Name Raoul Koczalski | Role Pianist | |
 | ||
Died November 24, 1948, Poznan, Poland Similar People Karol Mikuli, Aleksander Michalowski, Moriz Rosenthal, Ingolf Wunder, Ignaz Friedman | ||
Raoul koczalski plays chopin on chopin s pleyel 1847
Armand Georg Raoul (von) Koczalski (3 January 1884 Warsaw – 24 November 1948, Poznan) was a Polish pianist and composer, who fulfilled his promise (first shown as a child prodigy) to become a leading pianist.
Contents
Raoul koczalski plays chopin nocturne in e flat major
Career
Koczalski was taught first by his mother, then by Julian Godomski: having made a public appearance in 1888 (aged 4) his parents took him to play for Anton Rubinstein, who foresaw the possibility of a performing career. He never visited a conservatory but had private lesson first with Ludwig Marek and then under Karol Mikuli, Chopin's favorite Polish student and assistant. At the age of 7 he gave concerts and at 9 he was playing in major European cities as a virtuoso. His thousandth concert was given in Leipzig in 1896, and by the age of 12 he had received awards such as the Order of the Lion and Sun, (from the Shah of Persia), the title of Court Pianist (from the King of Spain) and a medal from the Turkish Sultan. Already as a child he had a very extensive repertoire. During World Wars l and II he was interned in Germany.
Koczalski was highly esteemed as a performer of Chopin in Germany, where he lived during the 1920s and 1930s. In that period he toured in France, Italy and Poland, but (despite many invitations) not in the United States of America for reasons of health He was interned in Berlin during the Second World War, and in 1945 he went to live in Poznan, accepting a post as professor in the State Higher School of Music. As a performer, the complete works of Chopin and the complete Beethoven sonatas lay at the core of a very extensive repertoire from the classical and romantic genres. He was considered one of the greatest interpreters of Chopin's music and one of the greatest pianists of his time, with a very liquid technique, smooth balance and interpretations that did not take the liberties of many of his contemporaries but which remained closer to the written score. His pupils included Detlef Kraus, Monique de La Bruchollerie, Hanna Rudnicka-Kruszewska, Wanda Losakiewicz and Irena Wyrzykowska-Mondelska.
Works
Koczalski's compositions include nearly 200 published works, symphonic and chamber pieces, concertos, operas and ballets, piano compositions and songs.
Writings
In addition to his books, Koczalski wrote several press articles.
Songs
Waltz in E-flat - op 18 "Grande Valse Brillante"
No 5 in D major
Nocturne in G minor - Op 37 No 1
Mazurka in A flat major - Op 50 No 1
Polonaise No 6 in A flat major - Op 53 - "Heroic"
Waltz No 3 in A minor - Op 34 - No 2 - "Valse brillante"
German Dance in F - K 602 no 2
Etude in C major - op 10 no 7
Morceaux de fantaisie - Op 3: No 4 Polichinelle in F sharp minor
Prelude no 14 in E-flat minor - op 28
Prelude without opus in A-flat
Piano Concerto No 2 in F Minor - Op 21: I Maestoso
Etude in C-sharp minor - op 25 no 7 "Cello"
Prelude in D minor - Op 28
Prelude in D-flat - op 28 no 15 "Raindrop"
Nocturne in F sharp major - Op 15 - No 2
Waltz in E flat major - Op 18
Prelude no 22 in G minor - op 28
IV Finale: Presto - non tanto
Etude in E minor - No 6
Waltz in D-flat - op 64 no 1 "Minute"
Mazurka in B minor - Op 33 - No 4
Sonata quasi una Fantasia in C sharp minor - Op 27 No 2: Allegro sostenuto
Prelude no 23 in F major - op 28
Etude in F major - No 3
Prelude no 5 in D major - op 28
Etude in B minor - No 10
Etude in E major - op 10 no 3
Prelude no 24 in D minor - op 28
Etude in A minor - No 2
Waltz No 2 in A flat major - Op 34 - No 1 - "Valse brillante"
Etude in E flat major - No 11