Frederic Chopin. A music journey through time

Maciej Jasiński He was in his teens, much like many of you. During holidays in Szafarnia, not far from Golub-Dobrzyń, he took a break from school, indulged in playful antics, and found time to compose. With delight, he listened to the rustic sounds of peasant obereks and mazurs, and then, with his prodigious talent, transformed them into the music that is recognized all over the world today.

Who is he? None other than the young Frédéric Chopin, a brilliant pianist and composer.

He drew mysterious power from these lands of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region to create art that has touched and delighted people worldwide for two centuries.

He found inspiration in the lively obereks of Szafarania and the slow beats of kujawiaks sung to him by his mother, Justyna, from the Krzyżanowski family of Długie, near Izbica Kujawska. Everything young Frédéric absorbed with such fervour found its way into his timeless compositions.

Chopin was born in 1810. Then, 175 years later, in Nakło, also in the Kujawsko-Pomorskie region, another prodigy was born – Rafał Blechacz, winner of the XV International Chopin Piano Competition and an Honorary Citizen of our region.

What can connect people from distant epochs? In Chopin’s time, travel across Europe meant horse-drawn stagecoaches that reached “dizzying” speeds of eighteen kilometres per hour, while handwritten letters could take weeks to journey from sender to recipient. Today, with the aid of computers, the Internet, and mobile phones, we can instantly connect with anywhere on Earth. Our travels take us speeding down highways or soaring through skies in planes. We have even extended our reach to Space!

However, there is something that connects us all, regardless of the era we are born into.

It is art, and in this case music, and its magical power to unite not only people scattered all over the world, but also those separated by time. Because art, in its essence, is timeless!

In the comic book you are now holding, you will discover a story about two young individuals whose unique journey unexpectedly takes them to the world of music. I wholeheartedly encourage you to read it.

I also invite you to visit Szafarnia, Płonne, Obory, Golub-Dobrzyń, Turzno, and Toruń.

Without the need for magical potions, you can travel through time and admire the places that profoundly influenced Chopin’s masterpieces.

I assure you that when you visit Szafarnia in May for the annual International Chopin Piano Competition for Children and Youth, you will truly understand the immense power of music.

PIOTR CAŁBECKI Marshal of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region

ISBN 978-83-965996-9-8

Krzysztof Trystuła

Chopin – a musical genius

A painting by Edmund Wadowski. A photo from the Chopin Archive Centre.

Frédéric Chopin (1810–1849) is a renowned Polish composer and pianist from the Romantic era. His music, recognizable by just a few initial notes, resonates worldwide.

His musical sensitivity was shaped in the Dobrzyń land, specifically in Szafarnia, located in today’s Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region. The composer’s connection to this region ran deep.

Not only was his mother born on a farm in Długie, but Chopin also spent his summer vacations in Szafarnia in 1824 and 1825.

During these visits, he explored nearly twenty sites across Kujawy and Pomorze.

Frédéric was fourteen when he came to Szafarnia at the invitation of his school friend Dominik Dziewanowski.

What did young Chopin do in Szafarnia? He certainly was not engrossed in studying, as evidenced by his note: “the books are sleeping, for the weather is beautiful.” While he surely played the piano, being on vacation also meant indulging in leisure. He attempted horse riding, though without success, and humorously remarked that he looked “on a horse like a monkey on a bear.” In Szafarnia, he explored the traditions of the Polish countryside, appreciating local folk music and, notably, three dance forms: kujawiak, oberek, and mazur. His stays in Szafarnia had profound impact on his later compositions, as it was there that he developed a deep fascination with Polish folk music and folklore.

Before leaving Warsaw for vacation, Frédéric promised his parents that he would write letters every day to update them on his health and activities. But could a genius, recognized as such even at a young age, write ordinary letters? He decided to create his version of the Kurier Warszawski newspaper, which he named Kurier Szafarski.

Acting as its editor, he meticulously recorded all events. Like a true journalist, he adopted the pseudonym Pan Pichon [Mr. Pichon], an anagram of his last name. The Kurier Szafarski, that is Frédéric Chopin’s holiday newspaper, vividly captures the atmosphere of that time and documents unique memories penned by a talented boy soon to be celebrated as a brilliant pianist, musician, and composer. Chopin regularly sent subsequent issues of the Kurier to his parents in Warsaw, detailing even minor events, recounting interesting encounters, discussing inspirations, and providing elaborate accounts of his travels, including those in the Dobrzyń land.

Frédéric Chopin was born on 1 March 1810 in Żelazowa Wola, near Warsaw. His father, Nicolas, a Frenchman, moved to Poland in his teenage years and later became a private tutor for children in noble households.

