Press release, 21/06/2022
Exhibition dedicated to Felix Janiewicz in Edinburgh from 25 June
An exhibition at Georgian House in Edinburgh from June will tell the remarkable story of the famous Polish-Lithuanian violinist and composer Feliks Janiewicz (1763-1848). Janiewicz settled in Scotland and co-sponsored Edinburgh’s first music festival in 1815. Events to accompany the exhibition include discussions, lectures, lecture-recitals and musical performances.
Josie Dixon, Yaniewicz's great-granddaughter and founder of The Friends of Felix Yaniewicz Foundation, says:
"In organising this exhibition, so many elements of Yaniewicz's colourful history were revealed, including a Polish king, his meeting with Mozart in Vienna, his escape from the French Revolution and his lost Stradivarius. We are delighted to have an incredible collection of memorabilia from his life and career available to visitors for the first time and, in doing so, commemorate his musical legacy in Scotland.”
After achieving much international success in Europe, Felix Janiewicz arrived in London around 1790, then made his way to Edinburgh, where he lived from 1815 until his death in 1848. This discovery and restoration of a historic table piano bearing Janiewicz's signature was the impetus for new research into his career and for a project to commemorate his contribution to Scotland's musical culture.
The Janiewicz & Green table piano was the subject of a crowdfunding campaign in 2011, which was co-organised by the Polish community in Scotland. Donations came in from the UK, Poland, Germany, Norway, France, Italy, Switzerland and the United States. His arrival in Scotland last year was celebrated with two recitals held at the Polish Consulate in Edinburgh. The Georgian House exhibition is an opportunity to present the instrument to the public for the first time.
"The figure of Feliks Janiewicz, the internationally acclaimed Polish-Lithuanian violin virtuoso, is an outstanding example of how music is an exceptionally universal language. An exhibition celebrating his fascinating life rich in travels is a chance to establish a transnational dialogue: not only between Scotland and Poland, but also with anyone moved by Janiewicz's music," says Barbara Schabowska, director of the Adam Mickiewicz Institute.
The exhibition 'Music and Migration in Georgian Edinburgh: The Story of Felix Janiewicz' will bring together a unique collection of musical instruments, portraits, manuscripts, silver and gold personal effects, letters and autographs. Many of these museum items have been passed down from generation to generation in the Janiewicz family, and almost none of them have been on public display before. Altogether, they will offer a fascinating insight into the career of this charismatic artist, composer, impresario and musical entrepreneur who left his mark on Scotland's musical culture.
The exhibition will also include accompanying events: multimedia presentations, lecture-recitals and musical performances at Georgian House, and a conversation with acclaimed writer and presenter Armando Iannucci on music, migration and Scotland, all of which will take place at Ghillie Dhu.
NOTE TO EDITORS
The exhibition 'Music and Migration in Georgian Edinburgh: The Story of Felix Janiewicz', organised by the National Trust for Scotland in collaboration with the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, will take place at Georgian House in Edinburgh from 25 June to 22 October 2022.
The event is co-financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.
The project was initiated by The Friends of Felix Yaniewicz Foundation, dedicated to providing a forum for admirers of this remarkable violin virtuoso, composer and co-founder of Edinburgh's first music festival in 1815. It is also a meeting place for musicians and music lovers, heritage practitioners, members of the thriving Polish-Scottish community and Yaniewicz's descendants who are saving his legacy from oblivion.
The foundation's patron is violinist Jennifer Pike MBE. Hailed as a 'violin genius' for the 'dazzling beauty of her sound' and her 'stunning interpretative imagination and exemplary technique', she has become an ambassador of Polish music and, in doing so, honouring her Polish origins.
More information: https://www.yaniewicz.org/
The Adam Mickiewicz Institute is a national cultural institution established in 2000. The Institute's aim - to build lasting interest in Polish culture worldwide - is pursued in cooperation with foreign partners and through international cultural exchange in dialogue with recipients, in line with the principles of Polish foreign policy. As of 2022, the Institute has completed projects in over 70 countries on six continents. The Adam Mickiewicz Institute is organised by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.
IAM's previous projects in Scotland include the 'Poland Scotland' concert series performed by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. These took place in 2020/2021 as part of an international cultural programme commemorating the centenary of Poland's independence.
Sponsors and partners:
Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, Baillie Gifford, Polish Ex-Combatants' Association in Great Britain Trust Fund, Polish Cultural Institute in London, Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Edinburgh, Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in Great Britain
Media Contact
Marta Sadurska
