Witold Lutosławski as an innovator in the field of symphonic thematism (on the example of the Third Symphony)

W. Lutosławski (1913-1994) was an outstanding Polish composer, one of the inventors of the principle of limited (controlled) aleatorics. In his symphonic music, aleatoric and sonoric types of material interact with the thematism of the traditional type. The article is devoted to the analysis of this interaction and the identification of the dramatic role of non-traditional thematism in the musical form. The Third Symphony (1983) serves as the research material. The author of the article characterizes the expressive possibilities of aleatorics of the texture, identifies two types of sonorism, and also describes 8 types of traditional thematism used in the symphony. The "dialogue" of the two main pitch structures in the epilogue of the symphony is traced. The study allows us to conclude that non-traditional thematism prevails in the introduction and in the first part, i.e. where different types of material are exposed. On the contrary, in the second part of the symphony, the personal principle intervenes in the organization of the thematic process. The composer's will, which develops the material, collides it with each other, builds dramaturgy and leads to a certain outcome. And here (with the exception of development), traditional thematism strongly prevails. Awareness of the balance between different types of material leads to the ability to follow the plot of the symphony, which manifests itself not only in the disposition of themes, but also in the interaction of various interval complexes with each other.

symphonic process, musical theme, Witold Lutosławski, aleatoric music, sonorism, contemporary harmony, the plot of a symphony, pitch structure, musical utterance, musical form