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A delightful rarity: Polish pianist Marian Filar in a broadcast performance of Chopin's rarely-played Rondo à la Krakowiak in F Major Op.14, with the Orchestra of the Vienna Opera conducted by Dietfried Bernet.

Filar was a marvellous artist who spent the last two years of the war in seven concentration camps, soon after entering a 5-year mentorship with German pianist Walter Gieseking, who refused to take a penny for Filar's lessons. Gieseking stated that Filar was already a pianist and played Chopin better than he did (on one occasion, he tried to get his young protege to play during one of his own recitals, but the shy Pole declined). Filar would move to the US and despite some great successes, his performing career never fully took off; he made only two early LPs of solo works and never made discs with orchestra.

In this performance, we hear the hallmarks of Filar's wonderful pianism, among them a gorgeous tonal palette (what a glistening sonority in the opening measures), fluid phrasing, poised voicing, and natural timing.

Many thanks to Filar's pupil Charles Birnbaum for providing the recording and permitting it to be uploaded.

You can read more about Filar in this feature on my website: [ Ссылка ]

If you wish to support The Piano Files, please consider membership at my Patreon page: [ Ссылка ]

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