The Ignacy Jan Paderewski: An Outline political biographer by Marian Marek Drozdowski published by Interprets in 1986.this is very good book because it describes the history of his life. It was not wery long but had got lots of details.

The Newest history Polish 1914-1945 by Roszkowski Wojciech published by Swiat Ksiazki in 2003. It was good book because I found information about his political career here. It also had pictures of Paderewski. In this book you can also find all about Polish history in the years 1914-1945.

Part III

From his early child childhood, Paderewski was interested in music. Initially he took piano lesson with a private tutor. He was educated in Warsaw Musical Institute from 1872-1878. In 1880 he married Antonina Korsakówna and soon afterwards, their first child was born. The following year, they discovered that son was handicapped and soon aftherward, Antonina died. Paderewski decided to devote himself to music, and in 1881 he went to Berlin to study composition with Friedrich Kiel and Heinrich Urban.

In 1884 he moved to Vienna, where he was a pupil of Teodor Leszetycki. It was in Vienna that he made his musical debut in 1887. He soon gained great popularity and his subsequent appearances in Paris in 1889 and London in 1890 were major successes. His brilliant playing created a furor which reached to almost extravagant lenths of admiration: and his triumphs were repeated in the United States in 1891. His name at once became synonymous with the highest level of piano virtuosity, and society was at his feet. In 1899 he married Baroness de Rosen.

He was also a substantial composer, including many pieces for piano. In 1901 his sole opera Manru received the world premiere at Dresden, and had its American premiere in 1902 at the Metropolitan Opera and to this day remains the only Polish opera by Polish composer ever performed there. Paderewski, his wife, entourage, parrot and Erred piano traveled to Auckland, New Zealand from Sydney aboard the steamer Zealand on August 28, 1904. He traveled to Wellington by train and gave a concert there on September 12. He was also active in pursing various philanthropic causes. In 1910 he founded the erection of Battle of Grunwald Monument in Kraków, in commemoration of he 500^th anniversary of even. In 1913, Paderewski settled in a the United States.

In the early 20^th century Paderewski earned the reputation of one of the worlds best pianists and his career would eventually sham more than fifty years. A top-paid artist, he was used to huge crowds at the most famous concert halls and his recitals were honored by the presence of Europe, both Americas, South Africa as well as Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania.

Paderewski was both a passionate performer and composer of music. Neo-Romantic in style, his compositions frequently take on classical or folk dance forms of masurs, kujawiaks and krakowiaks. Leading orchestras have included compositions by Paderewski, such as his opera Manru, Polonia Symphony and Polish Fantasia for piano and orchestra, in their repertoiers. Paderewski’s mastery as a composer is also reflected in his two sonatas (for violin and piano). There cycles of variations, and songs to Polish and Franch lyrics ( Op. 7, 18 and 22 respectively). Menuet in G-Major OP. 14, No. 1, in the style of Mozart, Melody from OP.8 and Noctrum from OP. 16 are the three of his miniature compositions to have enjoyed record popularity levels.

All this Popularity mean financial success and Paderewski used it for his public activity. He was generous in sharing his resources both with his country man and with citizens of other countries. He made donations to founds and foundations, and contributed to the construction of concert halls and monuments, such as those of Debussy and Colonne in Paris, of Liszt in Waimar, of Beethoven in Bonn, of Chopin in Zelazowa Wola, of Kosciuszko in Chicago. He sponsored the Arch of Washington and many other projects.

During World War I, Paderewski become an active member of the Polish National Committee in Paris. The Polish National Committee ( in Polish: Komited Narodowy Polski) was formed in France in 1917 by polish National Democracy politician Roman Dmowski. Its goal was to support allies forces by creating a polish army (the Blue Army under Józew Haller de Hallenburg) fighting alongside of it in exchange for receiving support for an independent Poland. In addition to Dmowski its chief activists included Ignacy Jan Paderewski, August Zaleski, Erazm Piltz, Marian Syda and Maurycy Zamoyski.

