Karol Szymanowski

Commentators frequently refer to Karol Szymanowski (1882-1937) as the most important Polish composer between Chopin and Lutoslawski. The simple truth of this statement fails to convey the breadth of Szymanowski's accomplishment as a creative artist who sought to forge a musical identity for a country whose national identity had been fragmented by repeated political partition and cultural isolation. As a composer, Szymanowski introduced new European trends to audiences that had long preferred the backwards-looking work of local Chopin imitators; as a teacher and administrator, he fought for much-needed reforms in the teaching of Poland's young musicians; and as an occasional writer, he argued presciently that the future of Polish culture could only be assured if an appreciation of its heritage was combined with a fearless consideration of the new.