Henryk Górecki
Composed as winter started to close in on Poland in late 1976 the Symphony of Sorrowful Songs is a symphony in three movements for orchestra and soprano. Whilst Górecki was determined that the symphony be regarded as more than a reflection on war alone it is hard to move past this concept and indeed the 1992 release by Elektra-Nonesuch was dedicated to the memory of those lost in the Holocaust.
The first movement is a canon which starts on double basses in a very heavy E. After the introduction of the canon’s theme a further line of double basses is added. With each repetition another voice is added; the double bass followed by cello and finally violin. Each voice brings with it a different emotion in the development of a complex soundscape of grief, despair and sorrow. Yet, at the same time, we find a light in the darkness as a hint of hope can be heard in the violins. The tonal development of the work brings with it a profound insight into the nature of such abject grief and sorrow, and just as winter leads to spring, eventually the human spirit will start to find hope in the darkness; a theme that can be found throughout the symphony as a whole. But as with the cyclical nature of grief giving way to hope only for grief to return once again, as the strings start to lighten the mood the piano enters, bringing a sense of foreboding to the sorrowful strings and the voice of soprano, Dawn Upshaw, singing the words from a 15th century lament of Mary at the crucifixion of her son. The range of emotion in this lament is both complete and compelling. The genius of Górecki lies in his empathy for the Virgin Mother in her grief and anger at the senseless murder of her son. The slow, contemplative nature of the piece invites us to share our own experiences of loss and sorrow.
The second movement starts briefly with a much lighter sound that is soon replaced with a droning sound that signals the second appearance of soprano. The lyric component of this movement is a harrowing prayer written by a young Helena Wanda Błażusiakówna on the walls of a Gestapo prison cell in the town of Zakopane in the south of Poland. Górecki’s choice for the second libretto further develops the theme of the human ability to find hope and courage in the darkest moments. The second prayer is not a cry for salvation and nor is it an expression of hatred for the murderous captors. Błażusiakówna’s prayer to the Virgin Mary is a lament for her mother’s grief, knowing that her daughter had been taken by the Nazis. The tonal development of this movement further illustrates the human ability to find hope amidst abject despair and suffering.
The simple back and forth motif of the third movement is truly inspirational. Again, again, again we feel the pain and sorrow but we keep going. We do not stop moving forward. At our lowest point when we are unable to see anything but darkness it becomes apparent (although often years later) that we were in fact driven by our eternal optimism. The motif grows in complexity, shifting from A minor to major as a metaphor for our determination for life against even the greatest odds; in the face of the greatest tyranny and; at the hands of the greatest oppressor. The lyrics for the third movement are from a Polish folk song about a mother grieving the loss of her son in the Silesian Uprisings from 1919-1921. The final words again echo the hope that can only come from grief and sorrow, a hope that is inherently human and can be found in burial customs of nearly all cultures. We grieve with flowers and prayers, gifts to the gods. We lament but we also look for hope when we have none because what else can we do? Górecki reminds us of the strength that is natural to us and that we can call on in the face of adversity.
The Symphony of Sorrowful Songs is one of the most emotionally powerful songs I have ever heard. Since its release in 1992 it has sold over a million copies and I regard this as one of the most important pieces of music from the twentieth century. Below is a link to the full symphony. Might I be so bold as to recommend listening to this in a quiet, contemplative place. Connect your laptop to your hi-fi to experience the beauty of the bass and as always if you enjoy it please buy this album.
