June 29 we commemorate Ignacy Jan Paderewski who died in New York 85 years ago today in 1941.
This genius, composer and pianist turned statesman and philanthropist was born Nov. 18, 1860 in Kuryówka, Podolya region of Poland. In 1884 Polish superstar actress Helena Modrzejewska helped start up Paderewski's career and in 1887. In 1891 he arrived at American shores and would end up performing 30 tours in the next 5 years, playing in every American State. His charismatic star quality and extravagant manner were unmatched and attracted not only music lovers, but heads of state. Paderewski's most renowned Piano miniature is the Minuet in G-Major Opus 14 and he left us over 70 orchestral, instrumental and vocal compositions. During WWI -Ignacy Jan Paderewski becomes an active member of the Polish National Committee in Paris, soon accredited by the Triple Entente as the representation of the Polish nation. Paderewski prepared a memorandum on the issue of the restitution of Polish Independence (Poland had been occupied and partitioned by Germany, Austria and Russia since 1795) for President Woodrow Wilson on the eve of America's entry into WWI (in January of 1917). The establishment of a "New Poland" became Wilson's Thirteenth Point of his famous "Fourteen Points". In 1919 Józef Piłsudski, Poland's Chief of State appointed Paderewski Poland's PM and Foreign Minister. Representing Poland at the Versailles Peace conference, Ignacy Jan Paderewski signed the Versailles Treaty which confirmed the regaining of sovereignty by Poland. And much of his fortune supported the newly forming Polish military, WWI veterans and their families. In 1922, Paderewski retired from politics and enjoyed immense success in New York (opening at Madison Square Garden and Carnegie Hall), but also concerting for Americans at large, in towns and cities across the country, arriving in his custom made train car along with his Steinway piano. In the 1937 British released film "Moonlight Sonata", shown in the US. (1943) as the "The Charmer", Maestro Paderewski was spotlighted as a brilliant renaissance man. During the outbreak and horror of joint 1939 Hitler/Stalin invasion into Poland, this remarkable Polish-American hero was a source of hope and strength to the Polish people. On June 29, 1941 when Maestro died, New York and America gave him a royal farewell. On July 3 there was a funeral at St. Patrick Cathedral in NYC. Paderewski was buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia on July 5, 1941.
