Piliński Stanisław, *5 April 1839 Paris, †20 January 1905 Paris, Polish pianist and composer. Son of the famous lithographer Adam Piliński, who emigrated to France after the November Uprising. In 1840–55, Piliński lived in Clermont-Ferrand, where he was a member of the cathedral choir. From 1855, he lived in Paris, learned piano with E. Winnicki and studied at the Ecole Niedermeyer. In 1860, he won 2nd prize at the school competition in the field of harmony and the 1st joint, for playing the organ. Then, he was an organist in the church of St. Margaret; he also helped his father copy valuable manuscripts and engravings commissioned by the Czartoryski family. The Association Pilinski et Fils they founded won a silver medal at the exhibition of fine arts and industry in Clermont-Ferrand in 1863, a grand silver medal at the universal exhibition (French section) in Paris in 1872, and a bronze medal there in 1878. In 1936, an exhibition of both artists’ works was organised at the Polish Library in Paris. After the Franco-Prussian War in 1870–71, Piliński continued his father’s work but mainly composed; he was a member of the Société des Auteurs, Compositeurs et Editeurs de Musique, the Société des Etudes Japonaises, Chinoises, Tartares et Indochinoises, the Association des Anciens Elèves d’Ecole Polonaise in Paris and the Académie des Sciences, Belles-Lettres et Arts in Clermont-Ferrand. He wrote several pieces inspired by Japanese and Chinese music, which were performed and achieved success, as did the romance L’hymne à Rebecca. Piliński gained recognition primarily in Polish circles. In the 1880s, he was the conductor of the Polish Philharmonic Society in Paris, and performed, among others, his choral cantata Polska nasza żyje w nas (Our Poland Lives in Us, 1880 and later) and Odę na rocznicę zwycięstwa Jana III Sobieskiego pod Wiedniem (Ode for the Anniversary of Jan III Sobieski’s Victory at Vienna, 1883). He arranged many Polish patriotic songs and also composed occasional dances. In the 1890s, he became a librarian at the Centre de l’Union Artistique; during this time, he travelled with his daughter to the Alps every year, which provided him with inspiration for his piano fantasies. Autographs and editions of Piliński’s works can be found in the National Library, the Département de la Musique and the Bibliothèque du Grand Opéra in Paris (over 200 works, sketches and other documents in total), while the manuscripts and their fragments can be found in the Kórnik Library.
The most numerous of Piliński’s compositional output are piano pieces and songs with piano accompaniment (ca. 90). The determinant of his compositional imagination was romantic and national themes, expressed in the selection of texts for stage works and poetic texts for songs. Piliński manifested his homage to Polish poetry in the dedications of triumphal marches to Z. Krasiński (Op. 33), A. Mickiewicz (Op. 72) and J. Słowacki (Op. 125). The idea of romantic illustration was manifested in programmatic commentaries to works (Alpine Fantasies); Piliński returned several times to the illustration of bells ringing: in the song Les cloches du soir, in Idéales harmonies for piano and in Souvenir d’Edgar Poë; typical of the era is the cultivation of nostalgic moods and an interest in exoticism. The deepest source of inspiration, however, was Poland, its landscapes, dances, history and literature; this is evidenced especially by the cyclical works: Scènes polonaises (a type of heroic, war legend), Chants de l’exil, Suite de chants patriotiques polonais (including Jeszcze Polska…, Z dymem pożarów, Warszawianka) and many individual works, e.g. the song Le Dies irae de Kościuszko, as well as Polish dances.
Literature: I. Poniatowska Autografy Stanisława Pilińskiego w Bibliothèque Nationale w Paryżu, «Pagine» IV, Kraków 1980 (includes a list of all works); M. J. Minakowski Piliński Stanisław, Polski Słownik Biograficzny, vol. XXVI, 1981.
