Roman Maciejewski

Roman Maciejewski (28 February 1910 in Berlin, Germany – 30 April 1998 in Gothenburg, Sweden) was a Polish composer. His mother, Bronisława Maciejewska, was a talented violinist and music teacher who taught him to play piano. He studied in Stern Conservatory in Berlin, later with Stanisław Wiechowicz and Kazimierz Sikorski in Poznań Conservatory, then continued with Sikorski in Warsaw Conservatory. In his early years he was highly acclaimed by Karol Szymanowski. In 1934 he went to Paris, to study with Nadia Boulanger. He never returned to his native Poland, staying in various countries abroad: France (till 1938), United Kingdom (1938-1939), Sweden (1939-1951), United States (1951-1977) and again Sweden (1977–98). At first he composed inspired by Karol Szymanowski’s late style (mazurkas for piano, Kurpian Songs for choir). The tragedy of World War II, and also his very serious illness during his first stay in Sweden, caused a deep change in composer’s personality, that has greatly affected his music. Starting in 1939 Maciejewski began living in Sweden, working as a composer and pianist, where he married a Swedish dancer and remained for 12 years. During his American years, Maciejews