Raoul Koczalski

Armand Georg Raoul (von) Koczalski (3 January 1884[1] in Warsaw – 24 November 1948 in Poznań) was a Polish pianist and composer, who fulfilled his promise (demonstrated as a child prodigy) to become a distinguished pianist.

Raoul Koczalski playing for Welte-Mignon in 1925

Career

Koczalski was taught first by his mother, then by Julian Godomski: having made a public appearance in 1888 (aged 4) his parents took him to play for Anton Rubinstein, who foresaw the possibility of a performing career. He never visited a conservatory but had private lesson first with Ludwig Marek and then under Karol Mikuli, Chopin's favorite Polish student and assistant. At the age of 7 he gave concerts and at 9 he was playing in major European cities as a virtuoso. His thousandth concert was given in Leipzig in 1896, and by the age of 12 he had received awards such as the Order of the Lion and Sun, (from the Shah of Persia), the title of Court Pianist (from the King of Spain) and a medal from the Turkish Sultan. Already as a child he had a very extensive repertoire. During World Wars l and II he was interned in Germany.

Koczalski was highly esteemed as a performer of Chopin in Germany, where he lived during the 1920s and 1930s. In that period he toured in France, Italy and Poland, but (despite many invitations) not in the United States of America for reasons of health He was interned in Berlin during the Second World War, and in 1945 he went to live in Poznań, accepting a post as professor in the State Higher School of Music. As a performer, the complete works of Chopin and the complete Beethoven sonatas lay at the core of a very extensive repertoire from the classical and romantic genres. He was considered one of the greatest interpreters of Chopin's music and one of the greatest pianists of his time, with a very liquid technique, smooth balance and interpretations that did not take the liberties of many of his contemporaries but which remained closer to the written score.[2] His pupils included Detlef Kraus, Monique de La Bruchollerie, Hanna Rudnicka-Kruszewska, Wanda Losakiewicz and Irena Wyrzykowska-Mondelska.

Works

Koczalski's compositions include nearly 200 published works, symphonic and chamber pieces, concertos, operas and ballets, piano compositions and songs.

  • Symphonische Legende vom Könige Boleslaus dem Kühnen und Bischof Stanislaus dem Heiligen (im Jahre 1079) for orchestra (composed 1894), publ. Leipzig: Pabst, c.1900.
  • Rymond: Opera in 3 acts (6 scenes), libretto by Alexander Graf Predro. (Premiere, 14 October 1902, Elberfeld), publ. Leipzig 1902.
  • Die Sühne: (The Expiation): a Trauerspiel in one act. (Premiere, 1909 Mülhausen (Mulhouse, France)), publ. Leipzig: Pabst, c.1907.
  • 24 Preludes, Op. 65
  • Piano Concerto, Op. 83
  • Rilke-Heft; 4 songs on texts by Rainer Maria Rilke, Op. 102
  • Rilke-Heft; 4 songs on texts by Rainer Maria Rilke, Op. 116
  • Semrud: a Tale from the Orient, in 5 scenes and a prelude (Text based on some stories from The Thousand and One Nights, some dramatic sketches by Benno Ziegler, and the comic opera "Der betrogene Kadi" by Ch. W. Gluck), Op. 118
  • Aus dem west-östlichen Divan, 21 poems by Goethe set as songs and duets for soprano and baritone, Op. 121. Berlin: Koczalski, 1937
  • Legende No. 1, Op. 127
  • Piano Sonata No. 8, Op. 143, publ. Poznań: Koczalski, c.1940
  • Sonatina for piano, Op. 146
  • 3 Nocturnes, Op. 147

Writings

In addition to his books, Koczalski wrote several press articles.

  • Raoul Koczalski: Zum hundertsten Geburtstag Frédéric Chopins: Chopin-Zyklus; vier Klaviervorträge nebst einer biographischen Skizze: F. Chopin, sowie den Aufsätzen: Chopin als Komponist und Chopin als Pianist, und einer eingehenden Analyse aller zum Vortrag bestimmten Werke. (Leipzig: Pabst, 1909)
  • Raoul Koczalski: Frédéric Chopin: Betrachtungen, Skizzen, Analysen. (Cologne: Tischer & Jagenberg 1936)
  • Rauul Koczalski: Betrachtungen eines "lebenslänglichen" Künstlers. (Berlin 1937).

Discography

Sources
  • Bernhard Vogel: Raoul Koczalski: Skizze. Leipzig: Pabst, 1896.
  • Marja Paruszewska, Szkic biograficzny i artystyczna karjera Raula Koczalskiego, Poznań 1936
  • Stanisław Dybowski: Raul Koczalski: chopinista i kompozytor. Warszawa: Selene, 1998. ISBN 83-910515-0-1
  • Stanisław Dybowski: Słownik pianistów polskich. Warszawa 2003, Selene.
  • Teresa Brodniewicz, Kostrzewskiej H., Tatarskiej J.: Raul Koczalski. (Biografie / Akademia Muzyczna im. Ignacego Jana Paderewskiego w Poznaniu). Poznań 2001. ISBN 83-88392-25-5
  • Mała encyklopedia muzyki, praca zbiorowa, Warszawa 1981, PWN.
  • Mała Encyklopedia muzyki, pod red. Józefa Władysława Reissa, Warszawa 1960, PWN.
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References
  1. Gregor Benko, liner notes to The Complete Raoul von Koczalski, Vol. 2, Marston Records, 2015.
  2. Lyle Wilson: A dictionary of pianists. London: Robert Hale, 1985.
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