October 3, 1882:
Karol Maciej Szymanowski is born on his family’s estate Tymoszówka, near Yelisavetgrad, Russia (Kirovgrad, Ukraine), the third of five children born to Stanislaw (Bonawentura Marian) Szymanowski, a wealthy landowner and Baroness (Dominika Teodora) Anna Taube, descended from the Teutonic Order of Courland (Latvia).
February 6, 1906:
Two works by Karol Szymanowski (23) are performed for the first time, in Warsaw. They are Variations on a Polish Theme op.10 for piano and the Concert Overture op.12. This concert marks the first appearance of Mloda Polska (Young Poland in Music), four young Polish composers embodying a new path for Polish music, free from ideas of “national art”.
February 9, 1906:
The Piano Fantasy op.14 by Karol Szymanowski (23) is performed for the first time, in Warsaw.
April 19, 1907:
The Piano Sonata no.1 op.8 of Karol Szymanowski (24) is performed for the first time, at a Young Poland concert in Warsaw. The critics are not kind.
March 20, 1908:
Penthesilea op.18 for soprano and orchestra by Karol Szymanowski (25), to words of Wyspianski, is performed for the first time, in Lvov. Critics are mixed.
March 26, 1909:
Symphony no.1 op.15 by Karol Szymanowski (26) is performed for the first time, in Warsaw.
April 19, 1909:
A Sonata for violin and piano by Karol Szymanowski (26) is performed for the first time, in Warsaw.
April 7, 1911:
Symphony no.2 op.19 by Karol Szymanowski (28) is performed for the first time, in Warsaw. The press is positive.
December 1, 1911:
The Second Piano Sonata op.21 of Karol Szymanowski (29) is performed for the first time, in Berlin.
March 31, 1912:
Universal Edition acknowledges that Karol Szymanowski (29) has agreed to terms for publication of his music.
May 8, 1912:
Karol Szymanowski (29) signs a contract with his patron, Prince Wladyslaw Lubomirski, granting the Prince all his author’s rights for ten years. In return, the Prince will pay Szymanowski 15,000 Austrian crowns per year.
April 8, 1913:
The Romance in D op.23 for violin and piano by Karol Szymanowski (30) is performed for the first time, in Warsaw.
August 5, 1914:
Karol Szymanowski (31) writes from his home near Yelizavetgrad, Russia (Kirovgrad, Ukraine) that he has just arrived there following a harrowing journey from London. He meant to travel through Vienna, but fearing he would not be able to leave Austria, went through Berlin and Warsaw instead. Over the next three years, he will live the most creative period of this life.
April 5, 1915:
The first of the three Myths op.30 for violin and piano, La Source d’Arethuse, by Karol Szymanowski (32) is performed publicly for the first time, at the Kupicki Club, Kiev.
October 12, 1916:
Masques op.34, a piano work by Karol Szymanowski (34), is performed for the first time, in Petrograd.
April 25, 1918:
Three Paganini Caprices for violin and piano by Karol Szymanowski (35) is performed for the first time, in Yelisavetgrad.
October 18, 1919:
Karol Szymanowski (37) publishes the first of two counterrevolutionary articles in the White newspaper War and Peace.
December 24, 1919:
Having obtained permission from the Polish consulate in Odessa, Karol Szymanowski (37) arrives in Warsaw, fleeing the Russian Civil War.
January 24, 1920:
Karol Szymanowski (37) gives his first concert in Warsaw since fleeing his home in Ukraine. The response is not favorable.
June 15, 1920:
Mandragora, a pantomime by Karol Szymanowski (37) to a scenario by Boguslawski and Schiller after Molière, is performed for the first time, in Warsaw. It is a great success and 30 performances will follow. The run is only ended by the appearance of the Red Army outside Warsaw in August.
January 15, 1921:
Karol Szymanowski (38) sails from Liverpool for New York as part of a government-sponsored tour to promote Polish art. Along are Artur Rubinstein and Pawel and Zofia Kochanski.
January 24, 1921:
Karol Szymanowski (38), Artur Rubinstein, and Pawel and Zofia Kochanski arrive in New York from Liverpool on a government-sponsored tour to promote Polish art.
