BIOGRAPHICAL PROFILE 2022, 21.11.2021 (English)

 BIOGRAPHICAL PROFILE 2022, 21.11.2011

 

Marchwiński Jerzy Wladyslaw

Professor at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw

O: Pianist, chamber musician, academic teacher;

B: Truskolasy, 06.01, 1935;

P: His father Władysław came from a farming family but had wanted to become an organist since his early youth; he learned about a school for organists run by Ludwik Wawrzynowicz in Częstochowa and went there, but the headmaster burst out laughing when he looked at Wladyslaw’s fingers because due to working with the plow, they could not fit between the keys; yet Władysław succeeded in learning to play up to the level of the works of Johann Sebastian Bach, learned Latin and graduated from the Wawrzynowicz School; subsequently, he got a position as organist in Kalej, near Częstochowa and then in Lisiniec in Częstochowa;

Zofia - kindergarten teacher; sister Barbara - dentist

MS: Ewa Podleś - opera singer, contralto, performs on the greatest opera stages of the world;

Ch: Anna Maria; Ewa Maria; Grandchildren: Julian, Emilia, Mateusz, Zofia;

E: His first teacher was his father, who during the Nazi occupation managed to get a small harmonium, and he was able to show his son some basics of music; a Polish Christmas carol "Wise Men of the World” became Professor Marchwiński’s first contact with that archaic instrument; he was lost in admiration with the harmonium’s sound. To the astonishment of his parents, he was able to play the “Wise Men” by ear, with both hands. Then, Władysław taught his pre-schooler son the basic names of the notes; between 1947 and 1952, the boy took lessons with pianist Stefania Borkowska, first privately and then at a music school. Her students at that time included Krzysztof Komeda, Andrzej Jasiński (future mentor of Krystian Zimerman); Between 1949 – 1951 Marchwiński studied at Romuald Traugutt High School in Częstochowa; 1953 - 1958 he studied piano at the State High School of Music in Warsaw under the direction of Maria Wiłkomirska and piano chamber music under the direction of Kiejstut Bacewicz; he also honed his skills with Carlo Zecchi in Salzburg and Taormina;

Ca: 1954 – 2005 Professor Marchwiński taught at the State Higher School of Music (since 1979, the Fryderyk Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw). Full professor since 1984; the honorable title of "Honorary Lifetime Professor of the Academy" awarded by the Senate of the Academy;

In the years 1968-83 he was the exclusive partner of violinist Konstanty Andrzej Kulka, in 1974-1981 he played in the Polish Radio and Television Quartet called by critic Jerzy Waldorff 'Quartet of Masters'; the other members were violinist Konstanty Andrzej Kulka, violist Stefan Kamasa and cellist Roman Jabłoński.

He also performed with the most eminent Polish artists including Krystyna Szczepańska, Stefania Woytowicz, Halina Słonicka, Edmund Kossowski, Andrzej Bachleda, Andrzej Mróz, Andrzej Hiolski, Teresa Żylis-Gara, Ewa Podleś, Wanda Wiłkomirska, Stefan Kamasa and foreign musicians, such as singers Janine Micheau, Regine Crespin and Maureen Forrester (he performed with her during the first of his several American tours;  they also gave many concerts in Europe) and violinists Igor Ozim and Alfredo Campoli; he recorded over 25 LPs. Most of his recordings were released also on CDs, including the Complete Works for Violin and Piano by Karol Szymanowski performed with Konstanty Andrzej Kulka. The project received the award of the President of Polish Radio and Television. Marchwiński made numerous archival recordings for Polish Radio, BBC, SFB, Bayerischer Rundfunk, WDR, and others; he also collaborated with international music competitions in Toulouse, Munich, Bilbao, and Rio de Janeiro. Currently, he is conducting numerous master classes (also as part of the European Network of Opera Academies workshops), during which he deals with the culture of partner-like performance and cooperation based on the idea of musical partnership;

WaCW: Research interests: musical and interpersonal partnership. Author of three books devoted to the idea of partnership in music: On Partnership in Music, published by the Fryderyk Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw, 2001, Partnership in Music (PWM Edition 2010), Piano Chamber Music (the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw, 2014). Authored a number of publications on piano chamber music and ensemble performances, published among others in "Ruch Muzyczny" and in “Zeszyty Naukowe Akademii Muzycznej im. F. Chopina” in Warsaw. In his publications, he emphasizes the partnership in music as the basis of ensemble playing, discusses the basic professional and psychological problems of partnership, and focuses on the need for a change in public awareness which keeps reducing the pianist's participation in ensemble playing to the role of an accompanist; in Marchwiński’s opinion, it results in downgrading the status of the pianist who participates in ensemble performances as an equal (particularly in performances involving two musicians).

Selected discography: Marta Ptaszyńska, Songs of Despair and Solitude - Ewa Podleś (contralto), Jerzy Marchwiński (piano), Polskie Nagrania CD 075, 1991;

Duos (Mendelssohn, Brahms, Schumann) - Ewa Podleś (contralto), Joanna Kozłowska (soprano), Jerzy Marchwiński (piano), ISR 002; Karol Szymanowski, vol. 1-6, Polskie Nagrania, PNCD 067

He participated in the recording of numerous songs and chamber pieces; sat on the juries of numerous national and international music competitions; in Poland, he was a judge at the majority of chamber music and vocal competitions, including, among others, the International Stanisław Moniuszko Vocal Competition in Warsaw, and Andrzej Hiolski Competition.

Awards: Polonia Restituta Commander's Cross; Gold Cross of Merit; Silver Medal for Merit to Culture Gloria Artis; First Degree Award of the Rector of the Academy of Music in Warsaw; First Degree Award of the Minister of Culture and Art;

Me: Vice-president of the Main Board of the Association of Polish Music Artists (SPAM), member of the Board of the Fryderyk Chopin Society, founded and for a few years co-presided of the Association of Polish Artists Musicians in France (Association des Artistes Musiciens Polonais en France); in 2015, he initiated the establishment of the National Centre for Education and Promotion of Musical Partnership in Ensemble Playing in Bydgoszcz;

Ach: Successful family life including 42 years of marriage; academic and artistic career including concerts together with his wife, creation of the Chair of Piano Chamber Music at the Academy of Music in Warsaw, publication of the book "On Partnership in Music", the title of full professor granted by the Senate of the Academy of Music;

LS: English, French;

H: Mountain trekking;

PMM: Unable to perform concerts since the 1980s due to a disability of  his right hand; marriage in 1980; the birth of daughters and grandchildren;

RoS: An adage of his own authorship: "I am fighting a hopeless, losing battle with an incurable disease called old age, but that does not stop me from marveling at the miracle of Life and being Human";

Web: www.jerzy-marchwinski.blogspot.com

 

Legend:

N: Name,

T: Academic title,

Pseudonym: Pseudonym,

O: Occupation,

B: Place and date of birth,

P: Parents,

MS: Marital status,

Ch: Children,

GrA: Great ancestors,

E: Education,

Ca: Career,

CO: Companies Ownership

WaCW: Writings and Creative Works

CaSA: Civil and Social Activities,

Aw: Awards,

Me: Memberships,

Ach: Achievements,

LS: Language Skills,

H: Hobbies,

PMM: Personal Magic Moments,

OA: Other Activities,

RoS: Reason of success,

Web: Website,

PSN: Primary Social Network.