Meet the author session with Iwona Lindstedt
Kazimierz Serocki. Piszę tylko muzykę is a book which not only helped to create this study, but, above all, is the first reliable and fully comprehensive monograph on Serocki's biography and work. To give a better idea of its nature, let us quote from a review of the book published in ‘Ruch Muzyczny’ Magazine by Ewa Chorościan:
It is precisely the composer's direct statements - coming from his letters, the minutes of the meetings of the Polish Composers' Union, and above all from his lectures - that are most valuable in this monograph. Some of the highlights include correspondence with Benny Goodman, who wanted to commission a piece from the Polish composer, or Serocki's diplomatic letter to Edward Gierek. The transcripts from the deliberations of the committees on which the composer sat, cited at various times, reveal an extremely committed and emotionally responsive person.
Iwona Lindstedt, a professor at the Institute of Musicology at the University of Warsaw, is involved not only in scholarly activities, as evidenced by her numerous internationally acclaimed works, but also in popularization. Sitting on the boards of organizations important from the perspective of current Polish musical culture (ZKP Association, Polish Society for Musical Analysis and others), she actively participates in projects aimed at promoting the achievements of Polish composers of the 20th century. An expression of this activity is also the monograph that Iwona Lindstedt will present in Toruń as part of the meet the author session.
Referring to the excerpt from the review quoted above, it should be emphasized that her book on the work of Kazimierz Serocki, is a testimony not only to the enormity of the source work done, insight in conducting analyses and interpretation of musical works, but also the empathy with which the author decided to look at the dossier of the composer born in Toruń. In this way, she has managed to reconstruct the creative silhouette of a man who, during his lifetime, was not used to talking much about his works, let alone sharing his self-reflections on his life with the public.
Karol Furtak