This album features orchestral arrangements of Karol Szymanowski's piano works, including his Etude in B flat minor, Op. 4 No. 3, and Masques, Op. 34.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Szymanowski's fascination with Richard Wagner's music, particularly after seeing Lohengrin at age 13, profoundly influenced his decision to become a composer.
Interpretation
Jan Krenz, who orchestrated Szymanowski's Masques, believed the piano original, despite its brilliance, 'cried out' for a symphonic hearing with orchestral colors.
Performer Biography
Bartłomiej Nizioł, the violinist on this recording, plays a Guarneri del Gesù instrument from 1727.
Composition History
Mythes, Op. 30, was created in close collaboration with violinist Paweł Kochański, one of many virtuosos from Odessa.
Composition History
Szymanowski's Etude in B flat minor, Op. 4 No. 3, composed between 1900-1902, was so popular that the composer himself disliked it, feeling it overshadowed his other works.
Composer Biography
Karol Szymanowski, the composer, had strong ties with the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, which was one of the first to perform his works.
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