Aleksandra Dąbek, the pianist on this album, has won numerous international competitions and performed in prestigious venues like Carnegie Hall and Vienna's Ehrbar Saal.
Compositional Technique
Chopin's Polonaise in F sharp minor, Op. 44, uniquely blends two different dances: the mazurka and the polonaise.
Composer Biography
Schumann's Carnaval features characters from commedia dell'arte and musical portraits of his contemporaries, including Fryderyk Chopin, Clara Wieck, Ernestine von Fricken, and Niccolò Paganini.
Composer Biography
Chopin's first composition was likely a polonaise, written when he was six or seven years old, at a time when the polonaise became a national dance in Poland.
Recording & Production
This album was recorded in the concert hall of the Krzysztof Penderecki European Centre for Music in Lusławice, Poland, in January 2018.
Composer's Artistic Vision
In Carnaval, Schumann used musical cryptograms, possibly referencing his fiancée Ernestine von Fricken's hometown of Asch, or his own name.
Composition History
Schumann's Carnaval, Op. 9, written in 1834-1835, is structured around various permutations of four notes: A, E flat, C, and B.
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Chopin: Complete Solo Piano Works in Opus Order, Vol. 4
