Chopin Nocturne No.: 20 Perf. By Wladyslaw Szpilman - "the Pianist" - Original Recording

While the movie The Pianist (2002) features a soundtrack performed by Janusz Olejniczak, Szpilman himself left behind several authentic recordings:

Władysław Szpilman ’s recording of Chopin’s is more than a performance; it is a historical artifact representing the triumph of the human spirit over the horrors of the Holocaust. 🎹 Historical Significance While the movie The Pianist (2002) features a

On September 23, 1939, Szpilman was performing this Nocturne live on Polskie Radio when German bombs struck the station, silencing the broadcast for six years. When asked to prove he was a pianist,

While hiding in the ruins of Warsaw, a starving Szpilman was discovered by German officer Wilm Hosenfeld . When asked to prove he was a pianist, Szpilman played this Nocturne; moved by the music, Hosenfeld spared him and provided food. Szpilman played this Nocturne

This specific piece bookended the most traumatic years of Szpilman's life:

When Polish Radio resumed broadcasting after the war, Szpilman opened the first transmission with this same piece. 🎶 The "Original" Recordings