Chopin: Nocturne No. 5 in F sharp major, Op. 15 No. 2

Camille Saint-Saëns playing his own music and that of Beethoven, Schumann and Chopin, recorded in 1905 on the Welte-Mignon Piano. Anyone searching for really unusual repertoire will find what they are looking for in Tacets Welte-Mignon Mystery series. On this release we hear Camille Saint-Saens playing his own compositions. It is documented that Saint-Saens was the only pianist whom Franz Liszt would listen to… other than himself!

Paderewski was perhaps the most famous, and certainly the most highly paid, pianist who ever lived. In the years between 1890 and the First World War his fame reached levels now only reserved for the biggest pop stars and when he became prime-minister of Poland after the end of the war his deification was complete. He resumed his career in the 1920’s and continued to perform until his death. Unfortunately most of his recordings were made later in life and do not capture his playing in its prime, a fact which has somewhat damaged his posthumous reputation, so it is particularly important that these earliest recordings, which can redress the balance, are made available complete for the first time. This is playing very different in style from what we are used to today, but aside from its historic importance, taken on its own terms it is quite clear what a great communicator Padereswki was. And it’s good to be reminded in works like Liszt’s La Leggierezza study that at this point in his career there was nothing lacking in technique either.

Several titles included are taken from Paderewski’s own test pressings of unissued discs held at the International Piano Archive, University of Maryland, and this is their first release. A must for collectors!

On CD for the first time, the legendary Baldwin Recordings from 1981. Elegant interpretations. Masterfully performed and recorded by the then sixty-six year old Earl Wild. This all Chopin disc includes the Fantasie, Ballade No. 4, Four Waltzes, Four Nocturnes, Four Preludes, 'Black Key' Etude and the Andante Spinato and Grande Polonaise Op.22.

Chopin grew up in Poland, before living as an exile in France. In his piano music he expressed an infinite palette of feelings and emotions, and used his legendary virtuosity to create musical poetry. In his works, which include Nocturnes and Mazurkas, we find gentleness and melancholy, expressiveness and passion.