SOMNIVM, a ‘work in progress’ by Mieczysław E. Litwiński, is a multidimensional composition that integrates multiculturalism through both its literary foundations and complex musical layers. The composer combines sound material by drawing from diverse Oriental and Occidental traditions, creating a unique intercultural dialogue. Chinese influences are prominent in the part titled Encounter with a Skull, where vocal melodies strictly imitate the four-tone model of the Chinese language. In this part, we can observe mirror-image structures between voices and instruments, often employing a full chromatic range through these oppositional movements. In Dream of a Butterfly, Litwiński applies the same speech-imitation principle used in Encounter with a Skull, though the reliance on oral instructions and improvisational instrumental parts makes this linguistic foundation less aurally distinct. Indian inspiration manifests in Saraswati and Nasadya Suktam, which are modeled after mantras and bhajan rituals. These pieces utilise restricted sound material — often limited to three pitches — and incorporate microintervals. This references the traditional 22-tone equal temperament system and the concept of śruti to mirror the nuances of Indian religious chanting. Persian musical traditions are particularly significant, featuring the 17-note system and the segāh scale. Persian instruments like the tar and ney are used across various sections, even those with European or Chinese themes, creating a horizontal-vertical dimension of multiculturalism. Finally, Western European elements — including 12-tone atonality, Sprechgesang (in Somnium Kepleri), and functional tonality (in Sofia) — provide an Occidental counterpoint. By blending these with electronic studio techniques, Litwiński achieves a truly intercultural composition where global traditions intermingle and influence one another.
