Roman Statkowski

Polish Classical Composer and Pianist

Roman Statkowski (24 December 1859, Szczypiorno – 12 November 1925, Warsaw) was a Polish composer, most notable for his operas and chamber music. He was born in Szczypiorno, near Kalisz, and initially trained as a lawyer. He left law for a musical career, studying with Władysław Żeleński in Warsaw and then at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory with Nikolai Soloviev and Anton Rubinstein, graduating at the age of 31 in 1890. His musical influences were mainly Russian, specifically Mussorgsky and Tchaikovsky, but he was also attracted to German music such as the tone poems of Richard Strauss and the operas of Hans Pfitzner. His work has been described as linking the post-Moniuszko composers and the generation of Szymanowski.