Scharwenka was considered one of the leading pianists of his time, known for his beautiful tone and musicianly interpretations, and gained prominence as a composer through his four concertos, opera Mataswintha, and especially his Polish Dances.
Performer Biography
Seta Tanyel, the pianist on this recording, is acclaimed for her performances of core repertoire and her consistent championing of lesser-known composers.
Composer Biography
Scharwenka, a traveling virtuoso, also became a prominent teacher, opening conservatories in Berlin (1881) and New York (1891), which became one of the world's largest musical education institutions.
Composition History
Scharwenka used a piece from his Polish Dances as a 'visiting card' to introduce himself to Franz Liszt in Weimar in 1870, pasting the opening bars inside his hat.
Composition History
Scharwenka's first set of Polish National Dances, Op. 3, published by Breitkopf und Härtel, included a piece that became one of the most popular of all time, selling millions of copies worldwide.
Composer Biography
Xaver Scharwenka, the composer, entered Theodor Kullak's Neue Akademie der Tonkunst in Berlin at age fifteen, studying piano with Kullak and composition with Richard Wuerst.
Notable Performances
Scharwenka's Variations for Piano, Op. 48, were frequently played by the composer and performed by the young Claudio Arrau in Berlin in 1919 to celebrate Scharwenka's fiftieth anniversary as a performing artist.
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