Hyperklavier
R. Febel, Hyperklavier: II.So schnell wie möglich
14,95€
As Janáček can be considered the most important Czech operatic composers of his time, Febel represents without doubt one of the most influential contemporary opera composers in the German-speaking countries.
The fil rouge of this CD reveals itself in the mere choice of the pieces: all of them are compositions for piano and ensemble which try to construct the literal Hyperklavier Febel mentions in his title, a sound conglomerate that extends the semantic possibilities of a solo piano through the employment of different instruments. Many more, however, are the common points that bind the contemporary Febel to the historic Janáček. Zahir Ensemble, Oscar Martín & Juan García Rodríguez.
BOOKLET
14,95€
Janàček's Concertino & Capriccio
It was 1925 when Janàček interrupted the composition of the already mentioned Věc Makropulos to write a small chamber work of a lighter character: the Concertino for piano and six instruments (two violins, viola, clarinet, horn and bassoon). In this work, the Czech composer wanted to evoke the atmosphere of a fairy tale, where different woodland animals interact and play with each other. According to an article Janàček wrote himself, each of the six instruments should impersonate in turn different wood creatures: a hedgehog imprisoned in his burrow (the horn in the first movement), a chattering squirrel (the clarinet in the second movement), some night owls and other nocturnal animals (all instruments in the third movement); the fourth movement, instead, should represent a “scene from a fairy-tale, where everybody is arguing”. The solo piano takes over the most disparate roles in the piece: in the first movement, it is illuminated by the short commentaries of the horn, in the second duets lightly with the clarinet, in the third is perfectly fused with the other instruments, in the fourth it is supposed to bring new order, putting an end to the quarrels of the other instruments.
If the programmatic premises could bring our imaginations to the forests of central Europe, the music is sometimes reminiscent of the sharp, brilliant motifs of Ravel. The most original feature of the Concertino, however, is how all the functions assumed by the piano transcend the most traditional categories of the concerto-thinking. In order to explain this, musicologist Sergio Sablich wrote: “in this microcosm which has the freshness of children stories in picture books, […] the soloist has the same task as someone who, now an adult, knows what the seriousness of life is and smiles at it with complicity and indulgence”.
Janàček’s Capriccio for piano (left hand) and wind ensemble is an occasional piece, composed one year after the Concertino. The Capriccio was realized at the request of the Czech pianist Otakar Hollmann (1894-1967), whose right hand had been paralysed by an injury during the First World War. Composers of the calibre of Martinů, Schulhoff and Foerster composed for him, so that he can be legitimately considered second only to Paul Wittgenstein (1887-1961) in promoting the left-hand piano repertoire.
The title suggests that we are facing an extravagant piece; it could be enough to mention that the instrumental ensemble surrounding the piano – piccolo doubling flute, two trumpets, three trombones and tenor tuba – is surely not the most common. Without any doubts we could describe the Capriccio as a counterpart of the Concertino, but on the bass range. In the first, in fact, the piano is likewise intended to connect the most different thematic ideas. Even if the writing for the left only implies a great virtuosity, it is just sometimes that piano really stands out as a protagonist.
The piece is articulated in four movements and is characterized by a certain rhapsodic character: ostinatos, flourished phrases and cadenzas alternate within a dark gold pinwheel. The ensemble evokes sometimes a dusk, heavy scenario, sometimes the woodwind band at a parade. The solo piano moves from one atmosphere to the other, within a process of symbiotic amplification and mirroring with the other instruments. The impression is that of a quick-change acrobat delighting those present at a village feast.
