persons' index (S)

singer (soprano) maiden name Bystrzycka; born January 16, 1921, in Lublin; died on September 15, 1994, in Warsaw.

Initially, she studied singing privately with Prof. Tadeusz Markowski. In the years 1945-1951 she studied at the Lublin Opera High School (later transformed into the State School of Music), under the direction of Maria Borer-Wyleżyńska. After graduating from the Lyceum and receiving a diploma with distinction, the artist began working in the choir of the Polish Radio, organized by Jerzy Kołaczkowski in Warsaw, and then in the choir of the National Philharmonic. At the same time, she perfected her skills privately under the supervision of Ada Sari (in the years 1951-1968). Ewa Bandrowska-Turska also shared her musical knowledge and vocal experiences with her.

Szymulska also collaborated with the Polish Radio choir as a soloist, recording a number of songs by Polish and foreign composers. Her interpretations of French music caught the attention of Michał Spisak. On his recommendation, in 1964 the artist received a scholarship from the French government. She studied at the École Normale de Musique de Paris under Prof. Pierre Bernac. The subject of her postgraduate studies in Paris was contemporary music. In addition, during her stay in Paris, she participated in a master class for vocalists conducted by Noemi Perugia. In the same period, Szymulska recorded works by Polish and French composers for the French Radio and Television ORTF.

Halina Szymulska devoted herself to classical music. Her voice was described as lirico spinto soprano. The artist's repertoire, rich and diverse, included about 1000 (one thousand) pieces, performed in original languages, including contemporary music. Szymulska often premiered the works of Polish artists of the twentieth century, propagated the works of Lutosławski, Baird, Tansman, Lefeld, Spisak, Serocki and others.

In 1965, under the supervision of Prof. Pierre Bernac, she prepared a new program consisting of songs by Friemann, Laks, Lutosławski, Debussy, Fauré, Duparc, which she also recorded for French radio at Bernac's recommendation. During her second visit to Paris, Szymulska befriended several Polish composers, m.in Michał Spisak, Szymon Laks and Aleksander Tansman. The singer also recorded the works of these composers for the Polish Radio. Lefeld, Spisak, Tansman, Laks and Friemann composed some of their songs especially for Szymulska and dedicated them to her.

She also toured Switzerland, Belgium, Romania, Czechoslovakia and the Federal Republic of Germany.

Halina Szymulska was accompanied by such outstanding pianists as Tatiana Woytaszewska (called the legendary accompanist), Jadwiga Szamotulska and Jerzy Lefeld.

Memoirs about Polish composers of the twentieth century by Szymulska were published in a book containing materials of a symposium organized by the Section of Musicologists of the Polish Composers' Union, which was devoted to Polish emigrant artists (Muzyka źle obecna, vol. 1–2, Warszawa 1989).

Halina Szymulska was the subject of the program Znasz li ten głos? (Do you know this voice?), in Program I of the Polish Radio in 1976 (author – Stanisław Żelechowski). After a serious illness, she ceased her concert activity and focused on the production of archival and CD recordings. She was represented by the Polish Artistic Agency "Pagart".

She lived in Warsaw at Rynek Nowego Miasta 27.

Update: Wiesław Szymulski (2022)

works

Selected recommendations and opinions

"Excellent interpreter of French music."

(Pierre Bernac)

“She has a beautiful voice and is the intelligent and most talented performer of all kinds of music, from classical to contemporary. She sings in the original languages, as lyrical soprano of great scale.”

(Ada Sari)

"I would of highly recommending Ms. Szymulska, a singer of great value – soprano lirico spinto – who works on a very diverse and great repertoire, from classics to avant-garde. She always sings in the original languages, eleven, by the way."

(Michal Spisak)

"Only Marian Anderson could sing songs like you." "Halina Szymulska sang my songs beautifully; she's a really great artist."

(Alexander Tansman)

"The huge variety of styles presented in her performances was wonderful. Each of the songs had its own shape and was characterized by a different mood and emotions. Her vocal abilities are really great."

(Witold Friemann)

"Our recordings are really great, congratulations! All of us here are fascinated by your voice and pronunciation."

(Simon Laks)

"Halina Szymulska has a beautiful voice with a perfectly smooth sound. In her full culture and restraint of interpretation, she accentuated the noble lyricism and playful humor of Moniuszko's songs.”

(Excerpt from a review in "Ruch Muzyczny" about Halina Szymulska's recordings)