Paderewski was the most celebrated and charismatic pianist after Liszt. He had a remarkable presence on stage, an inimitable coiffeur, a noble profile, beautiful tone and an incomparable poetic style. Paderewski could 'speak' through his pianism to listeners, and it was his 'parlando' and rhythmic subtleties as a performer that earmarked him as a unique artist in the Golden Age of Pianism

Paderewski was born in the village of Kurylowka, Padolia a former province of Poland. His father was the administrator of several large estates and was a cultured man with a great love of music.

Paderewski's mother died soon after his birth and as a result of the revolution his father (a member of the minor nobility) was sent to prison and Paderewski and his sister were placed in the care of an aunt.

A year or so later Paderewski's father was released but as the estates had been confiscated the family moved to Sandylkow. At the age of three Paderewski showed a deep interest in music and was able to play little tunes using one finger on the piano. Whilst still a young boy Paderewski was consumed by a desire to write music that looked beautiful (regardless of how it sounded) and he began to compose in earnest.

At the age of twelve he performed in a charity concert with his sister and played solos at local venues. At this time his 'party piece' was to play with a towel stretched above his hands so that he could not see the keyboard and this delighted his audiences.

Paderewski's first teacher at the Warsaw Conservatoire told him that he did not have the hands to become a pianist. Paderewski was so down hearted that he asked to withdraw from his piano studies and concentrate on composing. However he was persuaded to study with another teacher who after a short time told him that he had a real and natural gift as a pianist.

When the Conservatoire decided to form a student orchestra Paderewski started to learn the flute but was told his lips were too thick. Undeterred he took up the oboe and clarinet without success and then moved to the bassoon, horn,trumpet and finally trombone. He was so successful with the trombone that his teacher said he would make a better living with it than he would with the piano!

The Director was so delighted with the orchestra that he insisted all members neglect their normal studies in order to attend extra rehearsals. Paderewski, the first trombonist, objected and matters escalated with the result that he was expelled "for effrontery". Some of the staff in the Conservatoire sympathised with Paderewski andas a result of their protests he was reinstated.

At the age of sixteen Paderewski went on tour with a violinist and cellist. They made a little money but had great difficulty in obtaining suitable pianos. At most venues they had to approach a rich local resident and beg him to let them use his piano. Often they had to push it through the streets to the hall.

On his return to Warsaw, Paderewski devoted himself to his studies and completed two year's work in six months - the year was 1878

On graduation he was offered and accepted an appointment as a piano teacher at the Conservatoire. In 1880 he married Antonia

Korsak a student at the Conservatoire. For a year they were blissfully happy but Antonia died in childbirth leaving her husband with a small son and a little money. Paderewski deposited the money with trustees for the child's future but they absconded with it.

Paderewski then left his son with his mother-in-law and went to Berlin to study composition with Friedrich Keil who insisted that he take violin lessons with another teacher so that he would become familiar with stringed instruments. In Berlin Paderewski met Anton Rubinstein who told him that he had a great future as a pianist. In 1883 he resigned from the Conservatoire and went to Berlin to study orchestration with Urban. He then moved to Vienna to study the piano with Leschetizky (one of the greatest teachers) who said he could have become a great pianist if he had started studying earlier. However as the course progressed Leschetizky became amazed at his pupil's outstanding progress.

In 1885 Paderewski obtained a teaching appointment at the Strasbourg Conservatoire and as he gave many recitals his fame spread rapidly. When vacation time came round the directors told him that they would not pay him for the two months holiday and he resigned in disgust to return to Leschetizky for further lessons.

Leschetizky arranged for him to appear at an important concert with the famous soprano Pauline Lucca. Encouraged by the success of this concert he returned to Paris and made his debut in the Salle Erard in 1888. The audience included Tschaikovsky, Colonne and Lamoureux (both famous conductors) The concert was so received that he played for an hour after the end of the announced programme and Lamoureux engaged him on the spot After a second successful recital he returned to Vienna for another resounding success and in the same year completed the score of his Pianoforte Concerto. He then settled in Paris where he made many friends and gave many successful concerts.

Paderewski had three successful seasons in Paris and then gave a series of recitals at the Old St James's Hall in London. Unfortunately his manager upset the critics by the exaggerated claims of his advertising and after his first concert which was poorly attended they attacked him with venom. However his second concert had a better box office and the notices were much less spiteful. One of his most trenchant early critics was George Bernard Shaw who declared that Paderewski was a harmonious blacksmith who laid a concerto upon the piano as upon an anvil and then hammered it out with exhuberent enjoyment. Although they never met, Shaw did in fact become one of Paderewski's staunchest supporters.

Following on a successful tour through Germany into Roumania Paderewski returned to Berlin where he made a big impression at a "public rehearsal" of a Philharmonic concert conducted by Hans Von Bulow. Wolff, a successful concert agent who had previously refused to act for Paderewski approached him and suggested he manage his affairs. Paderewski declined politely but when the concerto was played a day or two later the orchestra was out of tune with him and some players were producing wrong notes. To cap it all Von BVulow walked out in the middle of a Paderewski solo.

In 1891 Paderewski undertook a very strenuous but successful tour of America where he played to audiences of as many as 16,000 at a time.

Whilst playing the 'Appassonata' in New York he tore some of the tendons in his right arm and injured one of his fingers. A doctor advised him to stop playing for several months but Paderewski completed his tour although he could only play with three fingers of his right hand and required medical attention before each concert. He returned to England where he had to complete another two concerts before he could rest. His injured finger had become useless and specialists said there was no chance of a complete recovery. Gradually the strength of his right arm returned but the finger remained useless until Paderewski himself devised exercises for it. Eventually the finger became mobile but it was always much weaker than the others.

n his second American tour the finger turned septic. Despite this he continued to play but sometimes the cut opened when he was playing and the keyboard became covered in blood. After playing in Warsaw, Moscow and St Petersburg he returned to his house at Morges near Lake Geneva and married Helena Gorska, Baroness de Rosen

Just before the first World War Paderewski purchased property in California and on the outbreak of the war started raising money for relief work in Poland. He raised over £50,000 in a few months and his desire to free Poland from its troubles encouraged him to prepare himself for a career as a politician and in 1919 he became Prime Minister of Poland. He did much to restore order in Poland but did not find it easy to work with politicians and in 1920 he returned to California to take up his music again.

Once more his musical career was an outstanding success and he attracted large audiences but most of the time he played for charities. In fact he gave away most of the fortune he had accumulated before the war when he had the reputation of being the richest musician in the world. Paderewski felt that a pianist must identify himself absolutely with his work but at the same time must stamp his personality on the interpretation of the composer's idea.. George Bernard Shaw critised his tempo rubato but Paderewski held that it would be inappropriate to play Chopin, Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Liszt and Grieg without tempo rubato. Paderewski's composition brought him great joy and he believed that creative work - in any sphere - could bring total satisfaction. Though his prolific output had not made a lasting impression on the general public, it is nonetheless noteworthy for its craftmanship and integrity. However Paderewski's celebrated Minuet is a piece which has always been loved by amateur and professional pianists alike.