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Releases
BURKARD SCHLIESSMANN - Frédéric Chopin: piano works -
Ballades, Preludes, Scherzi and other works
Divine Art ddl 12401 (Distribution: NAXOS International) - March 30, 2018  The British Major label DIVINE ART Recordings Group releases the Vinyl from BURKARD SCHLIESSMANN "piano works - Ballades, Barcarolle, Fantaisie, Preludes, Scherzi and other works", distributed worldwide by NAXOS Intl. This new release from Divine Art is a selection of tracks from the Burkard Schliessmann album ‘Chronological Chopin’ for which Schliessmann was distinguished with three medals at the Global Music Awards 2017 as well as glowing reviews from music critics the world over. An audiophile collection recorded and mastered at 24-bit quality, this is a very rare opportunity to obtain new recordings of Chopin’s masterpieces in the best sound and by a compelling interpreter. German pianist Burkard Schliessmann is a performer with a passion and vision – to seek out and interpret the forms, colors and textures, indeed the soul and expression: the poetic impact, of works we believe have already been fully explored. His previous recordings have received worldwide acclaim - “Schliessmann is too good a pianist for anyone to pass on this” – American Record Guide; “without equal” – Fanfare. Chopin is above all his composer of choice to whom he has devoted endless hours of study and appreciation. An audiophile two-disc set recorded and mastered at 24-bit quality, this is a very rare opportunity to obtain new recordings of Chopin’s masterpieces in the best sound and by a compelling interpreter. Pressed in 180-gram blue vinyl by Pallas of Berlin in luxury gatefold sleeve – pressing will be limited to make this a true collector’s edition. Recording sessions: August 15 - 16, 2012, teldex-Studio Berlin April 24 - 25, 2013, teldex-studio Berlin April 8 - 10, 2015, teldex-studio Berlin June 22 - 24, 2009, teldex-studio Berlin Reviews Audiophile Sound, Italy - September 2018
This double LP contains famous Chopinian works (from the Ballades nos.
1, 3 and 4 to the Scherzi nos. 2 and 4; from the Polonaise-Fantaisie to
the Barcarolle), performed by one of the greatest German interpreters,
Burkard Schliessmann. The recordings first appeared on an SACD from the
same label that now presents them on its first audiophile vinyl album.
Schliessmann is a remarkable interpreter of Bach, and this background
enables him to face Chopin with an approach which, if it betrays an
analytical element, at the same time has no lack of passion, heat and
poignancy, and shows the brilliant Polish composer as an inheritor of
the harmonic conquests of the Kantor.
Artistic Interpretation: Exceptional Technical quality: Optimal
(Andrea Bedetti)
Fanfare Magazine, USA - Not To Be Missed! - Volume 42, No. 1—September / October 2018
What we have here is a two lp collection of Chopin pieces recorded
between 2009 and 2013 by a pianist whose Chopin, including these
performances, has been amply praised in these pages by a series of my
colleagues. Based on his annotations, I assume, Schliessmann has been
repeatedly called an intellectual: interestingly, we are typically told
that this trait doesn’t tarnish his playing. That playing is bold,
certainly on these lps rich in tone, and virtuosic. I was surprised by
the opening of the first Ballade, which seemed to present the theme
almost in pieces, as in a conversation rather than a flow. It’s an
approach that works beautifully in the Scherzo in B flat minor, for
instance. Perhaps an intellectual Chopin player is one who points out
the structural devices more clearly than another. Mostly I am, like my
colleagues, convinced, if not swept away, by Schliessmann’s rich
sounding, carefully articulated playing, by his occasional tenderness as
well as his almost majestic playing elsewhere. As for the recording, I
note that Stephen Sutton has been given credit for digital remastering
of this music for the lps. This is not a direct-to-disc collection, but
the piano sound is impressive by any standards.
(Michael Ullmann)
New Classics, UK - March / April, 2018
Burkard Schliessmann has been distinguished by the award of three Silver
Medals at the Global Music Awards 2017 – as instrumentalist and
‘classical artist’ and for his spectacular Divine Art album
‘Chronological Chopin’. Divine Art’s first vinyl release is a selection
of tracks from this triple SACD, which received glowing reviews from
music critics the world over. An audiophile two-disc set recorded and
mastered at 24-bit quality, this is a rare opportunity to obtain new
recordings of Chopin’s masterpieces in the best sound and by a
compelling interpreter. German pianist Burkard Schliessmann is a
performer with a passion and vision – to seek out and interpret the
forms, colours and textures, indeed the soul and expression: the poetic
impact, of works we believe have already been fully explored.
His previous recordings have received worldwide acclaim – ‘Schliessmann is too good a pianist for anyone to pass on this.’ – American Record Guide. Chopin is above all his composer of choice to whom he has devoted endless hours of study and appreciation. Pressed in 180-gram blue vinyl by Pallas of Berlin in a luxury gatefold sleeve, this is a true collector’s edition. Sound quality is warm yet precise, matching Schliessmann’s sensuous and brilliant performances of this sublime music. The nine tracks include Ballades Nos. 1, 3 & 4, the impressionistic Barcarolle in F sharp minor, the dramatic Scherzo No. 2 in B flat minor, and the breathtaking Polonaise-Fantaisie in A flat major. Highly recommended.
(John Pitt)
BURKARD SCHLIESSMANN - Frédéric Chopin: Chronological CHOPIN - Ballades, Preludes, Scherzi and other works Divine Art ddc 25752 (Distribution: NAXOS International) - January 08, 2016  Divine Art Recordings Group announces the worldwide releasing from BURKARD SCHLIESSMANN - Chronological CHOPIN - Ballades, Preludes, Scherzi and other works (Distribution: NAXOS International), ddc 25752, by January 08, 2016 SACD A Scherzo in B minor, Op. 20 Ballade in G minor, Op. 23 24 Préludes, Op. 28 SACD B Scherzo in B flat minor, Op. 31 Ballade in F major, Op. 38 Scherzo in C sharp minor, Op. 39 Prélude in C sharp minor, Op. 45 Ballade in A flat major, Op. 47 Fantaisie in F minor, Op. 49 SACD C Ballade in F minor, Op. 52 Scherzo in E major, Op 54 Berceuse in D flat major, Op. 57 Barcarolle on F sharp major, Op. 60 Polonaise-Fantaisie in A flat major, Op. 61 Recording sessions: August 15 - 16, 2012, teldex-Studio Berlin April 24 - 25, 2013, teldex-studio Berlin April 8 - 10, 2015, teldex-studio Berlin June 22 - 24, 2009, teldex-studio Berlin Reviews The Epoch Times, UK - February 4, 2016
A more traditional choice of music than usual from the eclectic Divine
Art label, this three CD set nevertheless positions itself with their
more ambitious catalogue due to its sheer volume and limited subject
matter. Performed by the German pianist Schliessmann, well known for his
Romantic playing style and a self-confessed devotee of Chopin, it is
clear this is a homage to the composer.
