On Wed, 16 May 2007 11:53:09 -0500,
"Charlotte Webb"
<charlottethewebb(a)gmail.com> wrote:
> Offhand I would suggest that being a pianist is trivial compared to
> being a prime minister of Poland. However, the latter infobox should
> remain.
on 5/16/07 5:20 PM, Guy Chapman aka JzG at guy.chapman(a)spamcop.net wrote:
Charlotte, in my view you'd be wrong. Paderewski was hugely and
internationally famous as a pianist, whereas his fame as a Prime
Minister of Poland is largely limited to Poland - and the popularity
which saw him elected was founded in part on his pianism anyway.
Seriously, I have 78s of Paderewski which were treasured possessions
of my parents.
Guy,
Wonderful! I am a collector also, and the Paderewski recordings are among
the most treasured. History does, and always will, remember him as an
artist
first!
Marc Riddell
It seems Wikipedia has something right. Paderewski did have a substantial
role in international relations for the newly reminted post WWI Poland,
though, and he was immensely popular and well known in the United States. I
suspect there are many Americans who knew him as a statesman also, but
probably more Europeans because of his role at various times in
international events of the WWI-WWII age. It would be hard to imagine an
American saying "Polish Prime Minister" first.
Paderewski has neither a politican nor a pianist/musician box.
Václav Havel has only a politician box.
KP