CLASSICAL PIANISTS

INTERPRETATION

PIANO CONCERTO

MASTERCLASS

CONTACT US

ABOUT US


WOMEN PIANISTS

THE LEFT HAND

FOUR HANDS

ACCOMPANISTS

IS IT MUSIC

INDULGE ME

HOME PAGE


COMPOSERS PLAY

CLASSICAL COMPOSERS

CHAMBER MUSIC

GUEST PAGES

LINKS

PRIVACY




PADEREWSKI PIANO CONCERTO in A minor, Op 17

Fantasie Polonaise for Piano and Orchestra, Op 19
Piano Sonata in E flat minor, Op 21



The Paderewski Piano Concerto is a beautiful work in the romantic style. Written when the composer was about 28 years old, it is dramatic, tuneful, virtuosic, and the work of a very skilled craftsman. At no time does one feel that the music is in any way fabricated as is the case, to one degree or another, with many of the forgotten concerted works of the great virtuoso pianist-composers. The recorded performances that follow are excellent. 

Liszt's influence is clear, as is that of Saint-Saëns and Tchaikovsky, but the concerto generates an excitement all its own and is thoroughly satisfying. There are several very good performances of the Paderewski Piano Concerto below, one could not hope for more enthusiastic readings of the work. but I must single out the one by Jesús María Sanromá, an astonishing pianist about whom little is ever heard these days.

Much the same could be said of the Fantasie Polonaise for Piano and Orchestra, Op 19 that was so appealing to Elgar. It is not difficult to believe that a century ago it was among the most popular works for piano and orchestra in the repertoire. This work is also to be found below.

Paderewski wrote only three large scale works for piano. The third was a piano sonata. Although this is a work for solo piano, I include it here for reference and for those who might be interested in hearing it.



JESÚS MARÍA SANROMÁ
Puerto Rican pianist (1902-1984)

Arthur Fiedler conducting the Boston Pops Orchestra

recorded in 1939 


i Allegro



ii Romanze



iii Allegro molto vivace




EARL WILD
American pianist (1915-2010)

Arthur Fiedler conducting the London Symphony Orchestra

recorded in 1970 


i Allegro (beginning)



i Allegro (conclusion)



ii Romanze



iii Allegro molto vivace




KEVIN KENNER
American pianist (b 1963)

Marcin Nałęcz-Niesiołowski conducting the Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic Symphonic Orchestra 


i Allegro (beginning)



i Allegro (conclusion)



ii Romanze



iii Allegro molto vivace




PAWEŁ KOWALSKI
contemporary Polish pianist

Mirosław Jacek Błaszczyk conducting the Liepaja Symphony Orchestra

recorded in 2006 


i Allegro



ii Romanze



iii Allegro molto vivace




JOANNA KLEIBE
contemporary Polish pianist

Andrey Boreyko conducting the Poznań Philharmonic Orchestra 


i Allegro (beginning)



i Allegro (conclusion)



ii Romanze



iii Allegro molto vivace




Fantaisie Polonaise in G♯ minor for Piano and Orchestra, Op 19


THOMAS TIRINO
contemporary pianist
Michael Bartos conducting the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra

recorded in 1970 


Part I



Part II



Part III




KEVIN KENNER
American pianist (b 1963)

Marcin Nałęcz-Niesiołowski conducting the Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic Symphonic Orchestra


Part I



Part II 




Piano Sonata in E♭ minor, Op 21

JONATHAN PLOWRIGHT
British pianist (b 1959)

recorded live in 2007 


i Allegro con fuoco (beginning)



i Allegro con fuoco (conclusion)



ii Andante ma non troppo



iii Allegro vivace




For those of you who enjoy murder mysteries, here is my first with a strong musical polemic as background

Murder in the House of the Muse

which is also available as an audiobook.



And this is the more recently published second mystery in the series:

Murder Follows the Muse



Follow these links to our main subject categories


Or return to the Paderewski page



[?]Subscribe To This Site
  • XML RSS
  • follow us in feedly
  • Add to My Yahoo!