2021 marks the 175th anniversary of the birth of Zygmunt Noskowski - one of the greatest and most unjustly forgotten Polish composers of the second half of the 19th century. He composed works in almost all music genres known at that time. He devoted ten opuses (nearly 200 minutes of music) to works for a piano duet, consisting of compositions originally written for four hands and his own transcriptions of orchestral works.
The presented album contains the first ever complete recording of Noskowski's works for piano duet in the masterly interpretation of Ravel Piano Duo (Katarzyna Ewa Sokolowska and Agnieszka Kozlo).The recording was made by Marcin Domsil in the concert hall of the Krzysztof Penderecki European Center for Music in Luslawice. This music, written in the late-romantic style, perfectly reflects the diversity of Polish (including borderland) musical culture of the 19th century. It contains pieces composed both for home amateur music-making and suitable for use in concert practice - artistic stylizations characterized by high originality of sound.
"We must be aware that we are in the process of removing the veil of silence and disdain from the work of Noskowski and many composers of his time. We still cannot fully define all the features of their individual style. We must start by getting to know their works, by introducing them into the national culture. This album is another step in that direction" (Maciej Negery).
