Józef Elsner’s compositions for four hands are the earliest examples in Polish literature of this genre of piano music, which emerged in the latter half of the 18th century. Elsner’s relatively modest output in this area includes a sonata and six polonaises (three based on original themes and three transcriptions of popular orchestral works). All of these pieces were composed before 1805 and stylistically belong to the Classical era.
During the concert, the Książek Piano Duo will perform Elsner’s three-part, structurally brilliant Sonata in B-flat Major, Op. 16, and two original polonaises: C Major and G Major. The program will also feature lesser-known works for four hands by his two most distinguished students: Variations in D Major on a Theme by T. Moore by Fryderyk Chopin (rediscovered in the 20th century and reconstructed in 1964 by Jan Ekier) and Polonaise in D Major, Op. 3 and Rondo alla Polacca, Op. 6 by Ignacy Feliks Dobrzyński (remarkable in their brillante style). These are the only surviving four-hand pieces by both composers, and although they belong to their early works (Chopin’s Variations were composed around 1824, while Dobrzyński’s pieces were written between 1805 and 1807), they exhibit the characteristics of the new Romantic aesthetic. The concert program will also include works by Franz Schubert.
