The wartime experiences of Zygmunt Mycielski and the Polish post-war reality as illustrated by Mycielski’s letters to Nadia Boulanger (1939–1960): reading notes

In the article the author examines the letters of Zygmunt Mycielski to Nadia Boulanger, focusing on the wartime period and the 1950s. These sources provide a valuable insight into the correspondents’ deep friendship, painting a clear picture of the composer’s experiences and the musical life in post-war Poland. The letters form part of an extensive body of correspondence from 1929 to 1979 and are now preserved in the Bibliotheque nationale de France, in the Nouvelles Lettres Autographes collection (reference N.L.a. 89–90). This article analyses only a selected portion of this correspondence that covers the period from 22 September 1939 (the first wartime letter) to 13–14 August 1960 (a report from the Stratford Festival in Canada). In the early months of the war Nadia Boulanger served as a contact point, relaying information between Mycielski and his family. The letters Mycielski sent from his prisoner-of-war camp were written in tiny script and contained encrypted messages intended to reassure his loved ones. After the liberation Mycielski faced the difficult decision of whether to come back to Poland; ultimately, he did return to his homeland. In the 1950s his letters contained descriptions of the revival of musical life in Poland, reminiscences about old friends and reflections on the political situation. The letters, filled with emotion and personal experiences, constitute a fascinating resource for further research making it possible to better understand the composer’s life and work.