Adam Harasiewicz plays Fryderyk Chopin

★★★★★

   Monitoring musical activity in first postwar decades one can get the impression it has more spirit than before or in later decades. There were many new ideas and interesting personalities. Almost every kind of musical activity had its findings. One of revelations in European piano music was Adam Harasiewicz. He started learn piano relatively late, as 10 years old. When he was 15 he won Young Talent Contest in Rzeszów, one year later he took part in qualifications to International Chopin Competition and 2 years later he started to study in Zbigniew Drzewiecki class. In 1955, still as a student of Cracow Music Academy, Adam Harasiewicz won 1st prize in 5th International Fryderyk Chopin Competition. He was 23 and great solo career was already opened.
   Chopin Competition, extremely challenging for young artists, this time was probably most difficult monographic contest in the world. From the other hand, it was festive event covered with live radio transmissions, press and public attention as rare phonographic editions. Wining this festival was tantamount to start great international career. As triumphant of in 1955, Adam Harasiewicz had opened almost all possibilities in musical world. Two years later he was awarded for his artistic achievements with Harriet Cohen Foundation Medal. In 1960 he played two Chopin’s concertos with Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra under Stanisław Skrowaczewski as inauguration of 150 anniversary of composer’s birth in United Nations Organization in New York. The same year he received gold medal of Ignacy Jan Paderewski’s Foundation in New York.

Adam Harasiewicz — Fryderyk Chopin's Piano Conerto No. 1 (1958) 

   Developing his international virtuoso career Adam Harasiewicz specialized in Chopin’s music. He was extensively touring with concertos and recitals. As Chopin’s Competition winner he wrote recording contract with Philips and in late fifties he started to record consecutive albums with Chopin’s compositions. Whole collection was completed in early seventies and published as 14 LP cassette with complete set of Chopin’s works. Earlier material was published as various recitals under Philips and Fontana labels, like Grosser Chopin Abend mit Adam Harasiewicz. He recorded in October 1958 in Vienna both Chopin’s concertos with accompaniment of Wiener Symphoniker conducted by Heinrich Hollreiser. From this recordings Philips released album Galaconcert with Piano Concerto No. 1 E Minor Op. 11 and solo works: Polonaise A-flat Major Op. 53, Valse E-flat Major Op. 18 “Grande valse brillante” and Ballade F Major Op. 38. This is the more interesting, it is one of his early recordings.
   The album is perfectly done as a program, as a recording and as an edition. After over a half of the century we can easily trace pianist’s interpretative ideas. Adam Harasiewicz is great partner to the orchestra when he shows his ability to differentiate phrases by color of the sound in whole Concerto. His interpretation of Allegro maestoso is powerful of decided sound and color capacity. In Larghetto he is aerial and singing, and orchestra is following him with stylish receptivity. Last movement is triumph of piano active narration, sparkling with nuances and brilliant ideas. This Rondo is great even if orchestra in few moments sounds too much undecided and weak. Adding mini solo recital producer was trying to create a kind of addendum. Although no supplement to Chopin’s Concerto E Minor is needed, these three pieces were carefully chosen to show Adam Harasiewicz’s art in various contexts. Solemn and brightly clear Polonaise A-flat Major, perfectly articulated and clear of exaltation, consequent like an etude Grande valse brillante, poetic and dramatic Ballade F Major — all Harasiewicz’s glances have the power to surprise and to show Chopin as composer exceeding the boundaries of early romantic style. Five stars as always when perfect music meets perfect performance.

