Classical Music in Poland and the Europe of Chopin - From the Reviewer's Notebook

For the 10th International Paderewski Piano Competition  November 6th -20th, Bydgoszcz, Poland www.michael-moran.org/blog  Ignacy Paderewski starring in the innocent, wonderful and lyrical film Moonlight Sonata (1936)  Ignacy Jan Paderewski (18 November 1860 - 29 June 1941) And so the lead up to the IX International Paderewski Piano Competition begins in earnest for me at least when I go to Bydgoszcz on October 24th for the technical briefing. The young pianists have been preparing for months if not years.  And what is the Paderewski connection with Bydgoszcz? In 1918 the 58-year-old composer spent some time on the platform of the Bydgoszcz railway station, walking, stretching his legs and smoking cigarettes. This is the only confirmed episode which unexpectedly turned into a huge Bydgoszcz myth becoming the permanent brand of this city situated on the Brda river. As Paderewski was considered in a similar way to Einstein and Mahatma Gandhi in his day, this myth d