Artykuł opisuje podstawy teorii palimpsestu muzycznego w kontekście intertekstualności literackiej oraz muzycznej. Autorka przedstawia kontekst historyczny w postaci rozwoju pojęcia intertekstualności, a także przywołuje charakterystykę wybranych zjawisk intertekstualnych w muzyce: cytatu, aluzji, stylizacji, parafrazy i modelowania. Nakreślona w artykule teoria opiera się na metaforycznym rozumieniu palimpsestu (w oryginale odnoszącego się do pergaminu, na który naniesiono nowy tekst po uprzednim wytarciu pierwotnego zapisu), które zostało zaczerpnięte z teorii transtekstualności Gérarda Genette’a oraz przeniesione na grunt muzyczny. Podstawą zaproponowanej przez autorkę typologii omawianego zjawiska jest oś spektrum palimpsestu muzycznego z dwoma przeciwnymi biegunami, reprezentującymi palimpsest ideowy oraz strukturalny. Teoria obejmuje liczne, zaproponowane przez autorkę kryteria przyporządkowujące dany utwór do któregoś z określonych typów (bliżej bądź dalej jednego z biegunów na osi spektrum). Autorka podjęła również próbę konfrontacji wprowadzanego pojęcia z wcześniej opisanymi zjawiskami intertekstualnymi w muzyce w celu dalszego doprecyzowania definicji palimpsestu muzycznego.

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The title of this article contains an allusion to the practice of constructing musical works in an ambiguous and enigmatic way so that a potential performer or audience is encouraged to solve a puzzle in a given composition. There are numerous indications that also Passacaglia in C Minor BWV 582 by Johann Sebastian Bach fits in the trend of these musical mysteries. The work can appear as “enigmatic” for many reasons, e.g., due to its mysterious origin, ambivalent purpose, unusual basso ostinato, concept full of paradoxes, poetic and oratorical structure or the presence of very different traditions of its performance. Its mysterious origin results from the fact that the autograph of the work did not survive, nor are the circumstances of its composition known. The ambivalent purpose refers to the hint Cembalo ossia Organo given in one of the secondary copies suggesting a possibility of performing this work on different keyboard instruments. The essence of the atypical nature of basso ostinato is contained in the fact that (among other things) it is of above-standard size as compared to usual ones, and furthermore, it indicates a possible borrowing from works by other composers and, indirectly, also from Gregorian chant. The concept of the work can be regarded as full of paradoxes as well, particularly because of the implicit use of mathematical and symbolical construction bases serving the purpose of expressing certain hidden ideas, which is supposed to provoke a potential performer or audience to make the necessary intellectual effort. The poetic and oratorical structure of Passacaglia in C Minor consists, among other things, in assigning appropriately grouped variations to the successive phases of rhetorical expression. In turn, the inconsistencies concerning the performance traditions are connected with different interpretation concepts of the work, including some very unconventional ones.

The legend of Pyramus and Thisbe is one of those myths that have inspired creators for thousands of years, undergoing new and new metamorphoses. The story is specific in such a way that, thanks to Shakespeare’s genius, one of the versions has become dominant – that is, the story of Romeo and Juliet. What is interesting, even the fact that Shakespeare himself included the original theme of the story of Pyramus and Thisbe in his play A Midsummer Night’s Dream did not change this situation. In Western culture, the sory of a boy and a girl who committed suicide (as a result of a misunderstanding and an unfortunate coincidence due to the fact that because of their family situation they had no chance for a life together) has been invariably and primarily linked to the names of Romeo and Juliet, and not Pyramus and Thisbe. However, in works by opera composers as well as in literature and other areas of art, the original names of the characters from one of Ovid’s Metamorphoses have never disappeared. The present article lists numerous operas, literary works and other works of art based on the story of Pyramus and Thisbe. It devotes a special attention to the lyrical drama by Frederick Delius entitled A Village Romeo and Juliet, inspired by the short story by Gottfried Keller created in the trend poetic realism. The story, which is another instalment of the ancient legend, was inspired by real events of 1847. Hence, in the work, realistic themes are combined with the elements of the ancient myth. Keller’s literary work was clothed by Delius in oneiric theatrical and musical robes, in which it is not difficult to find the means of expression that were very fashionable at the turn of the 20th century. The interesting fact is that the title of the drama includes a reference to the characters from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and not to Ovid’s Metamorphoses, even though direct analogies with the legend of Pryamus and Thisbe are very clear. This is another proof how much the awareness of European people is dominated by one of the versions of the discussed myth, displacing the ancient story described by Ovid.