The XI International Chopin Piano Competition – Warsaw 1985

   Publishing sound chronicles was quite a good tradition of some festivals and competitions. It was always a chance to verify oneself the decisions of the jury, or to recheck it after days, months, even years, just to see how our ratings were connected to the mood of the moment. In some competitions the price was a chance of phonographic debut, while others were publishing chronicles day after day. One of such sets of recordings was published in 1985 during XI International Chopin Piano Competition. Seven volumes on vinyl LPs (Polskie Nagrania SX 2272-2278) even after years are a chance to observe the competitive performers and their live performances.
   It’s interesting how different are the assessments of the jury and producers of the sound chronicle. While the selection of performances was based on music critics’ choice, jury was working on statute regulations and in many points opinions were different. Triumphant of XI Competition was Russian pianist Stanislaw Bunin who won 1st Prize and two prizes for best polonaise and best performance of the concerto. 2nd Prize won Marc Laforêt (France), who won also Polish Radio Prize for best performance of Mazurkas. And the 3rd Prize won Krzysztof Jabłoński (Poland). Next prizes gone to Japanese Michie Koyama (4th), French Jean-Marc Luisada (5th), and Russian Tatyana Pikayzen (6th). The title of laureate won four pianists prized with distinction – Bulgarian Ludmil Angelov, Ilya Ivari from Tallinn, François Killian from France and Japanese Kayo Miki.
   First LP comprises four Scherzos played by Krzysztof Jabłoński (3rd prize), Yuval Fichman, Arthur Hart and Stanislaw Bunin (1st prize). Volume No. 2 comprises some nocturnes performed by Ludmil Angelov (distinction), François Killian (distinction), Rie Konishi, Roland Pontinen and etudes played by Jonathan Bass, Jean-Marc Bonn, Mototsugu Harada, Michie Koyama, Liu Yi-Fan, Noriko Ogawa, Rolf Plagge and Edward Zilberkant. The 3rd volume includes three ballades (played by Kemal Gekić, Rolf Plagge, Stanislaw Bunin) and Barcarolle F-sharp Major op.60 recorded by Krzysztof Jabłoński.

Sound Chronicle of Chopin Competition (1985)

   There’s characteristic feature of 4th volume. This is polonaises LP and among Krzysztof Jabłoński, Jean-Marc Bonn, Masahiro Saito and Kazuko Mimura the name of Stanislaw Bunin, the winner of the prize for best polonaise performance is missing. This shows that the level of competition was aligned. On 5th volume waltzes were played by Michie Koyama, Jean-Marc Luisada, Stanislaw Bunin and two sets of preludes by Stanislaw Bunin and Andrew Wilde. Volume 6th is the only one presenting exclusively one performer. It’s somehow like a consolation prize for Kemal Gekić whose performances include 4 Mazurkas Op. 30, Scherzo C-sharp Minor Op.39, Andante spianato and Great Polonaise E-flat Major Op. 22 and Nocturne B Major Op. 62 No. 1. His performances highly valued by public were probably too heavy in expression and maybe too much explicit. In some fragments his interpreting is just magic.
   The last volume consists of two short recitals of Jean-Marc Luisada (4 Mazurkas Op. 24, Fantasy F Minor Op. 49) and Krzysztof Jabłoński (3 Mazurkas Op. 59, Nocturne B Major Op. 9 No. 3 and two etudes). This shows the sound chronicle gives unique opportunity to hear some artists who were not prized. The fact one can hear their recordings almost thirty years later is quite a chance for these pianists. And the group presented here who didn’t receive any prize or distinction is impressive. There are Yuval Fichman from Canada, Liu Yi-Fan from China, Andrew Wilde from Great Britain and Roland Pontinen from Sweden. Jean-Marc Bonn from France and Rolf Plagge from Germany are presented twice. There are strong representations from Japan and USA. Japanese artists are Rie Konishi, Mototsugu Harada, Michie Koyama, Kazuko Mimura, Noriko Ogawa and Masahiro Saito. The three Americans presented here are Arthur Hart, Jonathan Bass and Edward Zilberkant. And artist featured by producers of the series who was completely omitted by jury, Kemal Gekić from Yugoslavia. He was quite a sensation and these recordings give us one more chance to judge.

Lazar Berman – Chopin – Polonaises

   Long before Lazar Berman became the legendary master of romantic piano he was an infant prodigy and then one of many musicians active mainly in Russian concert halls. He started piano lessons at the age of three and his first teacher was his mother. He was picking popular melodies and improvising before he was able to read. Remembering his childhood he said “My first impressions are bound up with the keyboard. I feel I have never parted with it… I believe I began to emit sounds from the piano before I learned to speak”. After the audition in conservatory the jury and its chairman Leonid Nikolayev recognized him as “an exceptional case of a child’s extraordinary musical and pianistic gifts”. The result was in the age of four he became lessons with Samary Savshinsky. As a seven-year he recorded Mazurka he composed himself. When he was nine, his family moved to Moscow giving him a chance to continue his piano education with such a great personalities as Alexandr Goldenweiser, Sviatoslav Richter, Maria Yudina and Vladimir Sofronitsky. Only one year later in 1940 he made his debut with Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra playing Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 25.
   War and later cold war and iron curtain closed many chances for international careers. For years Lazar Berman was active almost exclusively in Russia. One of the ways to play abroad was international piano competitions. He took 5th Prize in Brussels and tried to take his chances in Warsaw Chopin Piano Competitions but he had not qualified. Pianist recalled this fact saying “it was a tremendous blow to my pride, and I vowed that I would never play him again”. In next years Lazar Berman not only played Chopin’s music but he did it achieving great results. In program of his debut Melodia LP in 1956 he recorded Etude B Minor Op. 25 No. 10. He played Chopin in many concert programs and radio recordings before this rejection, these early recordings were published by Brilliant Classics as 7CD set. 

