Annapolis based pianist Brian Ganz will offer a preview of his upcoming Strathmore all-Chopin recital on Saturday, January 10 at 7:30 pm at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis, 333 Dubois Road.
The performance will be a preview of Ganz’s next all-Chopin recital, “The Art of the Mazurka,” at the Strathmore Music Center in North Bethesda on February 7th.
The mazurka is a folk dance that originated in the region just outside Warsaw, where Chopin grew up. At the preview Ganz will play and discuss a few works from the Strathmore program, take some Chopin requests, answer questions and share details about the “Extreme Chopin” Project. In lieu of admission, a free will donation to the church will be requested. For more information visit http://www.uuannapolis.org or call 410-266-8044.
In January of 2011, pianist Brian Ganz began his “Extreme Chopin” quest to perform all of Frédéric Chopin’s works. That sold out recital at the Music Center at Strathmore launched Ganz’s ambitious endeavor to perform the approximately 250 works of Chopin over the next decade. The next concert in the series will take place at Strathmore on February 7 at 8 pm. To purchase tickets visit nationalphilharmonic.org or call 301-581-5100.
For the February 7 recital Ganz will explore the theme “The Art of the Mazurka.” Ganz said, “Chopin’s mazurkas are in many ways his most beguiling works. One finds in them the widest range of emotions, from a soulful longing filled with nostalgia and mystery to the sheer joy of movement in sound. Something about the dance compelled Chopin in a way that no other form did: The number of mazurkas he wrote is more than double that of any other genre. If I ever had to take one set of Chopin’s works with me to a desert island, it would be the mazurkas.”
The February recital features 17 of Chopin’s works, including three sets of mazurkas, Opp. 24, 50 and 59; the masterful Polonaise in F sharp minor, Op. 44; 3 Waltzes, Op. 64; 2 Nocturnes from Op. 15; and the Rondo a la Mazur, Op. 5.
The Washington Post wrote after a September 2014 recital, “Brian Ganz chose an approach that was commanding yet thoughtful and totally musical. Ganz’s dazzling and informed playing captured the essence of each piece.”
An audience of about 2,000 attended each of the four previous solo recitals at Strathmore. After the third sold out recital in 2013 Washington Post reviewer Grace Jean wrote, “It’s easy to see why so many Washingtonians flocked to hear pianist Brian Ganz…In his hands, the rarely performed Trois Ecossaises, Op.72, No. 3, became effervescent light beams.”
Photo Cut Line: A preview of pianist Brian Ganz’s fifth concert of his “Extreme Chopin” quest to play all the works of Chopin will take place on January 10 at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis, at 7:30 pm. The full recital will take place at the Strathmore Music Center on February 7.
