Preludium na temat "Kyrie" (Missa "Orbis Factor"), Op. 9 No. 3 (uploading for Veteran's Day)

Today, November 11th is Veteran's Day. First called Armistice Day, it commemorates the end of WWI at the 11th hour of the eleventh day of the 11th month.

Feliks Nowowiejski (1877 – 1946) was a Polish composer, conductor, concert organist, and music teacher. Nowowiejski was born in Wartenburg in Warmia in the Prussian Partition of Poland.

Nowowiejski's family had lived in Warmia for several generations. In 1883 he became a pupil at the elementary school in Wartenburg at the rectory of St. Anne's Church. Due to his musical talent he entered the convent school in Swieta Lipka, where he was taught harmony, violin, cello, French horn, piano, and organ. However, he was unable to complete his studies because of the necessity of providing the sole support for his family.

In 1893 he became a violinist in the orchestra of the Prussian Regiment of Grenadiers, a development that enabled him to support his parents and siblings. A composition prize he was able to study at the Stern Conservatory and in 1900 he assumed the post of organist at St. James’ Church in Allenstein. After being awarded a second prize, he completed a three-month course in counterpoint, Palestrina, and Gregorian chant at the College of Catholic Church Music and Musical Education in Regensburg, Bavaria.

In 1909 Nowowiejski returned to Poland and settled in Kraków, where he served as director of the Krakow Music Society. He was also organist and director of the Warsaw Symphony.

In 1935, Nowowiejski received the title of papal chamberlain from Pope Pius XI. The next year he received the Order of Polonia Restituta, one of the nation's highest honours.

After a severe stroke in December 1941, Nowowiejski ended his musical career . He died on 15 January 1946.

The score is attached below, as well as photos of the composer and some churches at which he served.

Also below are photos of the commemorative marker and grave of of Private William Spahr, and I ask you to please see the First Comment.