Form

This article deals with Szymanowski’s concept of form, but not with his use of paradigmatic musical structures, such as sonata form, for which relevant entries should be consulted. The philosopher of art Patrick Maynard identifies four uses and connotations of the word ‘form’ when speaking of works of art. These categories will guide us in our examination of Szymanowski’s writings:

[First,] form as an organizing principle (called arrangement, organization, structure); second, form as shape, figure or other disposition in space of whatever dimensions (accessible there by sight and other senses); third, form as kind or type. To these should be added a fourth variant: forms as canons, moulds or repeatable procedures by which sometimes groupings of the third type are generated. With the first pair of meanings we normally speak of a work of art “having” form; with the latter pair of a work of art providing an “instance of” a form. ¹