In Żelazowa Wola, he met Justyna Krzyżanowska, whom he married in 1806. Together, they had four children: Ludwika, Frédéric, Izabela, and Emilia. When Frédéric was seven months old, the family relocated to Warsaw, where the young composer spent the first half of his life. The Chopin family ran a boarding house in their residence for boys from noble families attending high school in Warsaw. Frédéric quickly made new friends there, and despite his delicate health, he was often the life of the party. He played the piano, drew caricatures, and was an excellent actor. The entire Chopin family was musically inclined. The father played the flute and violin, the mother sang, and Ludwika played the piano. Chopin began composing at the age of seven. His musical legacy encompasses piano literature, chamber works, two concertos, and other compositions including numerous polonaises, sonatas, scherzi, études, nocturnes, waltzes, ballades, and fantasias. Particularly notable are his mazurkas; he composed around sixty of them. The first of these Mazurka in A minor, Op 17, no. 4 was written during his holiday stay in Szafarnia.

In 1830, at the age of 20, Frédéric left Poland. After journeying through major European capitals, he eventually settled in Paris, where he would spend his adult life. In France, he continued to compose, perform concerts, and teach piano lessons.

Yet, Szafarnia, a significant place from Chopin’s youth, was not merely a closed chapter in his life’s history.

His time at the Dziewanowskis’ manor left a lasting mark on his work, inspiring him and sensitizing him to the richness of his national culture. Szafarnia also stands as a reminder that true greatness withstands the test of time. While trends come and go, Chopin’s work is still on top. It captivates subsequent generations, each of whom finds something unique within it.

Dr AGNIESZKA BRZEZIŃSKA, Director of the Chopin Centre in Szafarnia

writer Maciej Jasiński artist Krzysztof Trystuła consultation dr Agnieszka Brzezińska translation Agnieszka Szewczuk ISBN 978-83-965996-9-8

commissioned by Self-Government of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region, Poland Contact: Office of the Marshal of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region in Toruń Address: Plac Teatralny 2, 87-100 Toruń, Poland tel. +48 56: 6218600, 6218610 Kontakt: e-mail:Marszałkowski punkt.informacyjny@kujawsko-pomorskie.pl Urząd Województwa Kujawsko-Pomorskiego w Toruniu Plac Teatralny 2, 87-100 Toruń, tel. 56 62-18-600, 56 62-18-610 www.kujawsko-pomorskie.pl e-mail: punkt.informacyjny@kujawsko-pomorskie.pl www.kujawsko-pomorskie.pl

facebook.com/WojewodztwoKujawskoPomorskie twitter.com/lubietubyc instagram.com/kujawskopomorskie youtube.com/user/umwkp

year of publication 2023 print run 1000 copies published by Agencja Reklamowa GALL sc ul. Dworcowa 7/203, 87-100 Toruń gall@gall.torun.pl

issuu.com/kujawsko-pomorskie flickr.com/photos/kujawskopomorskie

Check out other comic book stories about great figures of Kuyavia and Pomerania

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Chopin – a musical genius

A painting by Edmund Wadowski. A photo from the Chopin Archive Centre.

Frédéric Chopin (1810–1849) is a renowned Polish composer and pianist from the Romantic era. His music, recognizable by just a few initial notes, resonates worldwide.

His musical sensitivity was shaped in the Dobrzyń land, specifically in Szafarnia, located in today’s Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region. The composer’s connection to this region ran deep.

Not only was his mother born on a farm in Długie, but Chopin also spent his summer vacations in Szafarnia in 1824 and 1825.

During these visits, he explored nearly twenty sites across Kujawy and Pomorze.

Frédéric was fourteen when he came to Szafarnia at the invitation of his school friend Dominik Dziewanowski.

What did young Chopin do in Szafarnia? He certainly was not engrossed in studying, as evidenced by his note: “the books are sleeping, for the weather is beautiful.” While he surely played the piano, being on vacation also meant indulging in leisure. He attempted horse riding, though without success, and humorously remarked that he looked “on a horse like a monkey on a bear.” In Szafarnia, he explored the traditions of the Polish countryside, appreciating local folk music and, notably, three dance forms: kujawiak, oberek, and mazur. His stays in Szafarnia had profound impact on his later compositions, as it was there that he developed a deep fascination with Polish folk music and folklore.

Before leaving Warsaw for vacation, Frédéric promised his parents that he would write letters every day to update them on his health and activities. But could a genius, recognized as such even at a young age, write ordinary letters? He decided to create his version of the Kurier Warszawski newspaper, which he named Kurier Szafarski.

Acting as its editor, he meticulously recorded all events. Like a true journalist, he adopted the pseudonym Pan Pichon [Mr. Pichon], an anagram of his last name. The Kurier Szafarski, that is Frédéric Chopin’s holiday newspaper, vividly captures the atmosphere of that time and documents unique memories penned by a talented boy soon to be celebrated as a brilliant pianist, musician, and composer. Chopin regularly sent subsequent issues of the Kurier to his parents in Warsaw, detailing even minor events, recounting interesting encounters, discussing inspirations, and providing elaborate accounts of his travels, including those in the Dobrzyń land.

Frédéric Chopin was born on 1 March 1810 in Żelazowa Wola, near Warsaw. His father, Nicolas, a Frenchman, moved to Poland in his teenage years and later became a private tutor for children in noble households.

