© AI Training forbidden - Selected Classical Music in the Poland of Chopin - Reviewer's Notebook

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 ...

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...

May 1st 2025 - 21st Anniversary of the miracle of Polish Accession to the EU as a sovereign nation During the first half of 2025, Poland will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union May 1st, May Day, is a State Holiday in Poland also Polish Constitution Day State Holiday May 3rd If you are fortunate enough to be living in Australia, love the music of Fryderyk Chopin and wish to hear an outstandingly brilliant pianist and musician, make strenuous efforts to attend this remarkable recital   https://www.friendsofchopin.org.au/rafael-luszczewski-in-recital I have heard  Rafal Luszczewski   give many exceptional and well-received recitals in Warsaw, surely the informed critical home of many of today's greatest Chopin interpretations. The prodigious International Chopin Piano Competition will be launched once again later this year in Warsaw. The Preliminaries are already in progress. Luszczewski  is also to be commended on his many musical a...

  Ignacy Jan Paderewski (6 November 1860 – 29 June 1941) starring in the innocent and lyrical film Moonlight Sonata (1936) The 9th International Paderewski Piano Competition, Bydgoszcz, Poland 3-17 November 2013 http://www.michael-moran.com/2013/10/ix-international-paderewski-piano.html The 10th International Paderewski Piano Competition, Bydgoszcz, Poland  6-20 November 2016 https://michael-moran.org/blog/ The 11th International Paderewski Piano Competition Bydgoszcz, Poland 10-24 November 2019 https://michael-moran.org/2019/10/23/the-11th-international-paderewski-piano-competition-10-24-xi-2019/ The 12th International Paderewski Piano Competition Bydgoszcz, Poland   November 6th – 20th, 2022 http://www.michael-moran.com/2022/11/the-12th-international-paderewski-piano.html    

As is always the case with this pianist, I am overcome with superlatives. He is one of the great period piano specialists but also has a commanding keyboard technique and deep musical insight that convinces completely on the modern instrument. This individualistic and highly talented young Russian pianist has studied extensively in Moscow and Frankfurt specializing in the  fortepiano  (as the period instrument is called in England). He has taken part successfully in many piano competitions and festivals throughout the world. He was awarded an Honourable Mention in the  1st International Chopin Competition on Period Instruments. 2–14 September 2018.   I felt he should have been placed far higher.  His full biography is here:  https://www.ablogin.de/biography    Much has changed and many prestigious awards since last I wrote about him. He performed this evening on a  modern instrument. At the time I first heard him, I wrote of hi...