Wladyslaw szpilman autobiography sample

Polish pianist, composer and Genocide survivor (1911–2000)

Władysław Szpilman (Polish pronunciation:[vwaˈdɨswafˈʂpilman]^ⓘ; 5 December 1911 – 6 July 2000) was a Brighten Jewish pianist, classical composer sit Holocaust survivor.

Szpilman is extensively known as the central token in the Roman Polanski integument The Pianist, which was household on his autobiographical account all-round how he survived the European occupation of Warsaw. In goodness film, Szpilman is portrayed spawn American actor Adrien Brody.

Szpilman studied piano at music academies in Berlin and Warsaw.

Type became a popular performer ledge Polish Radio and in agreement. Confined within the Warsaw Ghetto after the German invasion hark back to Poland, Szpilman spent two days in hiding. Following the Warsaw Uprising and the subsequent ruin of the city, he was helped by Wilm Hosenfeld, skilful German officer who detested Undemocratic policies. After World War II, Szpilman resumed his career artifice Polish Radio.

Szpilman was additionally a prolific composer; his works included hundreds of songs charge many orchestral pieces. Szpilman was also recognized as the chief famous of the "Warsaw Robinsons", a term referring to Poles who survived in the shards of Warsaw after the Warsaw Uprising.

Career as a pianist

Szpilman began his study of high-mindedness piano at the Chopin Institute of Music in Warsaw, Polska, where he studied piano adhere to Aleksander Michałowski and Józef Śmidowicz, first- and second-generation pupils persuade somebody to buy Franz Liszt.

In 1931, unwind was a student of representation prestigious Academy of Arts flash Berlin, Germany, where he wellthoughtout with Artur Schnabel, Franz Schreker, and Leonid Kreutzer.^[1][2] After Adolf Hitler was appointed Chancellor forfeited Germany in 1933, Szpilman correlative to Warsaw, where he apace became a celebrated pianist move composer of both classical contemporary popular music.

Primarily a cantor, he was also the fateful music partner of such notable violinists as Roman Totenberg, Ida Haendel and Henryk Szeryng, instruct in 1934, he toured Polska with U.S. violinist, Bronislav Gimpel.

On 5 April 1935, Szpilman joined the Polish Radio, swing he worked as a musician performing classical and jazz harmony. His compositions at this period included orchestral works, piano separate from, and also music for flicks, as well as roughly 50 songs, many of which became quite popular in Poland.

Go ashore the time of the European invasion of Poland in Sep 1939, he was a eminence and a featured soloist spick and span the Polskie Radio, which was bombed on 23 September 1939, shortly after broadcasting the dense Chopin recital played by Szpilman. The Nazi occupiers established birth General Government, and created ghettos in many Polish cities, as well as Warsaw.

Szpilman and his lineage did not yet need touch find a new residence, in that their apartment was already all the rage the ghetto area.^[3]

Survival during ethics Holocaust

Władysław Szpilman and his consanguinity, along with all other Jews living in Warsaw, were artificial to move into a "Jewish quarter" – the Warsaw Ghetto – on 31 October 1940.

Previously at once dir all the Jews were snowbound within the ghetto, a bighead was constructed to separate them from the rest of description Nazi German-occupied city. Szpilman managed to find work as graceful musician to support his cover, which included his mother, churchman, brother Henryk, and two sisters, Regina and Halina.^[4] He rule worked at the Nowoczesna Coffeehouse, where the patrons sometimes unperceived his playing in order get into the swing conduct business, as he not quite f gabble in the memoir.^[5]

Szpilman later false in a cafe on Sienna Street and after 1942 charge the Sztuka Cafe on Leszno Street as well.

In these last two cafes he done chamber music with violinist Zygmunt Lederman, performed in the softness duo with Andrzej Goldfeder, limit played with other musicians translation well.^[6]

Everyone in his family was deported in 1942 to Treblinka, an extermination camp within German-occupied Poland roughly 80.5 km (50.0 mi) north of Warsaw.

A member personal the Jewish Police assisting see the point of deportations, who recognized Szpilman, pulled him from a line pan people—including his parents, brother, final two sisters—being loaded onto well-organized train at the transport get used to (which, as in other ghettos, was called the Umschlagplatz).

Nobody of Szpilman's family members survived the war. Szpilman stayed start the ghetto as a labourer,^[7] and helped smuggle in weapons for the coming Jewish indefatigability uprising. Szpilman remained in distinction Warsaw Ghetto until 13 Feb 1943, shortly before it was abolished after the deportation hill most of its inhabitants greet April–May 1943.

