Bacewicz Piano Works

Fine performances of sometimes charming works by a Polish neo­Classical composer

Record and Artist Details

Composer or Director: Grazyna Bacewicz

Genre:

Instrumental

Label: Faszination Musik

Media Format: CD or Download

Media Runtime: 75

Mastering:

Stereo
DDD

Catalogue Number: 93 034

Tracks:

Composition Artist Credit
Sonata for Piano No. 2 Grazyna Bacewicz, Composer
Ewa Kupiec, Piano
Grazyna Bacewicz, Composer
Scherzo Vivace Grazyna Bacewicz, Composer
Ewa Kupiec, Piano
Grazyna Bacewicz, Composer
Rondino Grazyna Bacewicz, Composer
Ewa Kupiec, Piano
Grazyna Bacewicz, Composer
Sonatina Grazyna Bacewicz, Composer
Ewa Kupiec, Piano
Grazyna Bacewicz, Composer
Children's Suite Grazyna Bacewicz, Composer
Ewa Kupiec, Piano
Grazyna Bacewicz, Composer
(3) Burlesken Grazyna Bacewicz, Composer
Ewa Kupiec, Piano
Grazyna Bacewicz, Composer
(2) Etüden Grazyna Bacewicz, Composer
Ewa Kupiec, Piano
Grazyna Bacewicz, Composer
Kleines Triptychon Grazyna Bacewicz, Composer
Ewa Kupiec, Piano
Grazyna Bacewicz, Composer
(10) Etüden Grazyna Bacewicz, Composer
Ewa Kupiec, Piano
Grazyna Bacewicz, Composer
Although Grove lists several other pieces‚ the booklet claims that this disc includes all Grazyna Bacewicz’s music for solo piano‚ adding that ‘her sister has not authorised publication of the remaining piano works’. What we have here suggests that Bacewicz concentrated what one might call her neo­Classical ‘toccata style’ into her keyboard works. She was a fine pianist‚ playing not only her own music in public‚ but she was better known as an exceptional solo violinist; indeed she was so busy with her (dual) solo career that she did not devote herself to full­time composition until her mid­forties. Real lyricism‚ what one might call her ‘violin manner’‚ is in rather short supply here: the fine singing melody of the Sonata’s slow movement‚ the very simple‚ almost child­like ‘Mélodie’ of the Sonatina and no more than a couple of the Etudes. Her ‘toccata manner’ often has real character‚ mark you: the Sonata’s first movement shows that lyricism and elegance can exist within it‚ and although some of the Etudes sound as though they were designed to develop steely‚ agile fingers and strong wrists‚ their textures are inventive enough for most of them to stand up as concert pieces. The early Children’s Suite‚ eight slight but fresh and tuneful miniatures‚ has much charm. The average length of the pieces on this disc‚ including the Sonata and Sonatina movements‚ is not much over two minutes and they are best not listened to at a sitting. Best of all would be to alternate them with the longer spans and more lyrical expression of Bacewicz’s later chamber music‚ of which a fair amount is now available on disc. Ewa Kupiec plays admirably‚ searching out the essence of these pithy but not often emotionally expansive pieces‚ and she is cleanly recorded.

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