Another debut in CD Accord’s catalogue. This time a live recording of a concert played by a pretty 17-year-old Polish-born pianist from Canada, Berenika Zakrzewski. The event took place on 19 September 2000 at the Kraków Philharmonic. The artist was accompanied by the excellent Sinfonietta Cracovia under John Neal Axelrod, a young American star conductor hugely popular with young listeners and currently principal guest conductor of the group. The night was a great success for all the performers. Besides the top-quality interpretation, the additional value of the record is the repertoire – the most classical possible, made up of popular pieces, and at the same time seldom found on Polish albums. Beethoven’s Third Piano Concerto in C Minor is the first concerto in which he can express himself in his true individual musical languge; the careferee brillant style and pure virtuoso display lose here with the power, character and drama of the music itself. Although generally gloomy in character, the work is full of truly lyrical moments (second movement) and occasionally unsophisticated humour comes through. Number two on the album introduces a totally different mood: the First Symphony brims over with joy, lightness and optimism. The work is an almost classic example of classical style, although individual traits are already visible. It opens the most famous and most revolutionary symphonic cycle in the history of music. It is hard to believe, however, that the work in fact met with controversy and opposition as too modern. The recording, although live, is of very high technical quality. And the freshness of the young musicians’ interpretation is remarkable. All in all, this album is a must for any collection!