„Talent is a form of wealth entrusted to us”

Abstract

„Talent is a form of wealth entrusted to us” – these words may serve as Witold Lutosławski’s motto. He repeated them often and at many occasions, emphasising that each creative artist is obliged to treat his talent carefully and develop it to produce great results for public consumption. This corresponds well with Biblical parable on talents but does it mean that Lutosławski was a religious man? Was Christian ethic important to him? In his music there is no much connection with religion – only his youthful Lacrimosa for soprano, choir and orchestra, and the arrangements of traditional Polish Christmas carols, composed shortly after the Second World War, present his direct relations to religious inspirations. However, he did not like to talk about his beliefs and worldview, especially in the context of his own music, which for him always was abstract and free from any extra-musical features. But his attitude to composing, as well as to the public activity, reveals many connections with Christianity values. He was brought up in the family of strongly catholic and patriotic beliefs, connected with high moral principles. An atmosphere of Lutosławskis’ family, which belonged to the intellectual elites of pre-war Poland, made strong influence on young Witold. For the rest of his life he felt obliged to pay his duties both as a composer and as a man of a high moral standards. He not only concentrated on his creative work (though it was his main life obligation) but searched for public weal in his social activity, always aiming „to behave decently”. This corresponds perfectly with Christian ethic and indeed in one of his interviews Lutosławski openly admitted that not only his worldview was formed by Catholicism, towards which he remained faithful, but also that in his opinion Christian ethic remains pre-eminent among all ethic systems formed by the humanity.