Most of the pieces he's chosen in his “through Chopin's life” type theme are all examples of Chopin taking an established style and turning it on its head. The Preludes are an obvious example and it's pleasing to see the oft omitted, but fascinating Op. 45 included. However, the Scherzi too reflect this type, their content being emotional, lyrical and sometimes volatile but never much of a “joke”. Similarly the Mazurkas, for years falsely believed to be directly derived from Polish folk music, are completely of Chopin's own creation and are even now considered to be of a unique genre sometimes known as the “Chopin genre”. This juxtaposition with the conscious choice Schliessman takes, to tone down the romanticism of the performance and highlight the Classical genre Chopin was so influenced by, makes for an interesting listen. For many Chopin is a Romantic composer, yet suddenly the influence of Schubert and Beethoven shine clearly through. Most of all you can hear the legacy of Bach both in the forms and in the constant fugue-style movement of much of the music. Unfortunately, despite the use of a Steinway to record and the skill of Schliessman, the producers have somehow managed to introduce a slightly muffled sound that lends itself ill to Chopin's pianistic vitality. Plus, though less fitting with this concept, it's still sad not to see any of the exquisite Nocturnes or Polonaises. It takes dedication to get through the three CDs, and there are equally well played but more easily accessible Chopin recordings. Yet no one can deny both the beauty and the well-placed interpretation of the performance, and as a clever “biography in music” of a great composer there's little to fault.
(Mary Keene)
The Chronicle, UK - February 6, 2016 Schliessmann writes at length about Chopin's genius and technical brilliance and while Schliessmann might not be able to compose to Chopin's standards, he can play. (In fact he's an annoying over-achiever, not only being able to hold his own on the keyboard but a professional scuba diver and ambassador for the Protecting Of Our Ocean Planet programme, as well as being a philosopher and photographer). Unaccompanied, anything can drag after a while but Schliessman's performance is so good that we've been easily able to listen to one or two of the CDs without tiring, thanks to Schliessmann's delicate changes in mood and tempo. The works presented show Chopin's musical development over time, including the 24 preludes, Op 28, the complete scherzi and ballades and other work (say the Press notes). Excellent, played and recorded to the highest standards.
(Jeremy Condliffe)
Gapplegate Classical Modern Music - Burkard Schliessmann, Chronological Chopin, Solo Piano - Highly recommended - April 12, 2016
From the LP era on, my Chopin collection tends to break it all
down by genre: an album or so of "Nocturnes," "Scherzos," etc.
That's fine but then you tend to think of the music in genre
blocks. Pianist Burkard Schliessmann had the good idea to select
some of the very finest gems and to play them in chronological
order, so we can get a first-hand glimpse of the developments
that took place in his style over time.
The result is Chronological Chopin (Divine Art 25752 3-SACDs). This is a three-SACD set, which means you can play it in surround sound on a player that is capable, but also still enjoy it on two-channel systems with a conventional player. The sound is brilliant either way. Burkard Schliessmann gives us impassioned readings, beautifully, poetically realized performances with maximum affective impact yet full command of the notes. He is not by any means a sloppy sort of romantic pianistic vessel, but his phrasings follow the swells of feeling rather than a sort of pinpoint mapping, if that makes any sense. Rubatos and dynamics take us far into the music without sounding the least bit contrived or manipulated. In short he gives us near ideal readings, on the warm side of the possibilities, the interpretive side rather than the supercharged virtuoso-centered side. Hearing these works in chronological order gives you a feeling of life passing. It may be the earlier Chopin of the op. 28 "Preludes" is already pregnant with the depth of feeling and expressive arcs of his later years. On the other hand the world of the "Polonaise-Fantaisie op. 61" gives us more intensified depth, a more profound sense of how things are (for Chopin) and how a piano work can express that fully, beyond words, ineffable. It takes some time hearing these works unfold in temporal sequence, and it all will need to be transposed to your own senses in order to grasp what it all means for yourself. So I will leave it to your own impressions over time as you listen to the new sequencing and Burkard Schliessmann's special way with it all. It has given me pause, all of this, and given me a new appreciation for Chopin the composer in a lifetime. It is a beautiful set, really rather remarkable. Schliessmann brings to the music a special understanding. Highly recommended! Original download
(Grego Edwards)
Music and Vision - CD SPOTLIGHT - Deeply Probing; Chopin piano music - recommended by GERALD FENECH; March 19, 2016
' ... a lovely and singing tone ...'
Ever since music started being recorded way back at the end of the nineteenth century, Chopin's piano works have always been blessed with an unending torrent of interpretations by some of history's greatest performers. To our great joy and delight, these legendary renditions have been captured on disc or some other musical medium to be left for posterity; so, one may ask, what is so new about this 3 CD set under review? From a musical point of view, Burkard Schliessmann interprets the various pieces with a lovely and singingtone, and his phrasing, which in Chopin is wholly pivotal, is imaginative and deeply probing. What makes this project so interesting is the sequence of how these works were planned for taping, hence the name of the album. Chronological Chopin offers the listener fourteen masterpieces from Chopin's oeuvre in the historical order of composition, thus giving one the opportunity to delve into the spirit of one of history's most fragile and sensitive composers, and discover bit by bit the evolving process of his art and innermost emotional turmoil as they unfolded throughout his short life. Schliessmann's music making has much to admire, and his pianistic finesse and keyboard gentleness suit Chopin's poetic inventions to perfection. Indeed, his flawless pianistic sheen has an unfailing poise and lucidity that puts him at the forefront of today's leading pianists. The soloist must also be lauded for his exhilarating essay that encapsulates both the technical and historical aspects of the music with unbridled mastery. An innovative Chopin adventure in luscious sound and presentation which I recommend unreservedly, even to the composer's most ardent admirers. Original pdf-download
(Gerald Fenech)
Frankfurter Neue Presse FNP, Germany - March 11, 2016, «Der CD-Tipp», "Chopin zeigt Wirkung" Here Schliessmann emphasises the intimate essence of the music but without sentimentality. His playing is spirited and brilliant, but shuns the external effect – this is music of noblesse instead of glittering mirage! Every sound is at the right depth, is illuminated in its context, never losing sight of the overall piece . But what most impressed is the almost Bachian clarity with which Schliessmann reveals the structures and lines of Chopin's composition. Chopin zeigt Wirkung Chopin gehört zu den Lieblingskomponisten des Klaviervirtuosen Burkard Schliessmann. In seiner neuen Einspielung "Chronological Chopin" (Divine Art) unternimmt der international renommierte Pianist auf drei CDs einen sehr erhellenden Streifzug durch das Schaffen Chopin, angefangen vom frühen Scherzo op. 20 und der Ballade op. 23 über die 24 Préludes op. 28 bis hin zur späten Polonaise-Fantaisie op. 61. Dabei gelingt Schliessmann eine intime Seelenschau ohne Gefühlsduselei. Sein Spiel ist temperamentvoll und brillant, scheut aber den äußeren Effekt - Noblesse statt glitzerndem Blendwerk! Jeder Ton bekommt seine Tiefenwirkung, wird in seinem Energiefeld ausgeleuchtet, ohne dass der Blick fürs Ganze verloren geht. Was aber am meisten beeindruckt, ist die fast Bachsche Klarheit, mit der Schliessmann Struktur und Linienführung Chopins offenbart.
(Michael Dellith)
Audio Video Club of Atlantan - Phil's Classical Reviews, July 2016
Alexander Brailowsky always said that the technique used to play
Chopin's music should be "fluent, fluid, delicate, airy, and
capable of great variety of color." That is easier said than
done. One also has to observe the formal structure of Chopin’s
music in order to bring out the poetry, or else all you will
have is incontinent rhapsodizing, which is definitely not the
impression one gets in Chopin’s music or Schliessmann’s
performances of it. In his discussion of Chopin’s
Polonaise-Fantasie, Op. 61, the artist stresses that the
maestoso character of this work calls for something that
will, in the words of Franz Liszt, “bear the load, maintain
equilibrium, and yet remain weightless.” In the last analysis,
that is something that is to be perceived intuitively (a quality
for which Schliessmann is well-known, by the way) rather than
described and notated objectively. As we Americans say, “You
either have it, or you don’t.” Burkard Schliessmann certainly
has it.
