Grażyna Bacewicz – Piano Works
Performed by Peter Jablonski
This album presents a powerful and wide-ranging portrait of Grażyna Bacewicz (1909–1969), one of Poland’s foremost 20th-century composers. A virtuoso violinist and accomplished pianist, Bacewicz brought remarkable energy and originality to her work. While her violin music is well known, her piano compositions remain largely underappreciated outside Poland.
This recording includes both of her piano sonatas and all twelve of her concert etudes—ten virtuosic studies that draw comparisons to Chopin, Szymanowski, Liszt, Debussy, and Bartók, yet remain utterly her own. The Concert Krakowiak (1949) brims with rhythmic drive and folk-inspired flair, while the Two Etudes on Double Notes demonstrate her technical ingenuity.
The two sonatas reflect different sides of Bacewicz’s musical personality. The First Sonata (1949) is richly lyrical and rhythmically intricate, demanding both sensitivity and brilliance. The Second Sonata (1953), one of her own favorite works, is bold, architectural, and vividly expressive, with a toccata-style finale that channels the spirit of the Polish oberek.
Peter Jablonski brings these works to life with insight and energy, affirming Bacewicz’s place among the great 20th-century composers for the piano.