Tom Service presents a special Chopin-themed edition of the programme in which he travels to Warsaw to investigate the complex relationship between the composer and his homeland, to which he never returned after leaving at the age of 20. Tom also examines the effects of Chopin's dual legacy as composer and pianist on the Polish music scene today.
In this programme
Download the complete programme on this week's Music Matters podcast.*
Sony Radio Academy Speech Programme Award winner 2008 (Bronze medal)
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CHOPIN
As part of the Radio 3 Chopin Experience, Tom Service visited Warsaw to find out how Polish a composer he actually was
and what Chopin means to Poles now.
In 1810, Poland did not exist as an independent politically entity, but was beholden to Russia. Nonetheless, music flourished in Warsaw and helped to promote the emergent ideas of Polish nationalism.
Taking in some key locations associated with the composer, Tom meets staff and students at the The Frederick Chopin Academy to explore the importance of the Polish piano tradition.
Every piece Chopin ever wrote involved the piano, and the Frederick Chopin International Piano Competition has one of the most impressive rosters of winners imaginable, including Krystian Zimerman, Martha Argerich and Maurizio Pollini.
The Piano Competition is now run by the Chopin Institute and the director, Grygoz Mihalski explained to Tom why the piano retains a special significance in Poland.
Before heading to Poland, Tom spoke with Halina Goldberg, author of a new book on Music in Chopin's Warsaw, about the cultural and historical background to Chopin's birth, childhood and youth.
Tom also asks Antoni Wit, General and Artistic Director of the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, whether the music that came after Chopin amounted to a school of Polish Nationalism; Tadeusz Wielecki, Director of the Warsaw Autumn Festival of contemporary music brings us bang up to date on Chopin's legacy for young composers today.
The 17th May edition of Music Matters is part of Radio 3's The Chopin Experience
