Frederic Chopin: The Piano Concertos (Accentus Blu-Ray Disc)

To mark the bicentenary of Chopin’s birth, two leading Russian pianists tackle the great Romantic composer’s two piano concertos: Evgeny Kissin plays the F minor Concerto op. 21, a key work in Chopin’s output, while Nikolai Demidenko performs the E minor Concerto op. 11, a virtuoso display vehicle of the first rank. They are accompanied by the Warsaw Philharmonic under the direction of Antoni Wit. Enthusiastically acclaimed by the audience at Warsaw’s Philharmonic Hall on 27 February 2010, this memorable concert has been captured in first-class sound and picture quality.

“The consistency with which Demidenko had conceived his interpretation was admirable. There was not a single remark in the score that was omitted or left without interpretation. (…) After the warm applause two encores were offered.” Magazyn Chopin

“After the intermission we heard, for the first time, the rustle of angel’s wings. Muses were sitting at the balcony and after the final chord Nike descended on her wings from the vault of the Concert Hall, proclaiming the triumph of art. One does not witness such a power, skill and freedom of playing. Evgeny Kissin ravished the audience with his great poetic vision, the powerful creation that made an unforgettable impression. It was a giant fresco, where detail does not matter so much, as the big picture is of prominent importance.” Magazyn Chopin