Polish Composer & Pianist Karol Szymanowski Born On This Day in 1882

Polish composer and pianist Karol Szymanowski was born on this day in 1882.

Hailing from Tymoszówka (now part of Ukraine), Szymanowski initially studied music with his father. He furthered his studies at the Warsaw State Conservatory.

The early part of Szymanowski's career was spent in Berlin, and accordingly, much of the works from this period were influenced by late Romantic German composers, such as Richard Strauss and Richard Wagner. The arrival of the First World War forced him to remain in Tymoszówka until his family home was destroyed, at which point he settled in Warsaw.

From this point on, Szymanowski began to experiment with a more impressionistic style, taking his cues from composers such as Debussy and Ravel, and he occasionally employed aspects of atonality. He developed a parallel interest in Polish folk music and incorporated these colors into a number of his works — including the Mazurkas for solo piano, which were inspired by his compatriot Frédéric Chopin.

After he had accepted the position of Director of the Warsaw Conservatory in 1929, Szymanowski began to suffer from tuberculosis. Despite undergoing treatment in Switzerland, he succumbed to the disease in a sanatorium in 1937- aged 66.

His signature works include four symphonies, the ballets Harnasie and Mandragora, the operas Hagith and Krol Roger — plus two violin concertos, and the popular Three Myths for violin and piano.

VC ARTIST BOMSORI KIM & HANNA HOLESKA | KAROL SZYMANOWSKI | DRYADS AND PAN | 2016 INTERNATIONAL WIENIAWSKI VIOLIN COMPETITION