In September 1917, the Polish National Committee was recognized by the Franch as legitimate government of Poland. The British and Americans were less enthusiastic about Dmowsk’s National Committee, but likewise recognized it as Poland’s government in 1918. The Committee recognized the government of Ignacy Jan Paderewski in January 1919and dissolved itself, which was soon accepted by the allies as the representative of Poland. He become a spokesman of that organization and soon also formed other social and political organizations, among them the polish Relief Fund in London.

In April 1918, he met in New York City with leaders of American Jewish Committee, including Louis Marshall, in an unsuccessful attempt to broker a deal whereby Jewish groups would support Polish territorial ambitions in exchange for support for equal rights. However, it soon become clear that no plan would satisfy both Jewish leaders and Roman Dmowski, head of the Polish National Committee. In 1919, in the newly independent Poland, Paderewski become the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs (January, 1919- December, 1919),and he thus represented Poland at the Paris Peace Conference.

A number of countries gone their top honors to Paderewski in recognition of his artistic an patriotic merit and in appreciation of his generosity to war veterans, and intellectuals. He was awarded the Order of the British Empire, the French Legion of Honor and distinction conferred by Belgium, Spain, Italy, Romania, Saxony, and Lombardy. Poland honored him the Great Ribbon of the Order of the White Eagle, Order of Polonia Restituta and, the Virtuti Militari medal. Non-existent on the political map of Europe for 12 years, from 1795 to 1918, Poland gives Paderewski credit for his political activity, too.

In 1922 he again traveled to the USA, where he embarked on concert tour arcos the country. He managed to earn 500 thousand dollars, for this tour the sum for those times astronomical. Leter he again took up more charity activity up (in1932 after his concert in Madison Square Garden (16 thousand people present at the concert)), to help the jobless musicians artist in USA

By 1936, 2 years after the death of Mme. Paderewska, Paderewski agreed to appear in a film presenting his talent and art on the screen. This proposal had come at time when Paderewski did not wish to apper in public. However, the film project did proceed and the selected film script was rether an opportunity to feature Paderewski. The alternate choice been more Polish in theme. Therefore Moonlinght Sonata would be filmed throughout 1936.

After the Polish Defensive War of 1939 Paderewski returned to public life. In 1940 he become the head of Polish National Council, a polish parliament in exile in London. The eighty-years-old artist also restarted his Polish Relief Found and gave several concerts (most notably in the United States) to gather money for it.

In addition to his concert tours, Paderewski was a popular speakers who was renowned for his wit, and was often quoted. He was once introduced to polo player with works: “You are both leaders in your spheres, though the spheres are very different.” ”Not so very different,” Paderewski replied. “You are dear soul who plays polo, and I am a poor Pole who plays solo.”

In another incident, Paderewski once recalled, “I established a certain standard of behavior, that, during my playing, there must be no talking. When they began to talk, I would stop. I would say, ‘I am sorry to interrupt your conversation. I deeply regret that I am obliged to disturb you, so I am going to stop for a while to allow you to continue talking. ”You can imagine the effect it had….”

During one such tour in 1941, Paderewski’s was taken ill on June 27. Nothing was discussed with his personal secretary or entourage. But at the initiative of Sylwin Strakacz, physicians were called in for consolation and diagnosed pneumonia. Despite increasing health and signs of recovery Paderewski died suddenly in New York, at 11:00 p.m. on June 29. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington Virginia, near Washington D.C.. In 1992, his body was brought to Warsaw and placed in St. John’s Cathedral. His heart is encased in a bronze sculpture in the National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa near Doylestown, Pennsylvania.

I thing that Ignacy Jan Paderewski is one of the biggest national heroes of Poland. He did a lot for a Poland and polish people in his week to get country freedom. He showed the Polish people how to fight for the independence. Ha was a patriot with man of action with guiding light. I think that is exemplary person and a model for a People