KARG-ELERT: Harmonium 4

Michel, Johannes Matthias

CPO 999631

Sigfrid Karg-Elert (1877-1933) is certainly one of the most original musical minds of the first half of the century. Stylistically, he cannot be pigeonholed, or as a contemporary put it, "As it were improvisationally, he followed the conceit of the moment." Even the choice of his main instrument, the much-maligned harmonium, suggests non-conformism. In addition, he possessed the rare gift of self-irony, as evidenced by his words about being "stamped as a harmonium-only uncle."
His 33 Portraits op. 101 for this very harmonium must be a unique musical gallery through the centuries. From Requiem aeternam-alla Palestrina to Rameau, Handel, Bach (a veritable cantata), Mozart, Berlioz, Bruckner, Strauss (Johann and Richard) and everything that has rank and name in the history of music up to Scrjabin and Schönberg, we have here a unique panopticon of style copies before us, which is meant quite seriously and has nothing in common with the usual variations on... in the style of.... Smiling at such a stupendous ability to chameleon-like transformation in 33 cases is, however, permitted in our Vol. 4 (on 2 CDs) of Karg-Elert's harmonium works and is entirely in the composer's spirit. Johannes Matthias Michel is again our much praised interpreter on the Mustel Kunstharmonium.

Works:

•Karg-Elert: Einsames
• Karg-Elert: Graduale
• Karg-Elert: Portraits, Op. 101
• Karg-Elert: Renaissance, Op. 57
• Karg-Elert: Siciliennes
• Karg-Elert: Vogelein
• Karg-Elert: Zwei Expressionismen
• Karg-Elert: Zwei Miniaturen
• Karg-Elert: Zwei Sensibilismen

CD

24.11.2000

761203963126