Krzyzanowska / Camerata Vistula - Chamber Music Music CD

Halina Krzyzanowska was a Polish pianist and composer. She studied the piano at the Paris Conservatoire with Félix Le Couppey and at the age of 17 won the prix d'honneur. Then she studied counterpoint and composition with Andrès and Ernest Guiraud. She performed throughout Europe, though mainly in France and Poland, and in 1896 was made officier of the Académie de France. In 1900 she was appointed professor of piano at Rennes conservatory. Greatly influenced by Saint-Saëns, Krzyzanowska composed a symphony, a Marche héroïque for orchestra, a Fantasy for piano and orchestra, a string quartet and other chamber works, many solo piano works (including two sonatas, programmatic works and pieces in dance forms), settings of French and Polish poems, incidental music to S. Duchinska's play Jasyr ('Tatar Captivity'), a one-act opera Magdusia (to a libretto by H. Swiejkowski, composed before 1894) and an oratorio. Unfortunately, her works are today largely unknown. This album featuring the Camerata Vistula String Quartet aims to change that, and presents a program of her chamber music.