March 22, 2010
Chopin Winner Rafal Blechacz
The Chopin Piano Competition happens once every five years, and hadn't had a winner in 15 years. But in 2005, a young Polish pianist walked away with every prize the jury had to give. Rafal Blechacz was just 20 when his life changed forever. On today's show, he joins host Fred Child to talk about, and play, music of Chopin and Mozart.
Today's Playlist
Performance Today audio is available for seven days following broadcast.
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Frederic Chopin
Prelude in C-sharp Minor, Op. 45
Pianist Rafal Blechacz
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Johann Sebastian Bach
Excerpts from Cantata No. 12 (Weeping, Lamenting, Worrying, Fearing)
The Stuttgart Bach Collegium with conductor Helmuth Rilling
Arts Center, Seoul, South Korea
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Johann Sebastian Bach
Fugue No. 9, from the Well-Tempered Clavier, BWV 878
The Emerson String Quartet
Alamo Heights United Methodist Church, San Antonio, Texas
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Perfchat with Rafal Blechacz
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Frederic Chopin
Mazurkas Op. 17, No. 4, and Op. 50, No. 2
Pianist Rafal Blechacz
NPR Studios, Washington, D.C.
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Third movement from Sonata in B-flat, K. 570
Pianist Rafal Blechacz
NPR Studios, Washington, D.C.
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Jean Sibelius
Lemminkainen's Return, from Lemminkainen Suite, Op. 22
The Los Angeles Philharmonic with conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen
Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles
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Jacques Ibert
First movement from Concerto for Flute and Orchestra
Flutist Emmanuel Pahud with the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra and conductor David Zinman
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Li Huan Zhi
Spring Festive Overture
The Hong Kong Sinfonietta with conductor Edwin Outwater
City Hall, Hong Kong, China
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Johann Sebastian Bach
Flute Sonata in B Minor, BWV 1030
Flutist Emmanuel Pahud and harpsichordist Trevor Pinnock
Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall, Athens, Georgia
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Johann Sebastian Bach
Concerto for Violin and Oboe, BWV 1060
Violinist Brian Lewis and oboist Alecia Lawyer with the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra and conductor Tanya Ratner
St. John the Divine Episcopal Church, Houston
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Stephen Sondheim
Pretty Lady, from Pacific Overtures
The London Symphony Orchestra with conductor Don Sebesky
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Philharmonic and conductor Andrew Litton Sondheim
The Ballad of Sweeney Todd
George Hearn and Company with the New York Philharmonic and conductor Andrew Litton
Avery Fisher Hall, New York City