Febel's Hyperklavier
Similar are the processes of mirroring, extending and changing role Febel adopted for his cycle Hyperklavier. Composed between 2015 and 2017, it consists of five pieces for piano solo and a variable ensemble featuring different combinations up to thirteen instruments (flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, trombone, percussion, two violins, viola, violoncello and double bass). Through the amplifications, reverberations and extensions provided by precise orchestration techniques, the solo piano becomes the core of a literal a hyper-piano, which at the same time potentiates and overcomes the solo instrument. The piano part in the first piece of the cycle is notated with a particular space notation which requires, at the same time, gestural freedom and rhythmic discipline. Through this, the pianist becomes one of those actors that improvise on a given scenario. The ensemble works as a careful audience around this actor: it captures some of the central notes of the piano and illuminates them in a multifaced texture of isolated sonic molecules. Before the conclusive section, the piano presents a ribattuto-figure which works as a premonition of the following piece.
The second work of this cycle, in fact, consists of a pulsing chain of repeated notes, which the pianist has to play “martellato”. This primordial pulsation, however, is permanently deformed by agogic indications requiring all instrumentalists to move from one tempo to its double. The idea is that of a continuous struggle. The employment of a military drum throughout the first part of the piece conveys the impression of a marche fatale. At one third of the piece, however, the general character is switched symmetrically: all instrumentalists are now challenged to deform the pulsation through many accelerandi; the military drum almost disappears. For the last part of the piece, two military drums are combined: one with snare and one without, thus somehow mitigate the dramatic character of the beginning. The ribattuti are inserted within a more expressive texture of tremoli and cascades, the ribattuti migrate from the solo piano to the ensemble and get stretched until they finally disappear.
After the two first pieces, characterized by a strong gestural component, two more abstract unities follow. The third piece of Febel’s Hyperklavier, in fact, could be described as an exercise in developing dynamic parameters. It starts from sparse, soft lonely notes of the piano floating over the ghostly breath of the ensemble. The material, however, gets progressively more and more dense until the solo piano outbursts in a virtuoso cadenza. From there, the music material is progressively disaggregated which leads finally back to the same isolated monades of the beginning. Even if this piece presents many references to the Darmstadt-avanguarde, we should also appreciate its perforated textures as a peculiar feature of Febel’s musical language.
The fourth piece of the cycle could be described as a further lucid, almost theoretical reflection; this time, the premise is that of treating single impulses – no matter if single notes or chords – as mere points. All these are throughout surrounded by an apparent silence, which is, instead, full of resonances. Not only should the pianist produce mechanic reverberations with the employment of the tenuto-pedal, but the instruments are also employed as a living prolongation of the impulses generated by the soloist. At the end of the piece, a “melody” – as Febel defines it in a performance note – is presented in the solo piano and reverberates through the utilization of the sostenuto-pedal. This “melody” brings an unexpected lyrical element into the piece and suddenly develops as its last notes are progressively transformed into a tremolo, which prefigurates the main figure of the last unity.
The fifth piece works as a soft farewell to the entire cycle. Scored for piano solo and three strings, it employs the same composing principle as the second piece of Hyperklavier: a pulsing figure in the piano, a permanent tempo evolution. A shy, amorphous melody appears in the left hand of the piano (could it be a reference to Janàček?), the strings hold a fix, almost cosmic sound. This time, no percussion interferes with this low murmur, the impression is that of being in a special surrounding, maybe under the nigh sky. Do we hear the sound of the spheres and the swarm of the stars or a modern Pierrot singing, immersed in the moonlight? A “Hyperklavier” could be, after all, also this: an augmentation of our perceptions and our imaginative horizons.
