Barbara Karaśkiewicz, the pianist on this album, won multiple awards during the 1990s, including prizes at the International Karol Szymanowski Competition and the Polish National Chopin Piano Competition.
Composer Biography
Roman Statkowski, born in 1859 in Poland, studied composition at the St. Petersburg Conservatory under Nicolai Soloviev and Anton Rubinstein, and instrumentation under Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Roman Statkowski's musical taste leaned towards the late Romantic era, prioritizing melodic lines and traditional craftsmanship over constant innovation.
Compositional Technique
Roman Statkowski's piano works are characterized by a strong emphasis on the melodic line, which is often lyrical, emotionally rich, and varied with ornamentation such as trills, mordents, and arpeggios.
Recording & Production
Many of Roman Statkowski's manuscripts, including some intended for publication as Preludes, were destroyed during World War II in Warsaw.
Composer Biography
Despite becoming a teacher at the Warsaw Music Conservatory in 1904, Roman Statkowski did not compose any new music from that year until his death in 1925.
Compositional Technique
Approximately half of Roman Statkowski's piano pieces, including his Mazurkas, were inspired by Polish folk music, incorporating elements like polyrhythmics, polymetrics, and hemiolas.
