Music and Migration in Georgian Edinburgh

In this episode, our host Jackie Bird heads to the Georgian House in Edinburgh, where the finishing touches are being made to a new exhibition about the life and legacy of a man who helped to shape the city’s musical landscape. 

Felix Yaniewicz’s name may not be familiar to many, but the Polish-Lithuanian composer and musician was a key player in the Georgian concert halls. Having fled revolution and political upheaval in his homeland of the Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth, he arrived in Britain as a young musician determined to prove himself.

Now, his great-great-great-great granddaughter is telling the story of his life, thanks to a chance encounter with one of his square pianos. Who really was Felix Yaniewicz? What was life like for him in Britain? And what is the legacy of his music today?

For more information on the exhibition, click here.

For the December concert series, click here.