Mi-parti

Mi-parti is an orchestral work by the Polish composer Witold Lutosławski, composed from 1975 to 1976 on a commission from the City of Amsterdam for the Concertgebouw Orchestra.^[1] The name broadly means in two equal but different parts, referring to the treatment of the material rather than the large-scale structure of the piece.^[2] First performance: October 22 X 1976, Rotterdam, Concertgebouw Orkest, the composer conducting.

Analysis

The fifteen-minute piece utilizes Lutoslawski's trademark two-part form (a preparatory section followed by a development section with climax). It starts off with ethereal, sliding string textures. A cantilena played by the bass clarinet slowly rises from the lowest registers. Other woodwind instruments soon join in, playing motives reminiscent of bird-song. An orchestral flourish, complete with brass, leads the music into the agitated second half. The brass take on a more prominent role, and the previous ethereal textures are now replaced by rigorous rhythms in traditional notation. The music builds up to a powerful climax, incorporating Lutosławski's trademark semi-aleatoric techniques. The tension is subsequently released and the music reverts to ethereal beauty: divided strings slowly climb up to the highest registers, and the piece ends with soft repercussions from celesta, harp, and timpani.

Instrumentation

The work calls for a large orchestra made up as follows:^[1]

• woodwind: 3 flutes (all doubling piccolo), 3 oboes, 3 clarinets (3rd doubling bass clarinet), 3 bassoons
• brass: 3 trumpets in C, 4 horns, 3 trombones, 1 tuba
• percussion: timpani, 3 percussionists (bells, marimba, xylophone, glockenspiel, tam-tams, cymbals, vibraphone without motor)
• celesta, harp, piano
• and strings (8 first violins, 7 second violins, 6 violas, 6 cellos and 4 basses).

Recordings

Orchestra	Conductor	Record Company	Year of Recording	Format
Polish Radio National Symphony Orchestra	Witold Lutosławski	EMI Classics	1976	CD
Polish Radio National Symphony Orchestra	Antoni Wit	Naxos Records		CD
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra	Yan Pascal Tortelier	Chandos		CD
Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra	Antoni Wit	CD Accord		CD

Awards:

• for EMI recording: International Critics’ Award, 1979; Deutsche Schallplattenpreis 1977
• for the piece: State Prize, 1st grade 1978

References

1. "Witold Lutoslawski: Mi-parti". Chester Novello. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
2. "Witold Lutosławski – Mi-parti (1976) – Music Sales Classical". Chesternovello.com. Retrieved 2014-02-20.