Romuald Twardowski (born 17 June 1930 in Wilno / Vilnius) is a Polish composer.
During years of occupation (or World War II), he studied the violin; after the war, he began learning to play the piano and organ. From 1946-1950, he played the organ for several Vilnius churches. From 1952 to 1957, he studied music composition in the conservatory of Vilnius. Afterwards, he moves to Warsaw and continues his studies at the Warsaw Academy of Music from 1957 to 1960, studying under Bolesław Woytowicz. In 1963 and 1966 he studied Gregorian chant and medieval polyphony in Nadia Boulanger‘s class in Paris. Since 1971 Twardowski has been a Professor at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music.
The 1960s and 1970s were the most fruitful period for the composer.
Apart from operas:
“Cyrano de Bergerac” (1962)”Tragedy or the Story of John and Herod”(1965)”Lord Jim” (1973)
Composed ballets:
“Naked Prince” (1960)”Wizard’s Sculptures”(1963)
In the 1980s, he composed operas Maria Stuart and History of St. Catherine which were also performed abroad. Twardowski composed about 200 choral works, compositions for piano and orchestra. Recently his works are still widely performed in Poland and abroad – mainly in Eastern Europe and in United States where e.g. his Trio for violin has been very successful.
He is a laureate of many prizes and distinctions. Just to name few:1st prize of Polish Young Composers competition,two Grand Prix in Monaco,1st Prize of Prague Spring International Music Festival,2nd place of UNESCO International Composers’ Tribune in Paris,prize of AGEC (1994),2006 he received Paderewski Award (USA).
Twardowski is the jury member of many choir competitions. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romuald_Twardowski
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Romuald Twardowski – composer
The composer was born on June 17, 1930 in Vilnius. There he spent his childhood and youth. During the occupation he learned to play the violin, and after the war on the piano and organ. In the years 1952-57 he studied piano and composition in the class of Julius Juzeliunas at the State Conservatory of the SRR in Vilnius (now Lithuania). After graduation, in December 1957 he came to Warsaw permanently. He continued his studies at the Warsaw State Higher School of Music with prof. Bolesław Woytowicz. After won the competition of the Polish Composers’ Union, in 1963 he went to Paris for further studies at the famous Nadia Boulanger. He was there twice, the second time in 1966, completing his studies of the Gregorian chant and the polyphony of the Middle Ages.
Romuald Twardowski’s work, however modern, is at the same time communicative, full of internal drama and has an individualistic character. It is an original phenomenon in post-war Polish music. Not too fashionable, avant-garde, but creating music in a moderately modern style, digestible for the listener’s ears – is the composer’s theme.
Romuald Twardowski – kompozytor
Kompozytor urodził się 17 czerwca 1930 r. w Wilnie. Tam spędził swoje dzieciństwo i młodość. W czasie okupacji uczył się gry na skrzypcach, a po wojnie na fortepianie i organach. W latach 1952-57 studiował fortepian i kompozycję w klasie Juliusa Juzeliunasa w Państwowym Konserwatorium Litewskiej SRR w Wilnie (obecnie Litwa). Po studiach, w grudniu 1957 r. przyjechał na stałe do Warszawy. Najpierw kontynuował studia w warszawskiej Państwowej Wyższej Szkole Muzycznej u prof. Bolesława Woytowicza, a po wygraniu konkursu Związku Kompozytorów Polskich, w 1963 roku wyjechał do Paryża na dalsze studia u słynnej Nadii Boulanger. Był tam dwukrotnie, drugi raz w 1966 r., uzupełniając studia nad chorałem gregoriańskim i polifonią średniowiecza.
Twórczość Romualda Twardowskiego, jakkolwiek nowoczesna, jest zarazem komunikatywna, pełna wewnętrznego dramatyzmu i posiada rys indywidualny. Stanowi ona oryginalne zjawisko w powojennej muzyce polskiej. Nie uleganie zbytniej modzie, awangardzie, lecz tworzenie muzyki w duchu umiarkowanie nowoczesnym, strawnej dla uszu słuchacza – to myśl przewodnia kompozytora. http://twardowski-kompozytor.com.pl/
Romuald Twardowski (b. 1930) (Poland/Lithuania) Concerto for violin and string orchestra (2006) Violinist : Andrzej Gebski Dir : Przemyslaw Fiugajski 1- Grave – Andante (10.26) 2- Allegro deciso (7.14)
Romuald Twardowski (* 1930) Niggunim, melodie chasydów/Niggunim, Chassidic Melodies Roman Lasocki – skrzypce/violin Urszula Bożek-Musialska – fortepian/piano Nagranie zrealizowano w Studio Filharmonii Śląskiej. Reżyser nagrania: Maria Olszewska