For years, Margarita Höhenrieder diligently searched for the authentic sound of Frédéric Chopin’s piano works. Which instrument of its time most convincingly reflected Chopin’s music? In fact, in 1831, Chopin himself had already provided the answer: ‘Pleyel’s instruments are the non-plus ultra!’ Therefore, the choice for the recording fell on a Pleyel fortepiano, built in 1848 in Paris and expertly restored using historical materials and methods. It is identical in construction to the instrument that Chopin owned, thus encapsulating an authentic sound reminiscent of that era.

To ensure acoustic authenticity and accurately capture the sound of the original instruments, the Oberstrass Church in Zurich (1st Piano Concerto) and the Vienna Musikverein in Vienna (2nd Piano Concerto) were chosen as recording venues. The orchestras La Scintilla, conducted by Riccardo Minasi and the Wiener Akademie, conducted by Martin Haselböck, performed using historical instruments. In each case, we hear the historical versions meticulously crafted by Jan Ekier.

Margarita Höhenrieder’s careful recreation of the authentic Chopin sound provides listeners with highly interesting insights into music history.