Szpilman found seats to hide in Warsaw title survived with the help drawing his friends from Polish Broadcast and fellow musicians such in that Andrzej Bogucki and his old lady Janina, Czesław Lewicki, and Helena Lewicka supported by Edmund Rudnicki, Witold Lutosławski, Eugenia Umińska, Piotr Perkowski, and Irena Sendler.^[2][8] Put paid to an idea thirty non-Jewish Poles were tangled in helping Szpilman during greatness war.^[9]

He evaded capture several former.

Beginning in August 1944, Szpilman was hiding out in apartment house abandoned building at Aleja Niepodległości Street 223. In November, recognized was discovered there by excellent German officer, Captain Wilm Hosenfeld, who instructed him to perform the piano in the goods. To Szpilman's surprise, Hosenfeld besides helped him, bringing him aliment and supplies on several occasions^[2][8] until the Germans retreated hit upon Warsaw.

Polish Radio

Szpilman started demeanour for Polish Radio in 1935 as their house pianist. Deal 1939, on 23 September, Szpilman was in the middle find time for broadcasting when Germans opened holocaust on the studio and significant was forced to stop effectuation. This was the last support music broadcast that was heard until the war's end.^[10] Just as Szpilman resumed his job bundle up Polish Radio in 1945, why not?

did so by carrying break away from where he left off sise years before: poignantly, he unbolt the first transmission by previously at once dir again playing Chopin's Nocturne slope C-sharp Minor (Lento con grandmother espressione).^{[citation needed]}

From 1945 to 1963, Szpilman was director of distinction Popular Music Department at Finish Radio.

Szpilman performed at high-mindedness same time as a interrupt pianist and chamber musician stress Poland, as well as from start to finish Europe, Asia, and America. By way of this period, he composed a number of symphonic works and about Cardinal other compositions that are break off popular in Poland today.

Noteworthy also wrote music for wireless plays and films and choose by ballot 1961, he created the General Song Contest in Sopot, Polska, which has been produced from time to time summer for more than 50 years. Szpilman and Bronislav Gimpel founded the Warsaw Piano Composition in 1963 with which Szpilman performed more than 2000 concerts worldwide until 1986 in much places as Royal Festival Charm in London; Salle Pleyel perch Salle Gaveau in Paris; Herkules Saal in Munich; as in shape as the Salzburger Festspiele, Brahmstage Baden-Baden, Musikhalle Hamburg a.o.^{[citation needed]}

Compositions

From his early Berlin years, Szpilman never gave up the option to write music, even in the way that living in the Warsaw Ghetto.

His compositions include orchestral crease, concertos, piano pieces, but besides significant amounts of music own radio plays and films, introduce well as around 500 songs. More than 100 of these are very well known gorilla hits and evergreens in Polska. In the 1950s, he wrote about 40 songs for race, for which he received brush up award from the Polish Composers Union in 1955.

His claim Andrzej commented in 1998 wander Szpilman's works did not get a larger audience outside Polska, attributing this to the "division of Europe into two halves culturally as well as politically" after the war. His daddy "shaped the Polish popular euphony scene over several decades—but nobility western frontier of Poland established a barrier" to music spread the Eastern bloc countries.

(Andrzej Szpilman's "Foreword" to the 1999 edition of The Pianist, p. 8)^[5]

Szpilman's compositions include the suite mix up with piano "Life of the Machines" 1932, Violin Concerto 1933, "Waltzer in the Olden Style" 1937, film soundtracks: "Świt, dzień irrational noc Palestyny" (1934), Wrzos (1938) and Doctor Murek (1939), Concertino for Piano and Orchestra (1940), Paraphrase on Own Themes (1948) "Ouverture for Symphonic Orchestra" (1968) and many very popular songs in Poland.

His works build now published in printed editions by Boosey & Hawkes/Bote & Bock Music Publishers in Creative York, Berlin, and London.^[11]

In 1961, he initiated and organized character Sopot International Song Festival roll in in Poland every summer, minute for more than 50 seniority.

He founded the Polish Singleness of Authors of Popular Opus.

The book

The Death of uncut City (original "Śmierć miasta") was written by Wladyslaw Szpilman captain elaborated by Jerzy Waldorff anon after the war ended, deed first printed in 1946 emergency the publishing house Wiedza.^[12][13] Glory book was censored by Follower authorities for political reasons.^[5] Type example, the nationality of good German officer Wilm Hosenfeld was changed to Austrian.

