"To understand Poland you must understand Frederic Chopin" (Stratfor Friedman)

No, I don't think music is detached...That Stravinsky...I had a music teacher in high school who discussed the whole issue with us, and it come to mine when I read that critic of Chopin.

Don't come to Norway... You would think their mental ;p

Maybe he means the Polish psyche and not Poland itself? :)
Also maybe not understand but get a tiny little information/feeling about it? :D

No - his motivation was purely musicological; he lived, as Chopin before him had, in Paris.

Interesting point you raise, though. Back in Leningrad, Shostakovich couldn't escape imputations of anti-Soviet sentiment in his work - which didn't earn him a trip to the gulags, but cetainly didn't make for an easy career.

It is an interesting article, though it has to be said not the best informed....regarding facts. I read it more as the work of a fanciful imagination rather than reality. Good find BB.

I also think that the author is looking at Germany through an outdated lens, I would argue that Germany would be one of the last in Europe to pursue a strategy of grand expansion. I mean Germany is pumping money into Poland at the moment for goodness sake....

@Sokrates
Can you give me an example of Poland being f'ucked by Germany in the last 20 years? I mean, progress has been good for Poland. We have to work together. Besides, didn't Poland handle the recession well because they were more self reliant (Poles were encouraged to buy Polish products, as an example)? Germany is very export oriented. They need Poland to do well, it's in their interest. The only country Poland should worry about is Russia since they know nothing about business. Am I wrong people?

Yes, yes, I know. I meant that You said that it is not detached. And I agree.


This is one of the most despicable things possible - to try to subdue even imagination of musical chords to a political party line/program. You would think at least music won't be touched. Not in that system.


You are correct on this one.

it's an old frozen discussion I know

but you perhaps don't know some facts of quite recent history rychlik
the most startling fact is the Treaty of Asociation to European Community ( well I can't remember the correct name of the Treaty and my source on the internet somehow vanished) negotiated back in 1991 which started functioning in 1992 (in its commercial part and in 1994 in other aspects like legal adjustmenst) - the treaty opened Polish market to almost any imports from the west giving no return privileges for Poland - there were high duties on agricultural produce from Poland for example right up to 2004 - - the treaty ended in 2004 with Poland entering the EU - during this time Polish industry and economy in whole suffered badly - for example in 1992 the deficit in Polish trade with the EU was 1.2 billion dollars whereas in 1997 it was as high as 7.5 billion dollars

I agree with him on most of what he says. I still believe Poland's main foreign friend and ally should be the United States, others have proven throughout history to be greedy and untrustworthy. I hope his predictions about Poland becoming an economic power come true.

I really wish the best for you guys but when you look back in your history, you guys always had great soldiers but you never had good politicians and economists.

Good luck!

There's one Polish economist (forgot his name) very bright claims to have had no troubles even during his studies at Harvard, they ought to give him a try.

Yeah, Harvard sounds really good. Give him a shot.

Friedman and his book " The Next 100 Years"

youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=QmzRSUSoShI

It has some points but the Japaneese has taken an economic path just like Germany did. Unless U.S.A will crumble or get so weakened it has nothing to say Japan will be where it is.

Statute to the Polish composer Frederik Chopin in a prestige Belgrade`s Manaze park

Some foreign embassies in Serbian Capital Belgrade complained on that statue, because Encyclopedia Britannica says: /citation/ ``Polish French composer``
britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/114362/Frederic-Chopin

But, statue is still there and it still says: ``Poljski kompozitor`` / Polish composer/ (written in Serbian Latin inscription)

[moved from]


Chopin is the greatest. His music can make a grown man cry.

I hate Classical music....it always makes me cry when I hear how awful it is......give me Hendrix,Santana,Zappa and hundreds of others any day before the "Danse Funebre" of Chopin.... LOL!!!

Your tastes are as poor as your opinions are ignorant. Chopin/Szopen is the soul of Poland, bar none!

Now you speak like a very primitive creature, proving you are a British Polish mongrel who refuses to learn and adopt not only Polish culture but also universal artistry. Shame on you.

Chopin`s heart is in Holy Cross Church in Warsaw:

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Stratfor Friedman's quote is no more apparent than in the hauntingly, almost tear-jerkingly, beautiful strains of the renowned Etude in E-flat, otherwise known as "La Tristesse".

If that isn't the spirit and soul of Poland, Polska z krwi i kosci, I don't know what is!