J.P.E. Hartmann: Piano Works, Vol. 6

Review: FonoForum 2025-03 Review: MusicWebInternational J.P.E. Hartmann Two Rondeaux Brilliants, opus 6 1. A major: Allegro grazioso 2. E flat major: Allegro vivo Six Pieces in Song Form, opus 37 3. E flat major: Allegro agitato grazioso – sostenuto 4. F major: Moderato con passione 5. C minor: Allegro assai 6. B flat major: Allegro moderato vigoroso 7. A minor: Allegretto quasi andantino 8. C sharp minor: “Antiphone” Allegro agitato 9. “Two Impressions” in A flat major and F minor: Moderato grazioso 10. “March” in F major 11. “Remembrances from Hauser Square 1844” in F major: Allegro moderato 12. “Album Leaf” in F minor: Andante sostenuto 13. “Album Leaf” in G major: Allegretto 14. “In an Album Leaf” in D minor 15. “Album Leaf” in A minor: Andante sostenuto Sonata in A minor, opus 80 16. Andantino con moto – Allegro moderato, con passione 17. Poco andante 18. Allegretto pastorale 19. Allegro marcato, ma non troppo 20. Piano Piece in B flat major: Andantino 21. Piano Piece in C minor 22. Slow minuet in C minor 23. Theme with 14 Variations for Hartmann in C major 24. Piano Pieces for Hartmann in C major 25. Impromptu-Waltz for Clara and Emma Hartmann in F major 26. “Evening Mood” in B major: Poco andante Sonata in A minor, opus 80 © This final CD in the series “Hartmann’s piano music” is dominated by what is definitely his most outstanding work for the instrument: the great Piano Sonata in A minor, Op. 80. It was published in connection with the composer’s 80th birthday in 1885, and the title page describes it as piano sonata no. 2, since Hartmann only officially acknowledged “The Prize Sonata” in D minor Op. 34 and Op. 80 to be his piano sonatas. The two sonatas’ genesis could not be more different, since Op. 34 was written in less than two months, because the competition to which it was submitted had a deadline which had to be met. It does not seem to have caused the composer any misgivings. However, Op. 80 was begun 9 years before it was published and occupied the composer’s thoughts most of the time. There were many sketches and alterations during this process. In 1876 Hartmann wrote the date of completion of the first two movements, which were in G minor and E-flat major respectively. But apart from the fundamental idea, these initial sketches have little in common with the movements as they appeared in the publication, where they are in A minor and F major. They had been considerably expanded, and in the fair copy Hartmann pencilled in additions at several places as a kind of indication of mood. On the basis of these one may perhaps assume that the first movement can be seen as “Despondency and Passion”, the second as “Rumination”, the third as “Diversion” and finally the fourth as “Feelings about a Breakthrough”. These indications are neither included in the publication nor suggested at the beginning of the movements, so the sonata was hardly conceived as programme music. If anything, Hartmann probably regarded the additions as reminders for his own benefit. But these are not the only indications we find, several of them were crossed out and altered during the process of composition, and the second movement also exists in at least three versions, while the short third movement seems to have been the only one to have been written without labour pains. The sonata is indisputably one of the particularly outstanding works in Danish piano literature, even though it is practically speaking never played. The outer movements are of symphonic complexity and technically challenging for the performer. RELEASE DATE: December 2024 CATALOGUE NUMBER: DACOCD 978 EAN: 5709499978009 Download BOOKLET (PDF) Related