Józef Wieniawski, younger brother of Henryk, was a prolific Polish composer and virtuoso pianist renowned throughout Europe. After studies in Paris he spent two years in Weimar studying with and absorbing the compositional style of Franz Liszt – Wieniawski’s work combines the pianistic flair and poetic intensity of both Liszt and his fellow countryman Chopin. These qualities can all be heard in the virtuoso Polonaises and the tragic Ballade as well as the Piano Sonata in B minor – the pinnacle of Józef Wieniawski’s many contributions to the piano repertoire.

Romantic Piano edition was launched in September 2025 with works by Julius Benedict on Naxos 8574586. With numerous world-premiere recordings, this series explores and promotes little-known composers and unusual repertoire, such as further volumes presenting rarely heard music by Charles Gounod, works by Friedrich Kiel, and piano sonatas by Wilhelm Taubert.

This album presents several works that have never been commercially recorded among others with only a small handful of recent recordings. Fans of Fryderyk Chopin and Franz Liszt will find a great deal to enjoy here, with all of their Romantic-era virtuoso techniques richly on display through a composer who has his own original voice, and one that is remarkable for its sincerity and refreshing takes on familiar forms and genres.

Pianist and composer Andrew Cannestra first rose to prominence as the winner of the 2021 Aeolian Classics Emerging Artist Competition, where he was unanimously lauded by the jury. In 2024 he was awarded the Bronze Medal at the Seattle International Piano Competition. His debut album, Mystic Pool, was released in 2022, featuring one of his own compositions alongside works by William Grant Still, Alexander Scriabin, Fryderyk Chopin and Henri Dutilleux. He recently gave the Oregon premiere of Amy Beach’s Piano Concerto with the University of Oregon Symphony, as well as the world premiere of Ryan Johnston’s Piano Concerto no.1 with the Boston-based Horizon Ensemble.