Jan Smeterlin facts for kids
Jan Smeterlin (born February 7, 1892, in Bielsko, which was then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and died on January 18, 1967, in London) was a famous Polish concert pianist. A concert pianist is someone who performs classical music in concerts. He was especially known for playing the music of two great composers: Frédéric Chopin and Karol Szymanowski.
The Life of Jan Smeterlin
Jan Smeterlin was born with the name Hans Schmetterling. He used this name for his concerts until 1923. After that, he started using the name Jan Smeterlin, which he kept for the rest of his life.
Smeterlin gave his very first concert when he was only seven years old! Even though he was very talented in music, he was first encouraged to study law. However, his passion for music was too strong. He won a special scholarship to study piano with a famous teacher named Leopold Godowsky in Vienna. Godowsky became one of Smeterlin's most important teachers. Jan Smeterlin officially started his professional music career in 1920.
Besides playing the piano, Smeterlin also loved to cook! He even wrote a cookbook, which was published after he passed away. In his later years, Smeterlin and his wife, Didi, lived in New York City. They moved back to London in 1967, and Smeterlin sadly passed away shortly after.
Smeterlin and Szymanowski
Throughout his career, Jan Smeterlin had a very close friendship and working relationship with the Polish composer Karol Szymanowski. Smeterlin often performed Szymanowski's musical pieces in his concerts. They were not just colleagues but also good friends. Szymanowski even dedicated a collection of his mazurkas (a type of Polish dance music) to Smeterlin. Their friendship was so important that their letters to each other were later published in a book.
Jan Smeterlin's Recordings
Jan Smeterlin recorded many musical pieces during his career. He recorded more music by Frédéric Chopin than by any other composer. Over the years, Smeterlin made recordings for several well-known music companies. These included Philips, Mace, Allegro, Polydor, and RCA Victor.
