Presents
Ludomir Różycki
Rhapsodie for Piano Trio, Op.33
Ludomir Różycki (1883-1953) was born in Warsaw. His father was a professor at the conservatory there and Ludomir received a thorough musical education there studying composition with the important late 19th century Polish composer, Zygmunt Noskowski. After graduating, he moved to Berlin where he continued his studies with Engelbert Humperdinck. He then pursued a career as both a conductor and teacher holding posts in Lvov and Warsaw. Along with Karol Szymanowski and Grzegorz Fitelberg, he was a founder of Young Poland, a group of composers whose goal was to move Polish music into the modern era. Although he was primarily known for his operas, he did not ignore chamber music, most of which was written during his so-called first period wherein his music remained traditionally tonal.
The Rhapsodie for Piano Trio, Op.33 dates from 1913 while Różycki was living in Berlin. Its premiere met with with enthusiastic critical acclaim. The work is not in sonata form but rather characterized by a noble and expansive construction with broadly laid out themes, some of them imbued with idyllic poetry and others resembling Hungarian gypsy music, sensual and passionate.
This is a powerful and persuasive work pushing the Romantic idiom toward more modern directions. It is a fresh work which would make an excellent program choice where a work about half the length of a standard piano trio is required. (Our soundbite presents a little less than half of it) And it is well within the ability of experienced amateur players.
Parts: $24.95
