Zdzisław Jachimecki’s Musicological, Scientific and Journalistic Activitiy

Abstract

The areas of Zdzisław Jachimecki’s musicological work in the context of scientific issues of European musicology have been highlighted in this article. Besides the scientific and journalistic activities of Zdzisław Jachimecki, who was the head of the musicology department of the Jagiellonian University at once, also has been analyzed in this paragraph. The influence of Zdzisław Jachimecki’s scientific and journalistic activities on the establishment and development of the Polish school of musicology has been presented as well. Zdzisław Jachimecki – was the founder of the Krakow's school of musicology which was the first such school in whole Poland and one of the first Polish musicologists with an academic title as well. Besides there is not much detailed information about scientific and pedagogical activities of Zdzisław Jachimecki in printed sources. The issue of scientific activity of professor of musicology of the Jagiellonian University Zdzisław Jachimecki has been researched partially in recent studies of W. Poźniak "Zdzisław Jachimecki as a music and theater critic" [8], J. Parzyński "Promotional activity of Zdzisław Jachimecki",U. Hrab "Lviv's school of musicology of Adolf Chybiński" (1912- 1941)" [1], K. Duszyk "Composers' works of Zdzisław Jachimecki", L. Kyyanovska "Milestones of the Polish-Ukrainian musical relationships in Lviv in the XIX – first half of the XX century", Małgorzata Woźna-Stankiewicz "Zdzisław Jachimecki (1882 – 1953) : the founder of the musicology in the Jagiellonian University: catalog of the exhibition". Unfortunately, the coverage of this issue in the Ukrainian and foreign musicology is not enough and requires a more deeper understanding. Purpose of the article: to highlight the scientific and journalistic activities of Zdzisław Jachimecki in the context of cultural and educational traditions of the first half of the twentieth century. Zdzisław Jachimecki was a famous Polish musicologist, professor, doctor of musicology, music and theater critic, teacher and composer. Professor Zdzisław Jachimecki conducted his musicological studies at the University of Krakow since 1911 and till the end of his life. The institution directed by him, extended over a long period of time until it became a department of musicology. Educational work did not interfere to professor Zdzisław Jachimecki to wrote numerous and valuable scientific musicological works as well as a works of popular-scientific nature upon the same themes. All these works are known to musicologists of many European countries, besides they had been widely publicized and won the resonance not only in Poland but also abroad at once. Zdzisław Jachimecki was the author of over 100 publications, including such monograph as "The History of Polish Music", monograph about Richard Wagner, monograph about F. Chopin, monograph about S. Moniuszko [8]. Zdzisław Jachimecki combines the figure of the scientist-musicologist with the figure of promoter of music in all these works which have been mentioned above. He acquainted the readers with the life and works of different composers, gathered crowds of listeners and fans of music and served to music in such way. These books were not only welcomed by specialists-musicologists, but, above all, by music amateurs as well. Just because Zdzisław Jachimecki had customized the style of his literary expression for music amateurs, had used terms not only from musicological language, but also from the general humanistic language. That's why they are available for a wide range of people. Zdzisław Jachimecki had published also a series of smaller works, along with the large-scale research works mentioned above, which are also important for the Polish musicology. There are many bold concepts in the scientific contribution of professor Zdzisław Jachimecki, which had collected and meticulously decorated by him in his books, pamphlets and hundreds of articles. The content and the size of the scientific publications of Zdzisław Jachimecki shows us an unusual diligence of this author. The range of interests of professor Zdzisław Jachimecki had been reflected in all his writings. The phenomenon's associated with the musical and theatrical life, descriptions and impressions of travel and even articles upon a social-cultural issues were the main objects of his scientific works. Zdzisław Jachimecki had studied theater events from musicological point of view for many years. However, he became a prominent expert in the topic the theatrical scene with the passage of time. He was invited to take the post of theater speaker at "Illustrated Daily Courier" in 1938. The very first reviews by Zdzisław Jachimecki had proved his proficiency, they were the studies of the highest level, which combined his great erudition, insightful look of creative scientist with the temperament of the unusual writer and easiness of shape as well. Activity of Zdzisław Jachimecki as a critic and essayist is inseparable from promotion of music, and this explains the language which scholar had used: affordable, imaginative, devoid of scientific language. Unquestionable professionalism of journalistic heritage by Zdzisław Jachimecki evident not in unsung by him inaccessible terminology, but rather in meaningful of his judgments which was formulated by him. He preferred to genre of review, elements of report items were also available in that his texts. That is why the collection of his critical essays in periodicals – is infinitely valuable overview of musical events of that time. Form of journalistic style and the level of Deeping of the theme were caused in the works of Zdzisław Jachimecki by a carrier of information, and by "genre loading" of refereed event. Therefore, it is very important to focus on the objective of professor Zdzisław Jachimecki to combine a thorough job of the scientist with interest of the masses, to raise Polish national musical science at the European level at all educational levels, enhance the prestige of musicological sciences as required, basically for a professional musician, as well.