Classical Music | Cello Music

Recorded on 10/28/2015, uploaded on 06/07/2016

Musician's or Publisher's Notes

Introduction et polonaise brillante, Op. 3          Frédéric Chopin, Arr. Leonard Rose

Chopin’s Introduction and Polonaise brillante in C Major originated in October 1829 during a week spent at the country estate of Prince Antoni Radziwilƚ, an avid cellist and composer. Chopin delighted in playing chamber music with the Prince and his family and in giving piano lessons to his two daughters. He was especially taken with Princess Wanda, and it was for her and her father that he composed this polonaise or “‘Alla Polacca’ with cello accompaniment.” Writing to a friend, Chopin dismissed his new composition as “nothing more than a brilliant drawing-room piece suitable for the ladies.”  Judging from the level of difficulty in their respective parts, Princess Wanda’s technical facility was superior to her father’s. The piano part, although primarily accompaniment for the lyrical, expressive melodies given to the cello, typifies Chopin’s brilliant, post-Classical style and completely dominates the texture with highly virtuosic passage work and ornamented repetitions of thematic material. Today’s performance uses Leonard Rose’s arrangement, which has become standard.       Notes attributed to the Edmonton Chamber Music Society Archive

Courtesy of International Music Foundation.