Nowakowski: Piano Quintet Op. 17, Krogulski: Piano Octet Op. 6

Description

RECORDING OF THE MONTH - Musicweb International April 2017

The Fryderyk Chopin Institute presents wonderful Polish chamber music in the interpretation of leading European musicians: Nelson Goerner piano, Lena Neudauer violin, Erzhan Kulibaev violin, Katarzyna Budnik-Galazka viola, Marcin Zdunik 'cello, Slawomir Rozlach double bass, Jan Krzeszowiec flute and Radoslaw Soroka clarinet.

Józef Nowakowski's Piano Quintet in E-flat major and Józef Krogulski's Piano Octet in D minor are two pieces, today little-known, by composers contemporary to Chopin. Written at the beginning of the 1830s, they are a testimony to the rich cultural life of Poland, which at that time was absent from maps of Europe. This extraordinary recording is an evocation of an œuvre important in the history of Polish music. Interpreted by superb artists enjoying widespread recognition, this CD can be considered a pearl of Polish phonographic art. The recording features Nelson Goerner, an artist devoted to popularizing Polish music around the world who has yet again been honored with the prestigious Diapason d'Or award, this time for his previous album released by The Fryderyk Chopin Institute: Concerti by Ignacy Jan Paderewski and Giuseppe Martucci. (NIFCCD 044).

This CD is part of the 'Music of Chopin's Time' series, which, according to the Institute, aims to restore 'beautiful works from Chopin's era in interpretations by artists with an interest in rediscovering lost beauty'.

Musicweb says of this recording:

"There is such youthful spontaneity in the outstanding playing heard here, especially from Argentinian pianist Nelson Goerner, and the recording and overall presentation are equally as superb.

Nowakowski and Krogulski are barely-known, even in their native Poland, but, on the evidence of the two works recorded here, they deserve far greater recognition in the field of chamber-music, not only in their native land, but internationally.

This CD must rank as probably the most enjoyable chamber-music offering, as well as the most fascinating and entertaining find I have come across, for some considerable time." April 2017