Pianist Hubert Rutkowski's interpretations are influenced by the 'piano school' aesthetic of the late 19th century, including the traditions of Chopin and his students like Karol Mikuli.
Composer Biography
Frédéric Chopin was close friends with Camille Pleyel, son of the piano factory founder, and Camille's wife, Marie Moké, dedicating his Nocturnes Op.9 to Marie and 24 Preludes Op.28 to Camille.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Chopin praised the Pleyel piano's 'light way of playing' and 'songful singsong tone', teaching his students that the piano should 'sing' in the Italian 'bel canto' tradition.
Recording & Production
This album was recorded in November 2015 at the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe in Hamburg, using a Pleyel piano from 1847.
Instruments
Pleyel pianos, like the 1847 model used on this album, were produced in a French factory launched by Austrian composer Ignaz Pleyel in 1807.
Historical Context
Chopin gave his first concert in Paris in 1832 on a Pleyel piano, which the press described as 'the renaissance of piano music'.
