The people of Warsaw commemorate Chopin’s death date (October 17, 1849) every five years to coincide with the international piano competition. Locals and tourists crowded into the Church of the Sacred Cross, where Chopin’s heart was interred. The ceremony began with the Mass. Bouquets of flowers were put in front of his monument. Then the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus performed Mozart’s Requiem in D Minor. There was much love for the native son, whose music transcended the human struggles into poetry. At this moment, somewhere out in the cold streets of Germany, a Syrian pianist becomes the symbol of hope…
Bearer of the Sacred Cross
Emigration as a community was in a way born of defeat and not in order to forget. —Kamilla Pijanowska
Kyrie elesion
in desperation
Christe elesion
a people move
Kyrie elesion
in desperation
In the multitude
some are workers
some are scholars
some are artists
one plays the piano.
Kyrie elesion
in desperation
Christe elesion
a people move
Kyrie elesion
in desperation
He played in the streets
on his out of tuned piano
amid guns and grenades
he sang his songs.
Kyrie elesion
in desperation
Christe elesion
a people move
Kyrie elesion
in desperation
People gathered around and raised their voices
although everything was destroyed.
Their lives might be untimely shorten
but their song would always remain.
Kyrie elesion
in desperation
Christe elesion
a people move
Kyrie elesion
in desperation
They burned his piano
They silenced his band
The Pianist of Yarmouk
began his journey
Kyrie elesion
in desperation
Christe elesion
a people move
Kyrie elesion
in desperation
from Syria to Turkey
from Greece to Macedonia
he dreams of playing the piano
in the streets of Berlin.
Kyrie elesion
in desperation
Christe elesion
a people move
Kyrie elesion
in desperation
In a dark night
Ludwika Chopin smuggled her brother’s heart
preserved in a jar filled with cognac
back to Poland and placed it at the Sacred Cross.
Where your treasure is,
there will your heart be also. (Matthew 6:21)
*
Notes:
Mozart’s Requiem in D Minor is performed every five years on October 17, Chopin’s death date, at the Church of the Sacred Cross, where his heart was interred.
Kyrie elesion, Christe elesion (Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy)—text of the Requiem, after Introitus.
The Pianist of Yarmouk is a Syrian refugee. His story can be found on major media sites.
Photo of the Church of the Sacred Cross by Millie Siu.
Photo of the Pianist of Yarmouk is from a youtube screen shot.
