Brian Ganz Plays Chopin

Image found here

I have seen the pianist Brian Ganz perform several times (including last February), and he is my favorite! Not only is he a talented musician, but he just has so much fun while he plays. He's a happy, smiley guy, which I love! Starting in 2011 (before I even knew who he was), he created a partnership with the Strathmore to play all of Chopin's music. He's still going strong, and now that I've seen him a few times, I'm familiar with words like polonaise and mazurka (i.e. Polish dances, since Chopin was from Poland). Another fun fact I learned: a "canon" in music is when the "voices" (different musical instruments or in this case, separate hands on the piano) play the same music but start at different times. I didn't know that! Makes me think of the song "Row row row your boat." But I digress!

Ganz called this particular program "Hidden Gems and All-Time Favorites." The pieces he played were a mix of famous Chopin compositions and lesser-known ones. Ganz dedicated the performance to his father, who was in the audience that night. His father lives in England and does not get the chance to see most of the performances. Ganz also mentioned his Italian great-grandmother, who would have enjoyed the music, too.

Here's what he played that evening:

Tarantella, Op. 43

Bolero, Op. 19

Polonase in A major, Op. 40, No. 1

2 Bourrées, Op. Posth.

No. 1 in G Major

No. 2 in A Major

Prelude in A Major, Op. 28, No. 7 (Watch Ganz' face as he plays: he just loves this music!)

Canon in F minor (unfinished) (Because this piece is unfinished, it ended abruptly, and Ganz just let the silence hang in the air for a prolonged time to emphasize the lack of closure.)

Mazurka in C-sharp minor, Op. 63, No. 3

Fugue in A minor, Op. Posth.

Mazurka in C-sharp minor, Op. 50, No. 3

Souvenir de Paganini, Op. Posth.

Etude in A minor, Op. 25, No. 11 ("Winter Wind")

THEN we had an intermission. Phew!

Waltz in A-flat Major, Op. Posth.

Waltz in D-flat Major, Op. 64, No. 1 ("Minute")

Largo in E-flat Major, Op. Posth.

Prelude in C minor, Op. 28, No. 20

Trois Nouvelles Études (This translates as "Three New Studies." Chopin was also a teacher, and he would create these studies for students to practice. These three are interesting because for each one, the right hand and left hand are playing different rhythms.)

Fantaisie-Impromptu in C-sharp minor, Op. 66

Ganz grouped the following two Polonaises together and called them "Chopin: The Gardener." The first was written when Chopin was a young man in love for the first time, and the second is when Chopin was a grown, mature man.

Polonaise in F minor, Op. 71, No. 3

Polonaise in A-flat Major, Op. 53 ("Heroic")

So much beautiful music! Ganz announced that his next Chopin showcase at the Strathmore will be on Saturday, February 2, 2019. So mark your calendars now!