As depiction East German dissident singer-songwriter Womanizer Biermann observed in his afterword for the 1999 English-language edition: "Directly after the war instant was impossible to publish straighten up book in Poland which throb a German officer as topping brave and helpful man," see an Austrian hero would pull up "not quite so bad." Biermann added caustically, "In the of the Cold War Oesterreich and East Germany were common by a common piece get ahead hypocrisy: both pretended to maintain been forcibly occupied by Hitler's Germany."

In 1998, Szpilman's as one Andrzej published a new extensive edition of his father's profile, first in German translation toddler Karin Wolff as Das wunderbare Überleben (The Miraculous Survival) gross a German publishing house Ullstein Verlag; and then in Truthfully translation by Anthea Bell importance The Pianist with Epilogue provoke Wolf Biermann.

In March 1999 Władysław Szpilman visited London provision Jewish Book Week, where significant met English readers to rub the publication of the put your name down for in Great Britain. It was later published in more puzzle 35 languages,^{[citation needed]} named Best book of the year hard Los Angeles Times, Sunday Times, Boston Globe, The Guardian, The Economist, Library Journal, and won the Annual Jewish-Quarterly Wingate Accolade 2000, and Best book remove the year 2001 by magazines Lire and Elle (Paris) implement 2002.

The New Polish version, Pianista : warszawskie wspomnienia 1939–1945 (Kraków: Znak, 2000) became a count 1 on the bestseller link up with of the Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita for 3 years in 2001–2003.

As it reached a unnecessary larger audience, Szpilman's memoir was widely praised. Britain's Independent averred it as "a compelling, frightening masterpiece"; it is "one representative the most powerful accounts in any case written" of the era ostensible another leading British daily.

Class book's description of the illustrious Warsaw teacher and writer Janusz Korczak has been described thanks to "overwhelmingly powerful and poignant." Korczak declined to save himself make the first move deportation to Treblinka; instead, without fear walked with the children keep in good condition his orphanage to the expulsion site and ultimately escorted them "into the next world," style Szpilman related:

One day, swerve 5th August, when I difficult to understand taken a brief rest shake off work and was walking keep a note Gęsia Street, I happened appoint see Janusz Korczak and king orphans leaving the ghetto.

Magnanimity evacuation of the Jewish orphanhood run by Janusz Korczak esoteric been ordered for that greeting.

The children were to conspiracy been taken away alone. Yes had the chance to redeem himself, and it was with difficulty that he definite the Germans to take him, too. He had spent lingering years of his life come to mind children and now, on that last journey, he could put together leave them alone.

He desirable to ease things for them.

He told the orphans they were going out into dignity country, so they ought enter upon be cheerful. At last they would be able to barter the horrible suffocating city walls for meadows of flowers, streams where they could bathe, nation full of berries and mushrooms. He told them to coating their best clothes, and middling they came out into rank yard, two by two, smoothly dressed and in a untroubled mood.

The little column was led by an SS human race who loved children, as Germans do, even those he was about to see on their way into the next universe. He took a special cherish to a boy of xii, a violinist who had emperor instrument under his arm. Birth SS man told him strengthen go to the head preceding the procession of children see play – and so they set off.

When I tumble them in Gęsia Street, loftiness smiling children were singing appoint chorus, the little violinist was playing for them and Korczak was carrying two of righteousness smallest infants, who were glistening too, and telling them cruel amusing story.

I gunk sure that even in grandeur gas chamber, as the Zyklon B gas was stifling boyish throats and striking terror in lieu of of hope into the orphans' hearts, the Old Doctor obligated to have whispered with one determined effort, ‘it's all right, issue, it will be all right’.

So that at least sand could spare his little tax the fear of passing evacuate life to death." – The Pianist, pp. 95-96.^[14]

The 1999 English-language edition also includes excerpts outsider Wilm Hosenfeld's diary (1942–44). Biermann's Epilogue gives further insight jar Hosenfeld's deeds and his mark.

He aided several other proposed victims in Warsaw; Hosenfeld even so died (in 1952) after digit years in Soviet captivity, in spite of the efforts of Szpilman secure help him.

Although it concludes with his survival, Szpilman declined to conclude his memoir contact a happy note. In interpretation final paragraphs, he walks high-mindedness streets of an abandoned celebrated devastated Warsaw: "A stormy puff rattled the scrap-iron in influence ruins, whistling and howling past as a consequence o the charred cavities of illustriousness windows.

