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Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis, distinguished Lithuanian artist and composer, was born on September 22, 1875 in a little town of Varcna. His father was an organist and the boy’s first music teacher. As a child Ciurlionis lived in Druskininkai. For several years he played in the orchestra of Prince Michal Oginski and attended the orchestra school in the little town of Plunga. From 1894 to 1899 Ciurlionis studied at the Warsaw Conservatoire and from 1901 — 1902 at the Conservatoire in Leipzig majoring in composition. From 1904 to 1906 he attended the Warsaw Art School, where he studied painting. In 1907 he moved to Vilnius.
M. K. Ciurlionis contributed greatly to the development of painting and music in Lithuania. He exhibited his paintings at Lithuanian art displays, and in 1908 and 1911 at the “Russian Artists’ Union” and “World of Art” exhibitions in St. Petersburg. At the end of 1909 Ciurlionis had become seriously ill and on April 10, 1911 died in a nursing home near Warsaw. He was buried in Vilnius.
Ciurlionis was the first classical Lithuanian composer to affirm the basic principles of national school of composition. To his pen belong two symphonic poems — “In the Forest” and “The Sea,” symphonic overture “Kestutis”, cantata “De profundis” for chorus and symphony orchestra, a string quartet, a number of choral works a capclla, several scores of arrangements of Lithuanian folk songs, over 200 piano pieces, works for string quartet and organ. Following in the footsteps of West-European romantics and neoromantics Ciurlionis displayed original ideas and style and vivid creative individuality in his later works.
The symphonic poem “In the Forest” (without percussions) was written in 1900— 1901. This is the first independent work of the young composer and is dedicated to his friend, E. Morawski, a Polish composer. The poem was written for a contest announced by the Polish magnate M. Zamoiski and was recognized the best. It was publicly performed, however, only in 1912 in St. Petersburg to mark the first anniversary of the composer’s death.
“... It begins with soft, broad chords — like the soft and broad rustling of our Lithuanian pines,” Ciurlionis wrote about the poem to his friend. Though rather simple and romantically traditional, the means of expression are used with great tact and restraint. Charming in its simplicity, sincerity and inspiration, the poem is imbued with significant psychological and emotional content, expressing the composer’s yearning for his native land. The music conceals deep inner calm, a sense of the mystery of nature’s eternal life.
The symphonic poem “The Sea” (for large orchestra and organ) was written in the course of 1903—1907, and is dedicated to the composer’s close friend Bronislawa Wolmann. It was first performed in Kaunas in 1936 — the 25th anniversary of the composer’s death. The author’s score contained certain shortcomings in orchestration. The poem has been edited by composer E. Balsis (1954).
The work on “The Sea” stretched out into a long period. It was interrupted by the composer’s social and cultural activity, painting, the revolutionary events of 1905—1906, his visit to the Caucasus in 1905, to Prague, Dresden. Nuremberg, Munich and Vienna in 1906. At the same time all this provided him with many creative ideas which found their expression in “The Sea.”
“I want to create a symphony from the plashing of waves, the mysterious rustling of a century-old forest, the twinkling of stars, our songs and my boundless homesickness,” the composer wrote his fiancee.
“The Sea” is written in the form of a freely treated sonata allegro; it abounds in vivid images and musical ideas. The diverse musical themes arc subtly linked by leit-rhythmic elements; every recurrence of a basic theme brings dramaturgically new images; in places the basic themes appear only in counterpoint to the new. Thus a unity of development is achieved throughout. “The Sea” is impressive in the grandeur of its idea.
V. Landsbergis
M. K. Ciurlionis contributed greatly to the development of painting and music in Lithuania. He exhibited his paintings at Lithuanian art displays, and in 1908 and 1911 at the “Russian Artists’ Union” and “World of Art” exhibitions in St. Petersburg. At the end of 1909 Ciurlionis had become seriously ill and on April 10, 1911 died in a nursing home near Warsaw. He was buried in Vilnius.
Ciurlionis was the first classical Lithuanian composer to affirm the basic principles of national school of composition. To his pen belong two symphonic poems — “In the Forest” and “The Sea,” symphonic overture “Kestutis”, cantata “De profundis” for chorus and symphony orchestra, a string quartet, a number of choral works a capclla, several scores of arrangements of Lithuanian folk songs, over 200 piano pieces, works for string quartet and organ. Following in the footsteps of West-European romantics and neoromantics Ciurlionis displayed original ideas and style and vivid creative individuality in his later works.
The symphonic poem “In the Forest” (without percussions) was written in 1900— 1901. This is the first independent work of the young composer and is dedicated to his friend, E. Morawski, a Polish composer. The poem was written for a contest announced by the Polish magnate M. Zamoiski and was recognized the best. It was publicly performed, however, only in 1912 in St. Petersburg to mark the first anniversary of the composer’s death.
“... It begins with soft, broad chords — like the soft and broad rustling of our Lithuanian pines,” Ciurlionis wrote about the poem to his friend. Though rather simple and romantically traditional, the means of expression are used with great tact and restraint. Charming in its simplicity, sincerity and inspiration, the poem is imbued with significant psychological and emotional content, expressing the composer’s yearning for his native land. The music conceals deep inner calm, a sense of the mystery of nature’s eternal life.
The symphonic poem “The Sea” (for large orchestra and organ) was written in the course of 1903—1907, and is dedicated to the composer’s close friend Bronislawa Wolmann. It was first performed in Kaunas in 1936 — the 25th anniversary of the composer’s death. The author’s score contained certain shortcomings in orchestration. The poem has been edited by composer E. Balsis (1954).
The work on “The Sea” stretched out into a long period. It was interrupted by the composer’s social and cultural activity, painting, the revolutionary events of 1905—1906, his visit to the Caucasus in 1905, to Prague, Dresden. Nuremberg, Munich and Vienna in 1906. At the same time all this provided him with many creative ideas which found their expression in “The Sea.”
“I want to create a symphony from the plashing of waves, the mysterious rustling of a century-old forest, the twinkling of stars, our songs and my boundless homesickness,” the composer wrote his fiancee.
“The Sea” is written in the form of a freely treated sonata allegro; it abounds in vivid images and musical ideas. The diverse musical themes arc subtly linked by leit-rhythmic elements; every recurrence of a basic theme brings dramaturgically new images; in places the basic themes appear only in counterpoint to the new. Thus a unity of development is achieved throughout. “The Sea” is impressive in the grandeur of its idea.
V. Landsbergis