This, for me, has
been quite an exciting release. It
is my introduction to both Julian
Fontana’s work and also the first
disc I’ve heard of an ongoing Acte
Préalable series of works by
Chopin’s students and followers. The
large Roman numeral on the cover indicates
that more of Fontana’s work is on
the way, though I wasn’t able to find
how many discs worth of his music
will be forthcoming. Based on the
quality of the playing, sound aesthetic,
and, above all, the enjoyable quality
of the music presented here, I very
much look forward to future releases.
Fontana, born in
Warsaw, became a good friend of Chopin
while in grammar school. He began
his studies in Law before the Uprising
of 1830 took him into the military.
Two years after that he took up study
of the piano with Chopin, later travelling
to England to teach. His connection
with Chopin continued (Chopin’s Op.
40 Polonaise is dedicated to Fontana)
as he gained fame as a performer on
the Continent. Chopin’s family commissioned
him to compile and publish the manuscripts
left over at the time of Chopin’s
death. The liner-notes mention that
Fontana’s efforts saved many of Chopin’s
till-then-unpublished works from being
lost. By 1855, however, troubles beset
him, from the death of his beloved
wife, her family’s exclusion of him,
and finally, a painful spinal disease
which left him deaf and unable to
play. In a resourceful transformation
of his talents through herculean effort
he made a name in literature. There
is a (now lost) first translation
of Don Quixote into Polish
and various works on linguistics and
folk history. Nothing seemed to stick,
however. He died by his own hand in
1869.
The music here —
and at over 80 minutes, there couldn’t
have been more packed onto the disc
— is eminently enjoyable, showing
both the influence of Chopin, as well
as an individual sound that fans of
Chopin and Liszt will greatly enjoy.
Rutkowski’s playing is clear and fluent,
with definition and a lack of sentimentality.
Standouts on this disc — and there
are quite a few — include the La
Havanne, a fantaisie on American
and Spanish themes that he heard during
his travels to Cuba, where he met
his wife. The Op. 7 Elegie flows sombrely.
The shadow of Chopin is heavy on some
of these works, but in a sense that
doesn’t at all give the impression
of aping. It is however highly recommended
for fans of Chopin’s music.
Overall this is a
wonderful release of some woefully
under-appreciated music. It is performed
quite well by Hubert Rutkowski, whom
I hope to hear more of in coming years.
David Blomenberg
for details
Hubert Rutkowski (piano) 
