Fitelberg, Grzegorz

Preface

Grzegorz Fitelberg – Polish Rhapsody Op. 25

(b. Daugavpils, October 18, 1879 – d. Katowice, June 10, 1953)

(1913)

Preface
Of Polish-Jewish descent, Grzegorz Fitelberg was born in 1879 in Daugavpils and died in 1953 in Katowice. Grzegorz’s musical journey started studying composition with Zygmunt Noskowski and violin with Stanisław Barcewicz at the Musical Institute in Warsaw. Although his father, Hozjasz Fitelberg was a military musician,he did not follow in his footsteps. Upon graduation, he competed in solo competitions and composed. Starting as a concertmaster for the Warsaw Philharmonic, he eventually became their conductor. As an advocate for Polish contemporary music his influence on the Polish arts community was great, supporting young Polish composers by performing their music and sharing it with world. During 1906 to 1953, Fitelberg performed approximately 189 concerts presenting Polish contemporary music.

Fitelberg’s oeuvre is considerable. He composed solo, vocal, chamber, and orchestral works, among them Berceuse for violin and piano (1897), Canzoneta for Symphonic Orchestra (1903), Protesilas and Laodamia, Op. 24 (for voice and orchestra) (1908), and Recitativ for Clarinet and Piano (1918).

Fitelberg also had a successful career as a conductor. Starting in 1934, he was prominent with the Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra, a position he held for most of his life. During his professional life he conducted many symphonic and operatic orchestras as the Warsaw Opera, the Vienna State Opera, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, State Orchestra of Moscow, Mikhailovsky Theatre, Mariinsky Theatre, and the Teatro Colón. In World War I, Fitelberg conducted the first performance of Igor Stravinsky’s Mavra (1922), before he immigrated to the United States in 1939 when World War II began. However, he returned to Europe in 1946 to continue his musical career becoming the director of the Great Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra in Katowice. Towards the end of his career, he led the Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra often touring with the ensemble around Europe, and worked as professor at the State Higher School of Music in Katowice from 1950–1951. …

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