Lazar Berman – Chopin – Polonaises (1982) 

   Lazar Berman got back to recording of Frederic Chopin repertoire when he became internationally recognized after his American debut in 1975. His perfect performance of Liszt Transcendental Etudes became a legendary in many countries and made him overnight a star and the master of romantic piano. With such reputation he had to play also Chopin’s greatest works. In 1977 he recorded for Deutsche Gremmophon set of first six Chopin’s Polonaises released in 1979 (2531 094) and republished in 1982 by Melodia (C10-17141-2). Two of Chopin’s compositions: Sonata B-flat Minor No. 2 Op. 35 and Nocturne E Minor Op. 72 No. 1 Berman played in 1979 Carnegie Hall Concert published as double LP by CBS, also republished by Melodia in 1982. The 1980 was dramatic year in Berman’s career. And when everything looked perfect, KGB found in his luggage banned literature. His concerts have to be cancelled and his career for the whole decade has been stopped by the communist government. After collapse of Soviet Union he settled in Florence, where he lived until his death in 2005.
   The six Polonaises are forming complete set published during Chopin’s lifetime. It is impossible to say too much about beauty of this works. Even though all are stylizations of the same national dance, every one is different. First pair is Op. 26 composed in 1836 – the No. 1 noble C-sharp Minor and narrative, dark in mood No. 2 in E-flat Minor. Second pair Op. 40 is two years older – the triumphant No. 1 A Major “Military” and pessimistic No. 2 C Minor. Last two has been published alone and these are complex and alone standing. Polonaise F-sharp Minor Op. 44 with its heavy emotionalism in tragic main theme has been composed in full ternary form with dreamy mazurka in central section. This huge, composite work became cumulative part of the cycle, giving ambiguous space for conflicting feelings and interpretative freedom. Polonaise A-flat Minor Op. 53 closes this cycle with vigor and impetus standing for hope. Lazar Berman shows the whole cycle of Chopin’s Polonaises in very personal, excellent rendition.

Ruth Slenczynska – Chopin Four Ballades

In the beginning of her career Ruth Slenczynska has been promoted as first child prodigy since times of Mozart. Her father Joseph Slenczynski who was virtuoso violinist gave her only recipe of the success he knew and „imposed a rigorous and disciplinary practice routine on her beginning at age three”. Forced to learn and practicing from being a child she made rapid progress. When she was four, she begun to study in Europe, taking lessons with Artur Schnabel, Egon Petri, Alfred Cortot, Joseph Hofmann, playing also for Serge Rachmaninoff, who’s music she recorded in sixties – first large project was 1963 CBS television recording of Rachmaninoff’s Preludes but she often played smaller compositions of last Russian romantic as encores and virtuoso pieces. 

She debuted with solo performance in Berlin in the age of six and with full orchestra in Paris when she was only eleven. She instantly made great resonance in European musical world. Series of public performances and discipline practicing was too much stressing for young artist so in the age of fifteen she suspended her public concerts and withdraw from virtuoso career. In 1945 and 1952 she recorded for 78 r.p.m. discs and for radio archives. She resumed her career as performing pianist in 1954 and has been recognized as pianist of perfect technique and clear vision of musical beauty. Her work was associated with University of California and since 1964 with Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville where she was Artist-in-Residence. She published two books Forbidden Childhood (1957) and Music at Your Fingertips: Aspects of Pianoforte Technique (1961). The sample of her artistry are the records.

