Composers / Fryderyk Chopin / Places catalog

Miss Kicka's Salon in Lubomirski Palace

For a week now, I haven’t written a thing, either for people, or for God’, lamented Chopin to Tytus Woyciechowski in December 1828. ‘I run from Peter to Paul, and today I will be at Vincengerode’s for a soirée, and from there I go for a second one to Miss Kicka’s. You know how pleasant it is when you feel like sleeping, and here they are asking you for an improvisation. Just try to satisfy everybody!’

The gifted young virtuoso was certainly a very welcome guest in the salons of Warsaw, especially popular among which was that of Miss Kicka, who was famous in her day for having rejected marriage proposals from King Frederick William of Prussia.

Antoni Edward Odyniec described one of the famous improvisations Chopin gave here: ‘It was in 1827 or 1828. I cannot remember exactly. Chopin was still in school uniform and as bashful as a young girl. The salon had an aeolomelodicon instead of a piano, and the hostess had been asking him to play it all evening. In Dresden, Chopin laughed when he looked back on the feelings he experienced, whereas I was serious when I recalled the impression he made on the audience. After playing two or three of his own compositions, he started improvising on the theme of the last one. The plaintive and solemn tones of the organ had a visible effect on the inspiration he appeared to have absorbed. The admiration was universal. It was not thought, but heard. He kept on playing, more and more distinctly and dolefully. Goodness knows how long he would have gone on playing had not the venerable Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz, having noticed the extraordinary change and pallor that had come over his face, taken pity on him. He came up, quietly sat down beside him, took him by the hand and said “Enough. Enough young man. You need to rest”. Everybody circled round him then. Nobody dared praise him out loud. The hostess and the guests squeezed his hand and thanked him. Chopin said that none of his greatest triumphs ever gave him consolation as sweet as that’.

We can assume with a fair degree of certainty that Odyniec added a touch of colour to his description of the evening. He might have enhanced its emotional value as well, especially as he was remembering Chopin. This goes to show how popular the young Chopin could be among a large group of distinguished listeners.

Place Category
Antoni Brzezina’s bookshop Publishers / Bookshops
Antonin Manors / Palaces / Castles
Apartment of Dominik Magnuszewski Flats
Apartment of Stefan Witwicki Flats
Apartment of the family of Alfons Brandt Flats
Augsburg Evangelical Church of the Holy Trinity Churches / Places of worship
Belvedere Appearances
Bielany, Camaldolese monastery Churches / Places of worship
Blue Palace Manors / Palaces / Castles
‘Botanika’ Other
Brochów Churches / Places of worship
Brühl Palace Appearances
Buchholtz’s instrument store Other
Casimir Palace Flats
Chopin Monument in Łazienki Park Other
Czapski (Krasiński) Palace Appearances, Manors / Palaces / Castles
Dal Trozzo bookshop Publishers / Bookshops
Duszniki Zdrój Hotels / Inns
Dziewanowski home Flats
Engraving studio of Fr Izydor Józef Cybulski and Antoni Płachecki Education
Franciszek Klukowski bookshop Publishers / Bookshops
Fryderyk Chopin Museum Other
Fryderyk Skarbek’s apartment Flats
Gdańsk Hotels / Inns
Gładkowskis' apartment Flats
Golub Other
Holy Cross Church Churches / Places of worship
Home of Jan Matuszyński Flats
‘Honoratka’ Coffeehouses
Jabłonowski Palace Manors / Palaces / Castles
Jan Böhm’s townhouse Flats
Kalisz Other
Kikół Manors / Palaces / Castles
Kolbergs' apartment Flats
Kowalewo Manors / Palaces / Castles
Kozłowo Manors / Palaces / Castles
Krakow Other
Ludwik Dmuszewski’s house Flats
Magnus's bookshop Publishers / Bookshops
Marceli Celiński’s apartment Flats
Maurycy Mochnacki’s home Flats
Miss Kicka's Salon in Lubomirski Palace Manors / Palaces / Castles
National Theatre Appearances
Obory Churches / Places of worship
Obrowo Manors / Palaces / Castles
Ojców Other
‘Old’ Merchants' Hall Appearances
Patisserie Lourse Coffeehouses
Pieskowa Skała Other
Płock Other
‘Pod Kopciuszkiem’ and ‘Dziurka’ Coffeehouses
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Powązki Cemeteries
Poznań Other
Presbytery of St Jadwiga (Hedwig) parish church in Milanówek Other
Pruszak Palace Manors / Palaces / Castles
Residence of Józef Reinschmidt’s parents Flats
Rościszewo Manors / Palaces / Castles
Sanniki Manors / Palaces / Castles
Saxon Palace Flats
Saxon Post Office Other
Skating rink Other
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Strzyżew Manors / Palaces / Castles
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Toruń Other
Turzno Manors / Palaces / Castles
‘U Brzezińskiej’ Coffeehouses
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Viceroy's Palace Appearances
Vilnius (Wileński) Hotel Hotels / Inns
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Waplewo Manors / Palaces / Castles
Warsaw Other
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Warsaw Conservatory Appearances
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Wieliczka Other
Wojciech Żywny’s apartment Flats
Wola Tollhouse Other
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Żelazowa Wola Flats
Żychlin Manors / Palaces / Castles