50 YEARS CHOPIN- GESELLSCHAFT IN DER BUNDESREPUBLIK DEUTSCHLAND E.V. COMMEMORATIVE PUBLICATION to celebrate the 50th anniversary 1970 – 2020 CHOPIN-GESELLSCHAFT in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland e.V. (Chopin Society in the Federal Republic of Germany) 1 Management and organisation Table of contents Members of the Governing Body 5 Thanks to patrons and sponsors Aleksandra Mikulska 6 Greetings President Jill Rabenau 12 Interview with Aleksandra Mikulska Vice President 16 Events in the jubilee year 2020 Marietta Grollich-Voos Hartmut Stolzmann 18 50 Years Chopin Society in the Federal Republic of Germany Dr. Helmut Kelleter 20 Chopin in a new light – Concerts of the Chopin Society Advisory Body 26 The lasting importance of Chopin’s piano technique – Masterclasses Ulrich Diefenbach 32 Chopin Piano Competitions in Darmstadt – A success story Chairman Claudia Ehry, Regine Heck, Jörg Höhle, Malcolm Howlett, 42 Warsaw impressions Jochen Jeschke, Robert Naucke, Erhard Rabenau, Sabine Simon, Wolfgang Voos, Barbara Weiler, Ting Zheng 44 Building bridges – Festivals of Polish Music and Culture in Darmstadt 48 The early years 50 Maciej Lukaszczyk – A life dedicated to Chopin 54 Tabular history of the Chopin Society in the Federal Republic of Germany 64 Thoughts on Chopin 66 Chopin: His life – his works – his times 72 Chopin Piano Competitions in Darmstadt – the facts 2 3 Thanks to patrons and sponsors Our thanks go to the following patrons and sponsors – Hessisches Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Kunst (Hessian Ministry of Science and Art) – Wissenschaftsstadt Darmstadt (Darmstadt City of Science) – Sparkasse Darmstadt – Sparkassen- und Kulturstiftung Hessen-Thüringen – General Consulate of the Republic of Poland in Cologne – Deutsches Polen-Institut, Darmstadt (German Polish Institute, Darmstadt) – Akademie für Tonkunst, Darmstadt (Academy of Musical Art, Darmstadt) – Europäischer Partnerschaftsverein (Society of European Partnership) in the district of Darmstadt-Dieburg – Alink-Argerich Foundation – ENTEGA-Foundation – Merck KGaA – Piano-Berg, Darmstadt Fryderyk Chopin Hermann Raunheim – Lithograph – c. 1844 4 5 Greetings They even produced a world premiere in the heart of Hesse in March 2015, when 23 young pianists from all over the world performed Chopin’s complete works for piano solo in Darmstadt’s Kennedy-Haus – 16 hours with- out a break. Chopin would have been highly impressed! For half a century, the Chopin Society has been commit- ted to promoting music, preserving the legacy of a great Jochen Partsch Angela Dorn composer and fostering exchange between cultures. For Lord Mayor this it deserves our acknowledgement and gratitude. Hessian Minister of the Science City I wish the Chopin Society and its guests a wonderful, of Science and Art of Darmstadt varied, inspiring anniversary year with many moments of affinity with Chopin’s work and the people who love music. Angela Dorn »Chopin would have been impressed« Hessian Minister of Science and Art »An artistic gem of the greatest importance« Dear Members and Friends of the Chopin Society! Ladies and gentlemen! Had Fryderyk Chopin been alive today, he would probably The almost complete destruction of Darmstadt in the have been a staunch European: with a French father and Second World War meant that the former state capital had a Polish mother, Chopin united two cultures, made his to reinvent itself completely after the war. The city govern- musical career in Europe, was buried in Paris and, as a ment did so by reflecting on the old values installed by last wish, had his heart taken back to Poland where it Grand Duke Ernst Ludwig, the founder and inventor of the rests behind a pillar in the Church of the Holy Cross in artists’ colony, and from then on developing Darmstadt the centre of Warsaw. as the »City of the Arts«. His music still reaches the hearts of people all over the At the end of the war cultural institutions and institutes globe and has inspired musicians worldwide. And the were relocating here at a rapid pace, for example the Chopin Society continues to follow this international ideal. »International Summer Courses for New Music«, the »Darmstadt Secession« and the »German Academy for Signs of international understanding Language and Poetry«, which soon developed internatio- In 1970, when there was a total lack of communication nal reputations. This climate of cultural growth also attrac- between West Germany and the People’s Republic of ted countless artists from different cultural sectors. Most Poland, the Polish pianist Maciej Lukaszczyk took a first of them teamed up with the existing institutions. Rarely step towards improving international understanding, did they start something new themselves. Even more when he founded the Chopin Society in Darmstadt. In the rarely did institutions of international importance that ensuing 50 years its members have organised well over have survived develop out of this. 500 concerts, 25 international masterclasses for pianists as well as 11 international Chopin piano competitions. 