Ruth Slenczynska – Chopin – Four Ballades (1960)

In late fifties and early sixties she recorded primarily Frederic Chopin’s music. It was natural consequence of her studies. She was in orbit of Chopin’s music since very beginning of her musical career. One of her masters was Alfred Cortot who’s teacher was Emile Decombes, Chopin’s pupil. This gave almost natural transmission of musical ideas. And it is quite reasonable. In mid fifties she recorded for Decca-Belgium Chopin’s 4 Ballades. Then in 1957 Decca published two opuses of Chopin’s Etudes and four Impromptus – in January 12 Etudes op. 10 and first two Impromptus in October 12 Etudes op. 10 plus 3. and 4. Impromptus. Then in February 1958 Deutsche Grammophon released 4 Scherzos. In autumn 1958 Decca published two records showing pianist’s versatility – Encore! and A 25th Anniversary Program. Next year the same label published record with Chopin’s Waltzes.

Next Chopin’s album by Slenczynska was complete of Four Ballades released in October 1960. It was second recording of 4 Ballades by Chopin. Published in Gold Label Series with Ferenc Liszt’s Six Chants Polonais after songs by Chopin, this album didn’t ends the list of Slenczynska’s Chopin recordings. One year later Decca released 24 Preludes op. 28 and Polonaise A-flat Major op. 53. In forthcoming years artist recorded many new renditions of these works and gave series of lectures focused on Chopin’s music and teachings piano virtuoso.

Maurizio Pollini – Chopin 24 Preludes Op. 28 – studio recording

Winning Chopin’s Piano Competition in 1960 Maurizio Pollini has an opportunity to instantly became a prodigy of world’s piano artistry. After Warsaw triumph he played Chopin’s Concerto E Minor in La Scala with Sergiu Celibidache. But he was still very young, so he focused on developing his technical and musical skills under supervision of Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli. In sixties he increasingly performed contemporary music. His succesive appearances in London and Berlin (1963) were important but it was his debut in Carnegie Hall Nov. 1st, 1968 became the second turning point in his career. Next year he recorded his first album for Deutsche Grammophon with Three Movements from Stravinsky’s Petrushka and Prokofiev’s Sonata No 7.

Fourteen years after he won Grand Prix in Chopin’s Competition, 1975 Maurizio Pollini recorded in studio complete cycle of Chopin’s 24 Preludes Op. 28. It was his second Chopin album for Polydor and the Deutsche Grammophon label (2530550) and in the series of recordings published with clear intention to contain complete composer’s output. Before Preludes Pollini recorded Etudes (1972) and after this the same company issued Polonaises (1976) Sonata B-flat Minor (1986), Ballades (1999) and Nocturnes (2005). In 1976 LP edition of 24 Preludes played by Maurizio Pollini has been awarded Grand Prix du disque in Paris.

Maurizio Pollini – Chopin 24 Preludes Op. 28

Despite his unquestionable art of sound he is still proceeding the perfection in creating his modern vision of reading historical works and attempted to balance of intellect and emotions in ideal musical interpretation. Perfect articulation and time discipline were the basis for whole series of absolute performances. He was one of the very few artists who were equally good in carrying out music of past and presenting deeply intellectual interpretations of contemporary works. Thus he became well known and esteemed performer of wide spectrum of piano music by Chopin as well as Stockhausen. One of highly appreciated and awarded recordings was Complete Piano Works by Arnold Schoenberg (1975 for DGG, Gran premio del disco „Ritmo”).

In conversation with Carsten Dürer, the editor in chief of PIANONews, Maurizio Pollini pointed the „incomprehensible greatness of the Preludes: each of them has its own character, and yet as a cycle they are inconceivably self-contained in terms of their overall message”. In 1960 Pollini gave well balanced performance in Warsaw which was live-recorded and published 20 years later. In the 1975 recording every piece of the cycle has been perfectly set as an element of the bigger whole and simultaneously closed in it’s individual form and character. Every phrase and every note serve as vehicle for emotions much deeper than pure exaltation. Pollini’s  rendition of 24 Preludes is the phenomenon comparable in it’s meaning to historical recording of Goldberg Variations by Glen Gould.

Maurizio Pollini - Chopin 24 Preludes Op. 28 - live recording

Maurizio Pollini was born in Milan in 1942 in family of the famous modern architect Gino Pollini. Until he was 13 he was studying in the class of Prof. Carlo Lonati, and as 17-year-old in 1959 he finished studies in class Prof. Carlo Vidusso in piano department of Milan Conservatoire. The same year he won the second prize of International Music Competition in Geneva (1st was not awarded). Next year he became the winner of Grand Prix in Chopin International Piano Competition in Warsaw. Later he continued the master studies with Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli.

