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California Reviews for Master Instructor, Pawel Skrzypek
"The Sacramento Bee / Metro - State News / Scene", March 9, 1990,
"Recital hints at even grander things to come"- by William Glackin:
[CIT:] " A performer can hardly create a more effective advertisement
of himself than the hourlong recital Polish pianist Pawel Skrzypek
delivered to a packed Recital Hall at California State University,
Sacramento, Wednesday noon. /.../ It was a mojor event in itself: an
introduction to a pianist who is both a poet and, to switch metaphors, a
powerhouse. This was evident immediately in the Chopin Prelude in D Flat,
Opus 28, No.15, which opened the program. All the peace and beauty in the
opening section of the work were made evident in playing in the most
expressive kind, marked by the infinitesimal hesitations and momentary
alterations of tempo - in a word, rubato - commonly credited to the great
Polish and Russian pianists of the Romantic tradition. /.../ This is a
pianist of rare communicative power."
"On the Wing / A magazine of Arts / Rising Stars from A to Z", April
1990,
"Music Focus" by Craig Morphis:
[CIT:] " His playing of the Chopin Concerto No.2 was flawless.
Masterful in his Largo, grand in Maestoso, and incredibly accurate and
expressive, his performance was of a quality rarely heard in Sacramento.
/.../ The two encores were so delicately and sensitively played, that no
one moved, fearing they would miss some detail of this artist's genius."
"Suttertown News", March 15-22, 1990,
"Symphony Blossoms" - by Paula Sinclair:
[CIT:] " The highlight of the evening was undoubtedly pianist
Skrzypek's wonderful performance of the Chopin concerto. Effortlessly
wielding a brightly tuned Yamaha piano, Skrzypek instantly established
himself as an absolute master of his formidable craft. /.../ His was
glorious, thoroughly Romantic interpretation, replete with rubato,
characterized by crisp, finely etched phrasing, and marked by his wholly
commanding authority over the music. One could not call his interpretation
tentative by any means."
"The Sacramento Bee / Metro - State News / Scene" , March 12, 1990,
"Poetic approach to Chopin proves right for Polish Pianist" - by William
Glackin:
[CIT:] " Skrzypek's playing would seem to indicate that a 'poetic'
approach works just fine if the player is as poetically successful as he
is in coming to grips with the deepest feelings of the music. I don't mean
to suggest he goes to extremes; he's in control of the form and movement
of the music at every point."
"The Sacramento Union", March 11, 1991,
"Pianist wows audience, orchestra with tough concerto" - by Robert
McClintock:
[CIT:] " If you missed the Camellia Symphony concert Saturday night,
you may have missed the best performance in all of Sacramento - by anyone,
for this year's entire concert season! /.../ At the conclusion of the
first movement, it was clear that the audience was aware of their presence
in history. What followed was only better and better. /.../ Throughout
Mr.Skrzypek's phrasing and touch were phenomenal. It was a night of
passion and emotion bridled only at their limits. /.../ But what the
audience heard went beyond notes. Mr.Skrzypek brought the gift with which
few artists are blessed. He transcended the music and communicated with
the universal language of the heart.
"The Sacramento Bee / Metro - State News / Scene" , March 11, 1991,
"A pianist with real power" - by William Glackin:
[CIT:] " Playing the Prokofiev Concerto No.2 Skrzypek delivered a
performance of tremendous intellectual and emotional strength. /.../ The
modern world of music seems heavily populated with piano virtuosos. But in
his technical brilliance, and even more in the intensity of his phisical
and emotional approach to the music and in power he has to express it,
Skrzypek seems truly extraordinary."
"Register-Pajaronian", / "Coasting - An Entertainment Guide to the
Central Coast", March 11, 1999,
"Skrzypek proves to be the ambassador of Chopin" - by Richard Lynde:
[CIT:] " Last Saturday evening at the Cabrillo College auditorium, an
incredible event unfolded. When the doors opened at 7:30p.m., hundreds of
eager concert-goers were spread out in a hundred-yard-line waiting to
enter. The occasion was a- all-Chopin recital by guest artist from Warsaw,
Dr.Pawel Skrzypek. /.../ Luckily, I already had a ticket to the event;
otherwise, I would have had to return Sunday night for the repeat
performance announced by the pianist to accommodate the literally hundreds
of disappointed aficionados of Chopin, ever the most popular of classical
keyboard composers, who were turned away. /.../ In 1955, this reviewer had
attended a similarly mobbed all-Chopin recital in Boston's Symphony Hall,
by none other than Artur Rubinstein, then in his late 60s and ever the
showman. There, as were as here, the audience was most appreciative of
both composer and interpreter. But whereas Rubinstein had programmed
mostly short sets of charming waltzes, showy etudes, and punchy mazurkas,
Dr.Skrzypek instead presented a program of Chopin's most mature, major
works: The Ballade in F minor, the Barcarolle in F sharp major, the
Polonaise-Fantaisie, and, for the second half of the evening, the Sonata
No.3 in B minor. Both pianists performed brilliantly. But while Rubinstein
played to the audience, Skrzypek played to the composer. His mastery
consists of three facets: a study of manuscripts, and of the scores of the
Paderewski Edition; his training by a master teacher in the Moscow
Conservatory tradition (that also had produced Horowitz, Gilels, Richter),
and his insights gleaned from the recitals and recordings of Rubinstein -
a direct, simple, unhurried approach to unfolding each piece, along with a
very subtle use of rubato and careful phrasing. /.../ Following the
virtuoso climax of the 4th movement (of the Sonata), the audience gave a
screaming, shouting, standing ovation. The two encores were a perfect
conclusion to the evening's music and sent the audience home in a subdued,
but joyful mood. /.../ In the years right after World War I, Paderewski
was not only a pianist, but Prime Minister of Poland. Now, some 80 years
later in this, the year marked by UNESCO worldwide as the 150th
anniversary of the death of Frederic Francois Chopin, Dr.Pawel Skrzypek of
Warsaw may be said to be the "Ambassador of Chopin", and we might expect
him to extend this influence over many years to come".
