Żmudziński Tadeusz, *9 June 1924 Królewska Huta (now Chorzów), †17 October 1992 Katowice, Polish pianist and teacher. In 1933–39, he studied at the Silesian Music Conservatory in Katowice in a class of W. Markiewiczówna and attended the Państwowe Gimnazjum im. Odrowążów in Chorzów. He spent the period of World War II in Kraków, where he continued studies with Markiewiczówna and gave recitals in a café of Dom Plastyków and in private apartments. In 1945, he returned to Katowice where he performed for the first time on 6 May with the Polish Radio Orchestra in Katowice conducted by W. Rowicki (Concerto in F minor by F. Chopin), and also took part in a radio broadcast about Karol Szymanowski. In 1946, he began piano studies with Władysława Markiewiczówna at the State Higher Music School in Katowice. He graduated after a year, obtaining a diploma with the highest distinction. He completed complementary studies with I. Ungár in Budapest (1948), with W. Gieseking and A. Cortot in Paris (1949) and with Z. Drzewiecki and J. Ekier in Warsaw (1949). In 1948, he gave his first recitals abroad (Denmark, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, the Netherlands). He took part in the International Music Competition in Scheveningen (1948) and the International Long-Thibaud Competition in Paris (1949). In 1949, he got the 12th prize at the International F. Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw, and in 1952 the 2nd prize at the 2nd Polish Music Festival in Warsaw.
In 1950–91, Żmudziński developed intensive concert activity in Poland, performing with, i.a. National Philharmonic Orchestra, Silesian Philharmonic Orchestra, Łódź Philharmonic Orchestra, Wrocław Philharmonic Orchestra, Baltic Philharmonic Orchestra and Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra in Katowice, as well as in many European countries (including Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Spain, the Netherlands, Yugoslavia, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden and Italy) and around the world (including the United States, Argentina, China, Nigeria, Uruguay and Cuba). In 1964, he performed together with soprano Eileen Farrell, violinist Jaime Laredo and actor John Gielgud at the gala concert at the United Nations General Assembly Hall in New York. In 1965, he gave recitals in New York, Washington, Boston and Maryland (Brahms, Chopin, Szymanowski). He performed for the last time on 13 December 1991 in Warsaw with the National Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Kazimierz Kord (Symphony Concertante No. 4 by Karol Szymanowski).
Żmudziński’s piano style was already visible during his first performances at the café of Dom Plastyków in Kraków (1940–42), where he performed compositions by i.a. S. Bach, F. Busoni, F. Liszt, J. Brahms, and also in programmes of his recitals and degree concerts (1947), which included, among others: Piano Concerto No. 4 in E-flat major by L. v. Beethoven, Concerto in F minor by F. Chopin and Symphony Concertante No. 4 by K. Szymanowski, which later became a signature position of his repertoire, next to piano concertos by R. Schumann, J. Brahms and S. Rachmaninov, Nights in the Garden of Spain by M. de Falla and Capriccio by I. Stravinsky. The performance of both Brahms’s concertos during one evening at the Polish Pianism Festival in Słupsk (1968) was called a “piano achievement.” Żmudziński was also successful as a solo performer of Szymanowski’s compositions: his interpretation of The Masques and especially of Sonata No. 2 in A major at the monograph recital in Warsaw (1967) was considered the best since the first Warsaw performances of S. Richter (“Ruch Muzyczny” 1968 no. 19). The premiers performed by Żmudziński include Verses [Wiersze] for piano and orchestra and Piano Concerto by B. Szabelski (Warsaw Autumn 1961 and 1978) and piano concerts by R. Nessler (Dresden 1961) and K. Meyer (Wrocław 1984).
Żmudziński started his teaching activity in 1945 at the Katowice Conservatory. From 1961, he taught piano classes at the State Higher Music School in Kraków and from 1973 also at the State Higher Music School in Katowice (professor from 1985). His graduates included Andrzej Pikul, Michał Korzistka and Mariola Cieniawa. He was on the jury of many competitions, including the Alessandro Casagrande Competition in Terni (1975, 1976), the Chopin Competition in Warsaw (1975, 1980, 1986, 1990), the Karol Szymanowski Competition in Łódź (1983) and the Ferruccio Busoni Competition in Bolzano (1984).
The artist was also involved in social activities; for example, he was a president of the K. Szymanowski Musical Society, a member of the board of the F. Chopin Society, and a member of the National Culture Council and Music Council.
Żmudziński was awarded, among others, the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta (1959) and Officer’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta (1977). For promoting Polish culture abroad, he received the Award of the Minister of Culture and Art and the Award of the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Literature: A. Woźniakowska Tadeusz Żmudziński – pianista i nauczyciel w faktach i dokumentach, Kraków 2002; M. Kosińska, Tadeusz Żmudziński, Polskie Centrum Informacji Muzycznej, Związek Kompozytorów Polskich, November 2007, https:// culture.pl/pl/tworca/tadeusz-zmudzinski; S. Dybowski, Tadeusz Żmudziński, https://chopin.nifc.pl/pl/chopin/osoba/1605
