The relationship between Karol Szymanowski, one of the most important composers of the 20th century, and Switzerland dates back to 1895, when, as a 12-year-old boy, he travelled with his family to Geneva. The reason for the trip was family reasons. Szymanowski returned from this trip fascinated by the works of Richard Wagner and the piano extracts to his operas. The German composer's original compositions sank deeply and long into Szymanowski's memory, and were one of the impulses that led him to become a composer.

Since then, Szymanowski visited Switzerland many times, including in: 1926, 1929-1930, 1931, 1935, 1937.During these stays he visited: Zurich, Davos, Zuoz, Lausanne. The visits were a pretext for familiarising himself with the local landscape and culture, with the music played on the most important local stages (including Hindemith, Krasa, Casella, Weill, Tansman and Webern), for social meetings, for popularising his work, but also for medical treatment.

In the last years of his life, Szymanowski began to visit Swiss health resorts due to his strained health. His health problems began in 1927, at which time the musician took up the post of director of the Warsaw Conservatory, temporarily giving up composing in favour of a teaching path. However, his health complications became the reason for his resignation from this post. He was diagnosed with an acute form of tuberculosis. As a result, Szymanowski decided at the end of 1929 to undergo months of treatment at the Guardaval sanatorium in Davos.

His stay at the sanatorium brought remission, so that in 1930. Szymanowski accepted an offer of a job as rector of the newly-formed Higher School of Music in Warsaw. In the following years, however, the disease attacked the composer's throat and oesophagus, so towards the end of his life he faced not only problems with speaking, but also with swallowing food. In mid-March 1937, he was taken to Dr Dufour's specialist clinic at the Signal in Lausanne, where he died on 29 March, a quarter past midnight. In his last moments he was accompanied by his younger sister, the well-known and acclaimed singer Stanisława Korwin-Szymanowska. She looked after him, holding his hand, reading to him, talking to him almost until his last breath. After the formalities were settled, she accompanied him on his last journey in the carriage carrying the glass coffin with his embalmed body to his homeland.

Bust of Karol Szymanowski at the Music Conservatory

Location: Hall of the Music Conservatory

Creator: Zofia Wolska

Year of creation: 2007

Technique: sculpture, bronze

Materials: bronze, stone

Dimensions: 34 x 34 x 50 cm

Description: Portrait sculpture depicting the composer at a mature age. The bust is a bronze cast. Szymanowski is depicted veristically, with sharp, expressive facial features and his hair combed to the right side. On the stone pedestal an inscription in French and Polish: KAROL SZYMANOWSKI (1882-1937) - pianiste et compositeur polon ais, auteur d'un des plus célèbres opéras polon ais Le Roi Roger, décédé le 29 mars 1937 à la Clinique du Signal à Lausanne / KAROL SZYMANOWSKI (1882-1937) - Polish composer and pianist, author of one of the most famous Polish operas, King Roger. Died on 29 March at the Clinique du Signal sanatorium in Lausanne / Auteur du buste / author of the sculpture: Zofia Wolska (Varsovie / Warsaw)"