Mieczysław Weinberg — Piano & Chamber Works

This double-CD album was released in 2017 by the I.J. Paderewski Academy of Music in Poznań. The recordings were made on 15 December 2014 and 28 March 2015 at the Aula Nova in Poznań.

The recording was part of my doctoral dissertation. On the first disc I placed Weinberg’s Second and Fourth Piano Sonatas together with the Children’s Notebooks Op. 16, while the second disc is devoted entirely to the celebrated Piano Quintet Op. 18, which I had the pleasure of recording with Dorota Warcaba, Katarzyna Szydłowska, Tomasz Citak and Łukasz Dziedziak.

Weinberg’s music was not fully appreciated in his lifetime. Today it is being rediscovered, although the work of this composer has yet to receive the full recognition it deserves. I myself return to his pieces with great pleasure. The Children’s Notebooks Op. 16 and the Piano Quintet Op. 18 in particular are, for me, magical works, but the two sonatas included on the album are equally exceptional.

The album is still not available through official retail. It can be obtained directly by writing to: info@przemekwitek.pl

Track list

CD 1

Piano Sonata No. 2 in A minor, Op. 8

1. Allegro
2. Allegretto
3. Adagio
4. Vivace

Children’s Notebooks, Op. 16

5. Larghetto
6. Allegro
7. Moderato maestoso
8. Tempo di valse
9. Allegretto
10. Presto
11. Andante tranquillo
12. Larghetto

Piano Sonata No. 4 in B minor, Op. 56

13. Allegro
14. Allegro
15. Adagio
16. Allegro

CD 2

Piano Quintet, Op. 18

1. Moderato con moto
2. Allegretto
3. Presto
4. Largo
5. Allegro agitato