Michael Gees
Beyond Schumann
- Type SACD hybrid
- Label Challenge Classics
- UPC 0608917259728
- Catalog number CC 72597
- Release date 08 July 2013
About the album
Beyond Schumann is the second solo album of Michael Gees. He thinks of a composition as a living creature. Something very unusual in classical music, where everything that is written down has become holy and sacred, not to be touched or changed at all. However, Gees does that with the utmost respect for the compositions. In his new album Beyond Schumann, Gees goes beyond the work of Schumann and gives us a new and fresh way of looking at them. This new album (SACD) will be released on May 8th during a concert in Maasmechelen (Belgium).
In Schumann's day and age improvisation on original compositions the norm. Embellishments were not always written down in detail. These days, jazz music is usually improvisational, but this is normally inappropriate in classical music. Michael Gees does not agree and does it his way, without disrespecting the original compositions. He chooses music he loves dearly, starts playing and sees what happens. The musical ideas that started with Schumann now, transform through Michael Gees' hands on the piano. They are improvised on and feel totally new and refreshed. Gees is a real pioneer in this field and he dares to take this up, this big taboo in classical music. We say praise to him for doing so. After his first solo project called 'ImproviSatie'- with improvisations on works by Satie - Gees now picks up works by Schumann and goes beyond this famous composer and gives us a new way of looking at them.
Michael Gees is a acclaimed pianist and composer/improviser. He is very well-known for his duo-partnership with Christoph Prégardien. Together they were rewarded with the MIDEM Vocal Award 2009, the MIDEM Record of the Year Award 2009, and a Supersonic Award by the Luxembourgian Pizzicato Magazine for Die Schöne Müllerin of Franz Schubert on Challenge Classics.
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11Sinfonische Etüden Op. 13 Thème - Andante
01:00 -
12Sinfonische Etüden Op. 13 Etude I (Variation 1) - Un poco più vivo
01:34 -
13Sinfonische Etüden Op. 13 Etude II (Variation 2) - Andante
04:00 -
14Sinfonische Etüden Op. 13 Etude III - Vivace
01:49 -
15Sinfonische Etüden Op. 13 Etude IV (Variation 3) - Allegro marcato
01:24 -
16Sinfonische Etüden Op. 13 Etude V (Variation 4) - Scherzando
01:36 -
17Sinfonische Etüden Op. 13 Etude VI (Variation 5) - Agitato
01:31 -
18Sinfonische Etüden Op. 13 Etude VII (Variation 6) - Allegro molto
01:27 -
19Sinfonische Etüden Op. 13 Etude VIII (Variation 7) - Sempre marcatissimo
02:11 -
110Sinfonische Etüden Op. 13 Etude IX - Presto possibile
02:24 -
111Sinfonische Etüden Op. 13 Etude X (Variation 8) - Allegro con energia
03:05 -
112Sinfonische Etüden Op. 13 Etude XI (Variation 9) - Andante espressivo
02:04 -
113Sinfonische Etüden Op. 13 Etude XII (Finale) - Allegro brillante
08:00 -
114Kinderszenen Op. 15 Von fremden Ländern und Menschen
01:35 -
115Kinderszenen Op. 15 Kuriose Geschichte
01:19 -
116Kinderszenen Op. 15 Hasche-Mann
01:29 -
117Kinderszenen Op. 15 Bittendes Kind
01:45 -
118Kinderszenen Op. 15 Glückes genug
01:50 -
119Kinderszenen Op. 15 Wichtige Begebenheit
01:02 -
120Kinderszenen Op. 15 Träumerei
02:28 -
121Kinderszenen Op. 15 Am Kamin
01:22 -
122Kinderszenen Op. 15 Ritter vom Steckenpferd
01:54 -
123Kinderszenen Op. 15 Fast zu ernst
02:09 -
124Kinderszenen Op. 15 Fürchtenmachen
02:10 -
125Kinderszenen Op. 15 Kind im Einschlummern
02:37 -
126Kinderszenen Op. 15 Der Dichter spricht
02:14 -
21Kreisleriana Op. 16 Äußerst bewegt, D minor
03:14 -
22Kreisleriana Op. 16 Sehr innig und nicht zu rasch, B-flat major
07:12 -
23Kreisleriana Op. 16 Sehr aufgeregt, G minor
03:09 -
24Kreisleriana Op. 16 Sehr langsam, B-flat major/D minor
03:22 -
25Kreisleriana Op. 16 Sehr lebhaft, G minor
04:06 -
26Kreisleriana Op. 16 Sehr langsam, B-flat major
03:29 -
27Kreisleriana Op. 16 Sehr rasch, C minor/E-flat major
02:22 -
28Kreisleriana Op. 16 Schnell und spielend, G minor
04:20 -
29Waldszenen Op. 82 Vogel als Prophet
09:30
A grammy nomination for Winterreise by Prégardien & Gees!
10-12-2013
We are proud to announce that the outstanding recording of Winterreise by Christoph Prégardien and Michael Gees was nominated for the 56th Grammy Award for Best Classical Vocal Solo!
You can watch the trailer by clicking on this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-7BLF0uKJ4
Winterreise
Prégardien and Gees have performed Winterreise numerous times together and Prégardien has released Winterreise before with Andreas Staier on fortepiano in 1996. The release won multiple awards. Nonetheless, this new release of Winterreise adds in many ways to this former release. Prégardien’s ...