Frédéric Chopin, born in Poland to a Polish mother and French father, was introduced to the music of J.S. Bach and Mozart early in his life.
Recording & Production
This album was recorded at Wathen Hall, London, on January 13 and 14, 2008, and features a Steinway & Sons piano.
Performer Biography
Clara Rodriguez, the Venezuelan pianist on this album, is known for her innovative program planning, juxtaposing standard repertoire with works by South American composers.
Performer Biography
Clara Rodriguez was awarded the Teresa Carreño Scholarship at sixteen, enabling her to study at The Royal College of Music in London.
Compositional Technique
Chopin's innovation came through melodic clashes, ambiguous chords, unresolved dominant 7ths, and passages of chromaticism or modality, influencing composers like Liszt, Wagner, and Debussy.
Composition History
The works on this album were composed during a dramatic period in Chopin's life, coinciding with the death of his friend Jan Matusynsky, tension with George Sand, and his own declining health.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Chopin's music, despite his friendships with poets and painters, represented abstract, pure musical thought to him, and he was hostile to 'literary music' or extra-musical explanations.
You might also enjoy...
Chopin: Piano Works
Chopin
Chopin: Complete Solo Piano Works in Opus Order, Vol. 5
Chopin: Piano Sonatas Nos. 2 & 3
Chopin chez Pleyel
Cher Chopin
Peter Serkin Plays Chopin
Winner Of The 17th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition Warsaw 2015
Easy-Listening Piano Classics: Chopin
Chopin: Piano Sonata No. 3, Fantasie-impromptu, Prélude, Nocturne, et al.
Chopin: Complete Solo Piano Works in Opus Order, Vol. 6
