un modo sublime, spettacolare! Ovviamente emerge - sarebbe stupido negarlo - la vicinanza musicale e geografica del polacco Gorecki con il russo/americano Stravinskji, ma la "Sacre" stravinskiana non è assolutamente determinante - a parer mio - per descrive la straordinaria bellezza e incisività di queste "Three Dances"!

[@theahughes703]

he did not have to go this hard with this score but he did

[@emanuel_soundtrack]

i danced

[@jestemqiqi7647]

nice

[@isaiahcruz3431]

First dance reminds me of the Rite of Spring

[@BenjaminStaern]

Indeed, some of it that Andriessen further developed.

[@AndreyRubtsovRU]

Even the notes of the chords

[@BenjaminStaern]

@@AndreyRubtsovRU Precisely! Like almost sending “Back to the future”

[@arcana57]

Not at all!

[@mikeklimczak9600]

@@arcana57 You're wrong. The composer comes quite close to using the same chords as Le Sacre. You're wrong.

[@stephenjablonsky1941]

Believe me, it is not easy to write a piece that is old and new at the same time, but Henryk pulls it off, especially in 1973.

[@12345677396]

Un capolavoro assoluto!!!

[@MTMargraf]

Dance 1 0:00
Dance 2 3:01
Dance 3 8:18

[@ContemporaryClassical]

Thank you. Added to the description.

[@rubenmolino1480]

tank you ¡

[@zewensenpai]

nice

[@mikeklimczak9600]

The first dance is heavily inspired by Le sacre du printemps.

[@andersonezraviolin]

YESSSSSSSSSSSS MUWAHAHAHA
Good piece :)

[@AndreyRubtsovRU]

Bassoons and horns: how about some rests?

[@BenjaminStaern]

For sure, they are using stagger breath as a technique like in choral breathing.

[@AndreyRubtsovRU]

@@BenjaminStaern but its good practice for the composer to take care of that issue i think

[@davidlien6673]

Out of curiosity, does anybody know what "GIS" means a @3:52 means? (pointing to the G in the violas)

[@liturgiebyzantineitalo-alb8646]

Gis veut dire sol dièse (G sharp en anglais) dans les pays germaniques et d'Europe centrale. Le compositeur souligne que cette note est bien un sol dièse parce que toutes les précédentes sont des fa dièse, et que les suivantes sont de nouveau des fa dièse.

[@user-chihiro0721]

これは吹奏楽に編曲したい

[@alkanista]

I found myself feeling sorry for the orchestra.

[@jakubchraska]

the is górecki at his most tolerable