... From the point of view of the performer, the key to success, as Burkard shows us, is to be constantly vigilant for changes in metre, tempi, texture, and phrasing, as the music changes from gentle and deceptively naïve to powerfully intense and back again without warning, occasioning various degrees of tension and relaxation. In addition to this, Burkard brings his unique feeling for luminous color to the music to help bring out its inner life. Among pianists, there are so-called “colorists” and others who are basically attuned to form and structure. It is difficult to recall another artist in my recent experience who combines both traits as effectively as this one does. All of which, of course, makes “Chronological Chopin” such a memorable experience. Original pdf-download
(Dr. Phil Muse)
International Piano - May / June 2016
This programme shows intelligent planning. Burkard
Schliessmann's exhaustive booklet note explains his approach.
Perhaps following up his earlier Bach release on the Divine Art
label, he favours 'crystalline clarity' over 'falsely applied
emotionalism'... the absence of featherweight or overwhelming
extremes.
Much thought must have gone into this set, recorded over six years, and the sound-quality is magnificent.
(Michael Round)
Der Neue Merker, Austria - December 5, 2015 The unapproachable, rather introverted romantic genius was a great, noble stylist in absolute music. Not the least bit of literary ‘program' dilutes the musical appropriation of the world as beauty emerging from pain. There are many excellent Chopin recordings, even though it is not clear to me which one of these interpretations would have been valued by Chopin. The key to this may lie in the treatment of the rubato - rhythmically tight play with songful character. Chopin hated “all stretching and pulling, inappropriate rubato as well as exaggerated ritardando” . Contemporary composers like Berlioz felt Chopin's playing rather exaggerated, free and much too arbitrary. Is it possible that Chopin did not allow his students the freedom he reserved for himself? Burkard Schliessmann's fascinating approach sees the homage and proximity to Bach as constructive in, for example, the Preludes. Schliessmann prefers a clear structure and line representing controlled emotions: “crystalline clarity as dominating means should impress the harmonic model.” And in respect to liberties in dynamics and rhythm, Schliessmann appears to set his own boundaries, within which he pays homage through an improvising and re-creating approach. But I find it exceedingly exciting that “floating, weightless, endless and finally the grand cantabile of Poetry” grow out of playing such a tight baseline. Schliessmann has studied his favorite composer intensively for a long time. The result is not only convincing, but overwhelming in many aspects. This is Chopin to re-discover and re-listen to. In chronological order one can experience on 3 CDs: four Scherzi, the Ballades 1-4, the 24 Preludes Op. 28, the expansive Fantasia in F minor Op.49, the Barcarolle Op.60 and the stunning Polonaise-Fantaisie in A flat major Op.61. The Prelude in C sharp minor Op. 45 as well as the Berceuse in D flat major Op. 57 round off the program. One cannot describe how Schliessmann plays all this, one needs to listen to it. The 5-channel recording will be appreciated by the audiophile. Die Kunst des Rubato als „Sesam öffne Dich“ Chopin ein softer Salonkomponist mit Hang zum Kitsch? Vergessen Sie das, wenn Sie die neuesten Aufnahmen des Burkard Schliessmann hören. Der Pianist zitiert in seinen Reflexionen über Fréderic Chopin Robert Schumann, dem zur Musik Chopins das Diktum „unter Blumen eingesenkte Kanonen“ einfiel. Das privat ungreifbare, eher introvertierte romantische Klaviergenie war ein großer, nobler Stilist absoluter Musik. Kein Fünkchen literarischer Programme verwässert die musikalische Aneignung der Welt als dem Schmerz entrungene Schönheit. Es gibt viele exzellente Chopin Aufnahmen, wiewohl mir nicht klar ist, welche dieser Interpretationen Chopin selbst geschätzt hätte. Die Schlüsselfrage hierzu dürfte in der Behandlung der Rubati liegen. Ein „gebundenes, gesangreiches Spiel sollte im strengsten Rhythmus bleiben“, Chopin hasste „alles Dehnen und Zerren, unangebrachte Rubati sowie übertriebenes Ritardando.“ Zeitgenossen wie Berlioz empfanden Chopins Spiel aber eher als übertrieben frei und allzu willkürlich.“ Kann es sein, dass Chopin seinen Schülern jene Freiheiten nicht gestattete, die er für sich selbst relativierte? Burkard Schliessmanns faszinierender Ansatz hält etwa bei den Präludien die Verehrung und Nähe zu Bach für konstitutiv. Schliessmann bevorzugt eine klare Struktur- und Linienführungen im Sinne einer kontrollierten Emotionalität: „Kristalline Klarheit als beherrschendes Mittel soll die harmonische Modellierung prägen.“ Und was die Freiheit in Dynamik und Rhythmus anlangt, so scheint sich Schliessmann selbst einen Rahmen zu setzen, innerhalb dessen er sehr wohl einem improvisatorisch nachschöpfender Zugang huldigt. Aber ich empfinde gerade als überaus spannend, dass aus einem straff grundgetönten Spiel das „Schwebende, das schwerelose, endlose und letztlich die große Kantilene der Poesie“ erwachsen. Schliessmann hat sich lange und intensiv mit seinem Lieblingskomponisten befasst. Das Ergebnis überzeugt mich nicht nur, es überwältigt auf vielen Ebenen. Chopin zum neu entdecken und neu hören. In chronologischer Reihenfolge geordnet kann man auf den drei CDs vier Scherzi (Op. 20, 31, 39 und 54), die Balladen 1-4, die 24 Préludes Op. 28, die ausladendeFantaisie in f-moll Op. 49, die Barcarolle Op. 60 und die umwerfende Polonaise-Fantaisie in As-dur Op. 61 erleben. Das Prélude in cis-moll Op. 45 sowie die Berceuse in Des-dur Op. 57 runden das Programm ab. Wie Schliessmann all das spielt, das kann man nicht beschreiben, das sollte man gehört haben. Auch für Audiophile ist diese high definition 5-Kanalaufnahme beglückend!
