Chopin’s Piano Concertos
arranged for piano and string quintet by Kevin Kenner
Chopin Concerto No. 1 in E minor, Op. 11
Chopin Concerto No. 2 in F minor, Op. 21
Produced by the National Chopin Institute of Poland
Recorded August 12-14, 2018 in Warsaw, Poland, Polish Radio, Studio 1
No matter how well you know these two life-enhancing works, I strongly suggest you hear them in their alternative garb. That on its own may not be sufficient justification for the outlay on repertoire of which every self-respecting record collector will have at least one (favourite) version. So let me add a further reason: Kevin Kenner. And a third: the precision of the ensemble and heart-warming rapport between the string players and soloist.
Jeremy Nicholas, Gramophone
Paderewski Solo Works
Sarabande in B minor, Op. 14 No. 2
Intermezzo polacco in C minor, Op. 14 No. 5
Cracovienne fantastique in B major, Op. 14 No. 6
Burlesque in F major, Op. 14 No. 4
Dans le désert. Toccata in E flat major, Op. 15
Melody in G flat major, Op. 16 No. 2
Caprice ∫ la Scarlatti in G major, Op. 14 No. 3
Nocturne in B flat major, Op. 16 No. 4
Minuet in G major, Op. 14 No. 1
Sonata in E flat minor, Op. 21
Where Kenner triumphs is in the subtlety, even wit, of his rubato, which allow the music to breathe and move forwards.
Michelle Assay, Gramophone
Beau Soir – Music of Faure, Franck and Debussy
Faure Violin Sonata No. 1 in A Major, Op. 13
Franck Violin Sonata in A Major, FWV 8
Debussy/Hartmann La Fille aux Cheveux de Lin
Faure Berceuse, Op. 16
Franck/Kenner Mass in A Major, Op. 12, FWV 61: V. Panis Angelicus
Debussy Beau Soir, L. 6
Elgar Salut d’amour, op. 12
Warner Classics
Recorded November 1-7, 2017 at Potton Hall in West Suffolk, England
Kyung Wha Chung and Kevin Kenner have just the right balance of luminous lyricism and drama in Fauré’s First Sonata… The performance of Franck’s Sonata has the stamp of authority….Pianist Kevin Kenner is a superb partner is this emotionally powerful performance.
The Strad
(arranged Kevin Kenner)
Late Chopin Works
Barcarolle in F-sharp major, Op.60
Mazurka in B major, Op.63 No.1
Mazurka in F minor, Op.63 No.2
Mazurka in C-sharp minor, Op.63 No.3
Piano Sonata No. 3 in B minor, Op.58
Nocturne in E major, Op.62 No.2
Mazurka in B major, Op.56 No.1
Mazurka in C major, Op.56 No.2
Mazurka in C minor, Op.56 No.3
Mazurka in F minor, Op.68 No.4 (reconstruction by Kevin Kenner)
Warner Classics
Recorded September 5-8, 2016 at Potton Hall in West Suffolk, England
Kenner’s sense of the long line and overall architecture is as impressive as his idiomatic phrasing.
Gramophone
Chopin Songs
performed on 1848 Pleyel piano with soprano Olga Pasiecznik
Produced by National Chopin Institute of Poland
December 2009, Warsaw, Poland, Polish Radio, Studio 1
Paderewski Concert Works
Winner of the 2012 “Fryderyk” Award by the Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry
Piano Concerto in A minor, Op.17
Polish Fantasy in G-sharp minor, Op.19
The Orchestra of the Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic in Białystok, Marcin Nałęcz-Niesiołowski
DUX Recording DUX0733
(Recorded November 2010, Białystok Philharmonic Hall, Poland, released 2011)
Paderewski’s superb Piano Concerto, almost in the league of Grieg and Tchaikovsky, and the sparkling Polish Fantasy receive fiery treatment here. Kenner is…
BBC Music Magazine
Chopin Resonances
Kevin Kenner explores Chopin and Beyond, selected as ‘Editor’s Choice’ by Gramophone
Balakirev Nocturne No 2
Crumb Makrokosmos, Vol 2 – Dream Images
Debussy Etude – No. 11
Bill Evans The Peace Piece
Paderewski Nocturne, Op 16 No 4
Scriabin Etude, Op 8 No 12
Szymanowski Mazurka, Op 50 No 2
Chopin Berceuse. Etude, Op 25 No 1. Fantasie-
Chopin Impromptu. Prelude, Op 28 No 14.
Chopin Mazurka – Op 7 No 2a
Chopin Mazurka – Op 17 No 2
Chopin Mazurka – Op 56 No 2.
