Karol Szymanowski: Correspondence, Volume 1: 1902-1919 – the first volume of a series devoted to the composer’s letters in English translation – has been published. Edited by Dr. Alistair Wightman, there are 401 letters in the first volume, which is currently only available in electronic form. This first volume covers the earliest letters dating from the composer’s student years in Warsaw. The collection goes on to cover his attempts to establish a place for himself in Polish, German and Austrian musical circles in the years leading up to the outbreak of the First World War. It also provides a record of his travels in Europe and North Africa, his experiences during the First World War, during which time Szymanowski was confined to Russian territories, and finally the turmoil of the Bolshevik Revolution, the ensuing civil war, and his desperate attempts to find a way to the newly independent Poland, a goal only realized in the final days of 1919. It is a compelling narrative which throws invaluable light on this epic phase of European history, as well as affording insights into the maturation of one of the most significant composers of the first half of the twentieth century.
Karol Szymanowski: Correspondence, Volume 1: 1902-1919 is available as an e-book from Smashwords and Amazon.
[Source: press release, onpolishmusic.com, amazon.com]