Recorded live in Warsaw during Chopin Competition auditions, the cycle of 24 Preludes Op. 28 has been published in 1980 by Polskie Nagrania (SX 1896) as an archival footage. Performance presented in Warsaw was great achievement of young pianist. Being eighteen, he had surprisingly mature style and deeply intellectual rendition of each prelude and the cycle as a whole. Artur Rubinstein, one of best interpreters of Chopin’s music and the honorary chairman of the jury said about Maurizio Pollini „that boy can play the piano better than any of us”.

Pollini plays Chopin 24 Preludes Op. 28

Pollini played Chopin’s Opus 28th in the manner of Twentieth Century modern esthetics with full intellectual control of every perimeter like it was Webern or Nono. It is like uncovering the construction and matter of every Prelude. Pure and straight emotions and perfect balance of every piece. Collecting the cycle of 24 Preludes Maurizio Pollini made this appearance legendary. Measure of his artistic responsibility is the dozen years of distance to the studio recording of Chopin’s Preludes. Until his next performance of this cycle, Warsaw live recording was one of the most conscious-controlled recording of Chopin's work in the history of music.

Pavlina Dokovska plays Chopin and Liszt

   The sonata form after long evolution in second half of 18th century became more than one of classical forms, it was itself a foundation of classical style. So it is quite obvious the romantic era made out-of-date four movement sonata. In the half of the nineteenth century it was the form obsolete as well in form as in idea. Among many instrumental settings piano sonata  as an exceptional case. Piano occupied central position in lounge rooms of the epoch and stayed the main instrument in romantic music. Using the romantic manner some of their sonatas composed Franz Schubert (the last three sonatas composed in Sept. 1928) and Ludwig van Beethoven (some sonatas from his later period, esp. No 23 F Minor Op. 57 “Appassionata”, No 26 E-flat Major Op. 81a “Les Adieux” and No 32 C Minor Op. 111). Later classical sonata form became the subject of so many changes that sometimes it is not easy to find consequence or continuation of classical idea in the sequence of compositions.
   This was the time for song-like instrumental miniatures with domination of melody or fantasy-like, loose and improvising romantic forms, just like in Ferenc Liszt’s Fantasia quasi sonata “After Reading of Dante”. Nevertheless there had been created some great sonatas in post-Beethoven times. In history of music high position took sonatas composed by Fryderyk Chopin (esp. No 2 B-flat Minor Op. 35 and No 3 B Minor Op.58), Edvard Grieg (Piano Sonata in E Minor Op. 7), Ferenc Liszt (esp. Piano sonata in B Minor), Felix Mendelssohn (3 sonatas for piano – E Major, G Minor and B-flat Major), Sergei Rachmaninoff (2 Sonatas D Minor and B-flat Minor) and Robert Schumann (3 sonatas with No 3 F Minor op.14 “Concerto Without Orchestra”). It is still possible to trace some formal connections with sonata form in freely constructed romantic works.

Pavlina Dokovska - Chopin and Liszt Sonatas

   Pavlina Dokovska is Bulgarian and American pianist who achieved many successes as performing artist. She studied in Sofia with Julia and Konstantin Ganev, then in Paris with Yvonne Lefebure and in Julliard School where she achieved her MM degree as student of Beveridge Webster. She recorded for RCA, Koch International, Arcadia, Elan and Gega New. She is also well known for music fans all over the world from brilliant live performances on philharmonic halls and festival stages so well as for her perfect recordings. Her repertoire is much wider than general concert routine. She is a specialist of big romantic and modern forms combining intellectual and virtuoso elements. For example her 2007 recording with Vladimir Ghiaurov conducting Bulgarian National Radio Symphony Orchestra encloses three piano concertos by Liszt (1st), Alexander Scriabin and Sergei Prokofiev (1st).

