published in Przekrój, issue 1552, January 5, 1975
Father. Tadeusz Paciorkiewicz (58) was born in Sierpc. He went to school in PÅ‚ock where he finished the local Organists School. During the occupation, he attended secret organ classes at the Warsaw Conservatory in the group of BronisÅ‚aw Rutkowski. He performed as an organist and taught song at several vocational schools. At the KonopczyÅ„ski School, he prepared the performance of Leon Schiller’s Pastoral in co-operation with Krystyna Rokitnicka and Hanna Buterlewicz (1942). The rehearsals were attended by the author himself! The premiere and the several performances of Pastoral were among the most touching musical nights of the occupation times. The School would get filled with patriotic song at nights, even though it was situated in a street inhabited by the Germans. The same team of girls that performed in the Pastoral also gave a few concerts and later they staged the Easter Mystery.
Shortly after the liberation, Tadeusz Paciorkiewicz went to PÅ‚ock. He covered most of the distance on foot, and only sometimes jumped onto cargo rail cars or horse carts. He walked there in order to establish the musical school he had dreamed of, and he succeeded in doing that. He was the PÅ‚ock music school’ director from 1945 to 1949. Commuting to Åódź, he completed composition studies at the Åódź State Higher Music School.
In 1950, Tadeusz Paciorkiewicz moved to Åódź and started to work at the II degree music school in the PWSM (State Higher Music School). Since 1959, he lives and works as a lecturer in Warsaw. For two years (1969-1971), he has held the office of the Warsaw PWSM’s rector. He has composed three operas. The one-act Ushiko (based on an ancient Japanese legend) was once performed by the Opera Studio of PWSM; the rights to the television version were bought by the BBC. The spectacular GdaÅ„sk Romance (based on Panienka z Okienka by Deotyma) at the Åódź Grand Theatre was performed more than 50 times, which is almost a record for a contemporary opera. On the occasion of the 500th anniversary of Copernicus’ birth, Paciorkiewicz composed the De Revolutionibus oratorio.
The first performance (February 1973) featured the orchestra of the Olsztyn Philharmonic Society and the Warsaw Academic Choir directed by Janusz Przybylski. Although the oratorio involved a very large ensemble (orchestra, choir, soloists, reciter) it was written very fast and the score sheets were virtually grabbed from the composer’s hands in order for the notes to be prepared in time for all musicians. This haste was rewarded with massive applause by the Olsztyn audience, on a scale that the oratorio author had not seen before. In 1974, Tadeusz Paciorkiewicz got a commission from the excellent Warsaw Academic Choir, which celebrated its 10th anniversary. The commissioned work – Missa Brevis – was performed at the Warsaw cathedral by three choirs: the Warsaw Academic Choir, an Italian band and a Yugoslav band under direction of Janusz DÄ…browski. Tadeusz Paciorkiewicz writes a lot for the organ (Toccata, Sonata, Gothic Fantasy), for chamber bands (in unique sets e.g. the miniatures for 4 trombones, the suite for 4 French horns, the harp sextet) and for wind bands ( for which he got two awards of the Ministry of Defence). These works are frequently performed in Poland and world-wide. This year, Paciorkiewicz celebrates the 30th anniversary of his artistic and pedagogic work.
Zofia Paciorkiewiczowa (55), Tadeusz’s wife. She studied song, the piano and the harp. When in 1947 the PÅ‚ock Music Society performed Wesele na Kurpiach by Skierkowski – Zofia sang the part of the bride. Shortly however, her family duties prevented her from practising music. Still, at her home she managed to create a truly harmonious and musical atmosphere.
Children. Antonina Paciorkiewicz (31), daughter of Tadeusz and Zofia, a pianist (pupil of Jerzy Lefeld and Lidia Kozubek). She performs as a soloist and accompanist. She works in a permanent duo with her brother Artur. 1968 was a breakthrough point in her life – at that time she graduated from PWSM (the Higher State School of Music in Warsaw) and started working at her mother school and at the II degree state music school in Bednarska St. She married Andrzej Dutkiewicz (32), an avant-garde pianist and composer. Andrzej Dutkiewicz is a pupil of Jerzy Lefeld and Regina Smendzianka (piano) and Witold RudziÅ„ski (composition). In 1970, he won the II award in the International Gaudeamus Competition for Performers of Contemporary Music in Rotterdam. He founded Grupa XX, a chamber band with variable composition, which specialises in performing contemporary music. Dutkiewicz has released two records as a soloist. Presently, he is staying in the US for the second year of his grant. He lectures on Polish contemporary music, teaches courses of contemporary piano interpretation and performs in university centres. Alicja (4), daughter of Antonina and Andrzej Dutkiewicz. She would like to go to a music school.
Artur Paciorkiewicz (30), son of Tadeusz and Zofia, an alto violist. When he was a student, the Warsaw school had so few alto violist that Artur was a member of five chamber bands at the same time. Owing to this, he got to know almost all of the musical literature for his instrument. At the moment he is a member of one of the most exquisite Polish bands, the Wilanów Quartet (Kwartet Wilanowski) – which is permanently employed by the Polish Radio and Television with 300 minutes of contemporary music recordings per year! –  and frequently performs as a soloist. His quartet has won the II award in the Joseph Haydn International String Quartet Competition in Vienna (1971), a silver medal in the V Biennial in Bordeaux (1972) and the II award in the International Music Competition in Munich (1973).
As a soloist, Artur participated in three competitions. In Munich, he did not win any awards. In the Carl Flesch Competition for Violinists and Alto Violists in London (1970) he won a distinction and a letter of Yehudi Menuhin, the permanent chair of the jury, in which letter we was praised for his performance. Artur keeps this letter as the greatest treasure in his musical archive. In Geneva (1972) Artur won the bronze medal. He works at the Higher State School of Music in Warsaw as an assistant to his professor Stefan Kamasa. Presently, he is studying to become a tutor.
When in 1969 he started to work for the school, he had one very pretty student. Soon they got married. In this way, he gained a wife but lost a student – Maria Paradowska moved to the group of Prof. Kamasa who does not believe into inter-marriage education.
Maria Paradowska (24), Artur’s wife, an alto violist. She performs in the orchestra of the National Philharmonic Society and teaches at a music high school in Warsaw. Together with her husband, they prepare works for two alto violas by Mozart, Stamitz and Bach (the “VII Brandenburg Concerto” has two solo parts for alto violas). She is beginning to perform as a soloist, bur her two greatest loves are chamber music and her daughter Katarzyna (2).
Paweł Paciorkiewicz (27), son of Tadeusz and Zofia. He has finished primary music school (violin group of Prof. Irena Dubiska), but then he decided to go to general high school and today he is an engineer. He likes music and, among the whole family, he is the one who has the most time to listen to it.
Ryszard Paciorkiewicz (40), son of Józef, Tadeusz’s elder brother. He plays the bassoon. He is the concertmaster in the bassoons group in the Warsaw Grand Theatre’s orchestra.
So far, Tadeusz Paciorkiewicz has written one “family” work, the Duo for Viola and the Piano for Artur and Antonina. This work had been commissioned by the Polish Radio. Now everybody is expecting a suite for soprano, organ (Senior Paciorkiewiczs), two alto violas (junior Paciorkiewiczs), two pianos (the Dutkiewicz family), accompanying bassoon (Ryszard) and two children’s voices (Alicja and Katarzyna) so that the entire family may perform together at last.
Małgorzata Komorowska
/published in Przekrój, issue 1552, January 5, 1975/