(Dr. Ingobert Waltenberger)
CD Classico - recensioni e interviste dal mondo del disco, Italy - February 3, 2016 Taking this as his starting point, Schliessmann set out to put together a chronological survey of some of the Polish composer's greatest works (the Four Ballades; the Four Scherzos; the Preludes, opp. 28 and 45; the Fantaisie, op. 49; the Polonaise-Fantaisie, op. 61; the Berceuse, op. 57 and the Barcarolle, op. 60), in order to refute Scriabin's claim, and to demonstrate not only the revolutionary nature of Chopin's music, but also the way in which his compositional technique evolved over time. Generally speaking, he has achieved both this and the other, undoubtedly more ambitious, goal that he set himself – that of considering the Chopin sound in isolation from the cliché long associated with it, namely that his pianism, his status as a composer and his artistry must be inextricably linked to his permanent ill health and instinctive reclusiveness, factors that precluded him from developing the kind of career embarked upon by a performer-composer such as Liszt. In his lengthy and detailed introductory notes, Schliessmann points out how living with illness and the consequent awareness that his life was likely to be cut short may have played a part in Chopin's focusing on writing for the keyboard. C, famous for his delicate (for which read “weak”) sound, his controversial rubato and his powerful and seductive phrasing, all of which has turned him into an icon of a certain brand of Romanticism, far beyond the sphere of music. Schliessmann (unsurprisingly for a pupil of the legendary Cherkassky) is therefore keen to favour a “Classical” line, aided by his majestic Steinway, with its full, round tone, making much use of marcato (occasionally, in my opinion, a little too much – in the Fantaisie in F minor and some passages in the Polonaise-Fantaisie, for instance) and with a tempo selection that enables him to highlight the issue of rubato (this is particularly evident in the Fourth Ballade). In presenting this chronological selection of works by Chopin, based on the cornerstones of the Scherzos and Ballades and seen through a Classical prism, the artist succeeds in disproving Scriabin's claim and demonstrates the unquestionable developments in the composer's musical conception – from the “liquidity” of the Second Scherzo to the “density” of the Third and the “explorations” of the Fourth, to give just one example. And he does this by means of a sound that takes Chopin's music back to the bare bones, declaiming rather than hinting, emphasising rather than whispering, thereby putting the Polish composer's pianism on the same tonal level as that of Schumann (another Romantic musician whose illness, albeit mental rather than physical in this case, has so influenced subsequent perspectives on and interpretations of his work). To be clear, Schliessmann's approach may please many, but it may also seem out of place in purist terms, given the “powerful” sonorities he produces, associated with the idea of a hale and hearty Chopin, a long way from the abyss of ill health and any fear of premature death. In other words, a Chopin contextualised within his own time and within that stylistic continuity in whose creation he played such a fundamental and unique role. (Translation by Susannah Howe) Il senso e l’interesse di questo denso e raffinato cofanetto risiede fondamentalmente nella frase iniziale con la quale il pianista tedesco Burkard Schliessmann ricorda che Alexander Skrjabin era solito ripetere che Chopin in fondo non aveva apportato alcuna rivoluzione, alcuna novità alla musica pianistica, in quanto lo considerava un compositore “monocorde”, capace di dare vita a un pianismo nel quale non si poteva evincere una progressione tecnica e un affinamento del suo percorso artistico. Partendo da tale considerazione, il pianista tedesco ha voluto confezionare un percorso cronologico di alcune delle maggiori opere del compositore polacco (le quattro ballate, i quattro scherzi, i Preludi op. 28 e il Preludio op. 45, la Fantasia op. 49, la Polacca-Fantasia op. 61, la Berceuse op. 57 e la Barcarola op. 60) per dimostrare, al contrario, non solo la rivoluzione della musica chopiniana, ma anche il progresso evolutivo della sua tecnica compositiva. Ma lo scopo di Schiessmann è stato anche un altro, sicuramente più ambizioso (e in buona parte anche riuscito), ossia quello di estrapolare il suono chopiniano da un cliché ormai consolidatosi con il tempo, ossia che il suo pianismo, il suo status compositivo, la sua proiezione artistica debbano forzatamente fare i conti con la sua dimensione esistenziale, contrassegnata da uno stato fisico perennemente minato dalla malattia e da una timidezza istintiva, che gli preclusero lo stesso tipo di carriera che invece ebbe modo di portare avanti Liszt. Quindi, in una lunga ed esaustiva presentazione, il pianista tedesco ha messo proprio in rilievo come l’aspetto della malattia, con la conseguente proiezione esistenziale marcata dalla consapevolezza di una vita destinata a una fine precoce, abbia influenzato la stessa natura pianistica della musica chopiniana. Da tale assunto, la scelta dei brani che fanno parte di questo cofanetto è partita dalla volontà di restituire alla musica di Chopin ciò che è veramente di Chopin (almeno nella proiezione interpretativa di Burkard Schliessmann), ossia di confezionare un’esecuzione che fosse debitamente svincolata ed edulcorata dalla presenza ossessiva e immancabile del compositore perennemente emaciato, pallido, chiuso in se stesso, famoso per il suo suono delicato (si può leggere anche debole), per il suo controverso rubato, per il fraseggio onnipotente e seducente, un cliché che ha fatto del musicista polacco un’icona di un certo Romanticismo e non solo musicale. Da qui, appunto, la scelta esecutiva da parte del pianista tedesco, il quale (non dimentichiamo che è stato allievo del leggendario Cherkassky) ha voluto privilegiare una linea “classicista” del suono, coadiuvato dal suo maestoso Steinway, rotondo, pieno, marcato (in alcuni punti, a mio avviso, fin troppo, vedasi la Fantasia in fa minore e alcuni passaggi della Polacca-Fantasia) e con una scelta di tempi (caso lampante la quarta Ballata) con i quali ha voluto rimettere in discussione la querelle del rubato. E la stessa scelta dei brani di questo Chopin “cronologico”, come si è detto prima, basati sulle colonne portanti degli Scherzi e delle Ballate, attraverso questa irradiazione classicista, mostra, contraddicendo l’affermazione di Skrjabin, come effettivamente ci sia un’indubbia fase evolutiva nella concezione musicale di Chopin, che passa dalla “liquidità” del secondo Scherzo alla “densità” del terzo fino all’“esplorazione” del quarto, tanto per fare un debito esempio. E Schliessmann lo fa proprio attraverso un suono che mette a nudo i nervi scoperti della musica chopiniana, declamando più che accennando, evidenziando più che sussurrando, mettendo così timbricamente sullo stesso livello il pianismo del compositore polacco con quello di Schumann (altro esempio del Romanticismo musicale nel quale la componente della malattia, non fisica, ma mentale è alla base di strutture e sovrastrutture identificative e interpretative). Sia ben chiaro, l’approccio esecutivo dato dal pianista tedesco può piacere, così come può essere considerato non applicabile al contesto chopiniano in chiave purista per via di sonorità “forti”, identificabili in un’idea di uno Chopin sano, lontano dal baratro della malattia, immune dall’idea di fine precoce. Ossia uno Chopin calato temporalmente, “cronologicamente” all’interno della sua epoca e di quella continuità stilistica di cui è stato fondamentale e insostituibile artefice.
(Andrea Bedetti)
American Record Guide, USA - Volume 79, No. 2—March / April 2016 This is a large amount of Chopin, uniquely arranged chronologically. For those of us who usually listen in sequence to all four Ballades or Scherzos, this approach gives a fresh perspective on familiar works. Chopin has been integral to Schliessmann's recorded repertoire for quite some time. He recorded all four Ballades, the Fantasy, Barcarolle, and Polonaise-Fantasy in 2002 (Bayer 100348, Nov/Dec 2003). In 2009 he made new recordings of the three previous works and added the Berceuse, Prelude, Op. 45 and Waltz Op. 64:2. In 2010 he made new recordings of Ballades 3 and 4. All of these were released on MSR 1361 (Nov/Dec 2010). Now, for his second release on Divine Art, the recordings are mostly new, done in 2012, 2013, and 2015. Three works from 2009, originally on MSR, are included here (Fantasy, Berceuse, Prelude, Op. 45). My superlatives for the MSR recording five years ago still hold true, and I fully understand reusing the three works. The new recordings of the other MSR pieces are very similar interpretations. I imagine Schliessmann's keen ear knows those little moments in the old recordings that made him want to redo them. I am hard-pressed to find any significant differences, and I rank this Chopin among the best available. The recordings from 2012 and 2013 also included Scherzos 1, 2, and 4, all new to Schliessmann's recorded repertoire, plus his third recording of Ballade 1. Here I find the contrast between the fiery and lyrical sections to be emphasized. Especially notable is his handling of the transitions between these two elements: whether gradual or sudden, they all make wonderful musical sense. With both the technique and intellect to do just about anything he wants, Schliessmann's strength is in the lyrical, legato melodies that make Chopin's music such a cornerstone of the piano repertoire. He has all the octaves, chords, and quick fingers called for in the virtuoso sections as well. He does not achieve quite the edge-of-your seat excitement of Horowitz or Argerich; his is a more controlled energy, well thought-out but still brilliant. ... I would go out of my way to hear Schliessmann play any group of these in concert. His approach to all of the music is worthy of study and repays careful listening. The piano sound is spectacular and the booklet notes informative and comprehensive.
