Chopin: Works For Piano & Orchestra

Featuring

Krzysztof Urbański
Jan Lisiecki
NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester
Frédéric Chopin

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Critical Reception

Schumann described Chopin's works as 'cannons buried among flowers,' recognizing an explosive emotional charge beneath their catchy melodic outlines.

Critical Reception

Robert Schumann, a famous critic, praised Chopin's Variations on 'Là ci darem la mano' in 1831, exclaiming, 'Hats off, gentlemen - a genius!'

Composition History

Chopin completed six works for piano and orchestra between 1827 and 1830, a period when he was trying to establish himself as a virtuoso on Europe's great stages.

Interpretation

Pianist Jan Lisiecki states that this album aims to show "another side of Chopin," as the featured works are often overlooked by music-lovers today.

Composer's Artistic Vision

For Jan Lisiecki, Chopin's uniqueness and originality as a composer lie in the 'cantabile' quality of his music, where the piano transcends its usual possibilities with a 'bel canto' style.

Composer Biography

Chopin's teacher, Józef Elsner, likely assigned him the task of composing a concert piece with orchestral accompaniment, leading to works like the Variations on 'Là ci darem la mano' op. 2.

Compositional Technique

Chopin's orchestral writing, though sometimes considered 'rough-and-ready' or 'thin,' is challenging for performers due to its simplicity, as every individual voice is exposed.