Zygmunt Mycielski
Encyclopedia
Zygmunt Mycielski was a Polish
composer
and music critic. He was born in Przeworsk
and completed his childhood education in Kraków
, where he was taught by Bernardino Rizzi. In 1928, Mycielski moved to Paris
, where he studied composition at École Normale de Musique with Paul Dukas
and Nadia Boulanger
. While there, he served as president of the Association of Young Polish Musicians in Paris from 1934 to 1936. In 1936, he moved back to Poland and began his music and writing career.
Mycielski served in the Polish military during World War II
and became a prisoner of war
after being captured by the German Army
. For the rest of the war, he did compulsory work for a German farmer. After the war ended, he returned to Poland and served two terms as editor for Ruch Muzyczny (1946 – 1948 and 1957 – 1959) before becoming editor-in-chief from 1960 to 1968. His political views clashed with communist Polish authorities, however. His publications caused him to be ousted as editor-in-chief of Ruch Muzyczny; his writings were then subject to strict censorship and he was forbidden to leave the country.
Mycielski continued his political activism though. In 1975, he signed a group letter with other Polish intellectuals protesting proposed changes to the Polish constitution by the Communist party. In 1978, he founded the Academic Education Society, a student organisation that was deemed illegal and later banned.
Mycielski died in Warsaw
and he was buried in Wiśniowa
on the Wisłok River.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and music critic. He was born in Przeworsk
Przeworsk
Przeworsk Ukrainian: Переворськ, is a town in south-eastern Poland with 15,675 inhabitants, as of 2 June 2009. Since 1999 it has been in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship, and is the capital of Przeworsk County....
and completed his childhood education in Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
, where he was taught by Bernardino Rizzi. In 1928, Mycielski moved to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, where he studied composition at École Normale de Musique with Paul Dukas
Paul Dukas
Paul Abraham Dukas was a French composer, critic, scholar and teacher. A studious man, of retiring personality, he was intensely self-critical, and he abandoned and destroyed many of his compositions...
and Nadia Boulanger
Nadia Boulanger
Nadia Boulanger was a French composer, conductor and teacher who taught many composers and performers of the 20th century.From a musical family, she achieved early honours as a student at the Paris Conservatoire, but believing that her talent as a composer was inferior to that of her younger...
. While there, he served as president of the Association of Young Polish Musicians in Paris from 1934 to 1936. In 1936, he moved back to Poland and began his music and writing career.
Mycielski served in the Polish military during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and became a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
after being captured by the German Army
German Army
The German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
. For the rest of the war, he did compulsory work for a German farmer. After the war ended, he returned to Poland and served two terms as editor for Ruch Muzyczny (1946 – 1948 and 1957 – 1959) before becoming editor-in-chief from 1960 to 1968. His political views clashed with communist Polish authorities, however. His publications caused him to be ousted as editor-in-chief of Ruch Muzyczny; his writings were then subject to strict censorship and he was forbidden to leave the country.
Mycielski continued his political activism though. In 1975, he signed a group letter with other Polish intellectuals protesting proposed changes to the Polish constitution by the Communist party. In 1978, he founded the Academic Education Society, a student organisation that was deemed illegal and later banned.
Mycielski died in Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
and he was buried in Wiśniowa
Wisniowa
Wiśniowa may refer to the following places in Poland:*Wiśniowa, Lower Silesian Voivodeship *Wiśniowa, Lesser Poland Voivodeship *Wiśniowa, Kielce County in Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship...
on the Wisłok River.