*     *     *

   Some time ago I have published review on Pavlina Dokovska’s interpretation of Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto C Major. It was shortly after her first great international success – the solo recital in Carnegie Hall. And from this years came the very interesting vinyl record of the pianist. It has been pressed by Bulgarian label Balkanton and as I know, it is the premiere recording of her art, which remains the great achievement of young pianist. The two Sonatas stating opposite sides of the début album by Pavlina Dokovska are crucial point in romantic sonata history: Chopin’s Sonata B-flat Minor op. 35 and Liszt’s Sonata B Minor (1853) are strong opposition against classical form. Whole new feeling and sensitivity marked with loosely form and intuitive discipline made this two works the famous romantic compositions which represent extreme requirements – both technical and musical. And it is always great experience for listener to hear how pianist can deal with such assignment putting together intellect and intuition.

Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition - 1980

The International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition takes place in Warsaw since 1927. Promotion of great composer’s legacy was the leading idea for the group of musicians concentrate around prof. Jerzy Żurawlew. Although the source idea of competition came out from his teacher in Warsaw Conservatory prof. Alexander Michałowski, Żurawlew was the one who taken whole duties onto his shoulders. There were two basic aims of this festival – to connect various Chopin interpreters from all over the world and to preserve romantic way of playing Chopin’s music. 

First editions of the Warsaw Chopin Competitions became the great festival of romantic culture. Some participants were more amateurs than professional artists, but still it was significant event in European music. After series of extremely talented laureates – Maurizio Pollini in 1960, Martha Argerich in 1965, Garrick Ohlsson in 1970 and Krystian Zimerman in 1975, became clear that artists who wins are almost automatically the personalities of international scale. It is not an incident, Deutsche Grammophone is signing recording contracts with 1st Prize winners of every edition of Warsaw Chopin Competition.

Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition 1980 Sound Chronicle

Side effect of growing denotation of International Chopin Competition were increasing doubts about who should be the winner and how objective was the verdict. Since 1980 few editions of the competition rouses controversies and turbulent discussion on jury’s verdict. It took place once in press, then in radio and television and nowadays goes on internet forums. Probably this is the best way for expressing social concern and deep emotional relationship with Chopin’s music. But still the best way is to listen every competitor personally and if it’s impossible, it’s good to listen at least these who’s recordings were marked out and published on one of the chronicle records. 

On series of recordings with 1980 Sound Chronicle we can find very interesting in it’s ideas and well balanced performances of Chopin’s sonatas played by Arutyun Papazyan (Sonate B-flat Minor, Op. 35) and Tatyana Shebanova (Sonate B Minor, Op. 58). Also some smaller pieces played by a group of pianists on far places – Ewa Pobłocka (who has taken 5th place with Akiko Ebi – ex aequo et bono) and two ex aequo et bono 6th prizewinners – Irina Pietrowa and Eric Berchot. Also some artists out of official ranking: Angela Hewitt, Bernard d’Ascoli, William Wolfram. Some recordings from the 1980 Chopin Competition Chronicle has been published in next years in bigger choices. This means the complete of live recordings of 1st Prize winner Dang Thai Son and two volumes of live recordings by Ivo Pogorelic who was favorite artist of the audience and the legend in next years. In ’80s there was also republished the album with collected competition appearances by William Wolfram.

Fryderyk Chopin's Greatest Hits

A great number of performances is the hallmark of Frederic Chopin’s music. And the reason for such appreciation is not the same as for Vivaldi’s Le Quattro staggioni or Handel’s Watermusic. There is a big bunch of beloved pieces in Chopin’s catalogue, and looking for any favorites does not make too much sense. It’s hard to find in Chopin’s oeuvre these few works which are not bestsellers. This is why pianists who play Chopin’s music have to be so flexible.  Beside of romantic stylistic idiom Chopin’s music is polyphonic and disciplined as Bach’s studies. And that was the basic repertoire Polish composer was playing while his everyday rehearsal routine. It is worth to remember that, to train his hands, young Chopin was playing what Johann Sebastian Bach had written as the examples of teaching composing techniques. Within many qualities most are common for Bach’s and Chopin’s music, but one differentiate them firmly. Interpretations of Chopin’s pieces are like snowflakes – it is impossible to find two identical ones – both, in idea or in realization. This is by the way one of the greatest features of his music. 

