Canon
Where to start with Szymanowski
Essential works to know this composer by — spread across their styles-
OrchestralSymphony no. 4, for piano and orchestra, op. 60, M70, "Symphonie Concertante"
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StageKról Roger, op. 46 — Opera
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VocalStabat Mater, for soprano, alto, baritone, chorus, and orchestra, op. 53, M60
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Keyboard12 Etudes, op. 33, M34
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Chamber3 Caprices of Paganini, op. 40
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OrchestralViolin Concerto no. 1, op. 35, M37
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OrchestralSymphony no. 2 in B flat major, op. 19, M24
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OrchestralSymphony no. 3, for soprano, tenor, chorus, and orchestra, op. 27, M36, "The Song of the Night"
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OrchestralViolin Concerto no. 2, op. 61, M71
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Vocal12 Kurpie Songs for voice and piano, op. 58, M69
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Keyboard2 Mazurkas, op. 62, M73
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Keyboard20 Mazurkas, op. 50, M56
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Keyboard3 Masques, op. 34, M35
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Chamber3 Myths, for violin and piano, op. 30
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Keyboard4 Etudes, op. 4, M3
Listening guide
Hand-curated paths into Szymanowski's catalogueMost Popular
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Violin Concerto No. 1, Op. 35
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Stabat Mater, Op. 53
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Symphony No. 3 ”Song of the Night”, Op. 27
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Mythes, Op. 30violin and piano
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Nocturne and Tarantella, Op. 28
Most Acclaimed
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King Rogeropera — his masterpiece
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Mazurkas, Op. 50 (all 20)
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Métopes, Op. 29piano
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Violin Concerto No. 2
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String Quartet No. 2, Op. 56
Most Weird
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Masques, Op. 34piano — Scheherazade, Tantris, Don Juan; lush to the point of sensory overload
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Piano Sonata No. 3, Op. 36single movement, harmonically impenetrable
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12 Études, Op. 33technically ferocious, almost no melody
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Symphony No. 4 ”Sinfonia concertante”, Op. 60sounds like nothing else he wrote
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Harnasieballet — Polish highland folk music run through his harmonic system
Similar composers
Same era, overlapping styles — by genre & period affinityWorks 53
- Orchestral
- ● Symphony no. 4, for piano and orchestra, op. 60, M70, "Symphonie Concertante"
- ● Violin Concerto no. 1, op. 35, M37
- Symphony no. 2 in B flat major, op. 19, M24
- Symphony no. 3, for soprano, tenor, chorus, and orchestra, op. 27, M36, "The Song of the Night"
- Violin Concerto no. 2, op. 61, M71
- Concert Overture in E major, op. 12, M12
- Symphony no. 1 in F minor, op. 15, M15
- Stage
- Król Roger, op. 46 — Opera
- Harnasie
- Mandragora, op. 43, M45
- Prince Potemkin, op. 51, M57
- Vocal
- Stabat Mater, for soprano, alto, baritone, chorus, and orchestra, op. 53, M60
- 12 Kurpie Songs for voice and piano, op. 58, M69
- 4 Songs for voice and piano, op. 41
- 6 Kurpie Songs, for chorus, M66
- 6 Songs for voice and piano, op. 2, M2
- 6 Songs of a Fairy-Tale Princess, voice and piano, op. 31, M32
- 6 Songs of an Infatuated Muezzin, op. 42, M44
- 7 Songs for voice and piano, op. 54, M63
- 8 Love Songs of Hafiz, for tenor and orchestra, op. 26, M28
- Demeter, for alto, women's chorus, and orchestra, op. 37bis, M39
- Idom se siuhaje dolu, spiewajecy, song for voice and piano
- Penthesilea, op. 18, M18
- Slopiwenie, 5 songs for voice and piano, op. 46bis, M51
- The Swan, song for voice and piano, op. 7, M7
- Veni Creator, for soprano, chorus, orchestra, and organ, op. 57, M67
- Keyboard
- 12 Etudes, op. 33, M34
- 2 Mazurkas, op. 62, M73
- 20 Mazurkas, op. 50, M56
- 3 Masques, op. 34, M35
- 4 Etudes, op. 4, M3
- 4 Polish Dances, M60
- 9 Preludes, op. 1, M1
- Fantasy in C major, op. 14, M13
- Metopes Op.29, M31
- Piano Sonata no. 1 in C major, op. 8, M8
- Piano Sonata no. 2 in A major, op. 21, M25
- Piano Sonata no. 3, op. 36, M38
- Prelude and Fugue in C sharp minor, M19
- Prelude in C sharp minor
- Romantic Waltz, M59a
- Variations in B flat minor, op. 3, M5
- Variations on a Polish Folk Theme in B minor, op. 10, M10
- Chamber
- 3 Caprices of Paganini, op. 40
- 3 Myths, for violin and piano, op. 30
- Lullaby, for violin and piano, op. 52, M58, "La berceuse d'Aïtacho Enia"
- Nocturne et Tarentelle, for violin and piano, op. 28
- Piesn Kurpiowska, for violin and piano
- Polnische Weise, for violin
- Romance in D major, for violin and piano, op. 23
- String Quartet no. 1 in C major, op. 37, M41
- String Quartet no. 2, op. 56, M64
- Violin Sonata in D minor, op. 9