Ośrodek Dokumentacji Muzyki Polskiej XIX i XX Wieku im. I. J. Paderewskiego

This book is addressed not only to musicologists and those people interested in the broad area of Paderewski's activities, but to all readers for whom the famous artist is a fascinating figure, still too little known or remaining in the shadow of other musicians [...]. The subject of the book is mainly the work of Paderewski, but it also focuses on the composer himself and his artistic personality perceived through the prism of creative plans, intentions, and contacts with his environment. The work of Paderewski is documented and discussed in the historical aspect (based on documentation) rather than in the analytical, comparative or aesthetic one. The composer's work is examined from the first creative plan (the origin of a work) to its popularization. Thus, the concept of the origin of a work is not understood here as a stylistic source, but as the chronology and circumstances of the process of composing.

[from the preface by M. Perkowska-Waszek]

This publication celebrates the 90th anniversary of the unveiling of the Grunwald monument and the 140^th anniversary of the birth of the monument's founder – I.J. Paderewski. It was prepared thanks to the efforts of the Economic and Social Council under the patronage of the President of the NSZZ "Solidarność" [Independent Self-Governing Trade Union ‘Solidarity'] for the Region of Małopolska, Klubu Muzyki Współczesnej "Malwa" w Krakowie [‘Malwa' Contemporary Music Club in Kraków], in cooperation with the National Archives in Kraków and the Centre for Documenting the Life and Work of I.J. Paderewski at the Institute of Musicology at the Jagiellonian University.

This book is a collection of documents from the private archives of Aniela, Sylwin, and Anne Strakacz, covering the period from 1936 to 1937. Their letters are cited in the book in addition to notes from the diaries of Sylwin Strakacz, who served for over twenty years as the personal secretary to Ignacy Jan Paderewski [...]. The letters mainly contain detailed accounts of journeys undertaken in the company of Paderewski and information on current events in his life. As A. Appleton began submitting subsequent materials, it became evident that the notes by S. Strakacz were a veritable ‘treasure trove' of information about many little-known aspects of Paderewski's private and artistic life, and even his political activity [...]. Thanks to S. Strakacz (and his wife Aniela), we now have a very vivid picture of the everyday life of the great artist at the end of his life, including a description of his habits, behaviors, reactions, and the opinions he expressed. This book provides information about Paderewski's health condition, and even mentions the titles of the films he watched, the books he read, the persons who visited him, and the food that was served.

[from the preface by M. Perkowska-Waszek]

This volume, commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the death of Ignacy Jan Paderewski, contains the articles presented at a symposium organized by the Department of History and Theory of Music at the Jagiellonian University and the Centre for Documenting the Life and Work of I.J. Paderewski at the Department of History and Theory of Music at the Jagiellonian University (currently the Institute of Musicology at the Jagiellonian University) on May 3-6, 1991. The session entitled Warsztat kompozytorski, wykonawstwo i koncepcje polityczne Ignacego Jana Paderewskiego [The Composer's Workshop, Performance, and Political Concepts of Ignacy Jan Paderewski] was a tribute to the artist, composer, political activist, patriot, great Pole, and great man.

In addition to the data concerning concert activity, the Diary includes descriptions of the most important events in the artist's personal life. It also contains certain facts related to his political and social activities, creating a biographic framework that spans all eighty years of I.J. Paderewski's life. Information on the performances and recordings of Paderewski's compositions is also included, a bibliography of these few articles written by him, as well as of the first biographies published already during the artist's lifetime.

 [from the preface by M. Perkowska]