Ryszard Gabryś - twórczość kompozytorska a asocjacje z ziemią cieszyńską

Abstract

The author presents Ryszard Gabryś, a well-known contemporary composer from Cieszyn Silesian region. She highlights his undeniable, long-term connections with the area, confirmed not only with his large-scale educational and social activities, but also with the composer’s artistic works. Making an overview of his compositions inspired by his passion for folk music, the author of the present article focuses on analysing the music piece written in 2013 as a homage to another composer who died tragically in Nazi camp during World War II. It is The Lament for Jan Sztwiertnia. R. Gabryś composed it with a view to being performed by A piacere Chamber Choir, the author of this article and Józef Broda, a folk artist from Koniaków. The choral structure of this work is so complicated because, treating the four-part mixed choir music form non-traditionally, it is characterized by a specific, more individual use of the human voice. It uses sonoristic effects of juxtaposition of bel canto singing with white voice, it requires creativity and great musicality from a young performer, as well as awareness of the ideology of the composition. Especially that Gabryś’s composition is intertwined with the sound of instruments from Beskidy region played masterly, which adds colour and symbolics to the composer’s message.