(James Harrington)
Classical CD Choice, UK - January 22, 2016 Earlier performances by this pianist on disc have been somewhat controversial, but this intelligently (and unusually) laid out Chopin program displays much of the sensitivity of earlier Chopin specialists such as Ashkenazy, captured here in a surround sound recording that registers every nuance of the piano. German pianist Burkard Schliessmann's triple SACD set with state of the art sound and luxury packaging chronicles the works of Chopin in order, showing the composer's development and is thus informative for scholars as well as being an impressive recital.
(Berry Forshaw)
Fanfare-Magazin, USA - Volume 39, No. 4—March / April 2016 So to Chronological Chopin , the current 3-SACD set (the playing order is not as neat as the review title above might imply, given the chronological slant: the op. 45 Prélude occurs in the midst of the second disc while the op. 28 Préludes set on disc one, for example). Schliessmann provides long and articulate booklet notes explaining his passion for Chopin before quoting reviews of the works at the time of composition, quoting other people on Chopin (from George Sand's daughter through Nietzsche to Debussy and Anton Rubinstein). The interpretations themselves dwell on beauty and the lyrical. The heart-on-sleeve “passion” that one so often associates with Chopin is either absent or played down; as if to compensate, Schliessmann regularly finds beauties in these scores others are lucky if they hint at. His passion is of an altogether more profound sort. As an alternative method of Chopin interpretation alone, Schliessmann is worth hearing for every pianist and every student of Chopin's music. Something like the C sharp-Minor Prélude (heard midway through the second disc) works perfectly in Schliessmann's hands, and he indeed offers a performance of such exquisite cantabile and such enshrouded pain coupled with luminous textures that one forgets all others while listening. He starts, though, with the B-Minor Scherzo, and his opening may surprise many. It is neither fire-breathing nor overly careful; the impression one gets is of a pianist for whom every note must speak. Similarly, his First Ballade becomes more multi-faceted than any other in this reviewer's memory; it even includes jocular moments. The coda might by many be labelled “slow”; it dances and flickers rather than storms. Welcome to the world of Burkard Schliessmann. There is every danger that the listener will either love it or hate it. Schliessmann and his Steinway (impeccably recorded at Teldex Studios, Berlin) make such a burnished tone it seems impossible to imagine an ugly sound. Indeed, such an idea clearly has no place in Schliessmann's Weltanschauung . It is this, plus his intelligent approach, that makes his F-Minor Fantaisie stand out, his liquid delicacy ravishing the ears while his analytical side takes the steering wheel and guides the listener expertly (and probably unknowingly) through the piece. The 24 Préludes have their quirks: the left-hand of the G-Major, for example, sounds like it is notated in fast eighth notes rather than sixteenth notes. These slower tempos may worry some-the Presto con fuoco No. 16 does rather sound like a practice speed-yet even doubters cannot surely fail to come under the spell of Préludes such as the E-Minor (beautifully shaded and dark). The final D-Minor is underpowered; but this remains an important performance. I doubt there is a more beautiful Fourth Ballade on record, nor a more beautifully recorded one. Indeed, the final disc is arguably the crowning glory of this set. The articulation at speed in the Fourth Scherzo is remarkable, as is some of the sonic beauty encountered here. No surprise, therefore, that the Berceuse and Barcarolle are absolutely magical, the Berceuse revelatory in its inevitable unfolding, the Barcarolle less pedalled than one might expect, more able to stand up for itself. Finally, the huge interpretative challenge of the Polonaise-Fantaisie. This is a piece that suits Schliessmann perfectly; the deconstructive elements are laid bare for all to hear. Single lines speak volumes. As the piece attempts to reclaim its Polonaise status, we are sucked into the elusive argument of one of Chopin's most interpretatively demanding pieces. A remarkable set, in many ways.
(Colin Clarke)
Fanfare-Magazin, USA - Volume 39, No. 4—March / April 2016
A Golden Age Pianist
Fanfare-Magazin, USA -
Volume 39, No. 4—March / April 2016
This compendium of major piano works by Chopin is a fascinating merger of biography and autobiography. Under the album title of Chronological Chopin, we follow the composer’s development—or lack of it—from Scherzo No. 1, op. 20 (composed 1831–35), to the Polonaise-Fantaisie, op. 61 (from 1846). Schliessmann has been dedicated to Chopin for decades, and he provides extensive, very personal notes on his approach to the music and how it has matured to the present moment. This exploration centers directly on whether Chopin did, in fact, develop or was possessed of such full-blown mastery that, as Scriabin declared, he showed no further development over the course of his creative career. In practice Schliessmann approaches this criticism—if it is a criticism—in terms of Chopin’s allegiance to tradition versus his urge to revolutionize the piano. We’re reminded that when he arrived in Mallorca in the winter of 1838–39, Chopin brought with him Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier, which he immersed himself in as he was composing the 24 Preludes. This and other observations cause Schliessmann to argue that clarity and structure are among the most important aspects of Chopin interpretation. One interesting section in the program booklet contains a series of quotes about the composer from other famous figures. Schliessmann seems to identify with Nietzsche’s comment that Chopin respected the prevailing “harmonic and melodic conventions” while at the same time “like the freest and most graceful spirit [is] playing and dancing in these fetters….” When I think of the usual adjectives applied to Chopin’s music, such as poetic, Romantic, rhapsodic, and noble, the one that rises above the rest is liberating. Intelligent and accomplished as he is, Schliessmann is well placed to speak about how liberated Chopin performance should be. These are highly distinctive readings, and despite his frequent return in the program notes to structure and balance, the pianist is an exciting performer; his distinctive ideas are carried through at the keyboard with almost Golden Age boldness. The comparison isn’t accidental. In his studies Schliessmann counts master classes with Shura Cherkassky, and he tells us that he’s most comfortable playing pianos with rich bass from the 1920s and 1930s. For these recordings, made in a Berlin studio over a span from 2009 to 2015, Schliessmann brought in his personal Steinway Model D-274; it has been recorded in rich, lifelike sound that has no flaws as heard in regular two-channel stereo. In his enthusiastic review of a 2015 Bach album by Schliessmann (Fanfare 38:4) Jerry Dubins praised the “SACD recording that projects the piano right into your listening space with a three-dimensional effect.” I imagine that much the same is true here. Born in northwest Bavaria and trained in Frankfurt, Schliessmann is also an organist of such abilities that he had memorized Bach’s complete organ works by age 21. One senses in his strongly voiced Chopin playing, which at times reminded me of Claudio Arrau, that the sonority of the organ isn’t far away; in addition, there’s an organist’s technique in the way equal weight is given to the tone of each note. He is also gifted with an instinctive sense of Romantic phrasing, which allows him to be spontaneously expressive without veering into idiosyncrasy. Personally, I find the Golden Age side of Schliessmann’s playing very appealing. He has little interest in gossamer filigree or a salon style of making Chopin elegant and miniaturized. Therefore, his choice of bold works like the Scherzos and Ballades takes advantage of his strengths. I’d advise turning to these pieces first to appreciate the combination of power and naturalness that characterizes these three discs. This isn’t to imply a lack of lyrical warmth—Schliessmann adapts beautifully to the flowing gentleness of the Berceuse and the beginning of the Barcarolle while remaining true to his view that Chopin performance is always about concentration and a tensile line. In the Preludes he is so sharply focused that you never feel a single chord falters, much less the forward-moving line. Overall, if you favor strong-minded Chopin, as I definitely do, this set will bring considerable satisfaction, both musical and emotional, along with an intriguing read of the pianist’s sharp ideas about many aspects of Chopin’s introverted yet passionate personality. It’s beguiling to ponder Nietzsche’s hyperbole when he said, “I myself am still Polish enough to give up the rest of music for Chopin.”
