The Pianist who became Prime Minister

Ignacy Jan Paderewski is one of the most fascinating figures in musical history. In this video, I talk about Paderewski's life as a musician and statesman, a little about his piano-playing, and conclude with a performance of his famous Minuet in G.

Check out my website:
https://nicholaswilliams.com.au/
Follow me on social media:
  / nicholaswilliamspiano  
  / nicholaswilliamspiano  

The research for this video was based primarily on three books:
Adam Zamoyski, Paderewski (New York: Atheneum, 1982).
Ignace Jan Paderewski and Mary Lawton, The Paderewski Memoirs (New York: C. Scribner's Sons, 1938).
Rom Landau, Paderewski (London: Ivor Nicholson and Watson, 1934).

Sources for images and other content used in this video:
Image 1:
"Paderewski in the 1890s" Archiwum Glowne Akt Nowych, Warsaw, Published in Adam Zamoyski, Paderewski (New York: Atheneum, 1982)
Image 2:
By Lawrence Alma-Tadema - Google Arts & Culture — qAGzlpBMqFSYsQ, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
Image 3:
By Bain News Service, publisher - Library of CongressCatalog: https://lccn.loc.gov/2014715494Image download: https://cdn.loc.gov/service/pnp/ggbai... url: https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/201..., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
Image 4:
Google Maps 2026
Image 5:
"[Paderewski] Aged 10, at the piano" Archiwum Glowne Akt Nowych, Warsaw, Published in Adam Zamoyski, Paderewski (New York: Atheneum, 1982)
Image 6:
Aleksander Janowski, Warszawa, Wydawnictwo Polskie R. Wegner, Poznań, p. 134, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
Image 7:
"Ignacy Paderewski in his late teens" Archiwum Glowne Akt Nowych, Warsaw, Published in Adam Zamoyski, Paderewski (New York: Atheneum, 1982)
Image 8:
Leschetizky - http://humus.livejournal.com/4116698...., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
Image 9:
"Paderewski circa 1890" Wikimedia, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
Image 10:
Drawing "by Violet, Lady Granby" (1859-1937), Archiwum Glowne Akt Nowych, Warsaw, Published in Adam Zamoyski, Paderewski (New York: Atheneum, 1982)
Image 11:
Arnold Genthe (1869-1942) photographer - Arnold Genthe Collection (Library of Congress). Negatives and transparencies, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
Image 12:
"Paderewski's Recitals" The Magazine of Music, Jan 1893, 9 (-13), ProQuest British Periodicals
Image 13:
1892 Steinway & Sons piano, Photographs from Smithsonian website, https://www.si.edu/object/steinway-so...
Image 14:
Photograph by Theodore C. Marceau (1859-1922) - http://www.gutenberg.org/files/15604/..., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
Image 15:
"Paderewski speaking in Chicago, 1916" Archiwum Glowne Akt Nowych, Warsaw, Published in Adam Zamoyski,Paderewski (New York: Atheneum, 1982)
Image 16:
"Paderewski and Woodrow Wilson at the White House, 1917" Archiwum Glowne Akt Nowych, Warsaw, Published in Adam Zamoyski,Paderewski (New York: Atheneum, 1982)
Image 17:
"A session of the Paris Peace Conference, by William Orpen" Imperial War Museum, Published in Adam Zamoyski,Paderewski (New York: Atheneum, 1982)
Image 18:
"Paderewski at the Riond-Bosson, in the late 1930s" Helen Liibke Collection, Published in Adam Zamoyski,Paderewski (New York: Atheneum, 1982)

Clip 1:
Paderewski plays "Menuet" in G - 1937 movie
xper2xper
   • Paderewski plays "Menuet" in G - 1937 movie  

Recording 1 (and Image):
University of California Santa Barbara Library, via Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Victor matrix C-26392. My joys / Ignace Jan Paderewski," http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php....

Recording 2:
University of California Santa Barbara Library, via Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Victor matrix C-26600. Nocturne in B flat / Ignace Jan Paderewski," accessed January 14, 2026, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php....

Clip 2:
Fragment filmu "Sonata księżycowa" (1937) z udziałem I.J. Paderewskiego
TW ON
   • Fragment filmu "Sonata księżycowa" (1937) ...