Photography: Wladyslaw Duleba
Ignacy Jan Paderewski
1860 - 1941
Ignacy Jan Paderewski (1860–1941), a virtuoso pianist, composer, politician (the first Prime Minister of independent Poland after World War I), humanitarian and orator, was universally acclaimed as a "Modern Immortal" by his contemporaries. His charismatic personality and popular appeal made him one of the most cherished figures of the 20th century. Although his bold political vision for a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural United States of Poland was never realized, his musical legacy continues to inspire generations of musicians all around the world.
A Brief Timeline of Paderewski’s Life
- 1860
Born on November 6 in the village of Kuryłówka, in the Podolia Province of southeastern Poland (now Ukraine). - 1872–1878
Studies piano, harmony, counterpoint and trombone at the Music Institute in Warsaw.. - 1879
First published composition, Impromptu for Piano, appears in the journal Echo Muzyczne in Warsaw - 1880
Marries a fellow-student, Antonina Korsak, who dies a year later in childbirth. Paderewski's son, Alfred, is an invalid throughout his life. - 1881–1886
Paderewski studies composition with Friedrich Kiel and Heinrich Urban in Berlin, befriends Anton Rubinstein, Richard Strauss and the music publisher Hugo Bock. Studies with Teodor Leszetizky in Vienna; afterwards begins teaching at the Strasbourg Conservatory in 1885 and performing solo and chamber music concerts. - 1888
Plays concerts in Poland, Austria, Germany and Belgium. Makes a triumphant debut at the Salle Erard in Paris in March followed by highly-acclaimed recitals in major European capitals. - 1891
Performs in New York City for the first time. Gives over 100 concerts in U.S. and Canada follow during a four-month period. Initiates international annual concert tours of North America. - 1897
Purchases Kąśna Dolna estate about 60 miles southeast of Kraków. - 1899
Marries a long-time companion, Helena Górska and spends his honeymoon at Kąśna Dolna. In late summer rents a villa Riond-Bosson on the outskirts of Morges, Switzerland; after purchasing it a year later, it becomes Paderewski's principal residence until 1940. - 1901
Death of Alfred Paderewski. Premiere of Paderewski's only opera, Manru, in Dresden. American premiere at the Metropolitan Opera follows in 1902. - 1903
Sells the Kąśna Dolna estate. - 1906
Takes his first piano-roll recordings for Welte-Mignon. Also records for Aeolian Company and HMV. - 1909
Symphony in B Minor, Op. 24, "Polonia," premiered by the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Later performed in Philadelphia, New York and Baltimore. - 1914-1916
Purchases Rancho San Ignacio and Rancho Santa Helena in Paso Robles, California. Over the next 25 years plants almond trees, fruit orchards and Zinfandel grapes. His land holdings cover 2864 acres, contributing to the development of the Central Coast agriculture. Also purchases 2626 acres in Santa Maria, conducting oil drilling exploration. - 1915–1918
Gives over 300 speeches and lecture-recitals, soliciting support for Polish casualties of World War I and rallies worldwide on behalf of Polish independence. Raises millions of dollars in aid for Poland, working with US President Wilson and Herbert Hoover. - 1918
As the representative of Poland, signs the Versailles Treaty, which restores Polish sovereignty after more than 120 years. - 1919
Becomes the first Prime Minister of independent Poland, as well as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Poland's representative to the League of Nations. - 1922
Resigns from all political posts and resumes international concert tours. - 1923
Receives the honorary Doctor of Law degree from the University of Southern California for his political achievements. Other universities that honored Paderewski include Lwów, Yale, Jagiellonian, Oxford, Columbia, Poznań, Glasgow, Cambridge, and New York University. - 1932
Performs at the Madison Square Garden for an audience of about 15,000. The concert raises $37,000 for unemployed American musicians. - 1934
Paderewski's wife, Helena, dies in Switzerland after a long illness. - 1937
Appears in British film, Moonlight Sonata, portraying himself in a 21-minute recital of works by Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt and his own Menuet. - 1938
Performs a 40-minute radio recital, broadcast live around the world and carried in North America by the NBC Network. - 1939
Last tour of the United States cut short, when Paderewski becomes indisposed before the New York concert in May; sails for Europe on May 30. - 1939–1941
Following the outbreak of World War II, Paderewski conducts anti-Nazi campaign from his home in Switzerland, but does not join Polish government in exile. Evacuated via France, Spain, and Portugal, he reaches New York in November 1940. Dies in New York on June 29, 1941, and receives a state burial at the Arlington National Cemetery. - 1992
Paderewski's body is returned to Poland and buried in the Royal Crypt of the Warsaw Cathedral in a ceremony attended by the presidents of Poland and the United States.
Paderewski in Paso Robles
Paso Robles is justly proud of its most famous resident, Ignacy Jan Paderewski, who visited this Central California spa on many occasions between the years 1914 and 1939. He stayed at the El Paso Hotel (now the Paso Robles Inn), and took cures in Paso's hot springs and, shortly after his arrival, also became an owner of two large ranches, Rancho San Ignacio and Rancho Santa Helena.
He first purchased land in the area in February of 1914, eventually amassing a parcel of land encompassing three miles from east to west and four miles north to south, covering an impressive total of 2864 acres. On his land Paderewski planted grapes, almonds, and a variety of fruit trees. His farming methods and keen interest in wine-making transformed the Central Coast agriculture. In addition to his musical and political accomplishments, he also is remembered as a pioneer of vine cultivation and credited with bringing Zinfandel grapes to California. Wishing to enlarge his holdings and hoping to strike it rich through oil-drilling, Paderewski bought 2,626 acres of ranchland near Santa Maria in September 1917. Although several geological explorations and test drillings were carried out, oil was never discovered on his Santa Maria property, and the land was eventually sold in November 1933.
For even more information on Ignacy Paderewski, visit the USC Polish Music Center website.