LOWELL LIEBERMANN Plays Piano Music of THEODOR KIRCHNER (2CDs)

Following his critically acclaimed solo piano albums “Personal Demons” and “The Devil’s Lyre” Lowell Liebermann, one of the most important living composers, releases a new double CD recording of music by Theodor Kirchner (1823-1903), a now mostly forgotten composer whose troubled life intertwined with Mendelssohn, Brahms, Robert and Clara Schumann, Liszt, and Wagner, among others. An artist of uncommon profundity and popularity, Mr. Liebermann is increasingly recognized as an accomplished pianist. Coinciding with the 200th anniversary of Kirchner’s birth, this release gives listeners a chance to reassess the extraordinarily beautiful, passionate, and idiosyncratic music of this unjustly neglected composer. The CD is accompanied by in-depth booklet notes by Lowell Liebermann about the music and the composer’s life, which reads like a tragic novel.

Download and read digital booklet

DISC 1

Skizzen – Kleine Klavierstücke Op. 11

Book I
1. Andante 01:39
2. Vivace leggiero  01:31
3. Allegretto  02:11
4. Ruhig 04:07
5. Allegretto grazioso 01:14 

Book II
6. Mässiges Tempo 04:43
7. Im ruhigem Walzertempo 02:27
8. Ruhig, sanft 02:41
9. Lebhaft, frisch 01:32
10. Sarabande 02:19 

Book III
11. Moderato, con molto espressione  05:30
12. Allegro risoluto 02:08
13. Moderato 02:15
14. Vivace 01:48
15. Andante  02:15 

Legenden – Dichtungen für das Klavier Op. 18
16. I. Un poco lento   02:18
17. II. Moderato 02:21
18. III. Con moto 02:26
19. IV. Lento  03:35
20. V. Poco animato 02:47
21. VI. Con moto  02:20
22. VII. con espressione 01:33
23. VIII. Largo 02:41
24. IX. Andante  01:33 

DISC 2

Nachtbilder – Zehn Charakterstücke Op. 25
1. I. Sehr lebendig und charakteristisch 02:33
2. II. Leise und ruhig  03:26
3. III. Allegro (unmutig) 02:28
4. IV. Allegretto vivace 01:54
5. V. Mesto 06:07
6. VI. Sehr erregt 02:43
7. VII. Allegro  03:38
8. VIII. Ruhig, singend  03:39
9. IX. Risoluto  02:21
10. X. Moderato  04:24 

Notturnos Op. 28
11. 1. Ruhig, singend  06:06
12. 2. Con sentiment  02:54
13. 3. Moderato 03:35
14. 4. Molto moderato 04:30 

Ideale – Clavierstücke Op. 33
15. I. (Zum 8. Juni.) Langsam, zart 02:38
16. II. (Zum 31. Januar.) Im gemessenen Tempo (Nicht zu schnell) 02:55
17. IIIa. (Zum 3. Februar.) Andante (poco lento) 02:36
18. IIIb. (Zum 3. Februar.) Animato 02:39
19. IV. (* * *) Moderato (poco lento) 02:40 

Vier Elegien für Pianoforte Op.37
20. No. I Poco Andante  02:19
21. No. II Ruhig, singend  03:02
22. No. III Poco lento, espressivo 02:58
23. No. IV Andantino  03:44