February 28, 1921:
Karol Szymanowski (38) and Artur Rubinstein arrive in Palm Beach from New York where Rubinstein has some engagements.
March 7, 1921:
Karol Szymanowski (38) and Artur Rubinstein arrive in Cuba from Florida for a stay of five days. He finds the Cubans much more congenial than the Americans. This is the best part of his American tour.
November 26, 1921:
The Third Symphony op.27 “The Song of the Night” for tenor, chorus, and orchestra of Karol Szymanowski (39), to words of Rumi (tr. Micinski), is performed for the first time, in London. It is a terrible performance with the tenor solo replaced by a cello and the chorus by an organ. See 11 April 1924.
January 20, 1922:
Word Songs, a song cycle by Karol Szymanowski (39) to words of Tuwim, is performed for the first time, in New York.
May 13, 1922:
Hagith op.25, an opera by Karol Szymanowski (39) to words of Dörmann, is performed for the first time, in Warsaw. Reviews are positive.
May 20, 1922:
Karol Szymanowski (39) presents a concert of his own music at the Théâtre du Vieux Colombier, Paris. The critics are ecstatic and hail him as the new Chopin (†62).
November 1, 1922:
The First Violin Concerto op.35 by Karol Szymanowski (40) is performed for the first time, in Warsaw.
October 18, 1923:
Igor Stravinsky’s (41) Octet for Winds is performed for the first time, at the Paris Opéra, conducted by the composer. Also on the program is the premiere of the First Violin Concerto op.19 of Sergey Prokofiev (32). Present for the occasion, along with both composers, are Nadia Boulanger (36), members of Les Six, Karol Szymanowski (41), Aaron Copland (22), Pablo Picasso, Anna Pavlova, Arthur Rubinstein, and Josef Szigeti. Comparing it to Stravinsky’s earlier ballets, Copland calls this “a reverse shocker.”
March 7, 1924:
String Quartet no.1 by Karol Szymanowski (41) is performed for the first time, in Warsaw.
April 11, 1924:
The Third Symphony op.27 “The Song of the Night” for tenor, chorus, and orchestra of Karol Szymanowski (41), to words of Rumi (tr. Micinski), is performed in Warsaw for the first time. The chorus is left out. In the audience is President Stanislaw Wojciechowski, as well as Witold Lutoslawski (11) who will remember the music as “spellbinding”, leaving him overwhelmed for weeks, as if he “had taken a large dose of a drug.” The evening is a resounding success with public and press. See 26 November 1921 and 3 February 1928.
March 6, 1925:
Incidental music for Act 5 of Micinski’s play Prince Potemkin by Karol Szymanowski (42) is performed for the first time, in Warsaw.
June 23, 1925:
Love Songs of Hafiz for solo voice and orchestra by Karol Szymanowski (42), words translated by Bethge, is performed for the first time, in Paris.
April 28, 1926:
Two Basque Songs op.44 for voice and piano by Karol Szymanowski (43) to folk texts are performed for the first time, in Warsaw.
May 19, 1926:
Having remained in his sister’s Warsaw home during the recent fighting, Karol Szymanowski (43) emerges for the first time in a week, to mail a postcard.
June 19, 1926:
Karol Szymanowski’s (43) opera King Roger, to words of Iwaszkiewicz and the composer, is performed for the first time, in the Grand Theatre, Warsaw.
March 1, 1927:
Karol Szymanowski (44) takes up duties as director of the Warsaw Conservatory.
April 24, 1927:
Four Songs of James Joyce op.54 for voice and piano by Karol Szymanowski (44) are performed for the first time, in Wasaw the composer accompanying his sister.
January 10, 1928:
An anonymous article appears in the Warsaw Voice of Truth, questioning the appointment of Karol Szymanowski (45) as director of the Warsaw Conservatory a year ago and pointing out what it considers to be his dictatorial practices.
January 12, 1928:
In an article published today and two more on 29 January and 1 February, Karol Szymanowski (45) defends himself in detail against the accusations made on 10 January.
February 3, 1928:
The Third Symphony op.27 “The Song of the Night” for tenor, chorus, and orchestra of Karol Szymanowski (45), to words of Rumi (tr. Micinski), is performed for the first time in its original form, in Lvov (Lviv). See 26 November 1921 and 11 April 1924.
