Lyric Suite. Four songs to words by Julian Tuwim for soprano and symphony orchestra (1953)

The piece was commissioned by the Ministry of Culture and Art. Tadeusz Baird used in it Julian Tuwim’s poems dealing with three seasons: spring (twice), summer and autumn. Each movement has a new title referring to its poetic original:

I:Song of cherries (after the poem “Cherries” from the Lying in Wait for God collection);

II: Song of autumn (after the poem “Verses on late summer” from the The Czarnolas Matter collection);

III:Song of spring (after the poem “The May apothecary” from the The Czarnolas Matter collection);

IV: Song of two winds (after the poem “Two winds” from the Dancing Socrates collection).

The whole cycle is a tale told by a young girl talking about changes happening in nature (in an orchard, a grove, a field and a meadow). Simple words were given an appropriate musical setting: a melody with folk overtones; homophonic texture with a delicate orchestral accompaniment; harmony without tonality; dancing rhythm of the oberek (first movement) and the waltz (third movement); joyful, idyllic and light character.

That sound colouring was important for Baird can be seen in a note published in the piano score:

The piano is not part of the orchestra. The work may not be performed publicly with the piano. The part published here can be used only as an aid in learning the vocal part.

The Suite was premiered in 1953 and in 1955 it won the composer the 3rd Prize at the International Composers’ Competition (in the symphonic-vocal category) organised to mark the 5th World Festival of Youth and Students for Peace and Friendship in Warsaw (1955).

In the late 1970s Baird spoke not very favourably about this composition, saying that it had been justly forgotten.