1970

 

23–24 January

A symphonic concert at the National Philharmonic Hall in Warsaw dedicated to the work of Kazimierz Serocki. The programme includes Symphonic Frescoes, Episodes, the song cycle Hearth of the Night and music to fragments of Gałczyński’s poem Niobe.

3-12 April

Serocki’s Symphonic Frescoes is performed in Poznań during the 10th “Poznań Musical Spring” Festival.

5 September

Serocki learns he has been awarded with a diploma from the Soviet Composers’ Union “in recognition of his active contribution to the development of creative relations between Soviet and Polish musicians”.

6 September

Swinging Music is premiered in Aarhus (Denmark) during a concert featuring the Musical Workshop ensemble led by Zygmunt Krauze.

19–27 September

The first Polish performance of Forte e piano during the 14th “Warsaw Autumn”. The work is presented by the Kontarsky brothers and the same orchestra that presented it in Germany.

 

 

1971

 

18–10 February

Once again Serocki becomes a member of the Admissions Committee of the Polish Composers’ Union.

6–7 May

Poems to Tadeusz Różewicz’s words is performed in German at Theater Krefeld Mönchengladbach by the Municipal Orchestra conducted by Robert Satanowski. The soloist is Johanna Lotte-Fecht.

23 September

The premiere of Dramatic Story at the 15th “Warsaw Autumn”. The Hilversum-based Netherlands Radio Symphony Orchestra is conducted by Andrzej Markowski.

 

 

1972

 

8 February

During a special concert, the Niedersächsischen Staatsorchester Hannover under George Albrecht’s baton, and Alfons and Aloys Kontarsky perform Serocki’s Forte e piano.

14 May

The stage premiere of Swinging Music in Kassel.

9 June

Kazimierz Serocki’s Fantasia elegiaca for organ and orchestra is premiered in Baden-Baden. The soloist is Karl-Erik Welin, while Ernest Bour conducts. The piece is written in one of Pomeranian monasteries, where the composer has at his disposal a fine organ. It is composed “in memoriam Heinrich Strobel”, dedicated by Serocki to the long-time president of the International Society for Contemporary Music and editor of the Melos magazine.

21 July

The Board of the Polish Composers’ Union sends Serocki a letter of congratulations on the State Prize awarded to him “for his outstanding achievements in composition”.

 

 

1973

 

12 January

Fantasmagoria for piano and percussion is premiered in Zurich. Georges Martin plays the piano and Willy S. Wohlgemuth plays the percussion.

19 March

Serocki continues his work as member of the Admissions Committee of the Polish Composers’ Union.

April–May

Marta Ptaszyńska and Nancy Voigt give two performances of Fantasmagoria in Cleveland, USA.

22–30 September

The Polish premiere of Fantasia elegiaca during the 17th “Warsaw Autumn”. Karl-Erik Welin is the soloist and the Hessen Radio Symphony Orchestra from Frankfurt is conducted by Andrzej Markowski.

Serocki begins his adventure with the recorder. His guide is Czesław Pałkowski, a clarinettist from the Musical Workshop ensemble.

 

 

1974

 

25 May

A ballet staging of Dramatic Story choreographed by Tomasz Gołębiowski and designed by Antoni Bystroń is presented at Teatr Wielki in Łódź as part of the “Contemporary Polish ballets” cycle. As the choreographer writes in the programme:

Kazimierz Serocki’s work [...] permeated with many harsh clashes and conflicts, with events and resolutions the course of which is unpredictable, and the accompanying tension and anxiety – all this is great company for a choreographer.

 

28 April

Impromptu fantasque is premiered in Witten during a festival of contemporary chamber music, by Ensemble fur Neue Musik conducted by Volker Vangenheim.

11 May

Serocki writes an official letter, resigning his membership in the Organising Committee and the Programme Committee of the “Warsaw Autumn” Festival. The Chair of the Organising Committee, Jan Stęszewski, replies in a letter expressing his regret and thanking Serocki for his many years of work.

 

July

On the 30th anniversary of the People’s Republic of Poland Kazimierz Serocki receives the Order of the Banner of Labour, 2nd Class, and the PRP’s 30th Anniversary Medal.

21–29 September

The first Polish performance of Impromptu fantasque during the 18th “Warsaw Autumn” by the National Philharmonic musicians conducted by Jan Krenz. The audience’s enthusiastic reaction leads to another performance of the work.

 

30 September

The Minister of Culture and Art appoints the composer member of the Commission for the Evaluation of Cinema Feature Films at the Central Board of Cinematography.

 

1975

 

3 April

The premiere of Concerto alla cadenza in Frankfurt by the Hessen Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Hans Zender with Czesław Pałkowski as the soloist.

11 April

During the 18th General Assembly of the Polish Composers’ Union Serocki receives a medal for “Distinguished Service to Culture”.

5–9 August

Serocki’s Continuum is performed several times in Israel (e.g. in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv) during “The Israel Festival”.

28 September

Concerto alla cadenza is performed in Poland during the 19th “Warsaw Autumn”. Czesław Pałkowski is accompanied by the National Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Andrzej Markowski.

That year the composer is also appinted member of the State Prize Committee, a post he will hold until 1978.

 

1976

 

30 January

The Alfred Jurzykowski Foundation presents its award to Kazimierz Serocki, honouring him as a composer of “highly original and expressive music” which has gained him “wide recognition in the international world of music”.

April

Serocki writes Arrangements for 1–4 recorders, using some musical ideas left from Concerto alla cadenza. The work is premiered in Witten.

 

September

Fansatmagoria is premiered in Poland by Roger Woodward and Hubert Rutkowski during the 20th “Warsaw Autumn”.

December

Serocki receives a letter from the famous clarinettist Benny Goodman asking the composer to write a concerto for clarinet.  He discusses various possibilities of using the instrument with Czesław Pałkowski.

This year Serocki leads also his composition master course at the Musik-Akademie Basel (Switzerland).

 

 

 

1977

 

19 January

The composer replies to Benny Goodman’s letter of 8 December 1976. Thanking Goodman for his suggestion about writing a work for clarinet and chamber ensemble or orchestra for him, Serocki stresses that he never writes music as a “pure” commission, because he first needs to have an idea. The composer suggests several meetings during which he would like to become acquainted with the characteristics Goodman’s performance style. He tells the clarinettist that owing to some obligations related to the composition of Pianophonie, he would be able to start working on the piece only in early 1978.

 

17 September

The premiere of Serocki’s Ad Libitum. The Norddeutscher Rundfunk Orchestra is conducted by Jan Krenz. Two days later the work is presented at the 21st “Warsaw Autumn”. It is also recorded in two versions as part of the Sound Chronicle of the 1977 Warsaw Autumn.

20 November

Serocki’s Swinging Music is presented during a concert of Polish music organised by the Icelandic Composers’ Union in Reykjavik.

 

 

1978

 

The composer spends a lot of time in the Experimental Studio in Freiburg im Breisgau, where he works with the sound engineer Hans Peter Haller, selecting the material and compiling a detailed programme of electronic manipulations for Pianophonie.

 

15 February

A work entitled “K + S + 2P” is staged at Warsaw’s Teatr Wielki. The title is a reference to music by Krzysztof Komeda-Trzciński and Krzysztof Penderecki and to Kazimierz Serocki’s Swinging Music  in Musical Workshop’s recording.

18 November

The premiere of Pianophonie at the International Meeting of Contemporary Music in Metz by Szábolcs Esztényi and the Südwestfunk Symphony Orchestra from Baden-Baden under Ernest Bour’s baton.

 

 

20 September

Serocki’s Arrangements for 1–4 recorders is performed for the first time in Poland at the “Warsaw Autumn” Festival.

 

 

1979

 

April

The Polish Music Days in Greece feature performances of Serocki’s A piacere and selected songs from Eyes of the Air in Athens.

13 May

Serocki’s Pianophonie performed by Szábolcs Esztényi is presented at the Musical Biennial in Zagreb, Yugoslavia.

14 September

During the 23rd “Warsaw Autumn” Szábolcs Esztényi and the Polish Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra conducted by Stanisław Wisłocki perform Pianophonie.

Serocki falls seriously ill that year. He is struck by a cerebral haemorrhage and the right side of his body becomes paralysed. Months of physiotherapy produce some symptoms of improvement. He accepts a commission from the Ministry of Culture and Art to write an orchestral piece, in which he intends to use one of his old melodic themes.