Polsky Radio
Polski Radio contributes a 25 minute piece "The River Milosz".
The idea is to present the theme of rivers in the poetry of the greatest living Polish poet, Nobelprize winner Czeslaw Milosz. He wrote several poems devoted to rivers, and river as a metaphor of time, life, nature, the feminine aspect of the universe, is a very characteristic trait of his work. In one of his recent poems he wrote:
"Whenever I wandered, on any continent, I was always facing a river".
One of his poems, entitled "RIVERS", is a kind of psalm praising the beauty of rivers. It was written in August 1980, a couple of months before the Nobel Committee verdict. Since then, it has been translated into several languages.

For the "River Milosz" several translators were asked to do some more versions. Therefore during the 25 minute long essay, the whole poem is presented in excerpts in English, Belorussian, Czech, German, Japanese, Chinese, Swedish, Italian, Russian and of course in its original - Polish. The final effect is a multi-language sound tapestry, somehow similar to a prayer, (a fact surprising even the authors of the radio-essay themselves). Music is waved into languages.


Zbigniew Narnyslowski, a very fine jazz musician and composer, was asked to improvise on themes devoted to rivers in various countries. Thus, for instance, a German version of the poem "Rivers" is illustrated by an improvisation on "The Trout" by Franz Schubert, and an English translation is accompanied by "Ol' Man River". The authors were able to interview Milosz especially for this program.His short comments are translated into English.
About the authors: Czeslaw Milosz - born in 1911, in Lithania, emigrated to the West in 1951. Professor of Slavic Languages at the University of California, Berkeley. His works include poetry, essays, two novels, translations of poetry. Winner of the Nobelprize for Literature in 1980, he is also the recipient of many honorary doctorates. He lives in California and Cracow.


Andrzej Brzoska is sound director of the Drama Department and its Deputy Director at the Polish Public Radio. He was awarded the Prix Italia four times.


Renata Gorczynska - broadcaster, literary critic and translator, has worked in the U.S. for Szeslaw Milosz as his assistant, and published critical studies on his works. Deputy director of Channel Four, Polish Public Radio.


Zbigniew Namyslowski, born in 1939, - a leading figure in Polish jazz music, also considered one of the finest European soloists (alto sax, soprnanino, flute) is incidently - a son of MilsozŒs friends from youth. He has recorded dozens of highly original LPs and CDs, both in Poland and abroad. As a composer, he is influenced by Polish folklore.