| Details / Tracklist: |
Variations on Chopin's C Minor Pr?lude (Op. 28, No. 20), Op. 1 01. "Thema: Largo" 02. "Var. 1: Andante" 03. "Var. 2: Moderato" 04. "Var. 3: Molto piu lento" 05. "Var. 4: Largo" 06. "Var. 5: Allegro" 07. "Var. 6: Moderato" 08. "Var. 7: Allegretto" 09. "Var. 8: Lento" 10. "Var. 9: Animato" 11. "Var. 10: Moderato" 12. "Var. 11: Allegro con spirito" 12 (Valses) L?ndler, Op. 2 13. "I. Con spirito" 14. "II. Moderato" 15. "III. Andantino" 16. "IV. Andante, molto legato e tranquillo" 17. "V. Allegretto, con grazia" 18. "VI. Con molto espressione" 19. "VII. Tempo giusto" 20. "VIII. Sostenuto" 21. "IX. Allegretto" 22. "X. Con molto grazia" 23. "XI. Allegretto" 24. "XII. Allegretto" Piano Sonata in F minor 25. "I. Allegro maestoso" 26. "II. Allegretto scherzoso" 27. "III. Andante quasi adagio" 28. "IV. Vivace"
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| Description: | Among the wealth of great music by female composers that has finally reclaimed the world's stages in recent years, the works of Cologne-born Maria Herz, who died in American exile, stand out as rare treasures. The internationally rising Canadian pianist Aude St-Pierre earns great acclaim with her new GENUIN album, which brings the piano music of this exceptional composer to light. Herz's development from her early Chopin variations and the "Landlers Op. 2" to her Sonata in F minor is breathtaking, hinting at an unrealized future silenced too soon. St-Pierre's piano playing illuminates the music of the Fin de Siecle era in all it's vivid colors!"Rediscovering Maria Herz" is a thoughtfully curated CD that brings long-overlooked works of composer Maria Herz back into the spotlight, interpreted with sensitivity and clarity by pianist Aude St-Pierre. The album focuses on refined, intimate piano repertoire (and/or chamber-like textures, depending on the exact program), revealing a voice that combines late-Romantic warmth with early-modern transparency. Carefully structured contrasts between lyrical, introspective movements and more rhythmically driven, energetic sections allow listeners to trace Herz's distinctive musical language and emotional depth. The result is a listening experience that feels both historically illuminating and deeply personal, ideal for collectors of rare repertoire as well as for anyone curious about lesser-known voices of the early 20th century.
Aude St-Pierre shapes this rediscovery with nuanced touch, detailed phrasing and a strong sense of narrative. Her playing emphasizes color, balance and a singing melodic line, allowing the subtle harmonic shifts and motivic connections in Herz's music to emerge naturally. She presents the works not as dusty archival finds, but as living music with contemporary relevance. Short, well-placed agogic freedoms and a flexible but clear rhythmic framework underline the music's expressive tension, while her control of sound and pedal brings out a broad spectrum of timbres, from transparent, almost fragile textures to full, resonant climaxes.
Genuin, the label behind this release, is known in the classical music world for its audiophile recording standards and its commitment to artistic independence. Based in Germany, Genuin has built a reputation for giving space to distinctive projects off the mainstream path, with carefully produced albums that often highlight rediscovered repertoire, young talents and specialized chamber and solo projects. Their productions typically feature natural, detailed sound images and a close collaboration between artists, producers and engineers, allowing each recording to be tailored to the character of the music. With "Rediscovering Maria Herz", Genuin continues this philosophy by creating a platform for a composer whose work deserves renewed attention, captured in a sound aesthetic that is both intimate and precise.
By combining an artistically coherent concept with high production quality, this CD stands as an invitation to rethink the canon and to enrich any classical collection with a meaningful, historically aware discovery. |
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| Manufacturer No.: |
GEN24863 |
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Responsible Person for the EU:
Genuin GENUIN classics Feuerbachstr. 7, 04105 Leipzig, DE mail@genuin.de |
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