Konstanty Gorski

Konstanty Antoni Gorski (Lida, June 13, 1859 – May 31, 1924, Poznań) was a Polish composer, violinist, organist and music teacher.

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Life

Gorski began attending school in Grodno and continued at the First Philological Gymnasium in Wilno. He obtained his musical education at the Apolinary Kątski Musical Institute in Warsaw and at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. In 1881 he graduated from the great Hungarian violinist and pedagogue Leopold Auer class and received large silver medal and “free artist” status. Next year he spent studying composition and instrumentation in class of famous Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov.

In year 1890 after eight-years-trip over Russia and Georgia – through Penza, Saratov and Tiflis (Tbilisi nowadays) Konstanty Gorski arrived to Ukrainian city of Kharkov to stay there for 29 years. He spent those years teaching youth in Kharkov Musical Secondary School, performing public work (he was one of the “Polish House” culture organization founders), working as conductor of symphonic orchestra and Polish and Church Chorus that was created due to his efforts, and staying beloved by publicity violinist and highly valued by other composers performer of their musical compositions (and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky treated him with deep respect saying that Gorski was the greatest one to execute his violin concert D-dur).

Political and economical changes in Russian Imperia, mainly October Revolution in 1917, had a great influence on the Gorski's fortune. Foreseeing approaching civil war and having no possibility of continuing his work in Kharkov, Gorski took his family and returned to Poland that had achieved freedom. At first he settled in Warsaw, where he then worked as taper in cinemas “Colosseum” and “Wodewil,” and after Warsaw he went to Poznan and achieved position of the Great Theatre concertmaster, and held it till the end of life. His opera “Margier” was shown in Poznan Opera in 1927. Other compositions of Gorski also were executed during the interwar period, e.g. Missa Solemnis Es-dur (inter alia by Poznan Moniuszko Chorus), symphonic poem Vicious Circle (Zaczarowane koło) and Organ Fantasy f-moll (first time it was executed in 1920 by Antoni Karnaszewki in Warsaw Philharmonic and after three years – by Feliks Nowowiejski in time of Copernicus cultural event in Poznan University). That fantasy is executed till nowadays with a great success.

Works

His best-known compositions include:

References

External links

See also