Another of Nicholas Chopinʼs colleagues was Waclaw Alexander Maciejowski, celebrated for his researches in history and Slavonic law. His works are much valued by students, and have been translated into several languages.
Among others who were from time to time Nicholas Chopinʼs guests were: Count Skarbek, an excellent author, foster-son to Nicholas, and god-father to Frederic Chopin; the Professors of the University, Brodzinski, poet and student of aesthetics; Julius Kolberg, an engineer, father of the ethnologist Oskar, the indefatigable collector of folk songs; Jarocki, a learned zoologist; Anton Brodowski, a celebrated historical and portrait painter; Anton Barcinski, Professor at the Polytechnic school since 1823, teacher in the hostʼs pension, and afterwards his son-in-law; Jawurek, a talented musician; and last of all Chopinʼs two masters, Zywny and Elsner.
Adalbert Zywny, born in Bohemia, in 1756, came to Poland in the reign of Stanislas Augustus. His first appointment was that of music teacher in the house of Prince Casimir Sapiecha; then he settled in Warsaw as teacher of the piano. He died in 1840.
JOSEPH ELSNER. Of Elsner I must speak more particularly, because, as Chopinʼs master for counterpoint, he first discovered his pupilʼs creative originality, and by guidance and counsel assisted considerably in the development of his talent for composition. Frederic, therefore, not only loved and valued Elsner as a teacher, but also as an intimate friend. As will be seen, his name frequently occurs in Chopinʼs letters. In Germany Elsner is almost unknown as a composer, although he rendered good service to church music.
Joseph Xaver Elsner was born June 29th, 1769, at Grottkau, in Silesia. His father, who was an instrument maker, wished him to study medicine, but Joseph preferred to devote himself to music. Maar, bandmaster at Breslau, gave him his first instruction in counterpoint. In 1792, Elsner went to Poland, holding the post of bandmaster and composer at the National Theatre, first at Lemberg and then in Warsaw. In 1816, after the proclamation of the institution of the new kingdom by the Congress of Vienna, he was entrusted with the establishment of a school for organists, and six years after with the direction of the Conservatoire.
Besides the German operas, “Die Seltenen Brüder,” “Der Verkleidete Sultan,” and “Il Flauto Magico,” which Eisner composed at Lemberg, he wrote twenty-seven Polish operas and melodramas, a great number of arias, cantatas, string quartets, and three symphonies, besides several ecclesiastical works, among which the oratorio, “Das Leiden Christi” was several times performed in Warsaw, and very favourably received. Its wealth of melody, no less than its technical working, renders this one of the chief, and, perhaps, the most successful of Elsnerʼs compositions. He also rendered great services to Poland, as teacher and director at the Conservatoire. He trained a considerable number of talented young men, who afterwards became excellent musicians, and otherwise promoted the cultivation of music in the noblest manner. He died April 18th, 1854.
A magnificent monument, raised by public subscription, adorns his tomb in Warsaw.
Titled landowners were also included in the circle of Nicholas Chopinʼs friends. Most of them had been his pupils, or had become acquainted with him through their sons. In later years, when Fredericʼs rare and brilliant talents were more fully developed, his father counted among his guests not only savants, poets, and artists, but the élite of the aristocracy, who considered it an honour to become acquainted with this interesting and highly esteemed family, and delighted in admiring the young artist for whom a glorious future was already prophesied. These were bright and happy days passed by Chopin in his fatherʼs house.