Giorgio Musolesi
Zahir Ensemble
The trajectory of the Seville-based group demonstrates their commitment to performing the vast repertoire of our time, encompassing a wide range of aesthetic styles and significant artistic and historical relevance, which is generally absent from traditional programming. To give an idea of the group’s national and international scope, beyond its members, it’s worth highlighting their participation in European festivals and venues such as the Taschenopern Festival in Salzburg (Austria), Eröffnungsfest der Salzburger Festspiele (Inaugural Festival of Salzburg, 2005), Solitär Saal of the Mozarteum University (Salzburg), Musique en Cité(s) (Marseille, France), Concert Hall of the Chopin University of Music in Warsaw (Poland), and in Spain at events such as the Contemporary Music Cycle of the Seville City Council, Contemporary Music of Córdoba, Festival de las Artes No Camiño in Lugo, International Music Festival “A orillas del Guadalquivir” in Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Seville Guitar Festival, Mostra Sonora de Sueca in Valencia, Smash Festival in Salamanca, Third Millennium Music Cycle in Madrid, and the Projecte Rafel Festival (Rafelbunyol, Valencia), among others. They have also performed in venues such as the Villamarta Theatre in Jerez, Círculo de Bellas Artes in Madrid, Auditorium 400 of the Reina Sofía Museum in Madrid, Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando in Madrid, Bilbao Conservatory, and Alhambra Theatre in Granada. Especially notable for the programs presented and the number of editions in which the ensemble has participated is their presence at the Contemporary Music Cycles organized by the Regional Government of Andalusia at the Central Theatre in Seville (2007-08 and 2010-17). Highlights include the Spanish premieres of works such as The Fall of the House of Usher by Philip Glass, In Vain by G.F. Haas, ASKO Concerto by Elliott Carter, Ballet Mécanique (original version) by G. Antheil, Proverb by Steve Reich, and Clouds of Forgetting, Clouds of Unknowing by John L. Adams. The ensemble also organizes its own concert series in the city of Seville (with the support of the University of Seville), which this year marks its fifteenth edition. The group has released seven CDs, including monographs dedicated to José María Sánchez-Verdú (Verso, 2009), which was chosen as “Exceptional Album of March 2010” by Scherzo magazine, and another dedicated to Schoenberg (Naxos, 2011). They also produced two CDs of young Spanish composers (2010 and 2011), published by Injuve. In 2019, Zahir began an artistic collaboration with the IBSClassical label, with their first album being Anatomías, dedicated to solo and ensemble works by Luis de Pablo, followed by a second album featuring works by César Camarero, and their latest release focusing on Eneko Vadillo. After the current work, two more projects are set to be released in 2025: one featuring vocal works by Alberto Ginastera, and the other, a monograph dedicated to Gabriel Erkoreka.
ÓSCAR MARTÍN, piano
Óscar Martín has captivated international audiences with performances distinguished by their artistic sensitivity, remarkable musicality, and extraordinary mastery of the piano. After completing his studies in Seville, under the guidance of José Antonio Coso and Ana Guijarro, he continued in the Musikhochschule Freiburg (Germany), Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía in Madrid (Spain), and Conservatorium van Amsterdam. He refined his artistry with esteemed professors such as Tibor Szàsz, Vitali Berzon, Dimitri Bashkirov, Galina Eguiazarova, and Jan Wijn, while also benefiting from the mentorship of notable musicians like Almudena Cano, Elza Kolodin, Philippe Entremont, and Daniel Barenboim. As winner of the Manuel de Falla Prize in Granada and First Prize in Chamber Music at the Jeunesses Musicales Competition in Spain, his performance has extended to international stages across France, Italy, Portugal, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, Denmark, Turkey, the Czech Republic, Japan, China, South Korea, Venezuela, and the United States. Highlights include appearances at the Cleveland Institute of Music (USA), Mozarteum in Salzburg, Spielhaus Winterthur (Switzerland), Teatro Teresa Carreño in Caracas, Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, and the Chopin University of Music in Warsaw, where he made his debut performing the complete Suite Iberia by Isaac Albéniz. In 2017, he was awarded the Isaac Albéniz Medal at the Camprodón International Music Festival (Girona) in recognition of his exceptional contribution to the Spanish repertoire. Óscar Martín’s career is marked by standout performances, including Liszt’s Second Piano Concerto, Albéniz’s Concierto Fantástico, Bartók’s Second Piano Concerto at the Auditorio Príncipe Felipe in Asturias, Ligeti’s Piano Concerto, Rachmaninov’s Third Piano Concerto at the Gran Teatro de Córdoba. These performances, acclaimed by critics and audiences alike, have showcased his mastery of a demanding and wide-ranging repertoire. Throughout his career, he has collaborated with numerous orchestras, such as the Real Orquesta Sinfónica de Sevilla, Orchester der Musikhochschule Freiburg (Germany), Joven Orquesta Simón Bolívar (Venezuela), Oviedo Filarmonía, Zahir Ensemble, Syddansk Universitets Symfoniorkester (Denmark), and the Orquesta de la Fundación Barenboim-Said. He has worked with renowned conductors, including Peter Gülke, Pedro Halffter, Rubén Gimeno, Juan Rodríguez Romero, György Ràth, Santiago Serrate, Pablo Mielgo, Juan García, James Ross, Josep Vicent, Saul Zaks, Manuel Hernández Silva, Lucas Macías, and Günter Neuhold.. His interpretation and recording of Suite Iberia have been hailed by critics as among the most exceptional renditions of this complex cycle. With his profound artistry, technical brilliance, and engaging stage presence, Óscar Martín continues to establish himself as one of the most compelling pianists of his generation.
