Jadwiga Sarnecka (1877/83-1913): Piano Works from Dux

[LateRomantic75]

Another interesting rarity advertised by Records International in their January catalogue: http://recordsinternational.com/cd.php?cd=01P052

As you can see from the dates, we don't know a heck of a lot about Ms. Sarnecka except that she died from tuberculosis, studied with Leschetitzky (piano) and Wladyslaw Zelenski (composition), published her early works at her own expense and was savaged by critics for being weird, depressive and "chaotic" in form and content. Yet the Ballade recorded here took second place to Szymanowski in a competition marking Chopin's 100th birth anniversary. Some of this music will remind you of Rachmaninov or Medtner, some of it of the virtuosity of, say, Godowsky. It's not futuristic in the sense of late Scriabin - it wears its late Romanticism proudly - but it's definitely not chaotic (although it isn't the music of a happy soul). A great discovery leaving us hoping that this pianist, who tracked down all Sarnecka's manuscripts, will find the means to record more.

(from Records International)