Hanns Eisler - Music for Piano (Steffen Schleiermacher)

Information

Composer: Hanns Eisler

• Zweite Sonate für Klavier in Form von Variationen, Op. 6
• Thema aus 2. Sonate (Urfassung)
• Shimmy
• Klavierstücke, Op. 8
• Kleine Musik zum Abreagieren sentimentaler Stimmungen
• Sieben Klavierstücke, Op. 32
• Sonatine, Op. 44 "Gradus ad Parnassum"
• Cowboy Bauman fell off the Crazy Horse
• Variationen für Klavier
• Andantino

Steffen Schleiermacher, piano

Date: 2025

Label: Musikproduktion Dabringhaus und Grimm

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This further edition to Steffen Schleiermacher's Eisler anthology once again provides insights into an exciting composer's life that still receives far too little attention today

With his differentiated palette of expression and afnity for nuance, Schleiermacher is a master interpreter of Eisler's original, often surprising aesthetics encompassing an extremely wide variety of musical styles.

Eisler could combine the transparently simple and the highly complicated with great craftsmanship and artistry, such as Second Sonata Op. 6 which parallels twelve-tone technique with sonata form. "I'm bored with modern music, it doesn't interest me, I even hate and despise some of it." wrote Eisler to his teacher Schoenberg. Shimmy is Eisler's ironic nod to the foxtrot, a popular dance in his day.

A Little Music for Dispelling Sentimental Moods exposes cliches in an extremely sparse two- part movement so they lose their sentimentality. Eisler believed such sentiments distracted from the class struggle. Whilst in exile, Eisler toured the United States with Mordechai Bauman. The singer's programme included Charles Ives's humorous ballad "Charlie Rutlage" about a cowboy meeting his death. Eisler's homage Cowboy Bauman fell off the Crazy Horse irritatingly ends with a repeat sign and the instruction: "ad infnitum". Strictly speaking, you have to play it for all eternity-which seems quite impractical, even for Schleiermacher.