Tag Archives: Frederic Chopin

Electrifying opener for Gimeno and TSO

Posted on September 22, 2022 by barczablog

Tonight’s concert by the Toronto Symphony was a fitting beginning to their centennial season, a genuinely celebratory evening. The program message from Music Director Gustavo Gimeno is very promising: “The creation of contrast is at the heart of what I … Continue reading →

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Kindred Spirits Orchestra– Enigma Variations

Posted on March 13, 2022 by barczablog

Last night I heard Kindred Spirits Orchestra playing at the Richmond Hill Centre, led by their conductor Kristian Alexander with piano soloist Naomi Wong. From outside it looks nice enough.. I forget the beauty of this space, until I enter. … Continue reading →

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Beethoven 250: which incarnation?

Posted on November 20, 2020 by barczablog

I hope it isn’t a radical idea to suggest that each of us is really several people, depending on context. The people around me, the places I visit, even the time of day might influence how I act. I’m more … Continue reading →

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Question on the radio

Posted on August 26, 2020 by barczablog

I was listening to a Chopin Waltz played on the radio as it came to its brilliant conclusion. The host said something under her breath, not entirely complimentary. “Why” she asked “does it build to that big loud bang at … Continue reading →

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Lisztomania CD

Posted on December 30, 2019 by barczablog

Lisztomania? It was a Ken Russell film. And the name described an actual phenomenon, crazed admirers of the great pianist Franz Liszt aka Liszt Ferenc back in the 19th Century. And there’s a CD from Mikolaj Warszynski, capturing a live … Continue reading →

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Escape from wartime reflections

Posted on August 1, 2018 by barczablog

Tonight’s installment of the Toronto Summer Music Festival might seem to have ignored their theme of “Reflections of Wartime”. The only real battle in Walter Hall was for our hearts, a friendly popularity contest between Angela Cheng and Alvin Chow. … Continue reading →

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Bogdanowicz & Ramirez: a common language

Posted on November 2, 2013 by barczablog

I met some new people tonight.  Some of them were singers, some were composers, and everyone got along beautifully in several languages. Tonight Michèle Bogdanowicz and Ernesto Ramirez sang a quintessentially Canadian program at Gallery 345, with pianist Rachel Andrist. … Continue reading →

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Chopin: Iconosphere of Romanticism

Posted on June 13, 2013 by barczablog

You gotta love the title of the book. It’s actually CHOPIN: Iconosphere of Romanticism, emblazoned simultaneously on the cover in Polish as CHOPIN: iconosfera romantyzmu.  This is an art-book, recording an exhibit from 2010 in Warsaw, edited by Iwona Danielewicz … Continue reading →

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Beatrice Rana – Chopin and Scriabin

Posted on December 19, 2012 by barczablog

When you like a composition, chances are you’ll listen to a recording by a new unfamiliar artist whether or not you’ve heard any fanfare or PR.  And so, when I saw that Beatrice Rana’s debut recording with ATMA Classical was … Continue reading →

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Ten greatest

Posted on July 9, 2012 by barczablog

Limelight magazine supposedly polled “modern day masters” of the piano, to identify the ten greatest pianists of all time. Here’s their list of ten: 1. Sergei Rachmaninov (1873-1943) 2. Vladimir Horowitz (1903-1989) 3. Sviatoslav Richter (1915-1997) 4. Arthur Rubinstein (1887-1982) … Continue reading →

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