Emil Mlynarski

1870 - 1935

Emil was born in the town of Kibartai in modern day Lithuania. At the time of his birth in 1870 it was simply a province of the Russian Empire.

Another child prodigy, this time on the violin, at the tender age of 10 he was ushered off to the St Petersburg Conservatory.

On graduating in 1889 he toured extensively both within the Russian Empire and around Europe before settling in Warsaw where he became Kapellmeister and musical director at the Teatr Wielki.

He was appointed as the first director and conductor of the Warsaw Philharmonic in 1901 but continued to travel and perform. Trips abroad included appearances in London, Liverpool and Manchester.

But perhaps the most unexpected turn of events was in 1910 when Mlynarski was appointed conductor of… the Scottish Orchestra. He continued working in Britain and befriended Sir Edward Elgar.

However when in 1915 his family estates in Lithuania were overrun by the German army he returned to evacuate his family to Mosocw.

After the Great War, with revolution raging in Russia, Emil returned to Warsaw, where apart from the occasional foray on concert or conducting tour, he remained. He returned briefly to conduct the Scottish Orchestra once more in 1920 but by the end of the twenties, he was plagued with arthritis.

He died in Warsaw, confined to a wheelchair.

He was not perhaps the most prolific of composers, but his two violin concertos were highly regarded in their time, though are rarely heard today. He was certainly not Avant Garde and his music reminiscent of mid 19th century classical composers.