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Anton de Kontski: Les ruines de Hapsal (Méditation), Op.174

616 views · Published 13 November 2016 · 3:15 · Indexed 24 October 2026

Channel: PSearPianist · 2016 · Music

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Phillip Sear plays an evocation of the ruined buildings of Haapsalu in Estonia by the flamboyant Polish composer-pianist Anton de Kontski (1817–99)
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Born in Kraków, de Kontski came from a musical family, and studied in Moscow with John Field.  In Paris, he apparently performed with Chopin in 1845.  He sold himself as the only living pupil of Beethoven (possible, but unlikely!) and used to play with his hands under a blanket as a party trick.  He was best-known for a dramatic piece called “Awaking the Lion”.  This piece would have been inspired by the ruins of either the castle or cathedral at Hapsal (now Haapsalu) in what was then the Estonian province of Russia.  It is a popular Baltic seaside resort, made famous in music by Tchaikovsky, who wrote his set of piano pieces, 'Souvenir de Hapsal' Op. 2 in 1867.  The first of these pieces is actually titled 'Ruines d'un chateau' - but is not well known.  de Kontski seems to have got there first, as his piece was written around 1860!

Thumbnail image of Haapsalu castle derived from Wikipedia.
#polishmusic #castle
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------- Played by Phillip Sear
http://www.psear.co.uk (Email:  [email protected]  
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