Raszek, Raschek, Raszko, Wacław, *baptised on 1 February 1764 Rychnov nad Kněžnou, †29 January 1837 Warsaw, composer, musician and teacher of a Czech origin active in Poland, where he arrived before the age of 30. In the 1780s and 1790s, he was a Kapellmeister in Żarki; occasionally also an organist in nearby Gidle. He composed from his early youth. Probably around 1800, he moved to Warsaw, where he was a piano teacher at the Piarist school (1812–1817); in 1815, he married for the third time and had at least three children from this marriage. In 1818–1819, he was a bandmaster of an unknown ensemble in Opole Lubelskie. In 1820–1826, he was a music teacher at the Institute of Elementary Teachers and Organists in Puławy under the patronage of the Czartoryski family. In Puławy, he taught collective and part singing, chorale, clavichord playing and solmisation; he was also responsible for organisational matters, such as the purchase of musical instruments. He led a choir for girls in the Włostowice parish and, together with his students, graced church ceremonies with music. In 1825, he published his lifetime achievement which was the fruit of his work under the patronage of the Czartoryski family, Kancjonał muzyki kościelnej (hymnal containing church music). In 1826, he returned to Warsaw, worked at the Pauline school as a music teacher (1826–1827), inspector of the Archikonfraternia Literacka (Literary Archconfraternity) and private piano teacher.
Raszek was an artist with very strong ties to the Polish musical and cultural environment. Prince Adam Czartoryski provided him with support in his pedagogical and publishing activities. He probably belonged to a group associated with the musical initiative in the St. Benon Church in Warsaw; he may have collaborated with the National Theatre, and he certainly knew its musicians. The board of the school in Puławy spoke very favourably of him, accepting with dissatisfaction his decision to resign from work. Raszek’s son, Ludwik Wacław (1816–1844), was a promising but prematurely deceased musician.
We do not have any list of Raszek’s works from that period, but based on the preserved archives, we know that he wrote at least 18 masses, of which one – in G major – is known from four sources, two – in C major and Pastoral in D major – from three sources, two – in B major and in D major – from two sources, and the rest (all in major keys up to three key signatures, one with Polish text) have survived in single copies. We also know two requiems (one preserved in two copies), vespers with Polish text (six vespers are mentioned in turn in the inventory of the Benon collection, which has not been preserved), an oratorio, and from instrumental music the Clarinet Concerto in B flat major, two three-part symphonies, an arrangement of the Polonaise from the opera Przerwana ofiara and 10 Variations, published in print. To this collection, the contents of the Kancjonał muzyki kościelnej should be added (print, Warsaw 1825), containing a description of the principles of music, harmonisations of chorale chants and own compositions (masses, litany, songs, organ accompaniments), and the hymnal Głos do Boga [Voice to God], preserved in an alto book in 1829 and an organ book from 1830 with slightly different musical content.
No autographs of Raszek’s works have survived, but the first copies (mainly from Gidle) date back to the 1780s, so at least some of the known compositions are youthful works, which confirms their early classical style and sometimes unpractised harmonic solutions. Raszek’s vocal-instrumental works are usually intended for a 4-voice choir accompanied by string instruments, organs, two clarinets and two horns, sometimes also oboes, trumpets and kettledrums. They are characterised by a large number of solo instrumental fragments, and the organ, violin and clarinet parts are often of a concert character. The promotion of the Polish language is noteworthy – in Polish masses, arrangements of Polish texts of litanies, vespers, numerous church songs. The reception of Raszek’s religious music at Jasna Góra and in Gidle reached the beginning of the 20th century. Melodic invention and efficient orchestration are noticeable in instrumental works. Unfortunately, the solo clarinet part from the Clarinet Concerto has not survived, which makes it impossible to analyse Raszek’s approach to the problem of instrumental virtuosity.
Literature: K. Mrowiec Katalog muzykaliów gidelskich, Kraków 1986; P. Podejko Katalog tematyczny rękopisów i druków muzycznych kapeli wokalno-instrumentalnej na Jasnej Górze, «Studia Claromontana» XII, Kraków 1992; D. Idaszak Grodzisk Wielkopolski. Katalog tematyczny muzykaliów, Kraków 1993; J. Gołos Polskie organy i muzyka organowa, Warsaw 1972; R. Mączyński Koncerty u Benonitów. Z dziejów życia muzycznego Warszawy na przełomie XVIII i XIX wieku, “Muzyka” 1989 No. 4, J. Bujas-Poniatowska, A. Godek, K. Poniatowski Życie i aktywność Wacława Raszka (1764–1837) w świetle źródeł, “Muzyka” 2022 No. 1.
