Adam Walaciński

Pêle-mêle

The Pêle-mêle cycle consists of fifteen miniatures composed between 1955 and 1956. The title translates as ‘higgledy-piggledy', ‘pell-mell' or even ‘topsy-turvy', all of which provide a perfect depiction of the collection's sheer stylistic abundance. In almost every piece, the composer surprises us with a wealth of contrasting and diverse concepts. The cycle begins with the panache and dash of Oberek, the fastest and liveliest of Poland's national dances, and then moves into illustrative mood with Willows. Further into the cycle, we encounter, amongst others, Rainy Thirds, which follows the Impressionistic convention, the dodecaphonic Canon, and the cycle's concluding piece, the Neoclassical Promenade. The pieces can be put together freely, giving the performer the opportunity to create their own, unique programme.