Some pieces on this album, like the Sonatine by Theo Kreiten (Karlrobert's father), were specifically written for Karlrobert Kreiten.
Critical Reception
Claudio Arrau, a renowned pianist and Kreiten's former teacher, considered Karlrobert Kreiten one of the greatest piano talents he had ever met, believing he would have been among the greatest German pianists if not for his execution.
Performer Biography
Karlrobert Kreiten, the pianist on this album, was born in Bonn in 1916 and became known in 1933 after winning the Silver Badge of Honour at the Vienna International Piano Competition and the Mendelssohn Prize in Berlin.
Recording & Production
Many of these recordings were made by Alfred Hessel, a chemist and radio technician, in his 'Institut für Phonotechnik' in Düsseldorf, using rudimentary equipment.
Historical Context
Karlrobert Kreiten was executed by the Nazi regime in 1943 at the age of 27, after being denounced for calling Hitler a 'lunatic' and stating the war was lost.
Recording & Production
The recordings on this album include all currently known recordings of Karlrobert Kreiten, some of which were severely damaged and painstakingly restored from shattered phonograph records.
Recording & Production
The album includes four contemporary compositions by Thomas Blomenkamp, Philipp Lojak, Oskar Gottlieb Blarr, and Christian Banasik, contributed as homages to Karlrobert Kreiten.
