During the 1970s, pianist Carol Rosenberger brought her “ravishing, elegant pianism” (New York Times) to Karol Szymanowski’s music in live concerts and on two LP recordings. Now available in this new release are her fascinating performances of the complete Szymanowski Mazurkas, as well as the Masques and Etudes- performances that marked the pianist as “a pioneer in the rediscovery of Szymanowski in the modern era.” (composer Mark Abel). The imaginative, improvisatory Mazurkas express Szymanowski’s mission to revitalize Polish music by its roots- Polish folk song and dance. The Masques are spellbinding tonal tapestries almost orchestral in scope. The harmonically rich Etudes, Op. 4 are more romantic in style, while the Etudes, Op. 33 offer a glowing mosaic of colors and textures. In Rosenberger’s much-anticipated memoir, ‘To Play Again,’ she describes her Szymanowski discoveries, her friendship with the composer’s nephew-who made rare manuscripts available to her- and her engrossing journey into this exotic music by the greatest Polish composer of the early twentieth century.
