Melcer-Szczawiński, Henryk
- Barbara Chmara-Żackiewicz
Extract
(b Marcelin, nr Warsaw, July 25, 1869; d Warsaw, April 18, 1928). Polish composer, pianist, teacher and conductor. Son of Karol Melcer, violinist and director of the Kalisz Music Society, Henryk made his début as a pianist in Kalisz in 1878, and in Warsaw in 1882. From 1887 he studied mathematics at the University of Warsaw, continuing from 1892 in Vienna. He graduated from the Music Institute in Warsaw after studying with R. Strobl (piano diploma, 1891) and Z. Noskowski (composition); he was probably also a student of A. Michałowski (piano). From 1892 to 1894 he refined his pianistic technique with Leschetizky in Vienna. In 1895 he was awarded first prize in the composition category of the second Anton Rubinstein competition in Berlin (for his Piano Concerto in E minor, his Piano Trio in G minor, and two of his three Morceaux charactéristiques later published as his op.5), and third prize in the category for piano performance. In ...