JUAN GARCÍA RODRÍGUEZ, conductor
Juan García Rodríguez is recognized as one of the most versatile conductors on the Spanish music scene. His ability to tackle a wide range of repertoire, from Classical works to the most avant-garde compositions of the 21st century, has established him as a highly respected and sought-after conductor. Educated at prestigious institutions, including the Mozarteum University of Salzburg, where he studied with Dennis Russell Davies, and the Fryderyk Chopin University of Warsaw.
García Rodríguez has collaborated with numerous renowned orchestras, including the Bruckner Orchester Linz, Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg, Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken, ÖENM, Real Orquesta Sinfónica de Sevilla, Filarmónica de Gran Canaria, and Paris Opera Orchestra. This has enabled him to successfully interpret complex and rarely performed works, such as Sibelius’s Fourth Symphony, Ligeti’s Concertos, Georg Friedrich Haas’s In Vain, and Raphaël Cendo’s Introduction aux Ténèbres. He has conducted in prominent venues such as the Great Hall of the Mozarteum in Salzburg, the Solitär Saal of the Mozarteum, Brucknerhaus in Linz, Auditorio 400 in Madrid, Círculo de Bellas Artes in Madrid, Teatro Central in Seville, Palau de Les Arts in Valencia, Great Hall of the Chopin University in Warsaw, Cemat Resil Rey in Istanbul, and Endler Hall at Stellenbosch University (South Africa). Additionally, he has worked on the operatic repertoire in institutions such as the Teatro de la Maestranza (Seville), Teatro Villamarta (Jerez), Landestheater Salzburg, Landestheater Linz, and Opéra National de Paris Bastille. As the founder and director of the Zahir Ensemble, he has actively promoted contemporary music in Spain, premiering numerous composers like Luis de Pablo, Cristóbal Halffter, José María Sánchez-Verdú, César Camarero, and Gabriel Erkoreka. His leadership of the Orquesta Sinfónica Conjunta, an innovative youth orchestra project between the University of Seville and the Conservatorio Superior “Manuel Castillo”—praised by critics for the intensity and quality of its performances and the originality of its programming—has created a remarkable impact on Seville’s music scene. During his tenure as Music Director of the Taschenoper Festival in Salzburg (2005–2017), he solidified the festival as a space of innovation and avant-garde in contemporary opera, commissioning and premiering over 40 new operas by key composers of today’s scene, such as Reinhard Febel, Christian Ofenbauer, Sarah Nemtsov, Michael Beil, Brigitta Muntendorf, Lisa Streich, and Stephan Winkler. Juan García Rodríguez holds a Master’s in Orchestral, Choral Conducting, and Composition from the Mozarteum University of Salzburg and a Doctorate in Orchestral Conducting from the Fryderyk Chopin University of Warsaw. He is currently a full member of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts “Santa Isabel de Hungría” in Seville and a professor at the Conservatorio Superior “Manuel Castillo.”
