Music in the Cathedral » Organists

Walenty Dec

Organist at St Anne’s Church, and later at the cathedral, and conductor of the cathedral choir at Wawel. In the years 1895-1928 he taught the organ, and in the years 1889-1928 he was also a teacher of the theory of music at the Conservatory of the Musical Society in Cracow. He was a great promoter of the revival of church music in Cracow in the spirit of the reform initiated by Pope Pius X. He wrote music for Latin Mass and Christmas carols for the Men’s Choir. He died in 1938.

Michał Jan Woźny

Born in Spytkowice near Wadowice in 1902, he was the most renowned personage among church musicians, and in particular those associated with the central place – Wawel Cathedral. He took his first singing and piano lessons from his father who was an organist at a parish church, and then continued his education in the organ class at the Conservatory of the Musical Society, where he met Father Bernardino Rizzi – a professor of the theory of music, harmony and counterpoint. In 1924 Woźny obtained his Diploma at the Conservatory of the Musical Society. Initially he worked as an organist at the Missionaries’ Church in Cracow, then he won a competition for the position of organist at St Elizabeth’s Church in Lvov. In 1926, having passed a state exam qualifying as a teacher of music, singing and piano, he was employed as a music teacher at the Stanisław Moniuszko Musical Schools for the Blind at the Institution for Care of the Blind in Lvov. Michał Woźny conducted choirs and gave organ concerts in Lvov. In 1945 he won a competition for the post of organist at Wawel Cathedral where he created the Men’s Choir which gave concerts every Sunday after High Mass. He also worked as a pedagogue at musical schools and published popular classical music pieces. As a choir master he wrote many vocal and organ pieces for ensembles in Lvov and Cracow. He also adapted songs, Mass music and religious compositions for the organ. In 1976 Pope Paul VI awarded him the order Pro Eccelesia et Pontifice, Michał Woźny died in Cracow on 18 January 1990. Three years later, on 10 January 1993, a commemorative plaque in honour of Michał Woźny’s activity was placed and consecrated at Wawel Cathedral. His musical output contains vocal compositions on religious themes (46) and on secular themes (20), adaptations of vocal religious compositions (202) and of secular compositions (13), as well as compilations of instrumental pieces (5). He is still well remembered by the members of the cathedral choir.

Witold Zalewski

Witold ZalewskiHe began his education in playing the organ at the State Musical School in Cracow under Mieczysław Tuleja, graduating in 1992 from the Musical Academy in Cracow at Professor Jan Jargoń’s organ class. He perfected his art during organ music interpretation courses under J. Laukvik, G. Schneider and J. Guillou. Since 1995 Witold Zalewski has been an organist at Wawel Cathedral. As a soloist he has given concerts in Poland and abroad (in the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Finland, Russia, Switzerland, Ukraine, the USA and other countries). In April 2007 he performed at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan, New York, during a concert held to commemorate the second anniversary of John Paul II’s departure to the House of the Father. Since 1998 Zalewski has been a member of the Church Music Committee at the Metropolitan Curia in Cracow. During papal pilgrimages of the Holy Fathers John Paul II and Benedict XVI, Zalewski was the organist during liturgical services held at Wawel Cathedral, the Sanctuary in Łagiewniki, and on the Cracow Błonia. Witold Zalewski is the author of a church songbook published by the Polish Musical Publishing House in 1997 as well as a co-editor and co-author of many other publications (e.g. The Wawel Songbook). He is also the director of the International Organ Music Festival in Zakopane and co-organiser of concerts in Southern Poland.