Ochlewski, Tadeusz (EN)

Ochlewski Tadeusz, *22 March 1894 Olszana (Ukraine), †26 January 1975 Warsaw, Polish violinist, organiser of musical life, publisher. In 1913–15 he studied electromechanics at the Piotr Wielki Polytechnic Institute in Petrograd, where in 1915–17 he also studied at the conservatory (higher violin course). In 1910–17 he performed occasionally as a solo violinist. After settling down in Warsaw in 1919, he studied violin and viola in 1921–25 at the conservatory, in the class of S. Barcewicz. In 1929 he studied early music interpretation at W. Landowska in Paris. In 1919–21 he worked as an official at the Ministry of Industry and Trade, from 1921 and throughout the interwar period, he conducted concert and teaching activities; in 1921–31, engaged by E. Młynarski, he played the first violin at the Warsaw Opera, in 1925–39 he performed in Trio Sonata chamber ensemble that he founded, and in 1933–39 at the Polish Quartet (2^nd violin) with I. Dubiska, M. Szalewski and Z. Adamska. In 1926–39 he was active as a part of Holiday Music Centre at the Secondary School in Krzemieniec, in 1927/28 at the W. Chrapowicki Primary Music School, in 1927/28 at the Warsaw Music School, in 1927–39 at the Warsaw Conservatory (employed by K. Szymanowski, in 1927–37 he taught violin, in 1933–39 he taught playing in chamber ensembles, and in 1935–39 violin playing methodology), in 1932–34 at the Instrument Making School, in 1948–50 at PWSM in Krakow (he taught playing the alto).

Ochlewski developed very dynamic organisational activities. Together with B. Rutkowski, T. Zalewski, E. Altberg and A. Chybiński, he established the Association of Lovers of Early Polish Music [Stowarzyszenie Miłośników Dawnej Muzyki Polskiej, SMDMP] in Warsaw, which aimed at spreading music from 16^th–18^th centuries (later also from the 19^th and 20^th centuries) by organising regular music broadcasts; over 150 concerts for kids and teenagers were organised with the participation of the SMDMP chamber orchestra, choir and remarkable soloists. Throughout the entire period of SMDMP activity (from 1939), Ochlewski was a member of the management board. As part of the association, in 1928 A. Chybiński, B. Rutkowski and Ochlewski established the Early Polish Music Publishing House, which published 17 issues until 1939; works for string instruments were mostly arranged by Ochlewski. In order to undertake a broader publishing campaign, the Polish Music Publishing Society [Towarzystwo Wydawnicze Muzyki Polskiej, TWMP] was established in 1930, financed by the National Culture Fund; the board of TWMP included: T. Zalewski, K. Sikorski, B. Rutkowski and Ochlewski (director in 1937–39). It was the first Polish music publishing house that aimed to document Polish music. In 1934 TWMP established a quarterly (from 1937 a monthly) “Muzyka Polska,” where Ochlewski published reports on musical life in the capital. In the same year, on the initiative of Ochlewski, T. Zalewski and B. Rutkowski, the Organisation of the Musical Movement [Organizacja Ruchu Muzycznego, ORMUZ] was established, which was run by Ochlewski until 1939 with extraordinary enthusiasm and perseverance. ORMUZ’s task was to organise concerts for wide social circles, especially school youth throughout the country. In 1934–39, 624 concerts and 1430 school broadcasts were organised in the provinces, 15 symphonic concerts, 4 opera performances and 1088 school broadcasts in Warsaw; school broadcasts were always accompanied by verbal commentary prepared by remarkable musicians and writers. The rapid development of ORMUZ prompted the management of TWMP to create a popular music magazine for young people in 1936 (“Gazetka Muzyczna”), in which Ochlewski wrote the section about ORMUZ.

After the outbreak of war in 1939, Ochlewski volunteered for the Polish Army. He was in Warsaw in 1939–45, continuing all his previous activities in the underground conditions. He took part in the work of the Secret Union of Musicians, organised secret concerts for school students, and the so-called “concerts of war works,” performed in B. Woytowicz’s music café, and made publishing plans for the post-war period. Contrary to the requisition order issued by the German authorities, Ochlewski moved the Grohmans’ large sheet music collections from the TWMP premises to his apartment (a family of industrialists from Łódź donated their library to the TWMP), which he catalogued and secretly lent to Polish musicians; he supported composers and musicians with financial assistance.

