Jozef Pilsudski
We are proud to announce the first release in over half of century of new arrangements of Polish music from the Vitak-Elsnic Collection. We have twenty brand spanking new Polish arrangements for brass quartet. Take 25% off the price of any of these arrangements. Oh, what the heck – take 25% off any of our Polish music! To see the possible selections, simply put POLISH in the search area at our online store. Or click here and let us pull up the list for you. (This offer ends November 30, 2017.)
Well, the Germans have had their Oktoberfest celebration. Tasty brats, rotkohl, German potato salad and of course that fine German beer. But here at Vitak-Elsnic and Music Publishers of America, we like to find more than one reason to celebrate. So (drum roll, please) – Happy Polish Independence Day!
Poles recognize November 11 as their Independence Day. Americans will note that November 11 is also Veterans Day in the United States. Although the reasons for setting the date for each holiday are different, they both sprang from the end of World War I. In the U.S., November 11 is the date that the armistice was signed in 1918 between the warring parties, effectively ending World War I.
For 123 years prior to the end of World War I, Prussia (Germany), Russia and Austria-Hungary had held pieces of what had once been an independent Poland. All three countries went down to defeat in World War I, and from the ash heap of those empires, the Polish nation was reborn. Polish freedom fighter Jozef Pilsudski was released from a German prison at the end of the war and arrived in Warsaw on November 10. On November 11, Pilsudski took control of the interim government and called for elections. The Second Polish Republic was created.
With the onset of World War II, the German and later Russian occupiers of Poland did not want the country to celebrate its earlier freedom. When the Iron Curtain fell and Poland became free once again in 1989, the new democratic government of Poland restored November 11 as Poland’s Independence Day.
While Vitak-Elsnic has been well-known for generations as a publisher of Bohemian-style music, its role in providing music in a Polish tradition was not promoted. One of our initiatives at Vitak-Elsnic now is to celebrate the beautiful Polish music in our collection. And what better way to commemorate Poland’s Independence Day than with music!
To our Polish-speaking friends, Wesołego dnia niepodległości!
And to anyone who enjoys good music and a bargain, happy shopping. But hurry – don’t forget, this 25% discount offer ends November 30.
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