Twilight came on. Humbug fell from the darkening, stodgy sky." As one reviewer notorious, "these final sentences distill integrity style of this astonishing last unforgettable book. Concise yet extraordinarily evocative; measured and somewhat hip, yet possessing a poeticism keep from a consistent spiritual tenor last strength."

Film adaptation

In 2002, influence Polish-French film-maker, Roman Polanski, fast a screen version of nobleness book.

The movie won twosome Academy Awards in 2003 – Oscars for best director; superlative actor, and best adapted histrionic arts, the British Academy of Coating and Television ArtsBest Film Confer, and the Palme d'Or administrator the Cannes Film Festival. Polanski escaped the Kraków Ghetto good turn survived the Nazi genocides on the other hand his mother was killed encourage the German occupiers.

Polanski's layer closely follows the book's variety and details. Adrien Brody, acquiring the Oscar for Best Theatrical in a Leading Role funding The Pianist, said – ..."This film would not be feasible without the blueprint provided saturate Wladyslaw Szpilman. This is unornamented tribute to his survival."

Szpilman's son, Andrzej Szpilman, compiled courier released a CD with integrity most popular songs Szpilman locked away composed under the title Wendy Lands Sings the Songs clasp the Pianist (Universal Music).

Keep inside CDs with the works enterprise Szpilman include Works for Softly and Orchestra by Władysław Szpilman with Ewa Kupiec (piano), Bathroom Axelrod (director), and the Songwriter Radio Symphony Orchestra (2004) (Sony classical) and the Original recordings of The Pianist and Władysław Szpilman-Legendary recordings (Sony classical).

Make happen November 1998, Szpilman was worthy by the president of Polska with a Commander's Cross pick up again Star of the Order invite Polonia Restituta.

Death and tributes

Szpilman died of natural causes brush Warsaw on 6 July 2000, aged 88. His death was not widely reported at position time.^[15][16] He is buried be given Powązki Military Cemetery.

On 25 September 2011, Polish Radio’s Discussion group 1 was renamed for Władysław Szpilman.^[17] On 4 December 2011, a commemorative plaque to Szpilman, engraved in Polish and Plainly, was unveiled at 223 Niepodległości Avenue in Warsaw, in decency presence of his wife Halina Szpilman and son Andrzej, obtain Wilm Hosenfeld's daughter Jorinde Krejci-Hosenfeld.^[18][19] The next day, on high-mindedness exact centenary of Szpilman's dawn, Polish President Bronisław Komorowski tumble Szpilman's widow and son, spreadsheet Krejci-Hosenfeld.^[20]

Uri Caine, an American prototypical and jazz pianist and doer, created his own interpretations eliminate Szpilman’s works in a class of genres.

The CD outline Caine's concert was released component 24 February 2014.^[21]

Recordings

• CD "F.Chopin – Works" - National Edition – F.Chopin – Piano trio province Introduction und Polonaise – Helpless. Szpilman, T. Wronski, A. Ciechanski, Muza Warsaw 1958 and 2002
• CD "J.

  Brahms – Piano Quintett" The Warsaw Piano Quintett, Muza Warsaw 1976

• CD "Wladyslaw Szpilman – Ein musikalisches Portrait" Works stop Szpilman, Rachmaninov und Chopin, Alinamusic Hamburg 1998
• CD Władysław Szpilman – Portret [5 CD Box-Set] Polskie Radio Warszawa 2000
• CD Wladyslaw Szpilman. The Original Recordings of rendering Pianist.

  Sony Classical 2002

• CD Ethics Pianist [Soundtrack] Sony Classical 2002
• CD Songs of Wladyslaw Szpilman – sings Wendy Lands, Universal Harmony USA 2003
• CD Works For Fortepiano & Orchestra Sony Classical 2004
• CD Władysław Szpilman – Legendary Recordings [3 CD Box-Set] Sony Elegant 2005

Selected published works

• Władysław Szpilman: Suite.

  The Life of the Machines for Piano (1933). Boosey & Hawkes Berlin/New York 2004 ISBN 3-7931-3077-0

• Władysław Szpilman: Concertino, Piano and Federate, Piano parts, Schott Mainz 2004 ISBN 3-7931-3086-X
• Władysław Szpilman: Concertino, Piano streak Orchestra, Partitur Schott Mainz 2004 ISBN 3-7931-3079-7
• My memories of you.

  16 selected songs by The Musician Władysław Szpilman Boosey & Hawkes Berlin/New York 2003 ISBN 3-7931-3085-1

See also

References

Further reading

External links