After the Warsaw Uprising, Ochlewski lived in Kraków. On April 6, 1945, the Ministry of Culture and Science entrusted Ochlewski with the task of establishing PWM [Polish Music Publishing House]; the management board of TWMP donated all its archival and publishing resources for this purpose. On April 13, 1945, Ochlewski transported the manuscripts and prints recovered from the rubble to Krakow. In 1945–65 he was the director of PWM. In 1945–46 he was vice-president of the Trade Union of Polish Musicians, head of the Concert Commission and chairman of the Verification Commission on behalf of this union, and in 1947–48 he was a member of the supervisory board of ZAIKS. After retiring in 1965, Ochlewski moved to Warsaw, where he directed the early music ensemble Con moto ma cantabile, which he organised (January 21, 1963), composed of adepts of the music academy, searching for forgotten or unknown compositions. He was married (1923) to Janina Wysocka (1903–1975), a pianist and harpsichordist, daughter of the famous actress S. Wysocka.

Ochlewski was awarded: in 1933 the Medal of the Tenth Anniversary of Regaining Independence; in 1936 the Gold Cross of Merit; in 1937 the Latvian Commander’s Cross of the Three Stars; in 1938 the Bronze Medal for Long Service; in 1952 the Knight’s Cross; in 1954 the Officer’s Cross; in 1959 the Command Cross Andorran Order of Polonia Restituta; in 1955 the Medal of the Order of the People’s Republic of Poland; he received awards: in 1947 the Land of Krakow, in 1950 ZKP, in 1958 the City of Krakow, in 1965 the Minister of Culture and Art. In the PWM premises in Krakow, there is a portrait of Ochlewski by M. Makarewicz (1965) and a marble plaque dedicated to his memory.

During his 20 years as director of PWM, Ochlewski created a national institution of music editing according to an idea born 15 years earlier, a publishing house with a comprehensive profile, which was then one of the most modern music publishing houses in Europe. Ochlewski took particular care of ancient and contemporary Polish music. He attached great importance to the graphic design of publications, he was the designer of many covers and graphic layouts, he prepared works by old Polish composers for printing, and he was the creator and editor of the “Florilegium Musicae Antiquae” series. Ochlewski associated his organising and concert activities with his editorial activities. Since 1946, PWM has been organising concerts of Polish early and contemporary music, often complemented by performances of outstanding poets (including K.I. Gałczyński, W. Szymborska). The concert program always came from Ochlewski, who was able to gather the most outstanding composers, artists, musicians and teachers around PWM, and created a team of outstanding editors from a young team of musicologists.

Ochlewski was a figure of great merit in Polish culture. He had a strong sense of duty to serve national culture, so as a publisher he wanted to record Polish music in print, as an artist – to perform it, and as an organiser, to disseminate it as widely as possible. He was an exceptionally talented organizer, full of constant enthusiasm and trust in the people he worked with; he was a co-creator and co-builder of the Polish musical culture of the interwar period.

Literature: T. Strumiłło Wydawnictwa muzyczne, in: Kultura muzyczna Polski Ludowej 1944–1955, ed. J. M. Chomiński, Z. Lissa, Krakow 1957; Z. Helman Wydawnictwa muzyczne, in: Polska współczesna kultura muzyczna, ed. E. Dziębowska, Krakow 1968; B. Woytowicz W okupowanej Warszawie, „Przegląd Lekarski” XXV, series II, 1969 no. 1; K. Wiłkomirski Wspomnienia, Kraków 1971; Z. Mycielski Tadeusz Ochlewski, „Ruch Muzyczny” 1975 nr 5;  J. Waldorff Pożegnanie Profesora, „Polityka” 1975 no. 6; T. Zalewski Pół wieku wśród muzyków 1920–1970, Krakow 1977; W. Bartoszewski 1859 dni Warszawy, Krakow 1984; Korespondencja Grzegorza Fitelberga z lat 1941–1953, selection, dev. and ed. L. Markiewicz. Katowice 2003; A. Sitarz W cieniu Polskiego Wydawnictwa Muzycznego, in: Muzykolog wobec świadectw źródłowych i dokumentów. Księga pamiątkowa dedykowana Profesorowi Piotrowi Poźniakowi w 70. rocznicę urodzin, Krakow 2009; M. Sieradz Kwartalnik Muzyczny (1982–1950) a początki muzykologii polskiej, Warsaw 2015; M. Gąsiorowska Z historii pewnej oficyny. 70 lat Polskiego Wydawnictwa Muzycznego, Krakow 2015; J. Nowicka Pole widzenia – kilka uwag o projektowaniu graficznym w PWMie, w: 70 na 70. Projektowanie graficzne w PWM w latach 1945–2015, album, Krakow 2015; M. Wąsowska Pasje życiowe Tadeusza Ochlewskiego na pograniczu muzyki dawnej i współczesnej, doctoral dissertation, Musicology Institute of Jagiellonian University 2016 (monographic work devoted to the artistic activity of Tadeusz Ochlewski); The PWM library contains biographical materials and letters written to Ochlewski in 1945–65.