Making it to the finals: Rem Urasin of Russia, Magdalena Lisak from Poland and Rika Miyatani of Japan. One of the 140 contestants from 39 countries was Thomasz Kolodziejek from Seattle, Washington.

In reporting on the Szymanowski recording for the 1995 Gramophone Awards, music critic Michael Oliver wrote, "Those of us who love Szymanowski's music and occasionally, if tentatively, call him a genius have had quite a few recordings of his music to be grateful for lately, but none that better demonstrates his range or which makes any apology about calling him a great composer seem more foolish."

I, personally, was very happy to see that Sir Simon Rattle also included one of the most beautiful of Szymanowski's songs (which had never been recorded outside of Poland before), the "Litany to the Virgin Mary," which I had recommended and provided the music score to him.

As for the engineering award, the recording was singled out as a clear winner. Ivor Humphreys wrote in the November issue of Gramophone magazine that, "Balance engineer Mike Clements has indeed achieved a remarkably lifelike sound here..." The acoustic design of the Symphony Hall in Birmingham also helped to bring about a superb balance of sound. EMI CDC5 55121-2.

Also available from them:
"Szymanowski as post-Wagnerian. The love songs of Hafiz, op. 24." Stephen C. Downes, 376 p. $80. This was selected as one of the outstanding dissertations in music from British universities. PhD. dissertation by Downes, Goldsmith's College, London, 1992.

Write to Garland publishing, 1000A Sherman Ave. Hamden, CT 06514.

There are several other welcome additions to the Szymanowski discography:

These are all "welcome" additions for music lovers, those who are already sold on Szymanowski and his music, as well as those looking for music to really be "moved by." The Columbus, Ohio Radio Station WOSU selected the Szymanowski Violin sonata (DENON CO 78954) as "yet another gem in Chee-Yun's discography - captivating, impassioned, lyrical - everything you'd hope to find in these late romantic works." (Gramophone Nov '95).

More Newest Releases:

This "tidbit" came from Art Zygmont's PACN (Polish American Cultural Newsletter), Winter 1995 issue. He has a little section called, "Everybody is Polish." Now we can add Nietzsche to the other names: famed ballet master NIJINSKY, English author Joseph CONRAD, composers George ANTHEIL, Victor YOUNG, SHOSTAKOVICH, among others.

Szymon Laks, a Polish-Jewish composer who survived the Nazi concentration camps only because of his musical talent. (Although Jozef Koffler, the only Polish composer extensively using the twelve tone technique, was not as lucky). You can read his own account of his ordeals and the influence of music on that life in "Music of another world," published by Northwestern University Press, 1989.

Laks was one of many Polish students who went to Paris in 1926 to study with Nadia Boulanger, Paul Dukas and others. He did not return to Poland and was living in France when war broke out and returned there after WWII. Some of his music has been published by the Polish national publishing house, PWM. Two of his early works are still available: "Suite dans le gout ancien per clavicembalo/pianoforte" and a song, "Elegia miasteczek zydowskich" (Elegy for the Jewish cities). Order from: PWM, Foreign Trade Department, al. Krasinskiego 11a, 31-111 Krakow Poland. Tel/Fax: 48/12/22 73 28.

The Polish Music Reference Center at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles has more than a dozen unpublished music scores of Szymon Laks. These were donated to our archives by the widow and son of the composer who live in Paris.

Stanislaw Niewiadomski (1857-1936p is mostly remembered for his songs. He wrote more than 100 of them, continuing the tradition of Poland's greatest song-writer, Stanislaw Moniuszko.

Ignacy Jan Paderewski (1860-1941) was the most famous and popular pianist of his time. Composer, humanitarian and diplomat, he spent his time and fortune to make Poland independent after World War I and again during WWII. Although Paderewski is primarily remembered as a pianist, he wrote many finely crafted compositions. There are six CDs available of his "Piano Concerto" three of the "Fantaisie Polonaise" for piano and orchestra, two of his Violin Sonata, one of his "Symphony" and several recordings of his piano works (including Karol Radziwonowicz's "Complete works for piano solo"on the Chant du Monde label. Be sure to listen to the Piano Sonata and the "Variations." Two extremely difficult works.

Many books have been written in English by the famed pianist's American friends and they are easily obtained in the public libraries in the U.S. Two of the more recent ones are "Paderewski" by Adam Zamoyski (l982, in English) and a diary of the pianist's concerts around the world, along with his repertoire, compiled by Malgorzata Perkowska, director of the Paderewski Archives in Krakow (1990, in Polish).

For further information contact me at my e-mail address: Wilk@mizar.usc.edu