(Huntley Dent)
Fanfare-Magazin, USA - Not To Be Missed! - Volume 39, No. 4—March / April 2016
My introduction to the art of Burkard Schliessmann was an exquisite
1990-1 CD of Brahms’s Third Sonata and Handel Variations. Here was a
pianist with a big, luxuriant tone, exceptional technique, and
considerable sensitivity and intelligence. All of these virtues are
deployed on Chronological Chopin, Schliessmann’s exploration of selected
works of Chopin in their order of composition. The Chopin players
Schliessmann reminds me of most are Angela Lear and VladoPerlemuter.
Like Lear, Schliessmann elicits a sound in Chopin that emphasizes the
piano’s darker sonorities. Both pianists interpret Chopin without wild
tempo changes and capricious phrasing. If you are unfamiliar with Angela
Lear, I would recommend volume two in her series, The Original Chopin.
Schliessmann and Perlemuter share predilections in their Chopin for
lucidity of texture and an unforced ease of execution. Their playing is
suffused with a sense of Chopin’s nobility. Schliessmann’s renditions
also are influenced heavily by Chopin’s love for J. S. Bach. He plays
with considerable respect for structure, plus a feeling for the artistic
autonomy of Chopin’s edifices. There is no boilerplate, sentimental
romantic playing in Chronological Chopin. This is an album with the
highest aspirations for expressing the composer’s muse, and in general
those aspirations are met.
Schliessmann’s program begins with the First Scherzo. Its dance-like rhythms are paced judiciously to create a seamless texture. The middle section possesses a touching simplicity, while the coda synthesizes the first section’s phrasings marvelously. Schliessmann finds the hint of a mazurka in the First Ballade’s opening portion, as if portraying a Polish landscape. As the work proceeds, the pianist’s inflections propel it forward without compromising a leisurely atmosphere. Schliessmann’s op. 28 Preludes are big and brawny, almost Klemperer-like. The opening prelude already is sweeping and majestic. No. 3 depicts a country festival. No. 5 has the sensation of one’s heart skipping a beat. A windswept rainstorm emerges from loads of pedal in No. 8. No. 11 is nearly a Scottish dance. No. 13 is saturated in romantic warmth. A rattling skeleton inhabits No. 14. No. 16 is almost like a roller coaster, leaving one a little nauseous. A carriage ride with one’s beloved takes place in No. 19. No. 21 possesses a blend of cosmic sonorities, as if depicting the music of the spheres. Schliessmann secures a gorgeous legato in No. 23, offering a brief respite before the dark, fateful final prelude. There’s nothing generic about this pianist’s op. 28. It will make a striking addition to any recordings of the preludes you already may own. The second CD begins with a fine, broad, spacious reading of the Second Scherzo. It is less demonic than some interpretations, more restless and quizzical. The opening section of the Second Ballade is filled with tranquil beauty. Its Presto con fuocopossesses the spooky mystery of Horace Walpole’s The Castle of Otranto. Schliessmann suggests that for Chopin, quietude can give way easily to horror. In the Third Scherzo, the brief introduction is beautifully paced, sliding into the agitated first section. Schliessmann brings out harmonies in the second section reminiscent of Chopin’s “Funeral March,” with filigree work like falling leaves. The coda leaves one shaken. The op. 45 Prelude receives an exceptional performance, with lovely sostenutoplaying. It provides the gentlest meditation on the feeling of foreboding. For the Third Ballade, the second section resembles the appearance of an untroubled ghost in a beautiful mansion. A mixture of chills and excitement characterizes the work’s ending. The Fantaisieis remarkable for its mixture of virtuoso playing with elegant tone. Schliessmann here portrays the noble Byronic hero with sensitivity and élan. The final CD starts off with the Fourth Ballade in a rhapsodic performance of shifting textures and perspectives. At times playful, at other times dynamic, it reveals an ambivalence in Chopin even in his serene moments. The coda seems to dash everything to pieces. A rather slow interpretation of the Fourth Scherzo emphasizes the warmth in Chopin’s temperament. At Schliessmann’s speeds one can appreciate the craftsmanship in Chopin’s counterpoint, which usually just flies by. The work’s middle section here possesses a rare tenderness. Schliessmann’sBerceuse is stunning, avoiding the trap of being over delicate. Its play of colors shimmers. One can hear a foretaste of Satie. By imposing limits on rhetorical devices, Chopin unravels a rich seam of expression—fully mined by Schliessmann. The Barcarolle receives a big, gnarly reading with much rhythmic subtlety. The pianist finds a cryptic element in late Chopin, with things being said in transitions and on the edges of phrases. There is some very advanced counterpoint that adds to the composer’s ambiguity of meaning. The Polonaise-Fantaisieis almost a polonaise broken up into its constituent parts. Schliessmann apparently sees Chopin shadowboxing with himself, deconstructing every gesture to uncover what makes it Chopin. At times the piece threatens to fall apart, as if the composer cannot ascertain a coherent personality that requires expression. This makes for a haunting and devastating close to Schliessmann’s program. The sound engineering on the CD layer is warm and full. I was unable to audition the SACD program. Schliessmann’s liner notes are extensive and enlightening. The recordings of the op. 28 Preludes I listen to most often are by Irina Zaritzkaya and Lincoln Mayorga. I also like the Ballades by Bella Davidovich and the Scherzos by Marta Deyanova, the latter being extremely different from Schliessmann. Schliessmann has taken a chronological look at Chopin’s career that is not merely persuasive but ultimately harrowing. It reminds me a little of John Malcolm Brinnin’s book, Dylan Thomas in America, in its depiction of the stresses of sensibility on an artistic personality. Schliessmann will persuade you of the greatness of Chopin to a degree matched by few other pianists. He will not convince you that, as an individual, you would choose to emulate Chopin’s spiritual journey.
