Composer: PADEREWSKI; PENDERECKI

Information:
The repertoire on this new release is a timely reminder of Felicja Blumenthal's protean abilities. Here, she resurrects a piano concerto and patriotic fantasy by Paderewski before entering into the realms of one of the high priests of modern eclecticism, assuming the central role on the harpsichord for the Partita which as in fact dedicated to her by the composer.
The majority of links here are Polish. Paderewski, Penderecki and Blumenthal were born in Poland. For a concertante work of the period, Paderewski's Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 17 leans toward a bucolic simplicity, harking back to the piano concertos of Chopin and Grieg in terms of influence. Polish rhythms abound, most notably the mazurka while much of the melodic material is imbued with the Polish folk song tradition. The Fantasie Polonaise, Op. 19 is a lively, folksy and, above all, avowedly virtuoso showpiece packed full of Polish dances from the krakowiak to the kujawiak.
The Partita was commissioned for the 50th anniversary of the Eastman School of Music in Rochester and was premiered there in 1971 by its dedicatee, Ms. Blumenthal. The instrumentation (which came as a surprise to its soloist) is for harpsichord, electric guitar, bass guitar, double bass and orchestra, all of which reads like a cross between the concertino grouping of a Baroque concerto grosso and the line-up for a jazz outfit. This recording was originally released on EMI.
For more information and a bio on Felicja Blumenthal go to http://www.branarecords.com/felicjaBlumental.php