Steffen Schleiermacher - Schleiermacher: Piano Pieces '2004

Tracks list

Tracklist

01. Echo for five pianos
02. Three Reconciliations to Heiner Müller: I. Herakles
03. Three Reconciliations to Heiner Müller: II. Bildbeschreibung
04. Three Reconciliations to Heiner Müller: III. Philoktet
05. Twelve Soundscapes inside the Piano: I. At Sea / Auf dem Meer
06. Twelve Soundscapes inside the Piano: II. At the Mountain Lake / Am Bergsee
07. Twelve Soundscapes inside the Piano: III. In the Slate Mountains / Im
Schiefergebirge
08. Twelve Soundscapes inside the Piano: IV. On the Island / Auf der Insel
09. Twelve Soundscapes inside the Piano: V. In the Mine / Im Bergwerk
10. Twelve Soundscapes inside the Piano: VI. In the Lowlands / Im Flachland
11. Twelve Soundscapes inside the Piano: VII. In the Cave / In der Höhle
12. Twelve Soundscapes inside the Piano: VIII. On the Mountainside / Am Berghang
13. Twelve Soundscapes inside the Piano: IX. After the Earthquake / Nach dem
Erdbeben
14. Twelve Soundscapes inside the Piano: X. At the Mountain Brook / Am
Gebirgsbach
15. Twelve Soundscapes inside the Piano: XI. In the Castle Ruin / In der
Burgruine
16. Twelve Soundscapes inside the Piano: XII. On the Highway / Auf der Autobahn
17. Lîla

Steffen Schleiermacher's piano music may strike listeners as a bit esoteric and
mystifying, particularly because it is static, darkly toned, and extremely soft,
with comparatively few points of arrival or climax. This German composer's
influences are not readily apparent: Indian music is particularly strong in his
development, along with ceremonial music from Japan and gamelan from Indonesia.
But if his music may be compared in its muted effects and expansive pacing to
works by western composers, it most closely resembles piano pieces by Olivier
Messiaen (at its most active) and Morton Feldman (at its most ambient.) For such
subtle and controlled effects as Schleiermacher demands in Echo (2003),
Reconciliations (3) to Heiner Müller (2000-2003), Soundscapes (12) Inside the
Piano (2000), and Lîla (2003), it is perhaps best that he himself performs
the pieces on this 2004 release from MDG. Other pianists might find his immense
structures too difficult to contain, too dense in their voicings, too
repetitive, and - perhaps most frustrating to the performer - too self-effacing
in their cosmic anonymity. Schleiermacher may not be a master pianist, but he
commands the instrument with adequate skill and delivers performances that are
colorful and nuanced. MDG's all-natural, unprocessed sound is pleasant in its
resonance, though a little distant.

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