The distinguished pianist Aimi Kobayashi will visit the NFM for the first time. She is a finalist of the 17th International Frederic Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw and winner of the 4th prize at its latest edition. Accompanied by musicians from Wrocław Baroque Orchestra conducted by Jarosław Thiel, the artist will perform the solo part on a historical instrument in the virtuoso Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor op. 21 by Frederic Chopin. The programme will also include Stanisław Moniuszko’s Winter Tale and the famous Symphony No. 4 in A major op. 90 “Italian” by Felix Mendelssohn. All the compositions are connected not only by their Romantic style. All three are characterised by a wide range of musical colours, adding finesse to their forms. 

The evening will begin with Stanisław Moniuszko’s  Winter Tale – a fantastic overture, which was first performed in May 1848 in Vilnius. For the artist, this was a time of intense compositional work, as his first, two-act version of the famous Halka premiered that same year. Although vocal-instrumental pieces dominate the artist’s catalogue, Winter Tale is also one of the most well-known and appreciated pieces, intended for a purely instrumental line-up. The title suggests a literary programme, but the freely developing, melodic phrases do not need extramusical references to be fully appreciated.

Although the piano we know today offers a huge range of possibilities, both in terms of articulation and in terms of extracting the desired sound colour, historical pianos have a  sound potential close to the earlier eras. This time Aimi Kobayashi, a pianist highly valued for her interpretations of Frederic Chopin’s oeuvre, will play a historical piano, performing Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor op. 21. One of two concertos of this type in the composer’s catalogue, it was written in the virtuoso brillant style with full Romantic expression and references to Polish folklore. Its finale is an elaborate stylisation of a Polish folk dance – the kujawiak. In a similar period, Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy’s Symphony No. 4 in A major op. 90 “Italian”, was composed, in which – as its subtitle suggests – we will hear echoes of Italian musical culture. It was fed by the impressions that the composer absorbed during his travels around Italy in 1830 and 1831. Composed under the influence of Italy’s one-of-a-kind atmosphere, the piece is therefore a musical memory, and it is easy to hear the artist’s delight in it. This symphony has a light, joyful character, which can be heard from the very first notes, and its motoric progressions feature skillfully woven elements of Italian dances – saltarello and tarantella.