It is a fact that Chopin frequently performed his concertos in various chamber versions as was common practice among many composer-pianists of the period. But unfortunately, there is no extant version for strings and piano which can be linked to Chopin’s own hand.

The principal objective of these versions of the two Chopin Piano Concertos was to create a suitable reduction of the full orchestral score which accommodates the particular requirements of a small ensemble while remaining as close as possible to the original – not an easy task given the lack of reliable source material.

In keeping with the spirit of his age, it is likely that Chopin’s own performances of the concertos in chamber version could have been characterised by various combinations of string players reading from the orchestral string parts with ad lib additions of the wind parts taken by the strings and/or piano. This somewhat loosely planned presentation of his concertos would be in keeping with the impromptu atmosphere of the soirees of the 19th-century salon.

Kevin Kenner has taught at the Royal College of Music in London and has performed as soloist with world class orchestras including the BBC Symphony, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, and the Warsaw and Czech Philharmonic orchestras to name a few.

His previous recording of Paderewski Sonatas (NIFCCD057) released in 2018 was a Gramophone Editor’s Choice.

“There are at least three good reasons for investing in this fine recording. First, there is the prospect of hearing 10 of Paderewski’s best works for solo piano played on his own instrument...Second, there is the inclusion of Paderewski’s Op 1...Third, and most persuasively, there is the playing of Kevin Kenner.” – Gramophone Magazine