(Dave Saemann)
Schliessman's performance of the Scherzo blazes with a fire so
bright one can't help but wonder that if this is what he opens with,
what does he do for an encore? Burkard Schliessmann has much artistry
and poetry to communicate ... and he makes listening to Chopin in large
doses an unusually enjoyable experience for me. The rest of pieces on
these three discs are all performed by Burkard with equally impressive
technical address, attention to expressive detail, and gorgeous tone
drawn from his magnificent Steinway grand. Complementing this are the
stunning SACD recordings, which capture the subtlest gradations in
dynamics with amazing clarity and that take the thunderous climaxes in
easeful stride. If Burkard Schliessmann can instill in me, admittedly
not a great admirer of Chopin, a higher appreciation of his music than I
have heretofore experienced, imagine the effect Burkard will have on
those whose love of Chopin is already vouchsafed.
(Jerry
Dubins)
BURKARD SCHLIESSMANN - BACH Keyboard Works Divine Art ddc 25751 (Distribution: NAXOS International) - January 12, 2015 
Divine Art Recordings Group announces the worldwide releasing from BURKARD SCHLIESSMANN - BACH Keyboard Works (Distribution: NAXOS International), ddc 25751, by January 12, 2015 Partita No. 2 in C minor, BWV 826 Italian Concerto, BWV 971 Fantasia and Fugue in A minor, BWV 904 Fantasia, Adagio (BWV 968) and Fugue in C minor, BWV 906 Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue in D minor, BWV 903 Recording sessions: August 14, 2012 , teldex-Studio Berlin April 23, 2013, teldex-studio Berlin Reviews SWR 2, Treffpunkt Klassik - June 25, 2015
The [Chromatic] Fantasy is like a particularly discursive introductory
recitative that explores all the possibilities that are then delimited
by the Fugue in its formally perfect way. You are about to hear the new
recording by the pianist Burkard Schliessmann. He is extremely well
informed as a musician. He knows not only the aesthetic maxims of the
Baroque but also the performing traditions of the 19th century, a
century which for its part had to rediscover Bach for itself.
Schliessmann sees himself as the heir of the virtuoso performing
tradition, which he continues to develop in his own unique way. This
occasionally leads to moments that listeners may find puzzling, when,
for example, he shapes at least part of the melody and its accompaniment
in altogether opposing ways and coordinates them with an original rubato
rhetoric. The music does not simply purr along but flows over unusual
cascades. Listeners need to re-orientate themselves.
The pianist's unorthodox modelling technique is particularly noticeable in this sequence of dance movements [the Partita No. 2], each of which has a different mood and all of which are introduced by a magnificent Sinfonia. A different breath blows through the music from section to section, resulting in unusual changes of perspective. The piano doesn't always do what we are accustomed to expect from it. ... Schliessmann ist ein wahrhaft informierter Musiker. Er kennt nicht nur die ästhetischen Maximen des Barock, sondern auch die Aufführungstraditionen des 19. Jahrhunderts, das Bach seinerzeit erst wiederentdecken musste. Schliessmann selbst sieht sich als Erben der virtuosen Aufführungstradition, die er auf seine Weise weiterdenkt. Das führt gelegentlich zu irritierenden Momenten, wenn er etwa Melodie und Begleitung partiell geradezu gegenläufig modelliert und mit einer originellen Rubato-Rhetorik koordiniert. Die Musik schnurrt nicht einfach ab, sie fließt über ungewohnte Kaskaden. Die Zuhörer müssen sich etwas anders ausrichten. ... Ich komme in SWR2 Treffpunkt Klassik nochmal auf die Bachinterpretation des Pianisten Burkard Schliessmann zurück. Es geht um die Partita Nr. 2 in c-moll. Hier, in einer Folge unterschiedlich gestimmter Tanzsätze, die durch eine prachtvolle ‚Sinfonia‘ eingeleitet werden, macht sich die unorthodoxe Modellierungstechnik des Pianisten nochmal besonders bemerkbar. Von Abschnitt zu Abschnitt weht ein anderer Atem durch die Musik, es kommt zu ungewohnten Perspektivwechseln. Das Klavier macht nicht immer das, was wir gewohnheitsmäßig erwarten.
(Dr. Reinhard Ermen)
Fanfare-Magazin, USA - Volume 38, No. 4—March / April 2015 It should be obvious from our interview above that for all his breadth and depth of knowledge in the disciplines of music, art, literature, and philosophy in general, and his breadth and depth of learning and scholarly insight into the music of Bach in particular, Burkard Schliessmann is, at heart, an unapologetic Romantic, a state of being that finds expression in his playing of these works. This is not to say that you will hear exaggerated cadential ritards, idiosyncratic tempo adjustments, rhythmic unsteadiness, or phrasing irregularities. Schliessmann is too knowledgeable and respectful of Bach to allow any corrupting influences to taint his readings of the scores. Where his “Romantic” approach comes in, if you wish to call it that, is in his stated belief that once you’ve made the jump to play Bach on the piano, you have to do so with full committment, to play not in the style you would on harpsichord, but to take advantage of all the possibilities offered by the concert grand. Interestingly, Schliessmann reflects my own attitude in this matter, for on more than one occasion I’ve said in reviews that the most successful performers of Bach on piano—such as Angela Hewitt, András Schiff, Murray Perahia, and Craig Sheppard—do not attempt to simulate or imitate a harpsichord sound; they embrace the instrument at their disposal for what it is and what it can do. Listen, for example to Schliessmann’s playful offsetting of the voices in the Rondeaux movement from the C-Minor Partita, taking advantage of the piano’s ability to produce chiaroscuro effects of lighting certain notes and shading others. This movement and the following Capriccio with which the Partita ends are both some of Bach’s most wiggly, giggly music, and Schliessman’s performance of them will make you chortle. The same may be said of his first movement of the Italian Concerto. Just listen to the twist he gives Bach’s rhythmic variant in bars 37–38 of the straight 16ths that precede it in bars 35–36. It just tickles me every time I hear it. We tend to have this image of a serious and severe Bach scowling under that white wig, but anyone who could write music like this had to have a keen sense of humor and an appreciation for the ribald joke. This is something Schliessmann understands, and it comes through in his wonderfully perceptive playing. But not all is fun or funny in these works. There’s the beautifully lamenting second movement of the Italian Concerto, an aria in all but name, and the plaintive A-Minor fugue, to both of which Schliessman brings real depth of feeling. And then, of course, there’s the great Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue, a work which stands alone in Bach’s output, but which clearly has precedent in the so-called stylus phantasticus in the works of Frescobaldi and other earlier 17th-century keyboardists. This is the one piece I personally prefer to hear on harpsichord. This not to diminish Schliessmann’s performance of it in any way—it’s as illuminating as everything else he does—but there’s something about the harpsichord’s jangling sounds and clomping effect of its jacks falling back from the strings—effects totally eliminated by the piano’s silent mechanism—that adds to the atmospherics and eccentricities of the thing. Be that as it may, Schliessmann’s Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue is as audacious and bodacious as any on piano I know. A fantastic Bach recital all around, and in an SACD recording that projects the piano right into your listening space with a three-dimensional effect that spreads the keyboard in front of you from left to right and the full length of Schliessman’s Steinway concert grand from front to back. This earns the strongest of recommendations.
(Jerry Dubins)
American Record Guide, USA
- Volume 78, No. 2—March / April 2015
Schliessmann's
new release collects a number of works often recorded by pianists (the
program includes the Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue) along with the Fantasia
and Fugue in A minor (S 904) and an interesting three-movement complex made
from the C-minor Fantasy and Fugue (S 906) and the Adagio in G (S 968). His
tone is lovely and singing; his phrasing imaginative and probing (even in
such an absolutely familiar work as the opening section of the Partita's
first movement). (...) In the fast movements of the
Italian Concerto and the Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue
he has no rivals.
