CHOPIN: 3 Waltzes, Op. 34
CHOPIN: 4 Mazurkas, Op. 30
CHOPIN: Nocturne in E major, Oo. 62, No. 2
CHOPIN: Scherzo in C-sharp minor, Op. 39
INTERMISSION
CHOPIN: Fantasy in F minor, Op. 49
CHOPIN: Sonata No. 3 in B minor, Op. 58

RIght at the outset of Chopin’s Fantasy in F minor, the “mood” of the music is one of tragedy unfolding. Indeed, the entire piece gives the impression of some form of narrative flow, with a wealth of thematic materials that create their own inevitable structure.

From his earliest years, Chopin was always writing mazurkas, and his 4 Mazurkas (Op. 30) make up only a small portion of the fifty-plus works he composed. In these dances of the soul, the composer reveals to us his most intimate thoughts, and listening to them is akin to reading pages of his diary. No doubt, Jakub Kuszlik will give us his own individual glimpse into these remarkable works that contain some of Chopin’s most original music.

The dramatic Scherzo in C-sharp minor that ends the recital is characterized by a stark contrast between frenzied, almost schizophrenic, passages and a chorale-like sections interspersed with cascading falling broken chords, giving the impression of a beatific vision. This was a work composed during the composer’s ill-fated vacation to Majorca, which perhaps gives us an idea of his mood during this time.

I’ve tended to focus on pianists whose particular character traits, talents and quirks (or lack thereof) readily manifest themselves. Consequently, several ‘dark horses’ have nearly escaped my attention, such as Jakub Kuszlik. I rewatched Kuszlik’s second-stage performance and quickly realised just how seriously I had underestimated him. [….] Indeed, Kuszlik is so musical that you only notice his remarkable virtuosity after the fact. He was born to play Chopin.Jed Distler, The Gramophone