Symphony No. 3 (1969)

I. Poco andante, improvvisando

The formal outline of this movement is sinusoidal – it oscillates between a solo, nostalgic improvisation of the clarinet and noisy climaxes of the orchestra. The whole is contained within an arch beginning and ending with a clarinet solo oscillating around the note F.

II. Andante moderato

Its shape is similar to that of the first movement, with solo fragments being played by the oboe and the strings, which at the outer points of the dramatic arch are stabilised on the B flat-F axis. 

III. Non troppo allegro

The overriding principle of the narrative is surprise resulting from the composer’s use of short, emphatic, but also colourful accents. This variability occurs over brief sections, with two quieter moments happening in a “chorale-like” presentation of the clarinets and bassoons as well as in a unison flute phrase crowning the whole. Given its brutal, pointillist texture, it is difficult to find a central point of sonic reference in this movement.

IV. Moderato ma grave

The final fragment begins violently and this nature dominates its first half. A solo oboe part quietens the narrative down, but it does not end the whole with Baird’s usual al niente. The composer surprises the listeners and breaks the dramatic tension (in a manner familiar from symphonic works of the neo-classical period), introducing a loud tutti ending, based on a C major chord increasing in its intensity.

Baird’s Symphony No. 3 is characterised by a considerable variety of sound, homogeneous, intense planes based on twelve-note material. However, Baird himself was not pleased with the composition, seeing a number of shortcomings in it:

From the point of view of the form, the Essays, Erotic Poems and Dialogues as well as other works from the 1960s may be more perfect, because the principle of their construction corresponds to their musical content, uniformity of the sound material. It took me several years to break out of this circle, to master the dramaturgy of the great symphonic form; the results did not appear immediately; hence my displeasure with Symphony No. 3.

In 1970 Baird received the State Prize, 1st class, for this work. A year later, among 18 recordings of contemporary Polish music released in 1966-1970, a recording of Baird’s Symphony No. 3 and Lutosławski’s Livre pour orchestre (performed by the National Philharmonic Orchestra in Warsaw conducted by Jan Krenz) won the 1971 “Golden Muse” award. The award was given both to the composers and to the performers. 

Abaout shocking impression from the first hearing of Baird's Symphony and very personal, emotional nature of this artistic statement artytycznej says Grzegorz Michalski: