Fun facts about popular composers’ ancestors for Grandmother’s and Grandfather’s Day!
» Chopin «
Frédéric Chopin was traditionally named after his paternal grandfather. François Chopin was a craftsman and wheelwright, as well as a municipal administrator in Marainville, in North-Eastern France. Although he did not enjoy a high social status, he made sure that his son, Mikołaj (the composer’s father) received an education at a prestigious grammar school.
» Moniuszko «
Stanisław Moniuszko‘s grandfather – also named Stanisław – served as a military judge in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and amassed a small fortune during his lifetime. His wife, and the composer’s grandmother, was Ewa Woyniłowiczówna, the daughter of a rotmistrz (cavalry captain) of the Nowogródek Voivodeship.
» Penderecki «
Krzysztof Penderecki’s paternal grandmother – Jadwiga Szylkiewicz – was of Armenian descent. Her father’s family lived in Ukraine, near Rohatyn, close to Stanisławów. Penderecki used to say: „I inherited my imagination, black eyes and dark complexion from the Armenians”.
» Szymanowski «
Karol Szymanowski’s great-great-grandfather – Dominik Szymanowski – a nobleman bearing the Ślepowron or Jezierza coat of arms, served as a royal chamberlain to King Stanisław August Poniatowski in 1777. When the Kościuszko Uprising failed, his fortune was threatened, prompting him to leave Warsaw and settle with his family on lands inherited by his wife, Franciszka née Rościszewska, in the Dnieper Ukraine.
» Bacewicz «
Grażyna Bacewicz’s grandmother, Natalia Zdzitowiecka, came from a Lithuanian landowning family bearing its own coat of arms: „something resembling the Nałęcz, but inverted, with a star in the centre, and an upright cross between its two ends; three ostrich feathers on the helmet”.
» Lutosławski «
Witold Lutosławski’s grandfather – Franciszek Dionizy of the Jelita coat of arms – was known for his entrepreneurship and a knack for business. He transformed the family estate in Drozdowo, which he inherited at the age of 25, into a flourishing enterprise. In this area he was developing agricultural and industrial activities: he established a dairy and a dairy shop in Łomża, a sawmill, a mill and a starch plant. He also finances the construction of a parish church in his hometown. Thanks to his efforts, Drozdowo became an important financial and industrial centre.
» Wieniawski «
Henryk Wieniawski‘s grandmother was Eleonora Wolff (née Oesterreicher) – a Polish pianist of Jewish origin. Józef Elsner dedicated his Kwartet fortepianowy F-dur (Piano Quartet in F major) to her. Together with her husband, she ran a music salon in Warsaw.
Did you know these fun facts? Take a look at our Ikonoteka photo collection of family portraits — you will find many valuable items, especially those related to the family life of Karol Szymanowski.
Polish sources:
- François Chopin [in:] Fryderyk Chopin Museum’s post on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/muzeum.fryderyka.chopina/ [access: 20.01.2026]
- Stanisław Moniuszko [in:] https://muzyka-historia.blogspot.com/2010/06/stanisaw-moniuszko.html [access: 20.01.2026]
- Quotation and information about Krzysztof Penderecki’s grandmother [in:] https://www.kobieta.pl/ludzie/krzysztof-penderecki-zawsze-ide-pod-prad/ oraz https://www.salon24.pl/u/krakowianin1961/1036008,lxix-wschodnie-korzenie-krzysztofa-pendereckiego [access: 20.01.2026]
- Dominik Szymanowski [in:] https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominik_Szymanowski [access: 20.01.2026]
- Information about Natalia Zdzitowiecka’s coat of arms [in:] https://polishgenealogy1.blogspot.com/2018/06/zdzitowiecki.html#google_vignette [access: 20.01.2026]
- Franciszek Dionizy Lutosławski [in:] https://muzeum-drozdowo.pl/historia/franciszek-lutoslawski-europejski-praktyk-doby-pozytywizmu/ [access: 20.01.2026]
- Eleonora Wolff, z née Oesterreicher [in:] https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eleonora_Wolff [access: 20.01.2026]
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