Chopin The Copernicus of the Piano

Copernicus was the celebrated Polish astronomer who, three hundred years before Chopin came along, opened up the heavens for his successors, just as Chopin was to open up the keyboard for those who came after him. That is the parallel that Dr. Alan Walker pursues in this illustrated lecture dealing with Chopin’s unique approach to the piano, together with the composer’s way of handling musical form. The text of the lecture is drawn in part from Alan Walker’s recent biography Fryderyk Chopin: A Life and Times. The presentation is illustrated with performances by Arthur Rubinstein, Murray Perahia, Maurizio Pollini, Valerie Tryon, Sergei Rachmaninov, Kun-Woo Paik, and Dame Myra Hess. Mark Ainley’s help in providing the photographs of Myra Hess and recording of Sergei Rachmaninov is acknowledged with thanks.