Draeseke: Piano Works

Featuring

Vladimir Aćimović
Felix Draeseke

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Critical Reception

After World War I, Draeseke's works suffered neglect, and efforts by his biographer Erich Roeder to associate him with Nazi-approved composers did not help his reputation.

Composer Biography

Draeseke relocated to Switzerland in 1862 to rethink his compositional techniques after suffering audience antipathy, and he taught piano and composed there for twelve years.

Composer's Artistic Vision

By the end of his first year at the Leipzig Conservatory, Draeseke decided that Richard Wagner, a prominent German composer, would be his guiding light.

Performer Biography

Pianist Vladimir Aćimović, born in 2002, was named the 'most promising young artist' in Serbia by the ArtLink Foundation and has won top prizes in several international piano competitions.

Composer Biography

Felix Draeseke's mother died a week after his birth, and he later sought medical advice for an ear infection that would lead to deafness.

Critical Reception

Draeseke's Germania Cantata premiere caused an uproar, earning him the title 'besonders gefährliche Bestie' ('the especially dangerous beast') from critics of the New German School.