Paul Kochanski facts for kids
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Paul Kochanski (born Paweł Kochański) was a famous Polish violinist. He was also a composer and arranger. He was born on August 30, 1887, and passed away on January 12, 1934. Paul Kochanski spent a lot of his career in the United States.
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Early Life and Music Training
Paweł Kochański was born in Odesa, which was then part of the Russian Empire. He started playing the violin with his father. When he was seven years old, he began studying with Emil Młynarski. Młynarski was a well-known conductor and teacher.
In 1901, Młynarski moved to Warsaw and started the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra. He invited 14-year-old Paul to be the orchestra's concertmaster. This is the lead violinist in an orchestra. Młynarski believed Paul would become a world-class soloist. In 1903, Paul went to Brussels to study at the Brussels Conservatoire. After only four months, he won the "First prize, with the greatest distinction." This showed how talented he was.
Paul soon began his career as a traveling violin virtuoso. He met the famous pianist Arthur Rubinstein in 1907. They became very good friends and often performed together. They played many concerts, including pieces by Ludwig van Beethoven and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. In 1908, Paul and Rubinstein toured many European cities like Berlin, Paris, and London.
Pre-War Career and Collaborations
From 1909 to 1911, Paul Kochanski taught violin at the Warsaw Conservatory. In 1909, he and Arthur Rubinstein performed the first public show of Karol Szymanowski's Violin Sonata in D minor. They were part of a group called "Young Poland." This group helped bring new musical ideas to Warsaw.
In 1911, Paul married Zosia Kohn. Her father gave him a valuable Stradivarius violin as a wedding gift. Szymanowski later dedicated his First Violin Concerto to Kochanski in 1916. Paul also helped write a special solo part, called a cadenza, for this concerto.
In London, Paul met other famous musicians like Igor Stravinsky. Stravinsky even dedicated a violin and piano version of three pieces from his ballet The Firebird to Kochanski. Paul performed in several concerts in London in 1914, playing modern music.
From 1916 to 1918, Paul taught at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. He became friends with Sergei Prokofiev there. Paul helped Prokofiev with the violin parts for his First Violin Concerto. After St. Petersburg, he taught at the Kiev Conservatory until 1920. In January 1920, he performed Szymanowski's Nocturne and Tarantella for the first time in Warsaw.
Life in London and New York
In 1920, Paul lived in London for a short time. He gave a concert with Arthur Rubinstein at Wigmore Hall. He also reunited with Szymanowski. In early 1921, Paul and Szymanowski gave a joint concert in London. A few weeks later, they traveled to New York City.
In New York, Paul Kochanski made his first big performance at Carnegie Hall. He played the Johannes Brahms Violin Concerto. It was a huge success, and he became very popular.
From 1924 until his death, Paul taught at the Juilliard School in New York. He was the head of the violin department. In 1933, even though he was very ill, he helped Szymanowski finish his Second Violin Concerto. Paul also performed this concerto for the first time. The music was later dedicated to him.
Paul Kochanski passed away from cancer in 1934 at the age of 46. Many famous musicians attended his memorial service. These included Arturo Toscanini, Jascha Heifetz, Vladimir Horowitz, and Fritz Kreisler.
Legacy and Collection
Dr. John Erskine, the dean of the Juilliard School, praised Paul Kochanski. He said that Paul's playing and teaching were amazing. He believed Paul would have become even more famous as a composer if he had lived longer.
The National Library of Poland in Warsaw has a special collection of Paul Kochański's original music and writings. This collection was bought from New York in 1988.
