Tekla Badarzewska

• Period: Romantic (1820-1869)
• Born: 1834 in Warsaw, Poland
• Died: September 29, 1861 in Warsaw, Poland
• Genres: Keyboard Music

Biography

Historically, modern pop singers have not been the only musicians unable to maintain their worldwide celebrity status after achieving it with a single hit. Take for example Tekla Badarzewska, who became well-known after she published her salon piece La prière d'une vierge (The Maiden's Prayer), originally called Modlitwa dziewicy. It was circulated as a supplement to the Paris Revue et Gazette Musicale in 1859, and before the century was out, it had been transformed into more than 100 editions. Regardless of their similarity of style and theme, neither Seconde prière d'une vierge nor Prière exaucée, ou Réponse à la prière d'une vierge had more than ephemeral popularity. Even though Badarzewska's success as a composer was narrow, probably few trendy pop stars will have as lasting an impact as she, for her work was still being recorded more than 100 years after her death. Among the companies that have released The Maiden's Prayer on recording are giants like Belart and Decca; one of the recordings that has helped give rank to her composition was a captured performance by Vladimir Ashkenazy (1976). ~ Meredith Gailey, All Music Guide