On collective forms of the Chopin cult in Poland during the nineteenth century
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Date
2010
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Katedra Muzykologii, Wydawnictwo Naukowe PTPN, Wydawnictwo Naukowe UAM
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Abstract
This article is devoted to specific forms of the Chopin cult that developed
in Poland during the nineteenth century. Due to the socio-political situation in the
country during the period of the Partitions and the influence of tradition, this cult was
manifest first and foremost in the joint experiencing of anniversaries connected with
the composer on the part of members of local communities or the entire nation. The
basic medium of that experience was the press, in which biographic articles, sketches
on his music and also poetical works devoted to the composer were an obligatory part
of the anniversaries of Chopin’s birth and death. In this way, the Chopin cult in Poland
became primarily a literary phenomenon. Also linked to the traditional culture of the
letter that was Polish culture of the nineteenth century is the characteristic form of the
Chopin cult known as the obchód. The communal character of the obchód was reflected
in its specific form and content. One of the prime concerns was the need to
forcibly communicate the fact that Chopin’s music was a national good. Thus at the
centre of the theatrically-managed obchód stood an orator or actor declaiming against
the background of Chopin’s music. For the purposes of these declamations, a huge
amount of literature was produced, examples of which are discussed in the article.
Another characteristic “anniversary” product were re-workings of Chopin compositions
for large orchestral and choral forces, treated as “ceremonial”. One example of a
Chopin celebration displaying the features discussed were the Lviv Chopin celebrations
in 1910, which the author describes in more detail.
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Keywords
Fryderyk Chopin cult, Chopin literature, Chopin anniversaries
Citation
Interdisciplinary Studies in Musicology 9, 2010, pp. 151-163.
ISBN
978-83-232-2148-7