Wśród twórców pieśni masowej – Alfred Gradstein i jego światy

Abstract

The article focuses mainly on the history of Alfred Gradstein, as well as touches upon the subject of the impact of World War II on his family. Descriptions of his protagonists work interspersed with his personal life allow to show his creativity, moral dilemmas and hardships of existence in a full spectrum. Gradstein, a lonely hermit of the Word War II occupation, returns to Poland to satisfy his longing for a collective life, due to Stalinist propaganda. However, the abundant production of general appeal songs does not necessarily constitute an act of faith, but merely socialist realism, which could have been practised by an opportunist, as much as a passive victim of environmental osmosis. During his PRL life, he produced melodic, easily assimilated, rhythmic means of persuasion and indoctrination tools for ideologists and engineers of souls. More effectively than slogan or agitprop, his music seduces, rocks, insidiously disarms the old man and arms the man of the future. Especially the mass song, reproduced collectively, experienced and internalized, reaches the subconscious. They are optimistic, give a new tone and direction, connect and unite a group, give a sense of community, define and approve belonging to a community, blur "class" or other differences, unify and eliminate.