Witold Friemann (20 August 1889 in Konin – 22 March 1977 in Laski) was a Polish composer, pianist, conductor and pedagogue. He was very prolific and composed more than 350 Opuses, most of which remain inedited.

Witold Friemann

Compositions

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Stage

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  • Giewont, musical drama (dramat muzyczny; libretto by Kazimierz Brończyk; 1927–1929, 1934)
  • Kain, opera (1952)
  • Kasia, baśń operowa (1955)
  • Bazyliszek (legenda warszawska), vaudeville (1958)

Vocal

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  • Psalm VIII for soloists, chorus and orchestra, text by Jan Kochanowski (1910)
  • Psalm XXX for soloists, chorus and orchestra, text by Jan Kochanowski (1921)
  • Psalm XC for chorus, text by Jan Kochanowski (1922)
  • Suita podhalańska for baryton solo and string orchestra (1946/1950)
  • Polskie misterium ludowe for soloists, mixed chorus and piano, text by Maria Konopnicka (1946)
  • 4 suity mazowieckie for soloists, mixed chorus and orchestra (1948–51)
  • Spod Warszawy for soloist, mixed chorus and orchestra (1949)
  • Cień Chopina for baryton, piano and orchestra, text by Kazimierz Przerwa-Tetmajer (1949)
  • Rapsod mazowiecki for soloist, mixed chorus and orchestra (1950)
  • Pacem in terris (pro memoria Joannes XXIII, Op.253, for mixed chorus and orchestra (1963)
  • Cudne oczy (second version) for soprano (or tenor) and orchestra (1967)
  • Litania o zjednoczenie chrześcijan, Op.316, for mixed chorus and orchestra (1969)
  • Litania o zjednoczenie ludzkości, Op.318, for soprano, tenor, baryton, bass, female, male and mixed choruses and orchestra (1969)
  • Cudne oczy (third version) for soprano (or tenor) and orchestra (1970)
  • Równy krok for mixed chorus and orchestra (1971)
  • Piosenka o Koninie for mixed chorus a cappella (1971)
  • Didache for chorus and piano (1974)
  • Hymn dla Polski for chorus and piano (1976)

Orchestral

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  • Konrad Wallenrod, symphonic poem (1908)
  • Inwokacja for 12 winds and timpani (1926)
  • Funeral march (1928)
  • Symphony No. 1 Słowiańska (1948)
  • Symphony No. 2 Sinfonietta Mazowiecka (1950)
  • 2 suity chłopskie (1952)
  • Symphony No. 3 (1953)
  • Suita mazowiecka (1956)

Concertant

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  • Piano Concerto No. 1 Koncert-fantazja, Op.16 (1910-1913)
  • Cień Chopina, fantasy for piano and orchestra, Op.77 (1937)
  • Cello Concerto (1950)
  • Piano Concerto No. 2 (1951)
  • Piano Concerto No. 3 (1952)
  • Viola Concerto No. 1, Op.175 (1952)
  • Violin Concerto (1954)
  • Piano Concerto No. 4 (1956)
  • Clarinet Concerto No. 1 (1960)
  • Oboe Concerto Concerto lirico (1961)
  • Clarinet Concerto No. 2 (1961)
  • Concerto for soprano and orchestra (1961)
  • Concerto for 2 pianos solo (1962)
  • Piano Concert No. 5 Concerto impetuoso (1963)
  • Flute Concerto (1963)
  • Bassoon Concerto (1963)
  • Concertino for 2 pianos solo (1963)
  • Concerto for tenor trombone and orchestra No. 1 Concerto eroico (1966)
  • Horn Concerto, for French horn in F and orchestra (1966–68)
  • Trumpet Concerto (1967)
  • Viola Concerto No. 2, for viola solo, string orchestra, timpani and cymbals (1968)
  • Concerto for 2 bassoons and orchestra (1968)
  • Concerto for tenor trombone and orchestra No. 2 (1969)
  • Concerto for bass trombone and orchestra (1969–70)
  • Double bass Concerto, Op.329 (1970)
  • Cztery pieśni rycerskie, Concertino for viola and harp with flute, oboe, clarinet, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon and percussion (1970)
  • Tańce polskie for clarinet and orchestra (1975)

