Constantin Regamey (1907-1982) 

- between Switzerland and Poland

     Constantin Regamey was born in 1907 in Kiev in a musicians' family of mixed descent (Polish, Swiss, Russian, Swedish, Italian and Hungarian among others). In 1919 he fled with his mother from the civil-war-torn Ukraine and arrived in Warsaw, where he studied Indology and classical philology at the University of Warsaw. After having studied at École des Hautes Études and Collège de France in Paris and obtaining his Ph. D. degree in 1935 in Indology and comparative grammar of Indo-European languages in Warsaw, he lectured at the University. At the same time he became a leading figure among writers and critics advocating new music. He was elected vice-president of the Polish Section of the International Society for Contemporary Music. He was also a member of Polish Orientalist Society.

     Regamey remained in Warsaw during the Second World War, although as a Swiss citizen by birth, he could have easily left the oppressed country. He was active in resistance and music life. His actual debut as a composer took place at that time during clandestine concerts, where his first mature works: Persian Songs (1940-42) and Quintet (1942-1944), were enthusiastically received. 
After the Warsaw Uprising he was sent to different transit camps, then on account of his Swiss passport he was released and arrived to Switzerland in November 1944. During the following years up to his retirement he lectured first in Slavic, then also Oriental languages at the universities in Lausanne and Fribourg. At the same time he gradually acquired a prominent role in the musical life of Switzerland, while maintaining close ties with Poland.

     He held important functions in Switzerland and abroad: President of the Association of Swiss Musicians and Swiss Section of ISCM (1963-68), an honorary member of these associations as well of the Executive Committee of ISCM (1969-1973). In 1956 he initiated an UNESCO project for better understanding between Eastern and Western musical cultures. He founded and presided the Swiss Music Council (1964-68). 

      His outstanding achievements brought him numerous awards: the French Order of the Palmes académiques (1967), the Italian Premio Marzotto (for Symphonie des incantations, 1968), the Home Army Cross (1970), composition award of AMS (1971), a Pro Arte Foundation award for the merits to Swiss music (1979), Alfred Jurzykowski Foundation Award for his music writings and compositions (1980), the highest award at the Dresden competition for the opera Mio, mein Mio (1980). Apart from his Indological publications (book Der Buddhismus Indiens, 1964, among others), he is the author of the following books: Witold Malcuzynski (1960), Musiques du Vingtième Siècle, Présentation de quatre-vingts oeuvres pour orchestre de chambre (1965), Próba analizy ewolucji w sztuce (1973) and of a vast quantity of articles on (mostly contemporary) music.

     His music, which he himself labelled as "pluralistic", combines dodecaphony with tonal allusions, Indian music elements, as well as references to to the contemporary styles and to the musical past, forming a highly individualistic synthesis.