The Complete Raoul von Koczalski, Vol. 1 CDR (NO PRINTED MATERIALS)

Today, the name “Koczalski” is not as well-known as other pianists of his era, yet his credentials, and more importantly his recordings, should garner better recognition. Raoul von Koczalski was born in 1885, and before he was six years old he caught the attention of Anton Rubinstein and music critic Edward Hanslick. At six, he was a pupil of Liszt-student Ludwig Marek and was studying composition with Henryk Jarecki. At the age of seven, Koczalski’s life was changed; he began studying with Chopin-student Karol Mikuli. This relationship defined Koczalski’s musical destiny as a pre-eminent interpreter of Chopin. The first impression of Koczalski’s playing is often one of the fluency and grace of his execution, coupled with his subtlety of phrasing and smooth legato, but what one is often left with is his use of rubato. This aspect of his playing has given rise to debate about Chopin’s musical intentions and has sparked both criticism and admiration of Koczalski’s playing; it will deligh