Chamber

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  • Violin Sonata No. 1 Sonata polska (1912)
  • Elegy for cello and piano (1913)
  • Nokturne for violin and piano (1921)
  • Romance for violin and piano (1922)
  • Opowieść wschodnia for oboe, violin, cello and piano (1931)
  • String Quartet No. 1 Rapsod śląski (1932)
  • Prelude for cello and piano (1933)
  • 4 pieśni rycerskie, suite for viola and harp or piano (1935)
  • Suita antica for violin and piano (1935)
  • Viola Sonata (1935)
  • Mazurek for violin and piano (1939)
  • Oberek for violin and piano (1939)
  • 3 pieces for viola and piano (1940–47)
  • String Quartet No. 2 (1942)
  • Piano Quintet No. 1, with clarinet (1943)
  • Violin Sonata No. 2 (1947)
  • 2 Romances for violin and piano (1947)
  • Clarinet Sonata No. 1 Quasi una sonata (1949)
  • Polska suita for violin and piano, in A major (1950)
  • String Quartet No. 3 (1953)
  • Wind Trio (1953)
  • Suite for clarinet and piano (1953)
  • Piano Quintet No. 2 (1954)
  • Piano Quartet (1954)
  • Prelude for violin and piano, in G minor (1954)
  • Clarinet Sonata No. 2 (1959)
  • Clarinet Sonata No. 3 Romantica (1959)
  • Polska suita for flute and piano (1964)
  • 3 Mazurkas for violin and piano (1954)
  • Improvisation for tenor trombone (1966)
  • Taniec śląski for violin and piano (1967)
  • I Suita kontemplacyjna (Contemplative suite No. 1) for trombone and piano (1968)
  • Polonez majestatyczny for tuba and piano (1969)
  • Danse a l’antique for flute and piano (1970)
  • Myśli for viola and piano (1971)
  • Choral for 4 trombones (1972)
  • Suite for 4 trombones and bass drum (1972)
  • Improvisation and Polonaise for clarinet and piano (1973)
  • Nocturne for cello and piano, in G major (1974)
  • Andante molto for clarinet and piano, in F major (1974)
  • Mazurek for viola and piano, in G minor (1975)
  • Suite for 4 trombones (1976)
  • 2 pieces for 3 trombones (1976)
  • Kiedy ranne wstają zorze for 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, timpani and cymbals (1976)
  • Duet-romanza for 2 trombones (1976).

Piano solo

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  • Smutna opowieść (1910)
  • Suita staroświecka (1927)
  • Etude in seconds, Op.53 (1928)
  • Opowieść morska (1943)
  • Introduction and ballade (1948)
  • 18 Miniatures, Op.154 (1950)
  • 50 miniatur dwugłosowych (1966)
  • 50 utworów romantycznych: preludia, mazurki (1966)
  • Quasi Notturno (1969)
  • Preludium tragiczne (1969)
  • Romance and Vita dolorosa (1975)
  • Pensées tres tristet [?] (1976)
  • Mazurkas, more than 160
  • Preludes, more than 180

Organ

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  • Muzyka w czasie Mszy św. (1944)

Songs with piano

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  • Anioł, song for voice and piano, text by Michail Lermontov (1909)
  • Modlitwa, song for voice and piano, text by Leopold Staff (1913)
  • Pieśń czerkieska, song for voice and piano, text by Michail Lermontov (1922)
  • Zwycięstwo, song for voice and piano, text by Rabindranath Tagore (1925)
  • Cudne oczy, song for voice and piano, text by Kazimierz Przerwa-Tetmajer (1928)
  • Pamiętam ciche, jasne, złote dnie, song for voice and piano, text by Kazimierz Przerwa-Tetmajer (1928)
  • Noc majowa, song for voice and piano, text by Kazimierz Przerwa-Tetmajer (1928)
  • Chanson d’automne, song for voice and piano, text by Paul Verlaine (1933)
  • Cudne oczy (first version) for soprano (or tenor) and piano (1967)
  • Gwiazdy w twych włosach for tenor (or soprano) and piano (1969)
  • Przez dżungle i puszcze for tenor (or mezzo-soprano) and piano (1969)
  • Dwa for tenor (or mezzo-soprano) and piano (1969)

Further reading

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  • L. Markiewicz. O Witoldzie Friemannie. RM, vii/12 (1963), 6–7
  • W. Bogdany. Rękopisy muzyczne Witolda Friemanna. Biuletyn informacyjny Biblioteki Narodowa (1967), no.4, pp. 29–32
  • A. Nowak. Witold Friemann romantyk XX wieku. RM, xxii/11 (1978), 3–5
  • A. Mitscha. Witold Friemann: życie i twórczość. Zeszyty naukowe [Academia muzyczna, Katowice], xvii (1980)
  • A. Nowak. Witold Friemann: twórca liryki wokalnej. RM, xxiv/6 (1980), 3–4
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