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Rafal Blechacz

Johann Sebastian Bach

Deutsche Grammophon

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1 Bach: Allegro  
2 Bach: Andante  
3 Bach: Presto  
4 Bach: Prelude  
5 Bach: Allemande  
6 Bach: Courante  
7 Bach: Sarabande  
8 Bach: Menuet I & II  
9 Bach: Gigue  
10 Bach: Duetto In E Minor, BWV 802  
11 Bach: Duetto In F Major, BWV 803  
12 Bach: Duetto In G Major, BWV 804  
13 Bach: Duetto In A Minor, BWV 805  
14 Bach: Fantasia  
15 Bach: Fugue  
16 Bach: Fantasia  
17 Bach: Allemande  
18 Bach: Corrente  
19 Bach: Sarabande  
20 Bach: Burlesca  
21 Bach: Scherzo  
22 Bach: Gigue  
23 Bach: Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring  
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Praised by the Washington Post as "a musician in service to [Bach's] music, searching its depths, exploring its meaning and probing its possibilities", the now 31-year-old Rafal Blechacz, winner of the 2005 International Chopin Piano Competition, has been immersed in Bach since childhood and has cultivated a strikingly natural eloquence in his mature interpretations of the composer's keyboard works. 

Blechacz's first Bach album, set for release on Deutsche Grammophon on February 10, opens with one of the pianist's signature pieces, the Italian Concerto BWV 971, and includes the Partitas No.1 in B flat major BWV 825 and No.3 in A minor BWV 827. The programme also comprises the four Duets BWV 802-805, enigmatic pieces from Part Three of the Clavier-Übung, the Fantasie and Fugue in A minor BWV 944, and the chorale Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring as transcribed for piano by Dame Myra Hess.

Rafal Blechacz approaches each of these works with an awareness of the history of Bachian performance. Knowing about period instruments and performance practice, he agrees, can help reveal how the composer might have intended his music to be played. Yet he is also convinced that, when it comes to bringing Bach's music to life, head must never rule heart. "Of course, it's very important to be well informed about Baroque style," he observes. "But sometimes with Bach I feel it's even more important to listen to your heart and your intuition."

  • Rafal Blechacz's new Chopin recording shines in both the flashy sections and quieter moments / THE CLASSIC REVIEW
    Posted At: April 10, 2023 12:00 AM
    “I feel that I have had some adventures with these pieces before recording them,” says Rafal Blechacz, whose latest album is a tribute to his compatriot Chopin. “I’m freer today regarding the use of tempo rubato, dynamic contrasts and emotional extremes, and maybe I’m braver with certain ideas. I didn’t want to wait any longer before going into the studio.” Blechacz’s devotion to the art of Chopin pred...
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  • Rafal Blechacz new DG release is pure, Chopin enchantment / Audiophile Audition
    Posted At: March 28, 2023 12:00 AM
    Audiophile Audition's Gary Lemco writes….Recorded in Berlin from September to October 2021, this Chopin recital by Rafal Blechacz (b. 1985) comes from his deep response to a series of world catastrophes – this especially true for the “Funeral March” Sonata – given the pandemic and the war in Ukraine. Blechacz, the winner of the 2005 Warsaw International Chopin Competition, had lived with this repertory for ...
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  • Rafa Blechacz gets cover of 'Pianist / April/May issue'
    Posted At: March 10, 2023 12:00 AM
    Rafal Blechacz’s devotion to the art of Chopin predates his victory in the 2005 Warsaw International Chopin Piano Competition – when he became just the fourth Polish winner in its prestigious history. It has continued to deepen and mature over the years, underpinned by a desire to uncover fresh layers of expression and meaning. Rafal Blechacz – Chopin presents his insightful interpretations of Sonatas Nos. ...
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  • Rafa Blechacz - Chopin is the WFMT: Featured New Release
    Posted At: March 9, 2023 12:00 AM
    “I feel that I have had some adventures with these pieces before recording them,” says Rafal Blechacz, whose latest album is a tribute to his compatriot Chopin. “I’m freer today regarding the use of tempo rubato, dynamic contrasts and emotional extremes, and maybe I’m braver with certain ideas. I didn’t want to wait any longer before going into the studio.” Blechacz’s devotion to the art of Chopin pred...
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  • Rafal Blechacz - thrillingly direct and fiercely engaged at Wigmore Hall / The Guardian
    Posted At: January 22, 2019 12:00 AM

    Even now, more than 13 years after he swept the board at the 15th International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw, Rafał Blechacz remains an enigmatic pianist, at least as far as British audiences are concerned. That's partly because his appearances here are sporadic – his last London recital was in 2015.  He began with Mozart: a distinctly brisk, unsentimental account of the A minor...
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  • Immersed in Bach since childhood, Rafał Blechacz feat. on WCRB's The Bach Hour
    Posted At: August 30, 2018 12:00 AM

    The virtually limitless well of music by J.S. Bach has always had a prominent place on radio airwaves in Boston. Whether it's an iconic work like the Toccata and Fugue in D minor or a rarely heard but emotionally riveting church cantata, Bach's music is a touchstone, returning listeners to a foundation on which so much subsequent music has been built. Hosted by Brian McCreath, The Bach Hour can be heard ...
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  • Rafal Blechacz - Bach is KDFC 'Album Of the Week'
    Posted At: March 6, 2017 12:00 AM

    Tune in throughout the week for tracks from KDFC: San Francisco - Album of the Week. More to discover with KDFC and KDFC.com. For the Week of March 6th KDFC selects, Johann Sebastian Bach from Rafal Blechacz. Praised by the Washington Post as "a musician in service to [Bach's] music, searching its depths, exploring its meaning and probing its possibilities", the now 31-year-old Polish pianist, Ra...
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  • Rafal Blechacz - Johann Sebastian Bach / WCRB 'CD Of the Week'
    Posted At: February 27, 2017 12:00 AM

    "Of course, it's very important to be well-informed about Baroque style... but sometimes with Bach I feel it's even more important to listen to your heart and intuition." -  Rafał Blechacz. The Polish pianist (and former organist) curates an album featuring works from Bach's timeless Clavier-Übung collections. At the heart of J.S. Bach's compositions lay his...
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