Franciszek Lessel
(1780–1838)
Franciszek Lessel was born in 1780 in Warsaw or Puławy, into the family of Wincenty Lessel, who served as a court musician for the Czartoryski princes. Between 1785 and 1799, Franciszek received his musical education under his father’s guidance. He likely spent this time in Pożóg, where he also attended elementary school.
Before 1799, Franciszek performed in a chamber ensemble alongside Karol Kurpiński and Karol Lipiński, which was active at Count Łączyński’s estate in Lviv. In 1799, he traveled to Vienna, where he lived in the palace of Elżbieta Lubomirska née Czartoryska. There, he pursued musical studies under the guidance of masters such as Joseph Haydn, Antonio Salieri, and Johann Georg Albrechtsberger. He likely also studied medicine. During this time, an intense correspondence began between him and his father.
Around 1800, he composed his first vocal-instrumental work – *Mass in C major*. At the same time, under Haydn’s guidance, he studied counterpoint using the textbook *Elementarbuch der verschiedenen Gattungen des Contrapuncts*. That same year, he composed *Three Concertante Duets, Op. 1* and *Three Piano Sonatas, Op. 2*, dedicating them to Haydn.
Between 1803 and 1807, he spent the summer months at the Lubomirski Palace in Łańcut, working as a court musician. In 1804, he composed *Grand Trio in E-flat major, Op. 4* for piano, clarinet, and horn. Two years later, he wrote *Adagio et Rondeau à la polonaise, Op. 9* for piano and orchestra.
In 1810, Lessel performed in Warsaw, creating *Piano Concerto in C major, Op. 14*. In the following years, he worked as an administrator at the Gzików estate near Kalisz, where he also composed religious works. Among them, in 1813, he wrote *Mass in B-flat major* for four solo voices, choir, and orchestra.
After 1816, Franciszek abandoned performing in favor of other pursuits. In 1817, he became one of the seven directors of the *Amateur Music Society* in Warsaw. In 1819, he obtained noble status (*indygenat*) and the right to use the *Grabie* coat of arms. That same year, his daughter Marianna was born.
In 1832, following the confiscation of the estates of Princess Maria of Württemberg, Lessel took a position at the Popławski estate in Pruszków. In the following years, he worked as an inspector and conductor of musical ensembles. He passed away in Piotrków Trybunalski in 1838. His body was laid to rest in the cemetery in Ostrołęka near Pilica, close to the former Pilica estates
