Frédéric Chopin - Piano Trio; Cello Sonata; Polonaises brillante (Emanuel Ax; Yo-Yo Ma)

Information

Composer: Frédéric Chopin

• Piano Trio in G minor, Op. 8
• Polonaise brillante in C major for cello & piano, Op. 3
• Cello Sonata in G minor, Op. 65
• Polonaise brillante in C major for piano, Op. 3

Pamela Frank, violin

Yo-Yo Ma, cello

Emanuel Ax, piano

Ewa Osinska, piano (Polonaise brillante for piano)

Date: 1994

Label: Sony

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Frédéric Chopin (1 March 1810 – 17 October 1849) was a Polish Romantic composer and virtuoso pianist. A prodigy from Warsaw, he moved to Paris at 21, where he spent the rest of his short life. Although often in poor health, he produced a remarkable body of piano-centered works, including nocturnes, mazurkas, waltzes, polonaises, études and two piano concertos. His music, which is known for technical brilliance and innovative harmony, helped shape musical nationalism and late-Romantic style. Chopin's iconic status, dramatic life, and early death made him one of the enduring symbols of the Romantic era.

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Emanuel Ax (born June 8, 1949) is a Polish-American pianist. Born into a Polish-Jewish family in Lvov, he studied piano with Mieczysław Munz at the Juilliard School from age 12. After earning top honors in several prestigious international piano competitions, including first prize at the Arthur Rubinstein Competition in 1974, Ax established himself as a leading concert pianist. He has performed with major orchestras and festivals worldwide, collaborated with acclaimed musicians such as Yo-Yo Ma and Isaac Stern, and received Grammy Awards for his recordings. He has taught at Juilliard since 1990.

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Yo-Yo Ma (born 7 October 1955 in Paris) is an American cellist renowned for his exceptional technique and cross-cultural collaborations that broadened classical music's reach. A prodigy, he debuted at Carnegie Hall at 9, studied at Juilliard, and graduated from Harvard in 1977. Celebrated for his interpretations of standard repertoire, he has also explored diverse genres, collaborating with artists from bluegrass to tango. In 1998 he founded the Silk Road Project to promote global artistic exchange. A prolific recording artist, Ma has received numerous prestigious honors, including multiple Grammy Awards.

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