The prime of piano virtuosos

Pianists Frédéric Chopin (1810–1849) and Franz Liszt (1811–1886) are among the true virtuosos of music history. They were both composers and soloists and had an enormous impact on the development of piano-playing technique in the nineteenth century. They saw no conflict between virtuosity and musical expression. They endeavoured to use improved playing techniques in order to reveal new timbres and artistic potential in piano music. 

Consider, for example, the pioneering first collection of Chopin’s Etudes, which begin this concert with Kiyo Wada. Chopin was only 19 years old when he began composing the collection that was first published in 1833, when he was 23. Even the dazzling Funérailles from Franz Liszt’s Harmonies poétiques et religieuses was completely revolutionary when it was first heard in 1849, which was also the year of Chopin’s death at just 39 years old.

In the twentieth century, Maurice Ravel was among the composers galvanizing the development of piano playing to new heights of virtuosity. His piano suite Gaspard de La Nuit from 1909 is one of the greatest technical challenges a pianist can face, perhaps even more so than many of Franz Liszt’s most demanding pieces.

Japanese pianist Kiyo Wada studied in France and Italy. One of the reasons she moved to Sweden was her passion for Swedish classical music. At this concert, she also talks about the programme and the Swedish music scene, which is illustrated with a few Swedish lieds performed by guest Arvid Eriksson.