Roman Statkowski was born in 1859 and studied with Rubinstein and Rimsky-Korsakov. He became a teacher and inspired a great many of the 20th century’s leading Polish musicians. As a composer his taste was for the late Romantic style. He wrote operas and chamber works, but his large piano music output excels, sparkling in the best tradition of Chopin. Statkowski gave up composition in 1904, and wrote nothing for the next 21 years of his life, being devoted to teaching. His music is brilliant, melodic and catches the attention at once.

Barbara Karaśkiewicz graduated from the University of Music in Katowice, Poland then completed her PhD at the University of Warsaw. She has performed all over Europe and South America with a broad repertoire and is a champion of rarely-heard composers. Her affinity with the music of Statkowski is perfect. This is her fourth album and her second recording of several of the pieces.