To Andrzej Rakowski: an invitation and a challenge at a time of celebration

musicologist, member of the Programme Committee of the Fryderyk Chopin Institute in Warsaw (since 2001). He studied musicology at Poznań University under Adolf Chybiński and Marian Sobieski. He graduated in 1952, his MA dissertation treating of Chopin’s scherzos. He subsequently worked (until 1975) in the Institute of Art of the Polish Academy of Sciences. In the years 1975-1999 he was head of the School of Musicology of Poznań University, of which he is still a professor. Chair of the Polish Composers’ Union from 1969 to 1973 and a member of the board of the International Musicological Society from 1977 to 1987. As a specialist in ethnomusicology and music anthropology he has researched folkloric elements in the music of Chopin. Also significant for interpretations of the Chopin oeuvre are Stçszewski’s studies on the history of mazurka rhythms and research into nationality in music. Professor Stęszewski’s research interests centre around ethnomusicology, in particular Polish folklore, musicological methodology and its interdisciplinary aspect, and also the history of Polish music from the seventeenth to the twentieth century. He has been co-organiser of the Museum Board of the Folk Musical Instruments Museum in Szydłowiec (chair in the years 1987-2003), the Musicology Committee of the Art Sciences Department at the Poznań Society for the Friends of Learning (chair since 1996), where he is also co-editor of the musicological studies published by the committee, vice-chair (1994-2003) of the Academic Board attached to Polskie Radio’s Folk Culture Centre, co-editor of various publishing series and collective works, member of the editorial board of the biographical section of the Encyklopedia Muzyczna PWM and author of numerous articles in this encyclopaedia, in The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (London 2000) and in Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart (MGG), where he is a member of the advisory board of the biographical section.