Harnasie
Encyclopedia
Harnasie, Op. 55, is a ballet
-pantomime
written by the Polish
composer
Karol Szymanowski
, between 1923-1931, to a libretto
by Jerzy Rytard and his wife and Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz, the librettist of Symanowski's opera, King Roger.
The story is set in the Tatra mountains
, and is based in the legend of the abduction of a bride by the robber Harnás and his band (the 'Harnasie' of the title). Szymanowski first visited Zakopane
in the Tatras in 1921, and studied the music and folklore of the Goral
people. The score makes extensive use of folk-song and employs a choir
with tenor
solo.
The ballet comprises two acts , preceded by a prelude
. There are only three principal characters, a shepherd, a girl and the robber (Harnás). In the first scene, the shepherd is driving his sheep to pasture and the girl encounters Harnás. In the second scene, Harnás kidnaps the girl from her wedding. The third scene, in the robber's den, concludes in an epilogue
with a lively dance.
The ballet was first performed in 1935 in Prague, and a year later in Paris
by the dancer and choreographer Serge Lifar
, which was an exceptional success for Szymanowski nearly a year before his death. The Polish premiere took place in Poznań in 1938.
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
-pantomime
Pantomime
Pantomime — not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime—is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the...
written by the Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
Karol Szymanowski
Karol Szymanowski
Karol Maciej Szymanowski was a Polish composer and pianist.-Life:Szymanowski was born into a wealthy land-owning Polish gentry family in Tymoszówka, then in the Russian Empire, now in Cherkasy Oblast, Ukraine. He studied music privately with his father before going to Gustav Neuhaus'...
, between 1923-1931, to a libretto
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
by Jerzy Rytard and his wife and Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz, the librettist of Symanowski's opera, King Roger.
The story is set in the Tatra mountains
Tatra Mountains
The Tatra Mountains, Tatras or Tatra , are a mountain range which forms a natural border between Slovakia and Poland, and are the highest mountain range in the Carpathian Mountains...
, and is based in the legend of the abduction of a bride by the robber Harnás and his band (the 'Harnasie' of the title). Szymanowski first visited Zakopane
Zakopane
Zakopane , is a town in southern Poland. It lies in the southern part of the Podhale region at the foot of the Tatra Mountains. From 1975 to 1998 it was in of Nowy Sącz Province, but since 1999 it has been in Lesser Poland Province. It had a population of about 28,000 as of 2004. Zakopane is a...
in the Tatras in 1921, and studied the music and folklore of the Goral
Goral
Goral may refer to:* Three species of Asian ungulates in the genus Naemorhedus.* The Gorals, a people living in southern Poland, northern Slovakia and the Czech Republic....
people. The score makes extensive use of folk-song and employs a choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
with tenor
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
solo.
The ballet comprises two acts , preceded by a prelude
Prelude (music)
A prelude is a short piece of music, the form of which may vary from piece to piece. The prelude can be thought of as a preface. It may stand on its own or introduce another work...
. There are only three principal characters, a shepherd, a girl and the robber (Harnás). In the first scene, the shepherd is driving his sheep to pasture and the girl encounters Harnás. In the second scene, Harnás kidnaps the girl from her wedding. The third scene, in the robber's den, concludes in an epilogue
Epilogue
An epilogue, epilog or afterword is a piece of writing at the end of a work of literature or drama, usually used to bring closure to the work...
with a lively dance.
The ballet was first performed in 1935 in Prague, and a year later in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
by the dancer and choreographer Serge Lifar
Serge Lifar
Serge Lifar ; 15 December 1986) was a French ballet dancer and choreographer of Ukrainian origin, famous as one of the greatest male ballet dancers of the 20th century.-Biography:Lifar was born in Kiev, Ukraine, then part of the Russian Empire...
, which was an exceptional success for Szymanowski nearly a year before his death. The Polish premiere took place in Poznań in 1938.