Anne Kauppi - Chopin: Etudes (complete) (CD)

Release Date: 01/01/08

Chopin composed his 24 Etudes op. 10 and 25 ~ithin a short period of time; only four years separate their publication da

Chopin composed his 24 Etudes op. 10 and 25 ~ithin a short period of time; only four years separate their publication dates. The first Etude dates from 1829; it was probably op. 10 no. 8 and was followed by nos. 9, 10 and 11. The Revolution Etude (op. 10 no.12) was composed in 1831, as a reaction ro the Russians' occupation of Warsaw, his childhood home. The last to be added to this op. 10 published in 1833 were nos. 3 & 4. By 1834 Chopin must have composed the last of the Etudes (1 & 12) in op. 25,because he performed the entire opus in Paris. It was, however, not published until 1837. The date of composition of the three op. posth. Etudes published in 1840 is not known. Chopin was inspired to write his Etudes after hearing the ones composed by thevirtuoso violinist Paganini. At the time he was still dreaming of a career as a concert pianist. Luckily for posterity, his delicate piano sound got a somewhat cool reception in Paris, and he preferred to perform in private to his admiring connoisseur friends andpupils. In all his life he gave no more than about 30 'public concerts and was thus able, as a composer, to disregard the traps of trying to please the public.