Instrumental:
for orchestra:
Souvenir de Mazovie. Polka mazurka Op. 1, for orchestra, 1857, also version for piano, dedicated to Duchess M. Czartoryska, published in Paris 1863
Valse romantique Op. 9, for orchestra, 1858, published in Paris 1905, also version for piano
Sibylla. Souvenirs de Pulawy. Elégie Op. 21, for orchestra, 1863, also version for chamber ensemble and for piano, violin and organ ad libitum, published in Paris 1864
Souvenir d’Edgar Poë. Symphonie romantique Op. 42, for orchestra, 1869 (only a fragment preserved)
Ouverture sur l’air chinois “Mao-li-hoa”. Chant des amis du vin Op. 58, for orchestra, 1874, also version for piano quintet, for violin and piano and for piano solo
Symphonie in F minor Op. 24, dedicated to W. Sowiński, 1896
chamber:
Quintette in F major Op. 14, for flute, 2 violins, cello, piano and harmonium ad libitum, 1862
Fudjiyou, morceau ancien japonais Op. 67, for violin and piano, 1878
Trio in E major Op. 34, for violin, cello and piano, 1880
for piano:
Scènes polonaises for piano: 1. Légende héroïque. Souvenirs et récits d’un Vaidelotte Op. 59, 1876, 2. Le jeu de Jankiel. Paraphrase musicale du chant XII de Thadée Soplitza d’Adam Mickiewicz Op. 89,1882, 3. Le Rêve d’ Iwan le cosaque. Valse légende Op. 92, 1882, 4. Légende guerrière. Fantaisie Op. 161, 5. Święcony. Marche de fête composée sur des airs Krakowiaks Op. 164, 1895, 6. Grande Fantaisie Chasse Op. 180, 1898 (interpretation of a hunting scene from book 4 of Pan Tadeusz by A. Mickiewicz), 7. Grande Fantaisie triomphale pour la célébration du 5e centenaire de la fondation de l’ Université de Cracovie Op. 190, 1900, 8. Par le fer et par le feu. Polonaise guerrière Op. 191, 1900 (after H. Sienkiewicz)
Ten Alpine Fantasies for piano, 1892–1905
Idéales harmonies. Les cloches des jours de fête à la campagne Op. 163, for piano, 1894
Nuit devant la mer. Fantaisie nocturne Op. 173, for piano, 1897
marches, waltzes, mazurkas and other dances for piano
Elégie sur l’ hymne nationale polonais “Boże coś Polkę” for piano, organ or harmonium, published in Paris 1864
Suite de chants patriotiques for piano, 1904
works for organ or harmonium
Vocal-instrumental:
Hymne à Bouddha Op. 56, for mezzo-soprano, choir and organ or harmonium, words by L. d’Albano, 1873, published in Paris 1873 as Op. 50
Ode aux montagnes d’Auvergne Op. 65, for choirs and orchestra, words by F. Salignac de la Mothe Fénelon, 1877, published in Paris 1880
Polska nasza żyje w nas Op. 75, for 6 voices, choir, piano, violin and harmonium ad libitum, words by W. Gasztowtt, 1880
Invocation à la patrie, dedicated to A. Oleszczyński, words by I. Krasicki, 1893
songs:
L’hymne à Rebecca Op. 15, words by E. de la Bédollière after W. Scott, 1861, performed in November 1878
Au Rossignol. Méditation poétique Op. 17, words by A. de Lamartine, published in Paris 1875
Les cloches du soir. Mélodie Op. 63, words by P. Blanchemain 1877, published as Mélodies, Paris 1906
Le chant du berceau Op. 64, words by P. Blanchemain, 1877
Chanson de printemps Op. 78, words by G. Le Blanc
Chanson d’été Op. 80, words by G. Le Blanc
Chanson d’automne Op. 86, words by G. Le Blanc, 1881
La mer Op. 94, words by V. Hugo, 1882
Une fée. Ballade Op. 102, words by V. Hugo, 1883
Ode pour le centième anniversaire de la victoire de Jean III Sobieski sous les murs de Vienne en 1683 Op. 103, words by F. Kniaźnin, French transl. W. Gasztowtt, 1883
Cykl Pieśni z tułactwa (Chants de l’exil): Umarli i żywi Op. 108, words by W. Gasztowtt, 1884, Exoriare aliquis olim nostris ex ossibus ultor Op. 138, words by M. Budzyński, 1888, Hasło Op. 157, words by A. Asnyk, 1892, Śmiało Op. 160 or 165, words by W. Gasztowtt, 1895, songs from Op. 108, 157 and 160 or 165 published as 3 mélodies, Paris 1906
Alpuhara Op. 116, words by A. Mickiewicz, French transl. W. Gasztowtt, 1885
Le Dies irae de Kościuszko Op. 167, words by C. Delavigne, 1895
Les Liserons Op. 185, words by A. Asnyk, French transl. W. Gasztowtt, 1899;
also songs to words by R Bataille, P. Fauré, E. Bouché, F. Coppée, Th. Gautier, J. de La Fontaine and others
Scenic:
Żmija Op. 50, opera in 5 acts, libretto by W. Gasztowtt after J. Słowacki, 1881
music to Balladyna by J. Słowacki, French transl. W. Gasztowtt, Op. 162, in 5 acts, 1894
