www.maeo.filharmonia.bydgoszcz.pl
Over 40 years ago, the Musica Antiqua Europae Orientalis Congress came into being and Poland took the initiative in consolidating scientific forces in the field of early music giving rise to a proper Forum. In a sense, it became an equivalent of the world famous festivals Warszawska Jesień – firstly, the desire to grasp what the most modern, pushing towards the Future, secondly – balancing aspiration towards fathoming and preserving the Past. Meetings with participation of the most outstanding personages from the realm of science organised every three years in Bydgoszcz, wide selection of topics, splendid concerts (including premiere performance of musical pieces of various provenance) ensured MAEO a unique international position. Since that time, the Congress found its place in the history of music, not only Polish, but also world music, measuring historical time with its regularity – a time of change, development, enrichment. I would not dare to assess the importance of MAEO for the Polish culture, but in Eastern European terms, in particular Ukrainian, it can be said with confidence that the Congress played a special role in development of research on music originating from the previous centuries. The Congresses gathered from the very beginning scientists from Russia, Ukraine and other republics of the former Soviet Union. This was a stimulus for the Ukrainian musicology to organise in 1969 in Kiev the first conference to be held in the Eastern Europe devoted to medieval and baroque music. Since that time a number of works have been published and monuments examined on a larger and larger scale, which resulted in real discoveries, revolutionised views on the history of Ukrainian and Russian music, changed and complemented the panorama of general processes occurring in Europe. In the past 40 years, Bydgoszcz has been an example both in the purely musicological sphere and in the field of early music presentation, including discovery of authentic performance. We are grateful that from the very start we received “imprinting” from MAEO – from Bydgoszcz – initiator of the phenomenon of such immense value. MAEO and Bydgoszcz – meaning the Pomorska Concert Hall –are inextricably linked notions. An impressive building, attractively located, concert hall with the best acoustics, foyer full of light, halls, galleries, elegant stairs – all creates the atmosphere of celebration. Participants in the congresses were witnesses to the creation of wonderful tapestries and sculptures of high artistic value ordered by the management of the Concert Hall. In addition, Bydgoszcz taught us what true love for one’s  country is, profound respect for its heroic and tragic history. One cannot but admire the wonderful audience of Bydgoszcz. For years, the Symphonic Orchestra has patiently “reared” its audience who can be now truly envied by even the largest world capitals. And the last comment made by the way. There is an undeniable relation between the level of culture in the country, including music, and the consciousness of these processes in state structures. So far, Bydgoszcz has been a lucky example of such understanding and let it be so in the future.