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Koczalski, Raoul 1884 - 1948

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  • Author: PWM Edition

  • Last updated:September 20, 2022
  • Note: This article is automatically translated from the original Japanese text. The author of the original work did not supervise this translation.

    Raoul Koczalski

    (1884 Warsaw [Poland] – 1948 Poznań [Poland])

    Raoul (von) Koczalski was a Polish pianist and composer (also known by the pseudonym Georg Armand). He is renowned as an interpreter of Fryderyk Chopin's music.

    Koczalski was born in Warsaw in 1884. His parents were his first music teachers. In 1888, at the early age of four, he made his stage debut in Warsaw and became known as a child prodigy. In the same year, he moved with his family to Saint Petersburg, where he studied under Anton Rubinstein and performed in nearly 200 concerts. Subsequently, he toured various parts of Europe, giving numerous concerts over many years.

    In 1891, Raoul Koczalski was awarded an honorary prize from the Paris Conservatoire and also received the title of Court Pianist to the King of Spain. In 1896, a concert was held to commemorate his 1000th concert performance, at which point he was only 12 years old. His repertoire included works by many composers such as Bach, Beethoven, Liszt, Paderewski, and Mozart, but above all, he gained his greatest fame through his performances and interpretations of Fryderyk Chopin's works.

    Koczalski studied piano, instrumentation, composition, musicology, and philosophy in Paris. He also spent a significant amount of time in Germany, where he performed. Following the outbreak of World War II, Berlin authorities prohibited him from public performances and from crossing the city limits. Despite these orders, he continued to hold home concerts and recitals for his students and friends. After the war ended in 1945, Koczalski returned to Poland and taught as a professor of piano at the music high schools in Poznań and Warsaw.

    Raoul Koczalski passed away in 1948 from a heart attack while preparing for a concert performance. During his lifetime, he performed Fryderyk Chopin's works across Europe and left behind numerous recordings.

    In addition to his performing and teaching activities, Koczalski also composed from his childhood. The majority of his works are piano pieces, but he also wrote many vocal works with piano accompaniment, and pieces for violin or cello and piano. Furthermore, his compositions include orchestral works and even several operettas.

    Author: PWM Edition
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    Performance Recordings List(16)

    Reference Videos (16)

    • Chopin, Frederic : 林川崇さんのお勧め, コチャルスキ, ラオル [Play]

      Recommended Points

      ショパンのあまりにも有名なノクターンを、ミクリが伝承したショパン自身の変奏によってコチャルスキが弾いた録音(ただし伝承された楽譜とは微妙に異なる)。最近でこそこの変奏による演奏も珍しくなくなったが、存在自体が知られていなかった(そのため変奏の正統性を学者から疑われたこともあった)時代に本流の人物が弾いた演奏としても重要。(林川崇)

    • Chopin, Frederic : 林川崇さんのお勧め, コチャルスキ, ラオル [Play]

      Recommended Points

      もうひとつのショパンの前奏曲として知られ、ファンも少なくない嬰ハ短調Op.45。全体の大きな流れを意識しないと同じことの繰り返しになってしまう上、感情もしっかり出さなければならないので、音楽的には極めて難しい曲だと思うが、このコチャルスキの演奏はとりわけ優れたものの一つだろう。(林川崇)

    • Mussorgsky, Modest Petrovich : 林川崇さんのお勧め, コチャルスキ, ラオル [Play]

      Recommended Points

      ムソルグスキーのあまり弾かれないピアノ曲を名手コチャルスキの演奏で聴ける貴重な録音。ショパンの流派として知られるコチャルスキだが、ここでは重厚な演奏をしており、作曲家によってきちんとスタイルを変えていたこともわかる。動画タイトルの1867年版は誤りで、実際は1861年版の方を弾いている。 (林川崇)