Pianist Luisa Imorde meticulously arranged the album's pieces, ensuring that a Schumann piece would end in the same key as the subsequent Widmann piece began, to create harmonic bridges.
Album & Artwork
The album combines Jörg Widmann's 'Zirkustänze' and Robert Schumann's 'Papillons' and 'Elf Humoresken' to create a unified experience, much like a circus performance.
Performer Biography
Luisa Imorde, the pianist on this album, began piano lessons at age three and has won numerous international piano competitions, including second prize at the 'José Roca' International Piano Competition.
Composition History
Jörg Widmann wrote his 'Zirkustänze' for pianist András Schiff, whom he dedicated his earlier, more complex 'Intermezzi' to, aiming for a more cheerful piece.
Compositional Technique
Jörg Widmann's 'Zirkustänze' incorporate musical references to various places and cultures, including Hungarian traits in 'Fanfaren', a homage to New York in 'Boogie-Woogie', and a significant 'Hebräische Melodie'.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Jörg Widmann, a contemporary composer, states that his piano music is unthinkable without the influence of Robert Schumann's piano writing.
Composer Biography
Jörg Widmann composed the 'Zirkustänze' as an exception to his rule of not writing anything else during the two years he was working on his opera 'Babylon'.
