Karol Szymanowski

Harnasie

The presented arrangement of the ballet Harnasie by Karol Szymanowski in the version for two pianos was created based on three sources: the score of the ballet, the arrangement on the last scene together with an epilogue for violin and piano by Paweł Kochański, entitled Danse paysanne and the version for piano four hands prepared by Grażyna Bacewicz.
The hereby presented arrangement is a work for stage performance. The parts of both pianos are treated equally. The edition contains almost all the texts of the score, in the original version for solo tenor, mixed choir and orchestra. Only those endings of the scenes are omitted which the composer planned to present in concert version.
The arrangement for two pianos allowed for supplementing many parts that could not be included in the version for four hands and were omitted or included fragmentarily in Bacewicz's arrangement. It also makes it easier to perform complicated rhythmic figures more precisely. The richness of Szymanowski's score - in the arrangement from 1935 frequently reduced to long values - was therefore reinforced. This decides on the value of the arrangement in terms of timbre and virtuosity.
Music material characterized by a dense texture, rhythmic richness, maximum reproduction of the richness of the orchestral sound on two pianos - intended rather for professional pianists.