WITOLD MALCUZYNSKI

Malcuzynski is one of the most exciting pianists I have come across.  Born in Poland, and a great crowd puller at concerts in his day, he cut a very dashing figure on the concert platform - in some ways he reminds me a little of Sir Malcolm Sargent.

His recorded discography is not as extensive as we may perhaps like, but some of the great staples are there within it, such as the 2nd Concertos of Liszt and Chopin, the 3rd of Rachmaninoff, and the 1st of Brahms. 

The Chopin and Rachmaninoff concertos were both recorded twice, and naturally the latter recordings of each have better sound.  In the 2nd recording he made of the Rachmaninoff 3rd concerto, one critic suggested that Malcuzynski has contempt for the orchestra, given the fact that the orchestra is so completely drowned by the piano that is might as well not be there!

I had wondered why I liked this recording so much...in those few words it was explained!!  His way is forthright and enthusiastic, and the staggering technical difficulties prove to be almost no challenge to Malcuzynski, who seems to revel in one technical challenge after another.

Perhaps being Polish he was also an outstanding interpreter of Chopin - and his recordings of Chopin's solo music are certainly interesting both from a technical point of view and also an interpretative one.  In some of his performances he wasn't without some controversy, but listen to his recordings, and one thing you will never be is bored!!