Zygmunt Mycielski

Already in high school Zygmunt Mycielski was tutored by Father Bernardino Rizzi (1891-1968), a priest and composer. From 1928 Mycielski continued his musical education at the École Normale de Musique in Paris, where he became president of the Association of Young Polish Musicians in Paris in 1934. He returned to Poland in 1936 and began to compose, publish in music magazines, and work as a music critic. During World War II, he was taken prisoner-of-war and forced to work on a German farm. After returning to Poland, Mycielski became co-editor of the magazine “Ruch Muzyczny” (“Musical Movement”) and in 1960 its editor-in-chief. In 1948 he briefly served as chairman of the Polish Composers’ Association.

In 1955 he wrote an article in “Przegląd Kulturalny” (“Cultural Review”) criticizing the isolation of Polish music. After further publications critical of the government, Mycielski was censored and removed from his position as editor-in-chief of “Ruch Muzyczny”. In 1978 he co-founded the illegal Society for Academic Education. Nevertheless, in 1983 he became an honorary member of the Polish Union of Composers.

Mycielski received numerous awards, especially in the 1950s, including the Commander’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta and the Order de mérite culturel in Monaco. His extensive archive is located in Warszawa. His style is described as neo-classicism. Mycielski composed symphonies and other orchestral works, ballets, chamber music and songs. For his less than 10-minute long Uwertura śląska (Silesian Overture) for orchestra and two pianos, written in 1948, he received the prize of the Minister of Culture and Art in 1955. The work was dedicated to Polish poet and satirist Konstanty Ildefonsur Gałczyński (1905-1953).