Between 1946 and 1951, Wiszniewski studied theory and composition with Kazimierz Sikorski and viola with Mieczysław Szaleski at the State Higher School of Music in Łódź. From 1948 to 1957 he was active as a viola player, for example, in the Orchestra of the Polish Dance Ensemble (1955-57). Beginning in 1954, he taught at the State Secondary Music School in Warsaw, and at the Academy of Music in Warsaw between 1979 and 1988, returning again in 1993. Apart from teaching, he was also involved in spreading Polish musical culture. Between 1957 to 1966 and 1968 and 1985, he was the music editor at the Polish Radio Theatre in Warsaw, and from 1957 to 1962 he collaborated with the Polish Radio Experimental Studio.
In 1966-68 he worked as a voice-over in the publishing house B. Schott’s Söhne in Mainz, where he also contributed to the editing of the supplementary volumes of the Riemann Musiklexikon. From 1982 to 1984 he was also editor-in-chief of the Poradnik Muzyczny magazine. He was the co-founder of the Association of Polish Violin-Makers and a member of the authorities of the ZAiKS Creators’ Association. He wrote a theoretical work entitled On the Criteria of Evaluating Violin Instruments.
Zbigniew Wiszniewski received many awards for his compositions, including the 1959 RAI Award at the Prix Italia International Competition in Sorrento for his radio opera Neffru (1958-59), in 1969 – the first prize at the Première Semaine Chrétienne Internationale de TV competition in Monaco for the television oratorio Genesis for baritone, actor, choir and orchestra (1967), in 1972 – the Golden Microphone for outstanding creative achievements on the Polish Radio and the Prime Minister’s Award for musical works meant for children.
Selected compositions:
- Quartet for violin No. 1 (1952)
- Neffru, radio opera (1958-59)
- Ad hominem, ballet for mixed choir and orchestra (1962)
- Trio for oboe, harp and viola (1963)
- Sonata for solo violin (1963)
- Tre pezzi della tradizione for mixed choir and orchestra (1964)
- Kammermusik No. 1 for oboe, oboe d'amore, English horn and bassoon (1965-67)
- Tristia quattro pezzi da camera for 8 instruments (1965)
- Tre intermezzi per arpa sola (1965)
- Kammermusik No. 2 for 10 instruments (1966)
- Kammermusik nr 3 (Kadenzen für Schlagzeug) for percussion (1966)
- Duo per flauto e viola (1966)
- Triptychon for orchestra (1967)
- Genesis, TV oratorio for baritone, actor, choir and orchestra (1967)
- Konzert für Klarinette und Streicher (1968-70)
- Bracia, TV oratorio for actor, male voice choir and orchestra (1970-72)
- Sichel versäumter Stunden, cantata for choir and orchestra (1971)
- Pater noster, radio opera (1971-74)
- Kammermusik No. 4 for10 instruments (1972-73)
- Quartetto per flauto, corno, pianoforte e contrabbasso (1972)
- Ad if, radio opera (1973)
- Sonata per violoncello solo (1977)
- Duo für Flüte und Horn (1977)
- Duo für Basstuba und Schlagzeug (1981)
- Duo für Altsaxophon und Marimba (1982)
- Quartet for 4 violins (1982)
- Rhapsodia für Violine und Harfe (1982)
- Duo für Altsaxophon und Violoncello (1983)
- Quintet for oboe, bassoon, violin, viola and cello (1984)
- Duo für Akkordeon und Gitarre (1984)
- Trio für Altsaxophon in Es, Akkordeon und Schlagzeug (1985)
- Duo für Trompete und Basstuba (1985)
- Ballad for mandolin and Celtic harp (1985)
- Für Cembalo (1985)
- Für Orgel (1986)
- Sinfonia da camera for strings (1987)
- Violin Concerto (1987)
- Trio für Viola d'amore, Akkordeon und Orgel (1987)
- Trigonos for 2 accordions and organ (1987)
- Quartet for lute, percussion, pomort and curve (1987)
- Concertante for oboe, harpsichord and strings (1987)
- Ballade de Villon de la Grosse Margot for baritone, choir and 5 instruments (1988)
- Duo für 2 Violoncelli (1988)
- Pro organo (1988)
- Trio für Flüte, Cembalo und Violoncell (1988)
- Double Concerto for trumpet, accordion and orchestra (1989)
- Sonata for oboe solo (1989)
- Duo for accordion and trombone (1990)
- String Quartet No. 2 (1990)
- Canon for choir and instruments (1992)
- Sonata for the viola d'amore (1992)
Author: Polish Music Information Center, Union of Polish Composers, translated into Polish by P. Grabowski, December 2021