A record to fascinate even the most blasé listener
Bryce Morrison
Piazzoforte
Kevin Kenner and the Piazzoforte Quintet perform Piazzolla Concert Tangos
Winner of the 2006 “Fryderyk” Award by the Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry
Michelangelo 70 (arr. Bernard Chmielarz)
Tres piezas para orquestra de camara (arr. Jose Bragato)
Milonga, Muerte and Resurrección del Angel
Oblivion (arr. G. Frankowski)
Revolucionario (arr. G. Frankowski)
Bonus Track: Teledisc of Piazzoforte Project (Video)
In one word, one can listen to this without end
Tomasz Byczek
Chopin Scherzos
Nocturne in B major, Op.62, No.1
Scherzo No.1 in B minor, Op.30
Scherzo No.2 in B-flat minor, Op.31
Scherzo No.3 in C-sharp minor, Op.39
Scherzo No.4 in E major, Op.54
4 Mazurkas, Op.67
Polonaise in F-sharp minor, Op.44
Polonaise in A-flat major, Op.53
Prelude in C-sharp minor, Op.45
DUX Recording DUX0504 (Recorded 1997 London, Henry Wood Hall, Released 2004)
…This is a set of the scherzos that is greatly persuasive on repeated hearings
Fanfare Magazine, David Saemann
Chopin Preludes
Kevin Kenner’s debut studio recording. BBC Music Magazine’s Adrian Jack acclaimed it as one of the best recordings of the Chopin Preludes.
CHOPIN
Preludes, Op.28
Andante spianato et Grande Polonaise brillante, Op.22
Nocturne Op.27, No.2
Waltz in E minor
Polish Polygram ACD 014
(recorded 1995, Warsaw, released 1995)
Reissued 2009 by DUX Recording DUX0632
Kevin Kenner’s Chopin exudes that rare combination of warmth and intelligence
Fanfare Magazine, Colin Clarke
Ravel Piano Works
Prelude
Miroirs
Valses nobles et sentimentales
La Valse
Pavane pour une Infante defunte
Omagatoki Co. Ltd. OMCC-1008 (recorded 2001, London, released 2001 in Japan)
Reissued 2007 by DUX Recording DUX0558
…A tremendous voyage of variegated color
Fanfare Magazine, Colin Clarke
Schumann Piano Works
Kevin Kenner plays the piano works of Robert Schumann
Davidsbündlertänze, Op.6
Fantasie in C major, Op.17
Arabesque, Op.18
Dux Recording DUX0557 (Recorded June 2006, Warsaw National Philharmonic Hall, released 2007)
…Kenner’s grasp of the Fantasy is superb, culminating in a truly spellbinding finale
Fanfare Magazine, Colin Clarke
Chopin Impromptus
Performance on an 1848 Pleyel piano. Received a 5-star rating by France’s “Diapason”
Prelude, Op.45
Fantaisie-Impromptu, Op.66
Scherzo No.3 in C-sharp minor, Op.39
Impromptu in F-sharp major, Op.36
Nocturne in B major, Op.32, No.1
Nocturne in A-flat major, Op.32, No.2
Impromptu in A-flat, Op.29
Polonaise in C minor, Op.40, No.2
Prelude in A-flat, WN 44
Impromptu in G-flat major, Op.51
The recording is fabulous…a most satisfying listening experience
Fanfare Magazine, Colin Clarke
Chopin Ballades
Ballade No.1 in G minor, Op.23
Ballade No.2 in F major, Op.38
Ballade No.3 in A-flat major, Op.47
Ballade No.4 in F minor, Op.52
Barcarolle, Op.60
Nocturne in C-sharp minor,
O.p. (Lento con gran espressione)
DUX Recording DUX0521 (Recorded 2004, Bydgoszcz, Poland, Philharmonic Hall, released 2005)
…No one with an interest in the state of Chopin performance today can afford to be unaware of Kevin Kenner
Fanfare Magazine, David Saemann
Op. 27, No. 2 (Moonlight), 3rd movement
Fantasy
An exploration of different composers’ employment of the Fantasy
Beethoven Sonata quasi una fantasia, Op.27, No.2 (Moonlight)
Schumann Fantasiestücke, Op.12
Chopin Fantaisie in F minor, Op.49
DUX Recording DUX0633 (Recorded May 2008 Opole, Poland, Philharmonic Hall, released 2009)
…Pianism of the highest order…wins me over time and time again
Fanfare Magazine, Steven E. Ritter