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Audio Recording Interview with Alvin and Jeannette Sajewski in their store about Polish music and traditions, Chicago, Illinois, part 1

Interview with Alvin and Jeannette Sajewski in their store about Polish music and traditions, Chicago, Illinois, part 1

About this Item

Title

  • Interview with Alvin and Jeannette Sajewski in their store about Polish music and traditions, Chicago, Illinois, part 1

Names

  • Kalčik, Susan J. (Collector)
  • Sajewski, Alvin (Interviewee)
  • Sajewski, Jeannette (Interviewee)

Created / Published

  • Chicago, Illinois, June 2, 1977

Headings

  • -  Polish Americans
  • -  Ethnography
  • -  Interviews
  • -  Illinois -- Chicago

Genre

  • Ethnography
  • Interviews

Notes

  • -  Alvin & Janette Sajewski, part 1
  • -  Part 1 of a 4-part interview with sister and brother Jania Sajewski (Jeanette Sajewski Terley or Jeannette Sajewski Terlikowski) and Alvin Sajewski in their music store, 1227 Milwaukee Ave; about contacts to visit, Jeanette recommends Fr. Donald Bilinski (Polish Museum of America), the Daily Zgoda, and Dr. Bzienski; then discussion of how local musicians come to the store, mostly polka orchestra members, long tradition of Polish music in the Chicago area and polka is at its height, even with young people; polka has been here from the time of the first settlers; the old timers played by ear, violin, clarinet, coronet, button accordions; music was an important part of leisure time, songs were passed on through the generations; how groups were formed to play at weddings and other functions, first informal, later with more training, some were composers; Polish and English translations were used; Jeanette and Alvin know most of musicians in the Polish tradition in the area; Alvin describes how they [including his father Wladyslaw] helped musicians get their start, how they helped the recording companies with advice; we grew up with the cylinder records, folks wanted Polish music if they were to purchase phonographs, the Sajewskis agreed to stock and sell phonographs if Polish records were made, then they helped the musicians produce the records, also published sheet music, what the people wanted generated the demand; Frank Przybylski worked with their father; he would transcribe a tune from the person who knew it and then it would be printed, also songs were composed for special events; this all started around 1910 or 1911; Alvin describes immigration to Chicago, how people lived when they arrived, churches were formed, there was a need for a gathering place such as a church hall, life centered around the parish, music including hymns were common; St. Joseph's day was important; Sajewski published hymns too, and songs in Polish for Mother's Day; music would be used by the parochial schools, for example, in programs for the mothers, or the pastor's name day or mother superior's name day; Alvin says "It all starts with that little church first"; then comes the need for schools, English and Polish in them, children participated; how the Sajewski’s music business was involved because of the needs generated by the schools, Polish songs for the first graders; this was 25 years ago, all in Polish, not so much now; but today Polish is offered in some schools, as well as in ethnic community Saturday schools; there are important Polish fraternal organizations such as the Polish National Alliance (PNA), the Polish Roman Catholic Union (PRCU), the Polish Wornen's Alliance, all wish to teach children Polish; Polonia (Polish Chicago) is on the south side, around 47th and Ashland, and in Sajewski's neighborhood; the music store also published Polish plays from 1910-15 to about 1930-34, performances in parishes, fundraiser like carnivals, ways for the young people to get money for the parish; before WWII there was not much outside entertainment, comments about the kinds of entertainment in Polonia before the war; about young people’s activities, their social life, the ways boys met girls; there were masses for the children daily, also various societies in the parishes, e.g., the St. Ann’s Society for women, others for young people; there were plays in Polish for 6th grade and up, and graduation songs, and there were “mock” Polish weddings, a staged event with invitations to parishioners so they could participate, discussion of mock weddings continues in part 2.

Medium

  • audiocassette, C-60

Call Number/Physical Location

  • Call number: AFC 1981/004: AFS 20788a
  • MBRS Shelflist: RYA 0786
  • Field Project Identifier: CH77-T263-C

Source Collection

  • Chicago Ethnic Arts Project collection (AFC 1981/004)

Repository

  • American Folklife Center

Digital Id

Online Format

  • audio

Rights & Access

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Credit line: Chicago Ethnic Arts Project collection (AFC 1981/004), American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

KalčIk, Susan J, Alvin Sajewski, and Jeannette Sajewski. Interview with Alvin and Jeannette Sajewski in their store about Polish music and traditions, Chicago, Illinois, part 1. Chicago, Illinois, June 2, 1977. Audio. https://www.loc.gov/item/afc1981004_afs20788a/.

APA citation style:

KalčIk, S. J., Sajewski, A. & Sajewski, J. (1977) Interview with Alvin and Jeannette Sajewski in their store about Polish music and traditions, Chicago, Illinois, part 1. Chicago, Illinois, June 2. [Audio] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/afc1981004_afs20788a/.

MLA citation style:

KalčIk, Susan J, Alvin Sajewski, and Jeannette Sajewski. Interview with Alvin and Jeannette Sajewski in their store about Polish music and traditions, Chicago, Illinois, part 1. Chicago, Illinois, June 2, 1977. Audio. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/afc1981004_afs20788a/>.