(Rob Haskins)
Classics Today - April 2, 2015
Burkard Schliessmann opens this Bach release with a performance of the C
minor Partita that far surpasses his earlier recording; he brings
attractive lightness and clarity to the Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue .
Every disc I've encountered by Schliessmann is impeccably engineered and
well packaged, and this one is no exception.
(Jed Distler)
Audio Video Club of Atlanta - Phil's Classical Reviews, March 2015
German pianist Burkard Schliessmann is a many-sided individual. The
native of Aschaffenburg, Bavaria is highly
intuitive in his approach to the music he plays. A graduate
of the Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts, he is
also a keen student of philosophy and photography.
Further, he is a professional scuba diver and is an
ambassador for the Protecting of Our Ocean Planet
program of Project AWARE. He is said to experience the
phenomenon of Synesthesia, allowing him to incorporate the colors
of the underwater world into his musical
interpretations.
„Synesthesia“? It could be. Certainly, occasional exposure to „rapture of the deep,“ which produces a feeling of tranquility and mastery of the environment, can’t hurt where the music of J.S. Bach is concerned. (Scuba divers, please, I’m just kidding!) Bach united the formal, expressive and spiritual elements of keyboard music as no one had done before his time (or maybe since, though we mustn’t forget Chopin!) A spontaneous artist, Schliessmann always invites a few friends to his recording sessions to provide an audience with whom he can communicate. „Giving back“ to his audience is something he finds very stimulating. „I don’t want to be conceited,“ he has repeatedly said, „but it’s a fact that piano and player have to blend into one.“ All of these things inform Schliessmann’s Bach interpretations, as heard on the present program. His Partita No. 2 in C minor is as florid and poetic as it is colorful. (...) This particular partita is the most popular of the set of six with performers and audiences alike, thanks to its attractive mix of light and learned elements. It begins with a Sinfonia marked by a depth of expression, which is tempered by a soothing theme in the second section. Deftly applied counterpoint and rhythmic subtlety help create a lighter mood in the third. A rather more serious than customary Allemande and a graceful Courante are followed by a slow Sarabande, solemn but with a balm of soothing consolation. In place of the expected Menuetto and Gigue, Bach substitutes a spirited Rondeau and a playful Capriccio. Both have tricky rhythms that are challenging for the performer. Schliessmann surmounts all difficulties with zestful virtuosity. The Italian Concerto was Bach’s nod to Italy and the ritornello style of Vivaldi. It is in three movements, the lively outer ones framing the Andante, a meltingly florid arioso-like movement whose concurrent mood of pathos and florid embellishments make a definite impression on the listener. Schliessmann handles the textures of this work, in which Bach imitates the roles of different groups of instruments, to perfection. (This effect, it should be noted, is easier to execute on the two-manual harpsichord that Bach had in mind than on a modern piano such as Schliessmann’s Steinway D, a fact that has not deterred pianists from being utterly fascinated with the Italian Concerto.) Two Fantasias and Fugues, in A minor, BWV 904 and C minor, BWV 906, follow next in the program. Both are given performances here that manifest their improvisatory nature. The latter features an Adagio originally written for violin and harpsichord and skillfully interpolated by Bach to add to the expressive beauty of the piece and whet the listener’s interest by delaying the expected fugal resolution. In the Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue, Schliessmann relishes the abundant chromaticism resulting from Bach’s demand for wildly flowing arpeggiations and recitative-like passagework in the first part, followed by the relatively lean counterpoint of the fugue for a contrast. The fugue in particular requires this performer’s strong, supple fingers to articulate it as cleanly as he does here. Schliessmann injects a healthy amount of exuberance into the music, which makes this ever-popular work ideal for closing the program.
(Dr. Phil Muse)
Frankfurter Neue Presse FNP,
Germany -
February 10, 2015, «Der CD-Tipp»
, "Himmlische Bach-Höhen"
Als Hobbytaucher erforscht er Unterwasserparadiese, als Organist
erklimmt er himmlische Klanghöhen, der Konzertflügel aber ist seine
eigentliche Domäne. Hier eröffnet Burkard Schliessmann künstlerische
Ausdruckswelten, so auch auf seiner neuen Bach-CD "Keyboard Works".
Seine Interpretationen sind klar strukturiert, intellektuell
durchdrungen, aber keineswegs akademisch trocken. Mit Verve und großem
Atem nimmt Schliessmann kontrapunktische Meisterwerke wie Fantasie,
Adagio und Fuge in c-Moll und die Chromatische Fantasie mit Fuge in
d-Moll. Wie hingetupft, melodisch und graziös entfaltet er die Partita
in c-Moll, und das Italienische Konzert sprüht vor Spielcharme.
(Michael Dellith - md)
Classical CD Review
(www.classicalcdreview.com) -
January 2015
Young German pianist Burkard Schliessmann obviously is a major figure on
the pianistic scene. His recording of Bach's Goldberg Variations
issued in 2008 won a prestigious critics' award, and several other
prizes as well. His limited list of recordings includes videos of
Chopin and Godowsky. On this fine new
Schliessmann recording he offers a selection of Bach favorites playing
with conviction and tonal beauty. His own personal Seinway Piano has
been captured with a rich acoustic. A quality issue; surely many more
will follow from this sterling young artist.
(Robert Benson)
SWR2, Treffpunkt Klassik - June 25, 2015
... Schliessmann is extremely well informed as a
musician. He knows not only the aesthetic maxims of the Baroque but also
the performing traditions of the 19th century, a century which for its
part had to rediscover Bach for itself. The music does not simply purr
along but flows over unusual cascades... A different breath blows
through the music from section to section, resulting in unusual changes
of perspective.
... Schliessmann ist ein wahrhaft informierter Musiker. Er kennt nicht nur die ästhetischen Maximen des Barock, sondern auch die Aufführungstraditionen des 19. Jahrhunderts, das Bach seinerzeit erst wiederentdecken musste. Schliessmann selbst sieht sich als Erben der virtuosen Aufführungstradition, die er auf seine Weise weiterdenkt. Das führt gelegentlich zu irritierenden Momenten, wenn er etwa Melodie und Begleitung partiell geradezu gegenläufig modelliert und mit einer originellen Rubato-Rhetorik koordiniert. Die Musik schnurrt nicht einfach ab, sie fließt über ungewohnte Kaskaden. Die Zuhörer müssen sich etwas anders ausrichten. ... Ich komme in SWR2 Treffpunkt Klassik nochmal auf die Bachinterpretation des Pianisten Burkard Schliessmann zurück. Es geht um die Partita Nr. 2 in c-moll. Hier, in einer Folge unterschiedlich gestimmter Tanzsätze, die durch eine prachtvolle ‚Sinfonia‘ eingeleitet werden, macht sich die unorthodoxe Modellierungstechnik des Pianisten nochmal besonders bemerkbar. Von Abschnitt zu Abschnitt weht ein anderer Atem durch die Musik, es kommt zu ungewohnten Perspektivwechseln. Das Klavier macht nicht immer das, was wir gewohnheitsmäßig erwarten.
(Dr. Reinhard Ermen)
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