Listen & tracks

6 works · 51:09

Drei Klavierstücke, Op. 11 (1909)Arnold Schoenberg 3 movements13:03
1. 1 i. Mäßige Viertel 3:46
2. 2 ii. Mäßige Achtel 6:45
3. 3 iii. Bewegte Achtel 2:32
Sechs Kleine Klavierstücke, Op. 19 (1911)Arnold Schoenberg 6 movements5:18
1. 4 i. Leicht, zart 1:27
2. 5 ii. Langsam :47
3. 6 iii. Sehr langsame Viertel :43
4. 7 iv. Rasch, aber leicht :27
5. 8 v. Etwas rasch :27
6. 9 vi. Sehr langsam 1:27
Fünf Klavierstücke, Op. 23 (1923)Arnold Schoenberg 5 movements10:45
1. 10 i. Sehr langsam 2:03
2. 11 ii. Sehr rasch 1:17
3. 12 iii. Langsam 2:40
4. 13 iv. Schwungvoll. Mäßige Viertel 1:49
5. 14 v. Walzer 2:56
Suite, Op. 25 (1923)Arnold Schoenberg 5 movements16:27
1. 15 i. Präludium 1:09
2. 16 ii. Gavotte – Musette – Gavotte (da capo) 4:20
3. 17 iii. Intermezzo 3:57
4. 18 iv. Menuett – Trio – Menuett (da capo) 3:46
5. 19 v. Gigue 3:15
20 Klavierstück, Op. 33a (1929) Arnold Schoenberg Mäßig 2:03
21 Klavierstück, Op. 33b (1931) Arnold Schoenberg Mäßig langsam 3:33

The programme runs in chronological order from the early atonal Three Pieces, Op. 11, through the Six Little Piano Pieces, Op. 19, and Five Pieces, Op. 23, to the Suite, Op. 25, and the late Piano Pieces, Opp. 33a and 33b.

Killian’s long engagement with Schoenberg’s thought shapes the project. An extended essay accompanies the recording, outlining how one might approach this notoriously difficult modernist composer. The performances were recorded at Move Records studio between 2012 and 2014.

In the artist’s words

Schoenberg’s philosophy of the relationship between musical ideas and their presentation ubiquitously informs my categorical thinking on the fundamental questions of being and of ways of knowing. It is my destiny, it seems, to need to think the structures of existence through Schoenberg. Consequently, this recording is accompanied by my extended essay, For Grasping Schoenberg: An Epistemology of Sense and Meaning in Word, Music, and the Moving of a Pianist’s Arms—which is not so much about Schoenberg as an outline of how one might think toward this notoriously difficult modernist composer.

— Danaë Killian

Reviews

40 or 50 years ago the Schoenberg works for piano were considered by many to be esoteric and almost impenetrable to the general concertgoer but now, with that wonderful aid, hindsight, we can see them for what they truly are – a wonderful expression of musical thought from the late romantic period into the modernist era. And how additionally wonderful to have Danaë Killian bring this expressive and harmonically rich music to life. She clearly loves the piano works of Schoenberg and every nuance is ever so carefully expressed – dense here, ethereal there and then dancelike and a moment later joyously explosive. Fabulous playing from beginning to end.

— Peter McNamara, classikON

Schoenberg the pianist? Not quite. In fact, he never actually played the piano. An astonishing fact, considering that he wrote masterfully for the instrument. His oeuvre for the piano is presented here by Australian pianist Danaë Killian. The track listing is in compositionally chronological order which allows the listener to track his development throughout the early experimentations with atonality in the Three Pieces, Op. 11, right through to the stunning Suite Op. 25 which pays homage to the baroque suite and delivers some dynamic and witty writing that requires a high level of precision in all aspects of one’s playing. It is advisable to listen to these works whilst following the score. The pieces are easily downloadable from imslp.org. Only then can one appreciate the complexity of these miniature compositions. I found the brevity of the Six Little Piano Pieces, Op. 19 from 1911 the most compelling works on this disc. His sparseness in texture combined with a mixture of bright and colourful harmonies make these light but carefully constructed movements a very attractive set to listen to. Killian has also included a link to an essay entitled “For Grasping Schoenberg: An Epistemology of Sense and Meaning in Word, Music, and the Moving of a pianist’s arms”, which looks at her approach to her thinking of who she describes as a “notoriously difficult modernist composer”. Pollini’s reading has to this point been the benchmark for the recording of these works. Killian treats each work as a unique entity and entrusts a model of obliqueness and character to a collection of technically demanding and richly rewarding pieces. This is an excellent CD on all levels and from an intellectual standpoint, well worth purchasing. ★★★★★

— Frank Shostakovich, 2MBS Fine Music Magazine

Artists

Arnold Schoenberg

composer

Arnold Schoenberg (1874–1951) was an Austrian-American modernist composer who pioneered atonality and twelve-tone composition. His methods reshaped harmony and musical coherence in the twentieth century.

Danaë Killian

piano

Dr Danaë Killian is an Australian pianist whose poetry-infused performances are known for intense originality and expressive interpretive power. Her repertoire spans the complete solo piano music of the Expressionist Second Viennese School, major polyphonic Bach, and a wealth of Australian works.