"Spotlight - Sentinel", March 12, 1999,
"Chopin specialist brings out big crowds" - by Phyllis Rosenblum:
[CIT:]
" About one hundred ticket holders had to be offered make-do sitting,
lucky ones on stage within a few arm spans of the soloist, others
relegated to a dog's-eye view from an added pre-front row, or at the
distant back wall. A repeat performance for those who missed Saturday's
show was quickly planned for the following evening at Cabrillo, with
audience members urged to notify friends who had been turned away.
/.../ The Polonaise displayed some hauntingly mysterious moments.
Skrzypek's flying fingers stirred up a wonderfully lively frenzy in the
Sonata's light, scampering Scherzo, and his muscular approach was a
significant asset to reeling final movement, Presto non tanto. The
Barcarolle in F sharp minor began with strong, declamatory chords,
relaxed agreeably for a sweet, lyrical portion and ended in a dramatic
burst of energy. A calming Prelude and Nocturne were offered as encores
after the audience's standing ovation".
"Aptos Times - Capitola Times" - March 15, 1999
"Chopin, At Its Very Finest" - by Josef Sekon, D.M.A.:
[CIT:] " A most interesting, informative and exciting week of events in
celebration of Chopin's 150 anniversary culminated with truly an
artistically superb concert by the internationally acclaimed Polish
pianist Pawel Skrzypek. Maestro Skrzypek's master class given in the Erica
Schilling Forum at Cabrillo College sparked the excitement. Those who
attended and participated were most impressed by the Maestro's musical
insight into interpretation of the works discussed and performed and his
charismatic charm in sharing this information with those in attendance.
The concert scheduled for 8p.m. in Cabrillo Theater was delayed until 8:30
due to the huge turnout of some 631 patrons who came to hear the artist
perform. /.../ Fully aware of the reason for delay, and taken by the
overabundance of enthusiastic 'fans', Maestro Skrzypek agreed to perform
yet a second, unscheduled concert on the following evening for those
patrons not fortunate enough to be allowed admission due to already
capacity crowd. The works performed Saturday, March 6th on the all-Chopin
concert were /.../ all late works, all very technically demanding, all
performed with magical insight, nuance, virtuosity, poetic delicacy
balanced with dazzling runs and perhaps most importantly, with profound
introspection. /.../ The fourth Ballade /.../ was played lyrically and
with striking eloquence by Skrzypek. /.../ What cannot be denied is that
Pawel Skrzypek makes you listen to every note. In the Barcarolle and
Polonaise-Fantaisie, his concentration, intensity in/on all dynamic
levels, variety of articulation, ornamentation, and sense of phrasing made
listening a constant process of discovery as if it were somehow being
realized in slow motion. Sonata No.3 in B minor, Op.58 was written in
1844/.../. Skrzypek well understood the sense of continuity of form from
one musical moment to the next and kept the ratios between real and rubato
tempi as elegant and natural as possible. There was no irrational mood
swing. Artistically rewarding was the almost constant, necessary
adjustment of balance between contrapuntal and melodic lines. Obvious was
the sense of imaginative rhytmic elasticity. Each note in soprano line was
played with crystal clear precision, again reflecting perfect balance
between the hands. All in all, technically impressive. Skrzypek never lost
sight of color, nuance and melodic shape. The works of Frederic Chopin
were exquisitely molded, balanced in tonal refinement with wonderful
freshness, imagination, personality and spirit. Thank you John Orlando for
bringing this rare artist to your series. We all look forward to hearing
him again as soon as possible."
"Aptos Times - Capitola Times" – November 24, 1999
"Sensational All Chopin Concert At The mello Center" - by Josef Sekon,
D.M.A.:
[CIT:] “ Once again the superb Polish pianist Dr. Pawel Skrzypek
performed the works of his countryman Frederic Chopin and once again
Skrzypek performed with amazing introspection, musical profoundness,
precision and artistry. This time, however, maestro Skrzypek was
accompanied by yet another sensational Polish pianist, his 16-year-old
student Jacek Mysinski. /.../ Given the genius of both maestro Skrzypek
and his gifted student Jacek Mysinski, it is readily apparent that the
works of Chopin will live with freshness and beauty indefinitely. /.../
Skrzypek is a compelling artistic personality, admired for his dramatic
impact, individuality of his interpretations and his charisma. He brings
with him his prodigious technique, command of sonority and a fresh, most
welcome evocative musical imagination to the extensive rubato style of
Chopin’s works."
"Aptos Times - Capitola Times" – January 21, 2001
"Pianist Pawel Skrzypek Performs in a Benefit Concert" - by Josef Sekon,
D.M.A.:
[CIT:] “Skrzypek exploited the ideas with complete mastery and
beguiling charm. His rubato playing was elegant, even the simplest
phrasing allowed Chopin’s musical poetry to emerge with suitable draticism
and beauty. Simply put, there is something undeniably attractive about
Skrzypek’s musical personality when worked in conjunction with his fellow
countryman, Frederic Chopin”.
Contact Gold Country Piano Institute
Address: P.O. Box 1321, Nevada City, CA 95959-1321
Telephone: (530) 265-8648 or (530) 432-3451, Fax: (530) 478-9485
URL: ./reviewscalifornia.htm
Last modified: February 03, 2006
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