![]() He left behind an amazing story of goodness in the times of evil. He died on July 6, 2000, in Warsaw, at the age of 88. Władysław Szpilman did not see Polański's Oscar-winning movie based on his memoirs. He performed as a soloist and with the violinists Bronisław Gimpel, Roman Totenberg, Ida Haendel, and Henryk Szeryng. During these years he composed several symphonic works, film music, and hundreds of songs. Szpilman's book, The Pianist, was published in 1988, soon becoming a best seller in 2002, it was made into an Oscar-winning film by Roman Polański.Īfter the war, Szpilman resumed his career at the Polish Radio (between 19 he held the title of Music Director). For the Polish Communist government, his story touched on too many taboo subjects. After all, Władysław Szpilman was rescued not only by a German but by a Jewish policeman, and by no less than 20 Poles who risked their lives to help him, and some of them were members of Polish Home Army, the wartime, anti-Communist Polish underground. When Szpilman played Chopin's "Nocturne" on an out-of-tune piano, not only did Hosenfeld not denounce the pianist, but he saved his life by helping him find a secure hiding place and providing food.Īfter the war, Szpilman published his account of what he himself calls his "miraculous survival." Initially his memoirs were issued only in a limited edition and were heavily censored-he was deemed politically incorrect in his description of goodness in varying shades of black, white, and gray. In one of his hiding places, he was found by a German officer of the Wehrmacht, Wilm Hosenfeld. He must have felt like the last man alive among the ruins. After the Warsaw Rising of 1944, he continued the life of a recluse, starving in the ghost of a town Warsaw had become. Szpilman escaped to the "Aryan" part of the city and spent two long years in hiding, assisted by his Polish friends. ![]() In 1940, he was imprisoned in the Warsaw Ghetto two years later, his entire family was deported to the Nazi death camp Treblinka his inability to do anything to help them continued to haunt him for the rest of his life. Szpilman, a most versatile pianist and composer-he played both classical music and jazz and authored many popular songs in addition to serious orchestra pieces-refused to give up music when the world around him started to crumble. He was playing Fryderyk Chopin's Nocturne in C-Sharp Minor in a live broadcast, when the music was interrupted by an explosion: the German invasion of Warsaw had begun. If any copyright has been breached it is purely accidental and any listing which does so will be removed from the site immediately.On September 23, 1939, Władysław Szpilman was giving a performance for Polish Radio, where he worked as a pianist. Headfuzz by grimboid shop is not associated with any sporting organisation, film studio, TV network, music label or book publisher. The designs are made by a fan for other fans all over the world. Also each poster can also be purchased separately.Īll the artwork sold on headfuzz by grimboid shop is 100% Unofficial. PLEASE NOTE: These posters can be resized to any measurement, please contact me to discuss your requirements. The list of great composers is huge and my selection so far is only the tiniest tip of the Classical Music iceberg!Įach poster will be printed, lovingly wrapped and securely sealed into a postal tube before being safely delivered to your door! Please contact me and I will happily produce your favourite, be it Bach, Handel or Verdi. This edition commemorates the beautiful piece of music by Frédéric Chopin - Nocturne No.20 in C-Sharp Minor.Ĭan't find your favourite Classical work? I am producing a set of book cover posters that celebrate some of the finest Classical works of the worlds greatest musicians.
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