The recital of Nazarij Stasyshyn, a promising pianist of the young generation, will be filled with works by Romantic composers – Frederic Chopin and Ferenc Liszt, as well as Ukrainian compositions by Viktor Kosenko and Borys Lyatoshynski, who are close to Stasyshyn.

The concert will begin with an undisputed masterpiece of Romantic piano literature – the monumental Sonata in B minor by Ferenc Liszt, which was published in 1854. This piece has been in the standard repertoire of pianists all over the world for years, although it initially aroused controversy. When the sonata dedicated to Robert Schumann came into the hands of his wife Klara – herself an eminent pianist and composer – she considered its score to be nothing but “blind noise”. Later, thanks to its intriguing sound, the piece gained the fame it deserved.

Both the Prelude in D flat major op. 28 no. 15 “Raindrop” and the heroic Polonaise in A major op. 40 no. 1 by Frederic Chopin were written in the late 1830s and are directly related to the composer’s trip to Majorca. The climate of the island was supposed to help improve the musician’s health, but due to the difficult weather conditions, the trip had a completely different effect. The stormy aura is reflected in the prelude – probably the most famous of the entire opus. The Polonaise, on the other hand, is an extremely concise and spirited piece with a heroic character that is revealed from the very first chords. Although it may seem simple in expression, Chopin turned it into a composition with enormous emotional power.

In addition to the prelude by Chopin, we will hear the one from the Shevchenko Suite op. 38 by Borys Lyatoshynski, considered the father of contemporary Ukrainian music. He is remembered in history as an excellent symphonist, although his oeuvre also includes operas, song cycles, chamber and solo music. This composer willingly turned to Expressionism and innovative artistic techniques characteristic of the 20th century, but due to the directives of socialist realism he was often forced to make musical compromises. Viktor Kosenko, who was active in Lyatoshynsky’s time, drew on the spirit of Romanticism and clearly referred to the works of Pyotr Tchaikovsky and Sergei Rachmaninoff. One of these compositions is the small Poème-Legend op. 12,  a cycle of two works. During the Wrocław concert, the first of them will be performed – the expressive Con afflizione.