Roman Maciejewski (Composer, Arranger)
Born: February 28, 1910 - Berlin, Germany
Died: April 30, 1998 - Göteburg (Gotteborg), Sweden
The Polish-American pianist, organist, choral conductor, and composer, Roman Maciejewski, was born of Polish parents in Berlin. His mother taught him to play piano at the age of 5. from 1916 to 1919 he studied at the Stern Conservatory in Berlin with S. Goldenweiser. He then studied with Zeleski at the State Conservatory in Pozna?, from which he received his diploma as a concert pianist in 1922. He also studied composition with Wiechowicz in Pozna?. While still a very young man, he was director of the largest choir in Pozna? (S. Moniuszko Choir) and toured with this group through Poland and Germany. In 1932 he entered the Academy of Music in Warsaw, where he studied with Szymanowski and Sikorski, but left without completing his studies to embark on a tour of the Balkan states with recitals of his own piano compositions. He went to Paris in 1934, and studied with Nadia Boulanger.
At a perfomance of his concerto for two pianos in London Roman Maciejewski met Kurt Joos who then commisioned music for two ballets. In 1939 Maciejewski began his first “Swedish” period - he married a Swedish dancer and lived in Sweden for twelve years, active as a composer and pianist. He composed music for several theatre productions of Ingmar Bergman, including Camus's Kaligula. While in Sweden, he began his life-work, the Missa pro defunctis - Requiem, which he finished fifteen years later. This monumental piece is dedicated to all the victims of all wars and remains Maciejewski's best known and highest-regarded composition. It was premiered during the International Festival of Conterporary Music in Warsaw in 1960. After World War II, in 1951 (or 1952), he moved from Sweden to the USA and spent a period of 26 years in California, living in Redondo Beach, working as the organist for two Catholic churches, and directing the “Roman Choir” which yearly toured the missions and cathedrals of California. During his American years, Maciejewski composed a number of choral pieces and masses. In 1977 he moved back to Sweden, settling in Gotteborg where he died in 1998. He is buried in his home town of Leszno, Poland.
Web: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Lib/Maciejewski-Roman.htm