Maklakiewicz, Jan Adam

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Maklakiewicz, Jan Adam

Maklakiewicz, Jan Adam, Polish composer and teacher; b. Chojnata, Mazuria, Nov. 24, 1899; d. Warsaw, Feb. 7, 1954. He was a student of Biernacki (harmony) and Szopski (counterpoint) at the Chopin Music School in Warsaw. After studies in composition with Statkowski at the Warsaw Cons. (1922–25), he completed his training in composition with Dukas at the École Normale de Musique in Paris. He served as a prof. at the Lódź Cons. (1927–29), and then at the Warsaw Cons. (from 1929). He was director of the Kraków Phil. (1945–47), the Warsaw Phil. (1947–48), and the Krakow Cons, (from 1947). Maklakiewicz composed in an advanced style before developing a highly simplified idiom.

Works

dramatic: Cagliostro w Warszawie (Cagliostro in Warsaw), ballet (1938; Poznan, Oct. 1, 1946); Zlota kaczka, ballet (1950); incidental music; film scores. orch.: 2 syms.: No. 1, Wariacje symfoniczne (1922) and No. 2, Swiçty Boze (O Holy Lord), for Baritone, Chorus, and Orch. (1928); Cello Concerto (1932); Violin Concerto (1933); Grundwald, symphonic poem (1939–44; Kraków, Sept. 1,1945); Uwertura praska (Prague Overture; Prague, May 8, 1947). other: Chamber music; Pieśńi japonskie (Japanese Songs) for Soprano and Orch. (1930; Oxford, July 23,1931); much sacred music; many arrangements of Polish folk songs.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire