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20th Anniversary of Stefan Kisielewski's Death
2011-09-27
Today marks the twentieth anniversary of the death of Stefan Kisielewski (1911-1991), renowned composer, writer, music critic, journalist, educator and politician. On this occasion, in the PIW cafe in Warsaw at 18.00 today there will be a gathering Kisiel’s friends, to be led by his son - Jerzy Kisielewski. An additional reason to meet is the publication of „Powieści warszawskich” - the second volume of Kisielewski’s collected works and reissuing of his famous "Diaries" by Iskry publishers. Fragments will be read by Henryk Talar. The meeting will be broadcast by Polish Radio Two.Also on Radio Two this week from Monday to Friday, as part of the series "Voices from the past" at 11.45, archival recordings of Stefan Kisielewski’s personal memories will be played - narrated with zest and humor, provoking deeper reflection.
We also invite you to view the virtual exhibition prepared on the occasion of the hundredth anniversary of Kisiel’s birth, which also falls in this year, at http://www.kisielewski.art.pl/
Stefan Kisielewski, composer, publicist, music critic, writer, studied at the Warsaw Conservatory with K. Sikorski (composition) and J. Lefeld (piano) and Polish literature and philosophy at the University of Warsaw. He complemented his musical studies in Paris. He began his activities in the interwar period as a composer, critic and writer. In 1939 he was appointed musical director of "Warszawa II" Broadcasters. He lost most of his compositions during the war. After 1945 he settled in Kraków, was one of the founders of Ruch Muzyczny, which he led as editor in chief for 3 years. At the same time he was a lecturer at the State Higher School of Music in Kraków. After a famous speech at the congress of composers in Łagów, in which he criticized government demands interfering with creative freedom he was dismissed from school and his pieces were placed on the index – to be neither published nor performed for many years. In the years 1950-53 he was editor of the Kraków Philharmonic’s „Przewodnik koncertowy”, in the years 1956-61 – president of the PCU branch in Kraków. Increasingly, he became politically active – including becoming a member of parliament for the Catholic organisation, "Znak" (1957-1965). This involved him moving to Warsaw. In later years he was editor in chief of the „Synkopa” music publishers, president of the music section of ZAiKS, a member of the Writers’ Union and a board member of the PCU. He was involved in composing, writing and publishing. He published many books on music. During martial law, he was a popular columnist for „Tygodnik Powszechny”. He died in 1991 shortly after the premiere of his "Piano Concerto" at the Warsaw Autumn festival.
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