For the pianist and opera conductor Boris Bloch, who hails from Odessa in present-day Ukraine, the works of Frédéric Chopin represent the epitome of poetry in music. Chopin’s primary means of expression – the language with which he expressed everything he wanted to say – was his melody: the most beautiful kind known to man. For Chopin, however, this melody was more than that; it was a reflection of reality, behind which lay a real image or event. Heinrich Neuhaus pointed out the autobiographical character of Chopin’s oeuvre. And it is precisely this autobiographical character that has helped countless people find themselves in their own biographies. This explains the immense popularity and universal appeal of his works, which are cherished all over the world. On this double CD, Boris Bloch presents a selection of Mazurkas, Études, Impromptus, the four Ballades, and the Second Piano Sonata, op.35.