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Tomasz SikorskiPublished: October 7, 2001Updated: April 22, 2002 |
Short biography
Tomasz Sikorski was born on May 19, 1939 in Warsaw, son of composer Kazimierz Sikorski. He died on November 12, 1988
(September 14, according to the New Grove Dictionary, second edition) in the
same city at the age of 49. He died alone in his flat in Warsaw as a result of his long battle with alcoholism.
Apart from these facts, not much information on his life can be found in the music literature, nor on the internet.
Education
From 1956 to 1962 Tomasz Sikorski studied composition with Kazimierz Serocki and piano with Zbigniew Drzewiecki, both at the
State Higher School of Music in Warsaw. In 1965 the French goverment granted him a scholarship and because of this he
was in Paris until 1966. Thanks to a scholarship of the U.S. Government (Senior Fulbright Program) he worked at the
Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center in New York (1975-76). Result of this period is his composition 'Solitude
of Sound' (1975).
His compositions have been performed frequently at the Warsaw Autumn International Contemporary Music Festival and at
ISCM Festivals in Stockholm (1966), Athens (1979) and Brussels (1981).
On his music
After a few early works in the late 1950s and early 60s, Sikorski rapidly developed his own language. His music is introverted,
dark and static and has been influenced by his readings of philosophical works by authors like Heidegger, Kafka, Kierkegaard
and Beckett.
Usually there is hardly any development in his music. Instead he is concerned with motivic fragments, repeated with some
marginal development. His music might be called 'minimal', but definitely not in the sense of American or Baltic minimal music.
He contemplated on fractured ideas and themes, giving a harsh and uncompromising commentary on the madness in his
world.
Quote
In this album Tomasz Sikorski (born in 1939) represents the youngest generation of Polish composers. At the beginning of his
creativity he composed, in 1964, Prologi (Prologues). This work, as well as Antyfony (Antiphonies) written one year earlier,
signalizes his vital interest in avantgarde musical concepts which are in most cases within the area of chamber music,
including works for solo instruments. His interest focuses on the possibilities offered by the aleatoric technique (Concerto
breve, 1965; Sequenza I, 1966), the realizations of static one-dimensional music (Sonant, 1966; Homofonia, 1968), the
open-space universum (Vox humaine, 1971), as well as the concept of the minimalism (Bez tytulu (without title), 1971).
In his search Tomasz Sikorski is one of the most consequent and non-conformist authors of the new generation.
from the 4LP-Box "Musica Polonica Nova I" (Polskie Nagrania SXL 1134-1137). Translated by Adam Marlewski
| 1955 | 2 preludes, piano |
| 1960 | Wariacje, piano and 4 percussion groups |
| 1961-63 | Echoes II, 1-4 pianos, 2 gongs, 2 tam-tams, tape |
| 1962 | Szkice Sketches, string quartet |
| 1963 | Antiphones, soprano, piano, horn, chimes, 2 gongs, 2 tam-tams, tape |
| 1964 | Prologues, female choir, 2 solo pianos, 4 flutes and horns - 6'30 |
| 1965 | Concerto breve, piano, 24 wind instruments and 4 percussionists |
| 1966 | Monodia e sequenza, flute and piano |
| 1966 | Sequenza I, orchestra |
| 1967 | Sonant, piano |
| 1968 | Intersection, 4 percussionists |
| 1968/70 | Homophony, 4 trumpets, 4 horns, 4 trombones, piano and gong - 11' |
| 1969 | Diaphony, 2 pianos |
| 1969(?) | Music for brass instruments, tam-tams and chimes |
| 1970 | For Strings, 3 violins and 3 violas |
| 1970 | Collage, female chorus, instruments, tape |
| 1970 | Musique diatonique, 16 wind instruments and 8 gongs |
| 1971 | Vox humana, mixed choir, 2 pianos, 12 brass instruments, 4 gongs, 4 tam-tams |
| 1971-72 | The Adventures of Sindbad the Sailor, radio opera for 6 reciting voices, soprano, tenor, female choir and orchestra |
| 1971/2 | Zerstreutes Hinausschauen, piano |
| 1972 | Bez tytulu (Without title), piano and 3 optional instruments |
| 1972 | Holzwege, small orchestra |
| 1973 | Listening Music, 2 pianos |
| 1974 | Music from Afar, mixed choir, 10 brass instruments, piano and percussion - 8' |
| 1975 | Other Voices, 24 wind instruments, 4 gongs and bells |
| 1975 | The Solitude of Sounds, tape |
| 1976 | Sickness Unto Death, reciter, 2 pianos, 4 trumpets and horns. Text by Kierkegaard |
| 1978 | Music in Twilight, piano and orchestra |
| 1979 | Hymnos, piano |
| 1979-80 | Strings in the Earth, 15 strings |
| 1979-80 | Monophony, orchestra |
| 1979-80(?) | Lontano, orchestra |
| 1979-80 | Ositato, orchestra |
| 1980 | Autograph, piano |
| 1980 | Modus, solo trombone |
| 1981 | Afar a Bird, reciter (whispering), clavichord and tape (prerecorded keyboard). Text by Samuel Beckett |
| 1981-82 | 2 Portraits, orchestra |
| 1982 | Paesaggio d'inverno, strings |
| 1982 | Modus, solo cello. Revision of 1980 work |
| 1982 | Euphony, piano - 9' |
| 1983 | Autoportret, orchestra |
| 1983 | Autoritratto, 2 pianos and orchestra |
| 1983 (?) | Little Concerto, orchestra |
| 1983/4 | Recitativo ed Aria, strings |
| 1984 | La notte "Omaggio a Friedrich Nietzsche", strings |
| 1984 | Rondo, harpsichord |
| 1986 | Moderato Cantabile, solo cello |
| 1986 | Das Schweigen der Sirenen (nach Kafka), cello |
| 1987 | Omaggio "in memoriam Borges", 4 pianos and orchestra - 11'30 |
| 1987 | Diario 87, tape and reciting voice |
| ? | Musica Concertante, piano and orchestra |
| ? | Three Sketches, orchestra |
| ? | 4 Pieces for Orchestra, orchestra |
| ? | Sequenza II, orchestra |
| ? | Songs about Wit Stwosz, solo soprano, choir of sopranos and orchestra |
| various | Film and incidental music, |
Recordings
Currently there are no recordings available. Many of his works were released on LP's in the 'Warsaw Autumn' Series, but these are
no longer available.
Links
Polish Music Center
(biography and worklist)
Enciclopedia Musicale Elettronica
(a few basic facts)
panoramix.univ-paris.1
(contains cover of score for 'Sickness unto Death')
Stephen Montague (Sikorski is
mentioned here as dedicatee in Montague's First String Quartet)