Second All-Polish
Ignacy Jan Paderewski
Piano Competition
Bydgoszcz, October 16 - 26, 1986

Professor Andrzej Jasiński,
"Gazeta Pomorska", October 27, 1986

I have been observing the Paderewski competition since its third stage. I find this initiative great, since Paderewski, in respect of the role he played as a musician and a Pole, deserves that the competition named after him, take place in Poland. I perceive the reactivation of the competition after a longer break as a momentous occurrence and take profound satisfaction in this fact. To prove the above, I have prepared two of my students for the competition. The contest has been meticulously organized, and Professor Sulikowski himself put his heart and soul into these preparations. The jury of the competition, composed of competent musicians, was highly objective. I would like to bring to the fore the great role played by the symphonic orchestra of the Pomeranian Philharmonic and also its kind attitude towards young pianists. The Orchestra was superbly prepared, the conductor Mieczysław Nowakowski worked with pianists excellently both in respect of professionalism and kindness, which the artists really need. It must be admitted that not everywhere such atmosphere prevails. And if in three years' time on the occasion of the third competition, the organizers from Bydgoszcz will make such atmosphere the springboard of their contest, let us hope that the Paderewski competition will develop steadily in future and will gain greater momentum..."

Henryk Martenka, "After a long period of silence it will be as a brand new"
"Kujawy", October 16 - 22, 1986

On October 16 this year, a new All - Poland I. Paderewski Piano Competition will be opened, reactivated after 25 years by the Academy of Music in Bydgoszczy. At the beginning of the 60's, when a magnificent for the then times building of the Pomeranian Philharmonic had already been constructed, Capella Bydgostiensis under Stanisław Gałoński used to perform in the foyer, and letters inviting for so far unique congress Musica Antiqua Europea Orientalis were send worldwide, there rose a thought to extend musical potential with a competition, [...] dedicated to Ignacy Paderewski [...]. Bydgoszcz, which at that time did not have a school of music of higher education, entered the competition as a well prepared and conscientious organizer. [...]

The repertoire of the Second competition underwent a significant change. During the first competition participants enjoyed more freedom to chose compositions, it was less precise, more focused on the need to test the skills of the contestants than on a concrete monographic line, which after 25 years the contest has finally acquired.

Janina Witkowska, an interview with Professor Jerzym Sulikowskim,
Bydgoski Informator Kulturalny no. 11 (147), XI 1986

J. W. - Dear Professor, I wander a little at the form of the competition in Bydgoszcz. It consists of three stages, and the third stage is called the final. But the final is divided into final A and final B. Would it not be simpler to organize a competition consisting of three stages and a final with an orchestra, similarly to the Chopin competition?

Jerzy Sulikowski - The scope of piano literature obligatory during the Paderewski Competition is very wide, therefore we have divided the program into so called fours stage appearances. But there are only two competition eliminations: after the first and second stage. But the six finalists had to play first of all a very responsible solo program, which is exceedingly comparable, and then piano concerts with an orchestra, which are almost incomparable, since they differ significantly - from easy and to very difficult. Such a formal arrangement is applied during numerous international competitions. For example, the F. Liszt Piano Competition in Budapest consists of three stages and five stage appearances. Therefore participants who qualified for the second stage appear on stage twice. Similarly during the third stage - first they play a sonata by Liszt, and in the second part of the stage, a piano concert with an orchestra. In case of a competition with a wide ranging program such an arrangement is propitious, particularly for the jurors, as it facilitates assessment of the candidate.

J. W. - How did the program criteria look like?

J. S. - We based the program on the repertoire of Paderewski - the pianist: versatile, rich and deeply interesting not only for the performer, but also audience. We have composed it in cooperation with the pianists from the Chair of Piano Playing of the Academy of Music in Bydgoszcz and with Jan Weber, a music critic and a reviewer. When we put together all pieces we wanted to hear during the competition and everything dovetailed. Smaller pieces by Paderewski, Haydn or Mozart and two etudes: by Chopin and Liszt during the first stage. On the other hand, the second stage with an obligatory Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody, Paderewski's "Minuet G-Dur", Chopin's Ballad and Beethoven's sonata - formed a unified half-recital. But in the end we felt that the pieces presenting the uppermost artistry whose rendition is very difficult were missing. We have chosen a great romantic form, which was suited perfectly to the finale and performed solo by the six best participants of the Competition: one of Chopin's polonaises and optionally: Brahms (variations), Schumann or Paderewski. However had we left in the final only piano concerts, their rendition would defy comparison. For instance, how can we compare the rendition of a relatively simple Liszt�s Hungarian Fantasy with Beethoven Concerto B-Dur, which is an enormous, strikingly complicated musical fresco?

Barbara Dybkowska, "The master and his imitators"
"Ilustrowany Kurier Polski", November 5, 1986.

The competition in Bydgoszcz that has recently come to an end has some strong and weak points. The organizers called the competition second, despite the fact that the first took place as many as 25 years ago. Probably due to such a great time span separating the competitions, the memory of the first one persisted only among the previous organizers and maybe the than laureates. The ambitious repertoire, the asset of the competition, consists of almost two hours of music. The optional composition features various pieces difficult to perform both in technical and interpretative respects. The program of the Ignacy Paderewski competition comprises not only compositions of the master, but also favorite pieces from his piano repertoire, including Haydn, through Beethoven, Brahms to Liszt. The spirit of love for man was palpable during the competition both on the part of the audience, the Orchestra and the Pomeranian Philharmonic. [...]

Jadwiga Witkowska, "Reflections after the competition"
Second All-Polish I. Paderewski Piano Competition
"Gazeta Pomorska", October 31 - November 1-2, 1986.

It is not hard to guess that the program of the Second I. Paderewski Piano Competition necessitated excellent technique, and besides remarkable virtuoso play, depth of expression, excellent coloring of tone, imagination and... intelligence. To meet that end the knowledge of the style of music, ability to shape the form, build the phrase, bring musical drama under logical control, and finally faithfulness to the idea of the composer, all these ingredients were indispensable.

The laureate of the first prize Wojciech Kocyan - the most interesting individuality of the Second . I. Paderewski Competition said: "I strive to play as faithfully as possible what has been written by the composer, but certainly it has to be filtered through my personality. But only filtered since my personality cannot overshadow the personality of a composer. There must exist between my and composer's personality a symbiosis and then it is possible to strike some balance. Then it does not deprive the oeuvre its significance. We wish all pianists sat at the piano with such a conviction."

[...] We should feel delighted that the idea of a piano competition in Bydgoszcz, conceived 25 years ago, has not been squandered. Even today this year organizers (chiefly the Academy of Music in Bydgoszcz and the Department of Culture and the Arts of the Voivodeship Office), have been thinking over the formula of the subsequent competition, which will gain even greater momentum.