Posts

Today (29th June 2025) is the 84th anniversary of the death of Ignacy Jan Paderewski - Michał Szymanowski Recital in Paderewski Park, Warsaw (28th June)

Image
The Paderewski Memorial in Paderewski Park, Warsaw     Ignacy Jan Paderewski (1860-1941) [Piotr Betlej 2016 © Galerie Roi Doré] Paderewski is such an underestimated composer of affecting lyrical and poetic piano music which speaks directly to the heart and sensibility rather than burdening the intellect with high seriousness.  As an example of relieving humour, at the Paris Peace Conference Georges Clemenceau (the 'old Tiger') came up to Paderewski and wickedly asked  'Are you a cousin of the famous pianist Paderewski?'  When Paderewski replied  'It is I, Monsieur le Pr ésident , ' Clemenceau observed, acting as if greatly surprised  'And you the famous artist have become Prime Minister? What a come-down!' Paderewski at Versailles Naturally, being a great patriot, Paderewski wrote many Polish mazurkas and polonaises but much of his piano music reminds me of a superb film score for say an intensely romantic French love affair set in ...

Reviewer's unabridged personal Notebooks for XVI, XVII, XVIII International Fryderyk Chopin Competitions from October 2010 - October 2021

Image
Chopin in the Drawing Room of Prince Antoni Radziwill,  Henryk Siemieradzki 1887 The music of Chopin enters chambers of the heart and soul no other composer touches  In the horrifying  conflagration  that  approaches,   faith, spiritual nourishment and emotional consolation is of utmost  importance   The music of  Chopin  has become once   again  profoundly   meaningful  for  humanity   (Michael Moran) The XVI International Fryderyk Chopin Competition Warsaw, October 2010 http://www.michael-moran.com/2010/10/the-xvi-international-fryderyk-chopin.html XVII International Fryderyk Chopin Competition Warsaw, October 2015 http://www.michael-moran.com/2015/10/17th-international-fryderyk-chopin.html XVIII International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition Preliminary Round Warsaw, 12-23 July 2021 http://www.michael-moran.com/2021/07/xviii-international-fryderyk-chopin.html XVIII International Fryderyk Chopin Comp...