Dr. Małgorzata Sieradz sent us recently the Vol. II of Adolf Chybiński—Ludwik Bronarski, Korespondencja 1922-1952. Vol. II of this series covers the years 1941-1952, ending with Prof. Chybiński’s death on 31 October 1952. It is the continuation of a fascinating exchange of letters between the legendary Polish musicologist—who was active in Kraków, Zakopane, Lwów and, after World War II, Poznań—and noted pianist and pedagogue, Ludwik Bronarski, who lived in Switzerland and was one of the co-authors (with Paderewski and Turczyński) of the celebrated Complete Edition of Chopin’s works.
In her magisterial, extensive and detailed introduction, Dr. Sieradz paints a vivid mis-en-scène for each of the correspondents—Chybiński dealing with the Soviet and Nazi occupation in Lwów during the war, and Bronarski’s situation in Freiburg, where he worked on the Chopin edition, taught and performed in occasional concerts and, alongside other fellow Poles in Switzerland, tried to help his countrymen in their occupied homeland. Bronarski’s compatriots included such prominent musicologists as Zygmunt Estreicher and Stefan Jarociński, among others. Divided into ten sections (I. Lwów/II. Chybiński—Continuation of Work and New Projects/III. Wartime Losses—Treasures Saved/IV. Freiburg/V. Józef Mieczysław/VI. Poznań/VII. “Kwartalnik Muzyczny”/VIII. Chybiński, Bronarski and Chopin/IX. Tatra Mountains/X. Pro Memoria), this introduction places the narrative provided by the ensuing correspondence in much appreciated chronological and thematical order.
This volume of letters begins with Chybiński’s 10 December 1941 letter to Bronarski from Lwów and ends with the 28 April 1952 letter to the same recipient from Poznań, written only six months before Chybiński’s death. Bronarski’s letters to Chybiński span the dates 31 December 1941 through the end of December 1951. An annex to this volume also includes several letters from Chybiński’s son, Józef. The younger Chybiński spent the war years in Toulouse and in the Buchenwald Nazi concentration camp, before leaving for the U.S. in the early 1950s, where he became successful in Los Angeles’s burgeoning electronic industries. The substantial bibliography, detailed index and a short summary of the volume in English make this publication a wonderful addition to the Polish Music Center’s library.
Thank you! Dziękujemy!