Classical Music in Poland and the Europe of Chopin - From the Reviewer's Notebook

Review of the recording by Eric Guo, winner of the 2nd. International Chopin Competition on Period Instruments. Warsaw 2023 NIFCCD 660    https://sklep.nifc.pl/en/produkt/77458-eric-guo                                                                                                           (photo  Wojciech   Grzędziński) Fryderyk Chopin   Piano Concerto in E minor, Op. 11   Eric Guo   Pleyel  1842 (soloist) Václav Luks conducts the [oh!] Orchestra Allegro maestoso I attended this concerto during the competition. The fact this pianist is a great communicator (vital in a concert artist) was obvious from the first embracing smile towards the audience. His playing is a marvellous example of coherent musical speech with a variety of timbre, tone and dynamics. One is struck by his fertile musical imagination and extrovert personality. He demonstrated the variegated sound and colour potential of a period piano. We were offered bravura playing,  style brillante  and  ultra-pianissimo  eff

Eugen Indjic (1947-2024) I was so shocked to hear of his death shortly after waking this morning. A gentle and civilized cosmopolitan man, warm, humorous, engaging, generous, a refined musical artist and magnificent pianist who had a profound understanding of Chopin. I was fortunate to have heard him in moving recitals and as a teacher in empathetic Masterclasses in Poland at Duszniki  Zdrój  and Warsaw. And he was only 76 ….. During his career he was successful in three piano competitions:  8th International Piano Competition Fryderyk Chopin (1970) - IV Prize  Leeds International Piano Competition (1972) - 3rd prize  International Master Piano Competition Arthur Rubinstein (1974) - Second Prize He came from a different world of musical sensibility to this one and we shall not see his like again. A rare spirit, musical voice and a cultivated character of man. As a small tribute, all I can offer is a review I wrote years ago of a recital he gave at the historic spa town of  Dusz