© AI Training forbidden - Selected Reviews of Chopin performances and Other Matters in Poland

On 20 June 2019 in Hiroshima, Japan there was an outstandingly successful concert in the  Music for Peace Series which also celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between Poland and Japan Krzysztof Penderecki conducted the Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra in two of his own works, the Prelude for Peace and his Violin Concerto No 2 'Metamorphosen'  (Soloist: Sayaka Shoji) This was followed by the Beethoven Symphony No: 8 in F major Op. 93 [You may need to enlarge the text - click on each picture] During the 2019  Chopin i jego Europa Festival  (Chopin and His Europe Festival) in Warsaw 14 August - 1 September 2019 there were two outstanding concerts with the Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra in this  Music for Peace series *  *  *  *  *  17.08.19 Saturday 20:00 Warsaw Philharmonic Concert Hall Symphonic Concert Performers Ma...

Dimitry Shishkin  2015 International Fryderyk Chopin Competition, Warsaw I found re-reading my competition review notes of Dimitry Shishkin, winner of the 6th prize during the 17th International Fryderyk Chopin Competition in 2015, rather interesting. It is always instructive to look back at the written record of his performance, particularly in light of his recent magnificent 2nd prize in the 16th International Pyotr Tchaikovsky Competition 2019.  In such an ephemeral art as musical performance, it is always constructive to glance back at past performance impressions when present victories emerge. Possibly the unique value of my modest efforts is at least the preservation of an historical record.  Reflections on Stage II       9-12 October 2015 Dimitry Shishkin (Russia) Next to Eric Lu and Kate Liu by far the most astonishing pianist so far in this competition . He is genuinely in the Richter, Gilels mo...

Stadtbad, Leipzig Bach and Dresden Bach versus Marchand L. Marchand: Prélude – Gigue – Chaconne J. S. Bach: Fantasie a-Moll, BWV 922 J. S. Bach: Fuga, aus: Konzert C-Dur, BWV 1061a   Movements from the Suit in G minor by L. Marchand   Suite in G Major, BWV 816, J. S. Bach   Andreas Staier (harpsichord − J. S. Bach), Ton Koopman (harpsichord − L. Marchand), PD Dr. Michael Maul (presentation) This was a highly entertaining late night concert idea with two of the finest harpsichordists playing in the world today 'fighting it out note for note, phrase for phrase'. Although this Bach - Marchand confrontation at the Dresden court never actually took place (Marchand fled in fear under cover of darkness back to Paris) the idea of a keyboard duel has had a long and distinguished history. 16th century St Mark’s in Venice witnessed the ‘Duel of Two Organs’  between Andrea Gabrieli and Claudio Merulo in an improvi...

Haus Leipzig Bach and Köthen Bach Dances J. S. Bach: Partita G-Dur, BWV 829 J. S. Bach: Partita a-Moll, BWV 827 J. S. Bach: Partita B-Dur, BWV 825 J. S. Bach: Partita c-Moll, BWV 826 J. S. Bach: Partita D-Dur, BWV 828 J. S. Bach: Partita e-Moll, BWV 830 Sir András Schiff (piano) This was one of the highlights of the festival for me. First of all a few words about the gestation of the incomparable Bach Partitas. Clearly, Bach had been influenced by French music in his composition of the French and English Suites (all begin with a  prelude ) and  all of which conventionally contain an allemande, courante and sarabande . However, in the orchestral suites there are various combinations of familiar movements but a smattering of unique inventions such as the  forlane, badinerie  and  rejouissance. In the partitas , published as the Clavierübung  Op.1, the introductory pieces are all different and possibly experimental - prel...

                                                Krystian Zimerman - Debussy: Preludes (excerpt)  © DG It was the greatest good fortune that the distinguished artist Krystian Zimerman was giving a recital in Berlin on the evening of June 12 just a couple of days before I set off for the astounding Bach Festival in Leipzig. I decided with great excitement to attend as he seldom comes to Poland to give recitals for various reasons. I feel this world famous pianist, regarded at the highest level everywhere, requires little introduction. It was one of those recitals where little or nothing needs to be said at the conclusion, a sign of true greatness to my mind. He opened his recital (on his own superb, I felt especially tuned, Steinway piano) with the Brahms Sonata No 3 in F minor  Op.5. Brahms composed this mighty sonata when he was barely 20 and when th...