Henryk Melcer-Szczawiński

Henryk Melcer-Szczawiński (born September 21, 1869 in Kalisz , † April 18, 1928 in Warsaw ) was a Polish pianist, composer , conductor and music teacher .

Life

After attending the classical high school in Kalisz, Melcer-Szczawiński moved to Warsaw. There he studied mathematics at the university and piano with Rudolf Strobl and composition with Zygmunt Noskowski at the conservatory . After graduating in 1890, he studied from 1892 to 1894 in preparation for a career as a piano virtuoso with Theodor Leschetizky in Vienna.

He performed in Paris, Petersburg, Vienna, Dresden and Leipzig and won first prize in composition and third prize in piano playing at the Rubinstein piano competition with his first piano concerto. After this first great success, he taught piano at the Helsinki Conservatory until 1899 . Until 1902 he headed the Lviv Conservatory and from 1902–03 the Lviv Philharmonic . From 1903 to 1906 he worked as a teacher and pianist at the Vienna Conservatory .

Then he returned to Warsaw, where he directed the Philharmonic from 1910 to 1912 and the Opera Orchestra from 1916 to 1917. In 1918 he took over a piano class at the Warsaw Conservatory, and from 1925 he also led a composition class. From 1922 to 1927 he was director of the conservatory. His students included u. a. Helena Ottawowa , Róża Benzefowa , Stanisław Nawrocki , Margeriay Trombini Kazurowa and Ignacy Rozenbaum .

In addition to three major orchestral works - two piano concertos and a symphony - Henryk Melcer-Szczawiński composed mainly chamber music and vocal works, including songs based on poems by Adam Mickiewicz and Richard Dehmel and music based on Stanisław Wyspiański's tragedy Protesilas i Laodamia .

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personal data
SURNAME	Melcer-Szczawiński, Henryk
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Polish pianist, conductor, composer and music teacher
DATE OF BIRTH	September 21, 1869
PLACE OF BIRTH	Kalisz
DATE OF DEATH	April 18, 1928
Place of death	Warsaw