Chopin completed his 24 Preludes op. 28 during a difficult holiday in Mallorca with his lover, the writer George Sand, where his health dramatically declined.
Historical Context
Both Chopin's Preludes op. 28 and Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition were created against a backdrop of the composers' preoccupation with death.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Both Chopin and Mussorgsky developed highly personal musical languages, using deliberate imbalances to supplant traditional harmonic rules.
Performer Biography
Pianist Andrea Kauten's playing has been significantly shaped by the piano music of Franz Liszt, a Hungarian virtuoso.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Chopin vehemently rejected programmatic titles for his piano works, while Mussorgsky provided a three-level program for his Pictures at an Exhibition.
Album & Artwork
This album brings together two prominent piano cycles: Frédéric Chopin's Preludes op. 28 and Modest Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition.
Composition History
Mussorgsky composed Pictures at an Exhibition as a memorial to his friend Viktor Hartmann, an architect, sculptor, and painter who died suddenly in 1873.
