Pianist Martin Stadtfeld created this album, "Christmas Piano," after sharing musical Advent greetings on social media during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic.
Instruments
Martin Stadtfeld uses a clavichord, an instrument common in 17th and 18th-century domestic music, to achieve an "archaic aura" and a return to essentials, contrasting with typical Baroque Christmas sonorities.
Interpretation
Martin Stadtfeld's arrangements on this album include two pieces rarely heard in the German-speaking world: Gustav Holst's "In the Bleak Midwinter" and Pietro Yon's "Gesù bambino."
Recording & Production
The album features Martin Stadtfeld's brother, Stephan Stadtfeld, a trumpeter in the Berlin Konzerthaus Orchestra, as a guest artist on the Bach transcriptions.
Album & Artwork
This album aims to create a different Christmas atmosphere, being a "nostalgically coloured but thoughtful album" that contrasts with the "noisy joviality" of songs like "Jingle Bells."
Compositional Technique
Martin Stadtfeld's three pieces titled "Nachdenkerei" (Reflection) in his "Christmas Time" cycle use the same musical motif, each placed in a different setting, referencing Erich Kästner's children's book "Pünktchen und Anton."
Composer's Artistic Vision
Martin Stadtfeld's new cycle of piano pieces, "Christmas Time," reflects on his childhood Christmas celebrations, with titles like "Happy Time" and "Wish List."
