Lutoslawski, 1913-2013

The Witold Lutoslawski Society is handing over to the readers the first album devoted to its patron. [...] The extraordinary determination with which the Lutoslawskis followed their resolve to maintain secrecy on all matters pertaining to their home affairs resulted in a situation in which precious little was known about the composer's interests, lifestyle, world outlook, personal problems and character. It is not the intention of the authors to disturb anyone's peace of mind, let alone to try to replace a good custom by a bad one. And so, if they delve into people's private correspondence, family photo albums and documents kept in strictly-guarded personal files, they do so with restraint and without looking for sensational gossip. It was the editor's intention to publish the album for the centenary of Witold Lutoslawski's birth in an attempt to supplement the portrait of the composer - man and musician - as we know it today. It contains solely (though this by no means belittles the significance of the published material) the outcome of preliminary studies of the accessible archives of the Lutoslawski family, of several of their friends and of some institutions (including Polish Radio). It also brings together people's reminiscences about the composer and materials scattered in various publications, often of an occasional character and therefore not generally accessible to the public. At long last, music lovers are presented with a volume which shows Lutoslawski as he was from his earliest years to the last days of his life, as he is remembered by his close friends, members of his family and enthusiasts of his music, often two generations younger.