Joseph Elsner laid the foundation for a national Polish musical style, incorporating Polish dance forms like polonaise, mazurka, and cracovian into Viennese Classicism.
Cultural Impact
Stanisław Moniuszko, a later Polish composer, dedicated his first string quartet to Joseph Elsner, acknowledging him as the "founder of our national music."
Interpretation
Pianist Beni Araki, who performs on this album, believes in the spirit of improvisation and spontaneously added more than just ornaments to Elsner's composed music during the recording.
Instruments
This recording uses a Viennese fortepiano, an instrument known for its subtle tone and fine nuances, with small hammer heads and shallow key depth, unlike modern grand pianos.
Composer Biography
Joseph Elsner, born in Silesia, initially studied theology and medicine before deciding on a musical career at age twenty in Vienna.
Recording & Production
This album presents new recordings of Joseph Elsner's available chamber music, performed in a historically informed interpretation to celebrate the composer's 250th birthday.
Composer Biography
Joseph Elsner was a significant pedagogue in Warsaw, founding the first sheet music engraving site and later running the Main School for Music at Warsaw University, where Frédéric Chopin was among his students.
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