Roman Maciejewski

(1910 Berlin [Germany] – 1998 Gothenburg [Sweden])

Roman Maciejewski was a Polish composer, pianist, and conductor. He was born in Berlin in 1910. Blessed with a mother who was talented in instrumental performance, he received early instruction in piano and violin from childhood. From 1916 to 1919, he took piano lessons at the Stern Conservatory in Berlin. Maciejewski's family returned to Poland in 1919. Roman Maciejewski stayed in Poznań from 1924 to 1931, attending the local conservatory where he studied piano, music theory, harmony, and counterpoint. In 1931, he transferred to the Warsaw Conservatory, but two years later, he was expelled as one of the leaders of a student strike in defense of the former director, Karol Szymanowski.

Maciejewski's first major success as a pianist was a recital held at the Institute for the Propagation of Art in 1932. This performance led to his meeting with Józef Beck, the Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs, who facilitated his concert tour of the Balkan countries and secured a scholarship for him to study music in Paris. During his studies abroad, Maciejewski, who was a student of Nadia Boulanger, became acquainted with prominent contemporary composers such as Stravinsky, Milhaud, and Poulenc. Thereafter, he consistently spent his time abroad, in countries like England, Sweden, and the United States, dedicating himself to lectures, composition, and performance activities.

Maciejewski's compositions primarily consist of works for piano, but he also wrote numerous chamber and choral pieces. Furthermore, he composed stage music for theatrical productions directed by Ingmar Bergman (such as Shakespeare's Macbeth and Camus's Caligula). One of Maciejewski's most ambitious works, the Requiem Missa pro defunctis, was coolly received at the 4th "Warsaw Autumn" International Festival of Contemporary Music but gained considerable acclaim after its performance at the Los Angeles Music Center in 1975.

Roman Maciejewski passed away in Gothenburg in 1998, but his remains were buried in Leszno, Poland. Since 1997, the Roman Maciejewski Leszno Music Society has been organized in that city, continuing its activities to widely promote the works of this outstanding composer.