Wanda Aleksandra Landowska (1879–1959) was a Polish pianist, harpsichordist, and musical scholar who played a pivotal role in reviving the harpsichord in the 20th century. A distinguished interpreter of Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel, she was instrumental in popularizing historical performance practices.
Born in Warsaw, she studied piano and composition in Berlin before moving to Paris, where she immersed herself in early music research. In 1912, she became professor of harpsichord at the Berlin Hochschule. She later taught at the Schola Cantorum and founded the École de Musique Ancienne in 1925. After World War I, during which she was detained in Germany, she toured extensively. In 1927, she established her École de Musique Ancienne at Saint-Leu-la-Forêt near Paris, offering specialized training in performing early music. When Germany invaded France in 1940, she fled to the south of France, then Switzerland, and eventually reached the United States in 1941.
Landowska renewed interest in the harpsichord, inspiring Manuel de Falla to compose a harpsichord concerto for her. She also wrote songs, piano works, and orchestral pieces. Her scholarly contributions include Musique Ancienne (1909,) co-written with her husband Henry Lew. French keyboard teacher Denise Restout later edited Landowska on Music (1965,) a collection of her writings.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Wanda Landowska
The task of a teacher is not to work for the pupil nor to oblige him to work, but to show him how to work.
—Wanda Landowska
Leave a Reply