(Symphony of Sorrowful Songs)

My son, my chosen and beloved
Share your wounds with your mother
And because, dear son, I have always carried you in my heart,
And always served you faithfully
Speak to your mother, to make her happy,
Although you are already leaving me, my cherished hope.

(Lamentation of the Holy Cross Monastery from the "Lysagora Songs" collection. Second half of the 15th centruy)

No, Mother, do not weep,
Most chaste Queen of Heaven
Support me always.
"Zdwrowas Mario" (*)

(Prayer inscribed on wall 3 of cell no. 3 in the the basement of "Palace," the Gestapo's headquarters in Zakapone; beneath is the signature of Helena Wanda Blazusiaskowna, and the words, "18 years old, imprisoned since 26 September 1944.")

Where has he gone
My dearest son?
Perhaps during the uprising
The cruel enemy killed him

Ah, you bad people
In the name of God, the most Holy,
Tell me, why did you kill
My son?

Never again
Will I have his support
Even if I cry
My old eyes out

Were my bitter tears
to create another River Oder
They would not resotre to life
My son

He lies in his grave
and I know not where
Though I keep asking people
Everywhere

Perhaps the poor child
Lies in a rough ditch
and instead he could have been
lying in his warm bed

Oh, sing for him
God's little song birds
Since his mother
Cannot find him

And you, God's little flowers
May you blossom all around
So that my son
May sleep happily

(Folk song in the dialect of the Opole region)
(*) "Zdrowas Mario" (Ave Maria) - the opening of the Polish prayer to the Holy Mother

Gorecki's Third

Symfonia Piesni Zalosynych ('Symphony of Sorrowful Songs') Opus 36 (1976)
[1] I. LENTO - SOSTENUTO TRANQUILLO MA CATABILE
[2] II. LENTO E LARGO - TRANQUILLISSIO
[3] III. LENTO - CANTABILE- SEMPLICE

Dawn Upshaw, soprano
London Sinfonietta
Davine Zinman, conductor

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February 26th, 1996

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