6 7 Chopin rediscovered With the world premiere of a Chopin Marathon, the orga- I would therefore like to thank all those people, who in nisation of a Chopin festival or the inaugural concert of a the past half century, have devoted so much time and Yet just such a feat was accomplished, when the Polish competition given by all the jury members, the current effort – all on a voluntary basis – either up front or behind pianist Maciej Lukaszczyk, who had moved to Darmstadt governing body is leading the Chopin Society with un- the scenes, and have contributed to its great success. in the 1960s and worked at the State Theatre, founded the diminished freshness and verve into the next 50 years of At the same time, I would like to thank everyone who has »Chopin Society in the Federal Republic of Germany« its existence. supported the Chopin Society not only in word and deed, (Chopin-Gesellschaft in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland but also financially over the years. After 50 years, one e.V.) on September 24th, 1970. This was a remarkable Thanks to the governing body Jakub Wawrzyniak thing is certain: Darmstadt is not only the City of Science, accomplishment in many respects: in the early 1970s Thus there has developed over the past 50 years in General Consul but also, thanks to the Chopin Society, a Chopin strong- there was no sensibility in Germany for the music of this today’s culture-loving Science City of Darmstadt, an of the Republic of hold. fascinating composer with Polish-French roots, who had artistic gem of the greatest importance – both for the Poland in Cologne set new standards in piano playing, nor was there any Congratulations once again on your anniversary and we international music world as well as for our city. This is cultural or other exchange between Poland and Germany are looking forward with growing anticipation to the due in the first instance to Maciej Lukaszczyk, and mean- taking place at that time. The famous Warsaw Genuflec- anniversary concerts and events on offer again in this while to his successor Aleksandra Mikulska, as well as tion of the then Federal Chancellor Willy Brandt only took special Chopin year 2020. the tireless work of the governing body of the Chopin 50 years have elapsed since the founding of the Chopin place in December 1970. Even the German Polish Institute Society, to whom I would like to express my special Society in the Federal Republic of Germany, so now it is Jakub Wawrzyniak (Deutsches Polen-Institut), located in Darmstadt, which was gratitude. time to celebrate the golden anniversary! General Consul and Doyen of the Consular Corps founded by Karl Dedicius and in the meantime is highly re- in North Rhine-Westphalia nowned, was not founded until 1980. The constant activities and concerts of the Chopin I congratulate the Chopin Society from the bottom of my Society enrich the cultural life of our city at the highest heart and I am particularly happy and grateful to have Influence reaching far beyond Darmstadt level. We are delighted and happy to have such an been able to enjoy personally the unforgettable musical With a multitude of activities, Maciej Lukaszczyk and the excellent institution here in our city. events time and again in Darmstadt over the past 15 members of the Chopin Society succeeded in the follow- Jochen Partsch years. The impressive number of concerts and competi- ing years in forming out of a small circle of enthusiastic Lord Mayor tions that have been held over the past 50 years, as well Chopin admirers a society with influence reaching far as of musicians who have participated in them, can with- beyond the borders of Darmstadt and thus enormously out fail be clearly documented. Just as impressive is the increasing Chopin’s recognition in Germany. The activities number of musical talents who started their international of the newly founded Chopin Society included the first career via the Science City of Darmstadt. Hardly to be put Festival of Polish Music and Culture in Darmstadt in 1972 in numbers, or even words, however, is the significance of and the founding of the International Masterclasses, which the Chopin Society for the national and worldwide popu- still offer young pianists a week of tuition with master larisation of the music of the greatest Polish composer, as pianists. In 1983 there followed the 1st German Chopin well as for the German-Polish cultural dialogue, for our Piano Competition, modelled on the oldest and most friendship. Simply priceless! illustrious Chopin competition in Warsaw. In the following Fifty years ago, long before the turning point in 1989, the years it developed into the European Chopin Piano Com- Chopin Society started to build the musical bridge over petition, which not only provided countless young pianists the Iron Curtain. This exchange has become one of the with a platform to perform, but also became an important pillars of German-Polish friendship over the years.