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Joseph Nowakowski (1800-1865) was born in the Polish village
of Koryciskach. Nowakowski first studied music in the school
before entering the Warsaw Conservatory ,where he studied composition with Jozef Elsner and became friends with Frederic
Chopin whom he visited many times in Paris.
He also met Robert Schumann during his extensive travels. He has over 200 works to his credit, most yet to be published. His Piano
Quintet No.2 in E flat Major, Op. 17 was composed in 1857 although some sources give its date as 1833) but remained
in manuscript form in the Staatsbibliothek in Berlin and not published until 2005. It is a big work, in early Romantic style that
recalls Hummel’s work rather than Schubert, at least in the opening
Allegro. The second movement is rollicking Scherzo, quite
well done. The lovely third movement, a delicate Andante, has a
clear affinity to the music of his friend Chopin. The finale, Allegro,
has a jaunty main subject that has a rhythm that conjures up
riding on horseback leisurely over the countryside.
(http://www.editionsilvertrust.com/pdfs/Guide-to-Piano-Quintets.pdf) |