In Żelazowa Wola, he met Justyna Krzyżanowska, whom he married in 1806. Together, they had four children: Ludwika, Frédéric, Izabela, and Emilia. When Frédéric was seven months old, the family relocated to Warsaw, where the young composer spent the first half of his life. The Chopin family ran a boarding house in their residence for boys from noble families attending high school in Warsaw. Frédéric quickly made new friends there, and despite his delicate health, he was often the life of the party. He played the piano, drew caricatures, and was an excellent actor. The entire Chopin family was musically inclined. The father played the flute and violin, the mother sang, and Ludwika played the piano. Chopin began composing at the age of seven. His musical legacy encompasses piano literature, chamber works, two concertos, and other compositions including numerous polonaises, sonatas, scherzi, études, nocturnes, waltzes, ballades, and fantasias. Particularly notable are his mazurkas; he composed around sixty of them. The first of these Mazurka in A minor, Op 17, no. 4 was written during his holiday stay in Szafarnia.

In 1830, at the age of 20, Frédéric left Poland. After journeying through major European capitals, he eventually settled in Paris, where he would spend his adult life. In France, he continued to compose, perform concerts, and teach piano lessons.

Yet, Szafarnia, a significant place from Chopin’s youth, was not merely a closed chapter in his life’s history.

His time at the Dziewanowskis’ manor left a lasting mark on his work, inspiring him and sensitizing him to the richness of his national culture. Szafarnia also stands as a reminder that true greatness withstands the test of time. While trends come and go, Chopin’s work is still on top. It captivates subsequent generations, each of whom finds something unique within it.

Dr AGNIESZKA BRZEZIŃSKA, Director of the Chopin Centre in Szafarnia

writer Maciej Jasiński artist Krzysztof Trystuła consultation dr Agnieszka Brzezińska translation Agnieszka Szewczuk ISBN 978-83-965996-9-8

commissioned by Self-Government of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region, Poland Contact: Office of the Marshal of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region in Toruń Address: Plac Teatralny 2, 87-100 Toruń, Poland tel. +48 56: 6218600, 6218610 Kontakt: e-mail:Marszałkowski punkt.informacyjny@kujawsko-pomorskie.pl Urząd Województwa Kujawsko-Pomorskiego w Toruniu Plac Teatralny 2, 87-100 Toruń, tel. 56 62-18-600, 56 62-18-610 www.kujawsko-pomorskie.pl e-mail: punkt.informacyjny@kujawsko-pomorskie.pl www.kujawsko-pomorskie.pl

facebook.com/WojewodztwoKujawskoPomorskie twitter.com/lubietubyc instagram.com/kujawskopomorskie youtube.com/user/umwkp

year of publication 2023 print run 1000 copies published by Agencja Reklamowa GALL sc ul. Dworcowa 7/203, 87-100 Toruń gall@gall.torun.pl

issuu.com/kujawsko-pomorskie flickr.com/photos/kujawskopomorskie

Check out other comic book stories about great figures of Kuyavia and Pomerania

Maciej Jasiński He was in his teens, much like many of you. During holidays in Szafarnia, not far from Golub-Dobrzyń, he took a break from school, indulged in playful antics, and found time to compose. With delight, he listened to the rustic sounds of peasant obereks and mazurs, and then, with his prodigious talent, transformed them into the music that is recognized all over the world today.

Who is he? None other than the young Frédéric Chopin, a brilliant pianist and composer.

He drew mysterious power from these lands of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region to create art that has touched and delighted people worldwide for two centuries.

He found inspiration in the lively obereks of Szafarania and the slow beats of kujawiaks sung to him by his mother, Justyna, from the Krzyżanowski family of Długie, near Izbica Kujawska. Everything young Frédéric absorbed with such fervour found its way into his timeless compositions.

Chopin was born in 1810. Then, 175 years later, in Nakło, also in the Kujawsko-Pomorskie region, another prodigy was born – Rafał Blechacz, winner of the XV International Chopin Piano Competition and an Honorary Citizen of our region.

What can connect people from distant epochs? In Chopin’s time, travel across Europe meant horse-drawn stagecoaches that reached “dizzying” speeds of eighteen kilometres per hour, while handwritten letters could take weeks to journey from sender to recipient. Today, with the aid of computers, the Internet, and mobile phones, we can instantly connect with anywhere on Earth. Our travels take us speeding down highways or soaring through skies in planes. We have even extended our reach to Space!

However, there is something that connects us all, regardless of the era we are born into.

It is art, and in this case music, and its magical power to unite not only people scattered all over the world, but also those separated by time. Because art, in its essence, is timeless!

In the comic book you are now holding, you will discover a story about two young individuals whose unique journey unexpectedly takes them to the world of music. I wholeheartedly encourage you to read it.

I also invite you to visit Szafarnia, Płonne, Obory, Golub-Dobrzyń, Turzno, and Toruń.

Without the need for magical potions, you can travel through time and admire the places that profoundly influenced Chopin’s masterpieces.

I assure you that when you visit Szafarnia in May for the annual International Chopin Piano Competition for Children and Youth, you will truly understand the immense power of music.

PIOTR CAŁBECKI Marshal of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region

ISBN 978-83-965996-9-8

Krzysztof Trystuła