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Background

• Chopin composed nearly all his music for the solo piano, revolutionising the instrument's capability.
• Mazurkas: drawn from Polish folk music; he wrote 50 mazurkas.
• Nocturnes: Dreamy, tranquil and song-like.
• Preludes: Modelled after Bach's Well-tempered Clavier; he wrote 24 Preludes.
• Polonaises: Stylised Polish Court dances.
• Scherzos: Serious, dramatic, and intensely virtuosic works.
• Rondo: Pieces built on a recurring theme.
• Variations: Compositions that take a single theme and modify it through various pianistic techniques.
• Waltzes: Elegant pieces for both the ballroom and salon.

Recordings

• Debussy, Chopin, Mussorgsky
  Behzod Abduraimov
  Alpha
  Gramophone Awards (2021): Shortlisted Piano.
  Gramophone Magazine (2021): Editor's Choice.
  Presto Recording of the Week (2021).
  Radio 3 Record Review (2021): Record of the Week.
  International Classical. Music Magazine (2022): Nominated Solo Instrument.
  Gramophone Magazine (2026): Critics; Choice 2021.
  
  
• Chopin Complete Edition
  Claudio Arrau · Vladimir Ashkenazy · Rafal Blechacz · Maria Joao Pires · Maurizio Pollini · Anatol Ugorski · Lilya Zilberstein
  Deutsche Grammophon
  Presto Recording of the Week (2010).
  Radio 3 Building a Library (2010): First Choice.

• Chopin, Liszt, Ravel
  Benjamin Grosvenor
  DECCA
  BBC Music Magazine (2011): Instrumental Choice.
  Gramophone Magazine (2011): Editor’s Choice.
  Presto Recording of the Week (2011).
  BBC Music Magazine Awards (2012): Instrumental Finalist.
  Gramophone Awards (2012): Winner Instrumental.

• Four Ballades & Four Scherzos
  Stephen Hough
  Hyperion
  Gramophone Magazine (2004): Disc of the Month.
  Radio 3 Building a Library (2020): Recommended.

• Nocturnes
  Stephen Hough
  Hyperion
  Sunday Times: 10 Best Classical Albums of 2021.

• The Complete Waltzes
  Stephen Hough
  Hyperion
  BBC Music Magazine (2011): Instrumental Choice.
  Gramophone Awards (2012): Finalist Instrumental.

• Impromptus, Waltzes & Mazurkas.
  Pavel Kolesnikov.
  Hyperion.
  International Classical Music Magazine (2019): Nominee Solo Music.
  
  
• Mazurkas
  Pavel Kolesnikov
  Hyperion
  Diapason d'Or de l'Annee (2016): Winner Piano.
  Gramophone Magazine (2016): Editor's Choice.
  Gramophone Awards (2017): Shortlisted Instrumental.

• 24 Preludes Op. 28., Brahms, Schumann.
  Eric Lu.
  Warner Classics.
  BBC Music Magazine (2020): Instrumental Choice.

• 4 Ballades, Waltzes, Nocturne, Mazurkas, Etudes.
  Murray Perahia
  SONY.
  Gramophone Awards (1995): Winner Instrumental.
  Penguin Guide (1995): Rosette.
  Gramophone Magazine (2026): 100 Greatest Recordings.

• Concertos, Sonatas, Ballads, Mazurkas, Etudes, Preludes, Impromptus and More.
  Murray Perahia.
  SONY.
  Gramophone Awards (1995): Winner Instrumental.
  Grammy Awards (2002): Best Classical Instrumental Solo Recording.
  Gramophone Awards (2003): Winner Instrumental.
  Gramophone Magazine (2014): Re-Issue of the Month.

• Chopin chez Pleyel.
  Alain Planes.
  Harmonia Mundi.
  BBC Music Magazine (2011): Instrumental Finalist.

• Chopin & Scriabin: Preludes.
  Mikhail Pletnev.
  Deutsche Grammophon.
  Opus Klassik Awards (2026): Winner Innovative Listening Experience.

• Chopin Late Works.
  Maurizio Pollini.
  Deutsch Grammophon.
  ECHO Klassik Awards (2017): Winner.

• Polonaises.
  Maurizio Pollino.
  Deutsche Grammophon.
  
  
• Etudes Op. 25 & 4 Scherzi
  Beatrice Rana
  Warner Classics
  Diapason d'Or de l'Annee (2021): Piano.
  Diapason d’Or de l’Annee (2021): Piano.
  Presto Recordings of the Year (2021): Finalist.
  Gramophone Awards (2022): Shortlisted Piano.
  International Classical Music Awards (2022): Nominated Solo Instrument.
  Opus Klassik (2022): Instrumentalist of the Year.
  Gramophone Magazine (2026): Critics’ Choice 2021.

• Nocturnes
  Arthur Rubinstein
  SONY
  Presto Greatest Recordings of the 1960s

About Coram Deo

Coram Deo — before the face of God. This blog reflects on Scripture, world events, science, music, psychology, and the human mind — always through the lens of Christian faith. All of life is lived before the face of God.