Chopin's Greatest Hits

Maybe the craziest thing one can do is choosing greatest hits out of Chopin’s legacy. And even more crazy is to include in such choice a big variety of unoriginal arrangements. The Columbia label produced in 1969 in a Masterworks series (ML 5442 and MS 7506) a sellection of original and orchestrated Chopin’s hits. Later this edition was reprinted in CBS Harmony series (S 30005). Only three pieces are recorded in the original piano versions – these are Minute Waltz in D-Flat Major, Op. 64, No. 1, Fantasie-Impromptu, Op. 66 and Polonaise in A-Flat Major, Op. 53 in great performances by Philippe Entremont. Two pieces arranged for symphony orchestra were recorded by Andre Kostelanetz conducting The New York Philharmonic (Military Polonaise, Op. 40, No. 1) and The Columbia Symphony (Etude in E-Major, Op. 10, No. 3). The other six pieces arranged for symphonic orchestra were recorded by The Philadelphia Orchestra under direction of Eugene Ormandy. These are Waltz in D-Flat Major, Op. 64, No. 1, Mazurka in D Major, Op. 33, No. 2, Nocturne in E-Flat Major, Op. 9, No. 2, Waltz In G-Flat Major, Prelude in A Major, Op. 28, No. 7 and Grande Valse Brillante in E-Flat Major. Arrangement credits are not complete – they were included only in references for two pieces (Nocturne in E-Flat Major and Etude in E-Major) and they indicate that these pieces had been rewritten for orchestra by Arthur Harris. And even if it still looks crazy, orchestral versions sound quite good. Sometimes even much better than works of some other romantic composers.

Alexander Brailowsky plays Chopin's Preludes op. 28

   One of the best interpreters of Chopin’s works was Alexander Brailowsky (1896-1976). He was born in Kiev in a family of a professional pianist who gave him first lessons. As 15-years-old he finished Kiev Conservatory with gold medal and continued his studies in classes of Theodore Leschetizky in Vienna, Ferruccio Busoni in Zürich and Francis Planté in Paris. He specialized in performing Chopin’s music and shortly he became famous as virtuoso and a great interpreter.

   Brailowsky has programmed Chopin’s 160 pieces for performance in cycle of six public gigs. For the first time in history he played the complete cycle of Chopin’s works in 1924. Then he had played further 30 events of this kind in various locations, Paris, Brussels, Zurich, Mexico City, Buenos Aires and Montevideo. After his outstanding debut in Aeolian Hall in New York in 1924 he became frequent guest in United States of America. He played the cycle of Chopin’s complete works also during 1936 coast-to-coast tour. After years he repeated this event in New York, Brussels and Paris in 1960 for 150 anniversary of Chopin birth. In 1926 he settled in Paris and became naturalized citizen in France, but later he stayed in US where he was living in New York and collecting clocks.

Alexander Brailowsky - Chopin - Preludes

   Taalking about playing Chopin’s music, Brailowsky once said, the pianist technique should be “fluent, fluid, delicate, airy, and capable of great variety of color”. This attitude is clear the base for his interpretations of 24 Preludes op.28. He reads Chopin’s intentions in virtuoso manner, more to amaze and move than affect or incline to fantasize. He captures the cycle as a whole, splitting it into eight mini-cycles. First three cycles contain four preludes each. Two preludes go in pair (Nos. 13 and 14) and one (No. 15) stands alone. And then comes sequence of three cycles three preludes each which are completing the opus. Maybe it is only the side-effect of organizing the material on the record plate into four easy to reach parts on each side, but this split has its musical sense.
   This is very fortunately, the timeless art of Alexander Brailowsky can be judged nowadays thanks to the series of recordings he made for RCA-Victor in ‘30s. And recordings of Preludes after over 70 years still sound fresh and bright. Besides this significant achievement of 24 Preludes the recorded collection of Brailowsky’s Chopiniana includes also The Complete Mazurkas in two volumes, The Complete Etudes, Waltzes, Nocturnes in two volumes, Polonaises, Concerto No. 1 and A Chopin Recital. On some other records one can also hear him playing Liszt’s 15 Hungarian Rhapsodies and Rachmaninoff’s Piano concerto No.2, but even short look onto his discography shows the main subject of his artistic activity was the interpretation of Chopin’s works.

Postscriptum: Tittle of the edition is misleading. This is not the complete collection of the Preludes written by Chopin. It should be entitled just Preludes op.28. Because there are two more preludes he wrote – first one composed earlier in 1834 – Prélude a mon ami Pierre Wolff, and last one Prelude op. 45 from 1841.