Stanisław Wiechowicz

The composer, teacher, conductor and music critic Stanisław Wiechowicz studied organ in Kraków, and musicology and composition in Dresden, St. Petersburg, and Paris. Between the wars, he worked for many years as a professor at the conservatory in Poznań and simultaneously as conductor of the Poznań choirs. He also wrote numerous musical treatises on vocal pedagogy and Polish music. During World War II he worked as a lawyer, musicologist, and tutor. After the war he was appointed dean of the faculty of education and vice-rector of the State Higher School of Music (now Music Academy Kraków). In 1959, he was awarded the Commander’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta.

Wiechowicz’ main works were choral music, frequently drawing patterns from Polish folk music, but also orchestral music. His work Kantata Żniwna (Harvest Cantata) for a mixed choir a capella received an Honorable Mention at the 1948 London Olympic Games in the Art Competitions in the category Music, Compositions for Orchestra. The piece, written in D-minor, uses lyrics from Polish folklore and is about 8-minutes long.