Country

:

Poland

Birth

:

in Warsaw, Poland

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Keyboard

 

Elisabeth Chojnacka was a renowned Polish harpsichordist who made significant contributions to the world of classical music. She was born on September 10, 1939, in Warsaw, Poland. Her father was a composer and conductor, and her mother was a pianist. Chojnacka grew up in a musical family and started playing the piano at a young age. However, she later switched to the harpsichord, which became her primary instrument. Chojnacka studied at the State Higher School of Music in Warsaw, where she received her diploma in harpsichord performance in 1963. She then went on to study with Gustav Leonhardt in Amsterdam, who was one of the most prominent harpsichordists of the time. Leonhardt was a significant influence on Chojnacka's playing style and approach to music. Chojnacka's career as a harpsichordist began in the 1960s, and she quickly gained recognition for her unique style and interpretation of Baroque music. She was known for her virtuosic playing and her ability to bring out the nuances and subtleties of the music. Chojnacka was also a pioneer in the performance of contemporary music on the harpsichord, and she worked closely with many composers to create new works for the instrument. One of Chojnacka's most significant achievements was her collaboration with the composer György Ligeti. Ligeti had written a piece for harpsichord called "Continuum," which was considered unplayable by many harpsichordists. However, Chojnacka worked closely with Ligeti to develop a new technique for playing the piece, which involved using both hands to play the same note simultaneously. This technique became known as the "Chojnacka method," and it allowed for the piece to be played with greater accuracy and precision. Chojnacka's collaboration with Ligeti led to many other works being written for her, including his "Three Pieces for Two Pianos," which he transcribed for harpsichord. Chojnacka also worked with other contemporary composers, including Luciano Berio, Karlheinz Stockhausen, and Iannis Xenakis, to create new works for the harpsichord. Chojnacka's performances were highly acclaimed, and she played in many of the world's most prestigious concert halls, including Carnegie Hall in New York, the Royal Albert Hall in London, and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. She also performed at many international music festivals, including the Salzburg Festival, the Edinburgh Festival, and the Berlin Festival. Chojnacka received many awards and honors throughout her career, including the French Order of Arts and Letters in 1981 and the Polish Order of Merit in 1997. She was also awarded the Harriet Cohen International Music Award in 1982, which recognized her as one of the world's leading harpsichordists. Chojnacka continued to perform and record throughout her career, and she made many recordings for major record labels, including Deutsche Grammophon, Philips, and Harmonia Mundi. Her recordings were highly regarded for their technical excellence and musical interpretation, and they helped to establish her as one of the most important harpsichordists of the 20th century. Elisabeth Chojnacka passed away on May 28, 2017, at the age of 77. Her legacy as a harpsichordist and champion of contemporary music lives on, and she continues to be an inspiration to many musicians around the world.

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