The well-known practice of transcribing the most famous works by outstanding composers, especially for the piano, was one of the most widely used methods of popularising music in the 19th century. We can say that it had a similar function to literary translation just as different language versions and adaptations prove the popularity of literary masterpieces, the fact that transcriptions (for piano, other instrument, or a different ensemble) were created was evidence of the particular interest of the audience. Apart from the composer himself, transcriptions and paraphrases of vocal works by Moniuszko were made by Henryk Melcer-Szczawiski, Wadysaw Krogulski, Zygmunt Noskowski, Ignaz Friedman, Maurice Dietrich, and others.Nowadays, the role the piano used to perform in a house has largely been replaced by the recording industry and modern media and access to music is unlimited in most countries. This situation significantly reduces the demand for creating usable versions of works by famous composers. So is there room for new arrangements of Moniuszkos works on the modern music market? Jazz productions by Bogdan Halicki and the latest proposal from Wodek Pawlik prove that the problem of promoting music by this Polish composer remains valid and as time goes by, there is a growing need to adjust these compositions to the tastes of modern audiences. The aim of this article is to characterise transcriptions and arrangements of vocal works by Stanisaw Moniuszko and to show different transformations of the original pieces depending on their functions and potential listeners by analogy with literary translation.

The structure and nature of professional musicians’ personalities have been examined by numerous scholars. The issue of musicians’ personalities and the role of personality traits in their music activities is the subject of both reflective considerations and systematic research. The studies in the field of psychology of music analysed those personality traits that had a direct influence on the process of learning, creating, or performing music. When choosing a music profession, it is hard to be guided only by personality factors, without considering perception-related, technical, and intellectual aptitude. Being a musician is a combination of genetic and biological “package”, personality traits, as well as social and emotional support given during childhood and adolescence. Research on the personalities of professional musicians, conductors and composers started in the 19th century first attempted by Strumpf and then they were continued in the 20th century by Seashore, Teplov, Manturzewska, and later on by Bell and Cresswell, Kemp and Woody. It was conducted using musical aptitude tests, intelligence tests, and personality tests (by Castell, Eysenck, or the Big Five by Costa and McCrae). Maria Manturzewska’s research (also using the tests mentioned earlier) from 1960s and 1970s contributed to the popularization of knowledge about a professional musician’s personality. This article presents the most important results of these studies, which cast new light on the personality structure and the features (competencies, skills) which are necessary to become a successful musician.

Henryk Pachulski (1852-1921) – a Polish composer, pianist, and teacher. He graduated from the Warsaw Institute of Music, having studied piano with Rudolf Strobl. His harmony and counterpoint teachers were Stanisław Moniuszko and Władysław Żeleński. After that, he studied piano at the Moscow Conservatory with Nicolai Rubinstein and then Pawel Pabst. He learnt harmony from E. L. Langer, then Anton Arensky with whom he also had a special course in counterpoint. In 1886 he started his teaching career at the Moscow Conservatory, which lasted over 30 years. He also performed as a pianist in Moscow, Petersburg, and Warsaw. Pachulski was acknowledged for his technical aptitude, but he gained the greatest recognition as a teacher and a composer. He created over a hundred piano works, including three sonatas, two cycles of variations, two polonaises, two mazurkas, three waltzes, preludes, studies, impromptus, and more. He also wrote chamber, vocal and orchestra compositions, as well as piano transcriptions for orchestra and chamber pieces. This article presents the composer’s music and teaching activity, it also touches on teaching qualities of his piano works. It pays special attention to technical aspects, and the analysis also covers the formal side of these compositions. While preparing the text, the author used information included in the Polish music press from the turn of the 20th century, music collection of the National Library in Warsaw, archive documents, and foreign sources.

In concert and especially in teaching practice, Edvard Grieg’s Violin Sonata in F Major op. 8, which was written in 1865, is labelled as his youthful composition. Considering the time when it was created, it is an undisputed fact, but such a term has negative connotations and may also make one’s attitude towards artistic explorations within the piece shallower. It is worth to mention here that it was this very Sonata in F Major that attracted the attention of the great Ferenc Liszt. In his article, the author attempts to point to different sources which inspired Grieg during the initial period of his creative life. These influences can be divided into national ones (Norwegian) and European ones (based on the firm roots of the European musical heritage). There is no doubt that the composer is another link in the great Romantic tradition, both in terms of composition technique and form, as well as regular studies at the Conservatory in Leipzig. However, the matters related to the national element are much more difficult to look at using a comprehensive approach. While experiencing and analysing Norwegian folk music, one needs to consider to what extent Grieg’s music draws from it. In this aspect, the author discusses the issue of how well Grieg knew the music from his home country as well as objective obstacles in reflecting its idiom in artistic music. Norwegian folk instruments as such, in this case – the violin: hardingfele, seem an interesting element. These diverse influences were present throughout the whole period of Grieg’s creative work and can be seen already in his youthful Sonata in F Major – even though sometimes they are barely noticeable because of not having a mature form. Nevertheless, the awareness of rich- ness and many layers included in this composition should stimulate performers to study it in a diligent and in-depth way.