Strings in the Earth for 15 string instruments (1979/80)

The premiere of Strings in the Earth, written at the turn of 1980, took place at the Warsaw Autumn Festival, in September 1980. The work, dedicated to the Polish Radio Orchestra, was conducted by Jerzy Maksymiuk.  

The composition consists of three parts that differ in texture – parts I (numbers 1-1b) and III (numbers 12-14) are based on a homophonic texture, while part II on a chord texture. The outer parts have the 1st violin melody coming to the fore, supported by an extremely interesting harmonic layer played by the other voices. The whole produces an intriguing and original effect. Despite appearing in a different “key”, the final section (no. 13) constitutes a reprise of part I, providing a framework for the work.

In the middle part (numbers 2-11) the composer uses short, two-element modules that undergo repetitions and expressive transformations (dynamic, agogic and harmonic). The element that comes to the fore here is a falling third, G–E, which seems to be a snatch of the melody from part I. However, a closer look at the score reveals that the part is dominated by a fourth interval and that the falling third appears sporadically. Yet the very melodiousness of the module from part II is sufficient to maintain a logical link with the preceding part. This homogeneous fragment brings a textural change, for here, too, tension is gradually built up, leading to a tempestuous, expressive culmination (no. 12 – molto agitato). It suddenly dies down and is replaced by the contemplative material from part I.

Listening to Tomasz Sikorski’s composition, we cannot help but get the impression that it is a musical equivalent of James Joyce’s poem Strings in the earth and air. Obviously not so much in terms of images presented in it, but in terms of a general poetic aura.

		Strings in the earth and air
		Make music sweet;
		Strings by the river where
		The willows meet.

		There's music along the river
		For Love wanders there,
		Pale flowers on his mantle,
		Dark leaves on his hair.

		All softly playing,
		With head to the music bent,
		And fingers straying
		Upon an instrument.

“Sweet music”, “love” or “soft playing” are all objects symbolised by music that is quiet, focused, consonant and euphonic, whereas “pale flowers”, “dark leaves” and “love wanders” or “fingers straying” are symbolised by dissonant, agitated and heavy music.

This contrasting juxtaposition of “positive” and “negative” qualities makes the reader of Joyce’s poem somewhat anxious. The poetry seems cheerful (an idyllic image of a walk by the river), and yet the dark overtones of some words mean that it ceases to be so unequivocal. We have a dissonance, a clash, which becomes all the more “unpleasant” given its cheerful background. Sikorski manages to maintain a balance between the consonant and the dissonant element (even within one chord), thanks to which the expression of the musical work becomes almost identical with that of the poem. The emergence of melodic sections and a reprise in the work as well as the clear division into three parts suggest that Tomasz Sikorski may have abandoned the pointillist idea of time in favour of the traditional linear concept. However, just as Joyce’s poem reveals successive fragments of one poetic image in the various verses, so too does Sikorski’s String in the Earth confront us with a symbolic situation in statu nascendi.