February 10, 1928:
A lunch takes place in Warsaw attended by Karol Szymanowski (45), his supporters and critics, in an attempt to settle differences recently played out in the press. It turns into a verbal brawl with everyone’s feelings more hurt than soothed.
January 9, 1929:
A setting of the Stabat mater (tr. Jankowski) for solo voices, chorus, and orchestra by Karol Szymanowski (46) is performed for the first time, in Warsaw. While taking the cure at Edlach in Lower Austria, the composer hears the performance over the radio, perhaps his first encounter with the medium. He is ecstatic to be able to hear his music from so far away.
March 8, 1929:
A concert version of the first scene from Karol Szymanowski’s (46) unfinished ballet Harnasie is performed for the first time, in Warsaw. See 11 May 1935.
May 1, 1929:
String Quartet no.2 by Karol Szymanowski (46) is performed for the first time, at Warsaw Conservatory.
August 31, 1929:
Due to failing health and struggles with faculty and administration, Karol Szymanowski (46) suspends his duties as director of the Warsaw Conservatory.
October 24, 1930:
Karol Szymanowski (48) moves into Atma, a villa near Zakopane. He will live there for five years.
November 7, 1930:
A setting of Veni Creator (tr. Wyspianski) for soprano, chorus, orchestra, and organ by Karol Szymanowski (48) is performed for the first time, in Warsaw at the inaugural ceremonies of the Higher School of Music, an academy created largely through the efforts of Szymanowski. President Ignacy Moscicki and other national dignitaries are in attendance.
December 12, 1930:
Karol Szymanowski (48) is awarded an honorary doctorate from Jagiellonian University, Krakow.
April 17, 1931:
Demeter, a cantata for alto, female chorus, and orchestra by Karol Szymanowski (48) to words of Szymanowska after Euripedes, is performed for the first time, in Warsaw.
May 6, 1931:
A concert version of the second scene from Karol Szymanowski’s (48) unfinished ballet Harnasie is performed for the first time, in Warsaw. This concert marks the 25th anniversary of the Young Poland concert. Szymanowski and two others receive the Gold Cross. See 11 May 1935.
April 30, 1932:
Amidst controversy and turmoil, Karol Szymanowski (49) resigns as director of the Higher School of Music in Warsaw.
October 9, 1932:
Symphony no.4 for piano and orchestra by Karol Szymanowski (50) is performed for the first time, in Poznan, the composer at the piano.
April 7, 1933:
Songs of a Fairy-tale Princess for voice and orchestra by Karol Szymanowski (50), to words of Szymanowska, is performed for the first time, in Warsaw.
October 6, 1933:
Violin Concerto no.2 by Karol Szymanowski (51) is performed for the first time, in Warsaw.
October 13, 1933:
Litany to the Virgin Mary for soprano, female chorus, and orchestra by Karol Szymanowski (51) to words of Liebert, is performed for the first time, in Warsaw.
May 11, 1935:
Karol Szymanowski’s (52) ballet-pantomime Harnasie to a scenario by Iwaszkiewicz and Rytard is performed for the first time, in Prague.
January 13, 1937:
Karol Szymanowski (54) writes from Grasse, France that he does not believe he will survive his current illness. It is difficult for him to eat and he is unable to speak.
March 28, 1937:
Just before midnight. Karol Maciej Szymanowski dies of throat cancer at Lausanne, aged 54 years, five months, and 25 days. The death certificate will read fifteen minutes past midnight on the 29th.
April 7, 1937:
A funeral in memory of Karol Szymanowski takes place in Warsaw. The body lies in state in the Conservatory and is then taken through the streets, past the opera house and Philharmonic before throngs, to the railroad station. The coffin is then taken to Krakow where it is interred in the crypt of the Skalka church. His heart, intended to be placed beside that of Chopin (†87), will be unintentionally destroyed during the Warsaw Uprising.
September 23, 1988:
Masks, three pieces for piano by Karol Szymanowski (†51) orchestrated by Krenz, is performed for the first time, in Warsaw 72 years after it was composed.