Customer Reviews

Zemlinsky: Piano Music

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I could listen to this CD over and over. It contains all of Zemlinsky's early piano work, and I believe this contains all that he ever wrote for solo piano. (Liner notes help out a lot). I don't necessarily hear anything that reminds me of the later Zemlinsky, but I do hear the characters of Schumann (the Eusebius side of his personality), Chopin, and Brahms. I get the feeling that Zemlinsky is a better composer than pianist. Some pieces are very compact, but perfect and complete in form, but there is nothing that seems very demanding -- nothing like Liszt or Rachmaninov. I recommend this album to anyone who enjoys piano music; or anyone who likes Brahms, Mendelssohn, Schumann, or Chopin; or anyone who wishes to hear the younger Zemlinsky.

All of the music here is pretty obscure, and all of it stems from early, sometimes very early, in the composer's career. Nothing is really recognizably Zemlinsky, and nothing of it is, to be honest, particularly distinguished either. The Ländliche Tänze from 1891 are a case in point - derivative salon music, not at all foreshadowing the composer's mature style. They are also rather boring, although they are - perhaps surprisingly - quite well written for the instrument.

By far the most interesting work here is, not really surprisingly, the Fantasien über Gedichte von Richard Dehmel, a sensitively lyrical four-movemented work where Zemlinsky is able to conjure up some poetry and coloration and some finely contrasting moods. The four Ballads sound Schumannesque, perhaps with a touch of Brahms, and are utterly undistinguished; the same goes for the little Albumblatt, the Skizze and the Menuett. Ein Lichtstrahl, apparently a mime drama with piano accompaniement is a little better, prosaic and salonesque but not without a certain charm.

Silke Avenhaus's playing is generally good, fortunately very good in the Fantasien - the only works on the disc I can imagine returning to. She takes a generally straightforward approach which at times can appear to be a little lacking in poetry, but which at least avoids trying to get the pieces to carry more weight than they can sustain. Sound quality is good as well, but this disc is, frankly, for the specialist. Do, by all means, investigate Zemlinsky's music, but this is definitely not the place to start.