Chopin: Mazurka No. 23 in D major, Op. 33 No. 2

“Not only one of the most talented virtuosi of her generation, she can do what at most only a dozen pianists in the world are capable of.” Joachim Kaiser (Süddeutsche Zeitung, 1967)

A sensational solo Chopin recital for Chopin Year 2010 – previously unreleased radio recordings from 1959 / 1967

Includes works new to the Argerich discography (Ballade no.1, 4 Mazurkas, C# minor Etude)

Taken from radio recordings made in Berlin and Cologne in 1959 and (mainly) 1967, here is over an hour of newly-discovered Martha Argerich solo recordings of Chopin, all released for the first time and including works otherwise not recorded by her (Ballade no. 1, Mazurkas opp. 24/2, 33 /2,41/1&2, C# minor Etude).

From her epic First Ballade to the overpowering live Third Sonata — with exquisite performances of Mazurkas and Nocturnes in between — the recital demonstrates what a force of nature she already was in her first decade on the international music scene — “a veritable powerhouse of the emotions”, as Jürgen Otten writes in his liner notes.

To celebrate the bicentennial of Fryderyk Chopin's birth, Naïve are proud to re-issue, ‘Impressions on Chopin’ - a fascinating, charming and refreshing album that sees the internationally acclaimed jazz pianist Leszek Mozdzer perform his own arrangements of well known works by Chopin.

An outstanding pianist, composer and producer, multi-award winning Leszek Mozdzer is one of Poland’s best-loved and most successful jazz pianists. In Mozdzer’s world of music without nationality, the Polish mazurka works alongside ragtime, flamenco and Cuban calypso and the typically Chopin rubato is occasionally replaced by a swing pulse. The original harmony too becomes a field for experimentation, and with the piano significantly ’prepared’ the sound of the music is entirely different, indeed at times, light years from the Chopin of tradition. All arrangements are by Leszek Mozdzer, except tracks 4 and 15 which were arranged by Leszek Mozdzer and Madjid Khaladj. Following its initial release, ‘Impressions on Chopin’ garnered Mozdzer international acclaim and resulted in him being ranked as among the most outstanding pianists and virtuosos of his generation.

Janina Fialkowska is a regular guest soloist with the world’s most prestigious orchestras and has worked with conductors such as Haitink, Metha, Solti and Slatkin. She was born in Montreal amd her career was launched by Arthur Rubinstein after her prize winning performances at the first piano competition held in his name in 1974.

This new recording of 21 of Chopin's Mazurkas sees the young Russian pianist Vassily Primakov commencing his exploration of Chopin's solo works for Bridge Records.