Chopin: Scherzi & Ballades Abdel Rahman El Bacha

• Frederic Chopin (1810 - 1849):
• 1 Scherzo No. 1, Op. 20 11:21
• 2 Ballade No. 1, Op. 23 09:16
• 3 Scherzo No. 2, Op. 31 11:14
• 4 Ballade No. 2, Op. 38 07:50
• 5 Scherzo No. 3, Op. 39 08:04
• 6 Ballade No. 3, Op. 47 08:29
• 7 Scherzo No. 4, Op. 54 12:19
• 8 Ballade No. 4, Op. 52 12:12
• Total Runtime 01:20:45

Info for Chopin: Scherzi & Ballades

The series of the four ballades and four scherzos run parallel in chronological terms and gain much from being set side by side.

Such juxtaposition in performance enables us to go beyond their specificities (the more narrative tone of the ballades, the more transcendental virtuosity of the scherzos) and underlines their similarities: the ambitious recasting of existing forms and the emotional richness but also the pessimism common to the First Scherzo and the First Ballade, or the stylistic accomplishment in the Fourth Scherzo and the Fourth Ballade.

Abdel Rahman El Bacha, piano

Abdel Rahman El Bacha
Born in Beirut in 1958, Abdel Rahman El Bacha joined the Paris Conservatoire at 16, in order to perfect his technique in Pierre Sancan’s class. He graduated with four First Prizes : Piano, Chamber Music, Harmony and Counterpoint. In 1978, He unanimously won the Queen Elizabeth Music Competition in Belgium. After this brilliant revelation of a young talent, Abdel Rahman El Bacha took a break he dedicated to the diversification of his repertoire. He was then invited to play in the most prestigious concert halls in Europe and in the whole world. He played with the Berlin Philharmonic, the Orchestre de Paris, the Tokyo NHK and the English Chamber Orchestra, among others. His first recording, dedicated to Prokofiev’s early works , won the Grand Prize of the Académie Charles Cros. Ever since, he has recorded numerous works : Bach, Ravel, Schubert, Schumann and Rachmaninov for the label Forlane, and Prokofiev’s 5 piano concertos (Live recording) for Fuga Libera. His interpretations of Beethoven’s complete sonatas and Chopin’s complete work for piano solo ( recorded in chronological order) are great successes, both in recordings and in concerts. The label Mirare has just released his most recent CD dedicated to Prokofiev’s piano pieces.

Abdel Rahman El Bacha, the Master of piano in residence at the Queen Elizabeth Music Chapel, is also a composer. In 1998, the French Minister of Culture awarded him the title of Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres and in 2002, the Lebanese president awarded him with the gold medal of the Order of Merit, the country’s highest decoration in his native country.

Booklet for Chopin: Scherzi & Ballades