Szabelski, Boleslaw
Szabelski, Boleslaw
Szabelski, Boleslaw, Polish organist, teacher, and composer; b. Radoryz, near Lublin, Dec. 3, 1896; d. Katowice, Aug. 27, 1979. After studies with Lysakowski in Kiev (1915), he took courses in organ with Surzyñski and in composition with Szymanowski and Statkowski at the Warsaw Cons. He made tours as an organist; also was prof, of organ and composition at the Krakow Cons. (1929-39; 1954-57). He wrote in a traditional style until turning to serial techniques in 1958.
Works
orch: 5 syms. (1926; 1934, with soprano and chorus; 1951; 1956; 1968, with chorus and organ); Suite (1938); Sinfonietta for Strings and Percussion (1946); Solemn Overture (1953); Concerto grosso (1954); Piano Concertino (1955); 3 Sonnets (1958); Verses for Piano and Orch. (1961); Preludes for Chamber Orch. (1963); Flute Concerto (1964); Piano Concerto (1978). CHAMBER: 2 string quartets (1935, 1956); Organ Sonata (1943); Aphorisms “9” for Chamber Ensemble (1962). VOCAL: Heroic Poem for Chorus and Orch. (1952); Improvisations for Chorus and Chamber Orch. (1959); Nicolaus Copernicus, oratorio (Poznan, April 2, 1976); The Wola Redoubt for 3 Soloists and Orch. (Warsaw, Nov. 5, 1976).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire