Brian Ganz at Strathmore

Brian Ganz
Photo | Michael Ventura

Pianist Brian Ganz will perform his third all-Chopin recital in partnership with the National Philharmonic at The Music Center at Strathmore on Saturday, Jan. 19. He performed his second sold out recital in his “Extreme Chopin” quest to perform all of Frédéric Chopin’s works in February at Strathmore. Ganz will perform all the approximately 250 works of Chopin over the next decade. For more information or to purchase tickets visit nationalphilharmonic.org or call 301-581-5100.

Ganz received glowing reviews after both of his capacity “Extreme Chopin” concerts. An audience of about 2,000 attended the January 2011 concert, after which the Washington Post wrote: “Brian Ganz was masterly in his first installment of the complete works.” In his review for DMV Classical after the February 2012 recital, Andrew Malone wrote, “Ganz showed a facility for navigating the finger-twisting runs Chopin so often demands, especially in the Fantasie-Impromptu in C [sharp] minor, where the notes cascaded cleanly as a brook in springtime.”

For the third concert in his Chopin Project, Ganz will explore the theme of “Small Worlds.” He will navigate what is for many listeners Chopin’s magnum opus, the 24 Préludes, Op. 28. Other miniatures on the program will include the 5 Mazurkas, Op. 7 and the rarely heard Trois Ecossaises, three short Scottish dances. “Occasionally Chopin dashed off a work to which he attached no title, so we refer to them by their tempo marking,” Ganz said . “I’ll be playing two such works on this program: the Lento con Gran Espressione in C-sharp minor, often called a nocturne, and the Presto con Leggerezza in A-flat major, sometimes called a prélude. The Lento was a gift to his sister, who loved his 2nd piano concerto, so he took some of the themes from the concerto and wrote a soulful and expressive fantasy on them for her. The Presto is like a sip of the finest French champagne; it bubbles for a moment on the palette and then evaporates.” Rounding out the program will be two of Chopin’s larger works, the masterful Ballades Nos. 1 and 3.

The complete “Extreme Chopin” program on Jan. 19, 2013 will include Frédéric Chopin’s 5 Mazurkas, Op. 7; Trois Ecossaises, Op. 72, No. 3; Lento con Gran Espressione in C-sharp minor; Presto con Leggerezza in A-flat major; Ballade No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23; Ballade No. 3 in A-flat major, Op. 47; and the 24 Préludes, Op. 28.

To purchase tickets to Brian Ganz’s third installment of his “Chopin Quest” performances at the Music Center at Strathmore on January 19th, 2013 visit nationalphilharmonic.org or call the Strathmore ticket office at (301) 581-5100. More information on Ganz is available at www.brianganz.com. Tickets for kids 7-17 are FREE through the ALL KIDS, ALL FREE, ALL THE TIME program (sponsored by The Gazette). ALL KIDS tickets must be purchased in person or by phone. Parking is free.

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