“Chopin Inspirations” is a narrative presented by Janusz Wawrowski and Mischa Kozłowski, exploring how Fryderyk Chopin’s influence resonates in the violin works of Grieg, Paderewski, Noskowski, and Sarasate.

The album features a selection of two sonatas and two miniatures, whose contrasting characters showcase a full spectrum of musical colors. It opens with Chopin’s Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2 in a violin arrangement by Pablo de Sarasate. The composer, while approaching this work with great respect for the original, successfully infused it with his personality as a violin virtuoso, masterfully blending the lyrical qualities of both the piano and the violin. This superb transcription is often praised for sounding as though it were originally composed for violin and piano.

Edvard Grieg, often referred to as the “Chopin of the North,” follows with his Sonata No. 3 in C minor, Op. 45 for violin and piano. The work seems to echo Chopin’s Piano Trio in G minor, Op. 8, sharing a similar mood and dark tone. Folk themes, romantic virtuosity, and beautiful phrasing – all common traits between the two composers – are evident in Grieg’s sonata. The turbulent atmosphere is then calmed by Zygmunt Noskowski’s Lullaby, a piece that reflects his deep admiration for Chopin’s music, which he only discovered later in life. The composition’s incredible lyricism and subtlety create a charming work that is more challenging to perform than it might seem.

The album concludes with the monumental Sonata in A minor, Op. 13 by Ignacy Jan Paderewski, featuring a virtuosic piano part worthy of a master. The violin complements the work with its lyrical and profound phrases. This sonata forms a fitting conclusion to the journey through Chopin’s inspirations, being a piece dedicated to Pablo de Sarasate, with whom Paderewski played during his youth.