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

I traveled to Edinburgh towards the end of June 2022 and among the many adventures and museums visited, I managed to be there for the opening of a remarkable exhibition at the Georgian House. I live in Warsaw in Poland, move in musical circles there, but had never encountered this artist. I was astounded at the discovery. [Throughout this post I have adopted the anglicized spelling of his name that  he favoured in Edinburgh   beginning with 'Y' (Yaniewicz)   rather than the Polish 'J' (Janiewicz)] I met and had a long instructive conversation with the exhibition curator Josie Dixon who assembled and wrote an excellent article on Felix Yaniewicz, her ancestor and a Polish virtuoso violinist, composer and businessman who was the catalyzing founding force behind the present, world-renowned, Edinburgh Festival.  But this was in 1815 ! Review of the Warsaw concert at the Warsaw Philharmonic, Friday 16th February  2024 at 19.30 Wrocław Baroque...

At this merciless time of horrific brutality, dehumanization, disregard of life and inability to implement protective international law, the universal music of Fryderyk Chopin becomes once again increasingly relevant as the profound creative expression of our perilous human condition.  The turbulent historical time through which he lived and suffered, his own overpowering feeling of exile from his native land, has once again become a depiction of our own irrational human miasma.  Too serious a reflection ? This is an outstanding disc of the immortal music of Chopin, played by the exceptionally deep-souled  and inspired musician Aleksandra Świgut. The pieces are performed on a seductive, sweet-toned, refined and colourful  1858 Erard  prepared and tuned to perfection of sound by the great piano builder Paul McNulty.   One reason I admire the playing of Aleksandra Świgut is her unique voice, her individuality, spontaneity and the resulting surprising cont...