Chopin On Pleyel – Hubert Rutkowsky

The first concert Frédéric Chopin gave in Paris (the city which would be his new home town) was in 1832 playing a new Pleyel piano. The press, in the person of the influential Francois-Joseph Fétis, was enthusiastic, he praised the spiritualized melodies, the fanciful landscapes and uniqueness in all. Chopin himself was in love with the instrument, with the lightness of touch and the songful singsong tone. From then on his instrument of preference would be Pleyel.

In his search for the ideal Chopin tone pianist Hubert Rutkowski studies the writings and recordings of the students of Mikuli, who himself was a student of Chopin. Notably Moritz Rosenthal and Raul Koczalski are the greatest inspirations, in their refined artistic ease, fanciful rubato and a perfect legato.

Hubert Rutkowski chose a representative program, in which all facets of the Pleyel instrument and Chopins unique pianism are presented: Etudes, Nocturnes, Waltzes, Ballade, Scherzo, Mazurka, Polonaise, Fantaisie-Impromptu. He plays a magnificent Pleyel instrument from 1847. He is the winner of the International Chopin Piano Competition in Hannover in 2007.

The booklet contains extensive liner notes written by the artist.   in Piano International (Sep, 2018)
Performed on an 1847 Pleyel (the make favoured by Chopin himself), this is one of the most significant Chopin recital discs on an original instrument. Single-escapement Pleyels have a light sound and the ability to convey the bel canto cantabile at the heart of Chopin’s writing.

Rutkowski’s performances are remarkable. He studied recordings by pianists directly in line to Chopin (Koczalski and Rosenthal, both students of Mikuli); the surprising glissando that concludes the‘Black Keys’ Étude in G-flat Op10/5 was inspired by Rosenthal.

The Ballade in G minor is of intense muscularity and great intelligence. Rutkowski integrates a free rubato, sensitivity to harmonic shading and a sense of abandon in his playing, …