An entire CD featuring recording premieres of compositions by Frederic Chopin - Trio Parnassus and the Parnassus Academy present three great works in which the piano occupies the centre of attention as well as six songs in a version for cello and piano in which the great melodist reveals his most marvellous side.

Here the Piano Trio for the first time is heard with the viola instead of the violin, in the version favoured by Chopin, thereby lending this new recording special tonal magic. The part concerned is in fact too low for the violin. In the first edition Chopin continued to indicate the viola, but this reference was eliminated in all later editions. Joachim Draheim has now first reconstructed the viola part and performed an invaluable service to the work with his carefully considered interventions.

Today the “Grande Fantaisie sur des Airs polonais” is hardly performed at all outside Poland, a fact perhaps also having to do with its unclear instrumentation.