Szymanowski, Karol: Hagith

Opera in One Act

‘Karol Szymanowski completed the score of the opera Hagith, to Felix Dörmann’s German libretto, at the beginning of October 1913 and immediately sent it to Emil Hertzka, director of Universal Edition in Vienna, for the orchestral parts and piano reduction to be prepared […]. Universal Edition of Vienna published the libretto in German on 9 April 1920 and in Polish on 22 July 1920, with the piano reduction following on 8 August 1920 (it was not stated who prepared the reduction). The present piano score is based on its first edition from 1920, accepted by the composer,8 yet comparison of the musical text with the critical-source edition of the opera’s score revealed numerous differences and discrepancies [Score, Karol Szymanowski, Hagith, opera in one act op. 25, vol. eds Barbara Stryszewska and Adam Walaci?ski, introd. Stefan Keym, performance remarks by Teresa Chyli?ska (Cracow, 2013), vol. 22 (Polish edition), vol. 13 (German/English edition) in Karol Szymanowski Gesamtausgabe/Complete Edition, ed. Teresa Chyli?ska,] resulting in a lack of convergence between the two sources. Hence it proved essential to introduce corrections, reductions and amendments to the text of the piano score, thereby restoring the agreement between it and the full score […]. Thus the present form of the piano reduction of Hagith – fully compatible with the first edition of the score – represents merely obligatory supplementary material for the performers.’