1923 Yaara Tal

• Frederick Delius (1862 - 1934): Three Preludes, RT IX/8:
• 1 Delius: Three Preludes, RT IX/8: I. Scherzando 01:29
• 2 Delius: Three Preludes, RT IX/8: II. Quick 00:55
• 3 Delius: Three Preludes, RT IX/8: III. Con Molto 01:02
• Joseph Achron (1886 - 1943): Two Pieces, Op. 56:
• 4 Achron: Two Pieces, Op. 56: I. Chalom. Trasognato 04:17
• 5 Achron: Two Pieces, Op. 56: II. Birkat-Shalom. Allegro affabile 04:17
• Ernest Bloch (1880 - 1959): Nirvana, B. 52:
• 6 Bloch: Nirvana, B. 52 07:11
• Josef Matthias Hauer (1883 - 1959): Deine Wellen umspielten mich, Op. 25, No. 1:
• 7 Hauer: Deine Wellen umspielten mich, Op. 25, No. 1 00:40
• Lächelnd über Silberwolken neigte sich segnend herab der Äther, Op. 25, No. 5:
• 8 Hauer: Lächelnd über Silberwolken neigte sich segnend herab der Äther, Op. 25, No. 5 01:48
• Wohl gehn Frühlinge fort, ein Jahr verdrängt das andre, Op. 25, No. 6:
• 9 Hauer: Wohl gehn Frühlinge fort, ein Jahr verdrängt das andre, Op. 25, No. 6 00:33
• In seiner Fülle ruhet der Herbsttag nun, Op. 25, No. 7:
• 10 Hauer: In seiner Fülle ruhet der Herbsttag nun, Op. 25, No. 7 01:29
• Die Schwärmerische, die Nacht, kommt voll mit Sternen, Op. 25, No. 11:
• 11 Hauer: Die Schwärmerische, die Nacht, kommt voll mit Sternen, Op. 25, No. 11 00:49
• Verloren ins weite Blau, Op. 25, No. 13:
• 12 Hauer: Verloren ins weite Blau, Op. 25, No. 13 02:36
• Aber schwer in das Tal hing die gigantische, schicksalskundige Burg, Op. 25, No. 14:
• 13 Hauer: Aber schwer in das Tal hing die gigantische, schicksalskundige Burg, Op. 25, No. 14 01:09
• Beweglicher eilt schon die wache Quelle, Op. 25, No. 15:
• 14 Hauer: Beweglicher eilt schon die wache Quelle, Op. 25, No. 15 00:27
• Arnold Schönberg (1874 - 1951): Fünf Klavierstücke, Op. 23:
• 15 Schönberg: Fünf Klavierstücke, Op. 23: V. Walzer 02:53
• Hanns Eisler (1898 - 1962): Piano Sonata No. 2, Op. 6:
• 16 Eisler: Piano Sonata No. 2, Op. 6 09:25
• Fritz Heinrich Klein (1892 - 1977): Die Maschine, Op. 1 (Version for Piano Four Hands):
• 17 Klein: Die Maschine, Op. 1 (Version for Piano Four Hands) 10:33
• Leos Janácek (1854 - 1928): Malostranský palác:
• 18 Janácek: Malostranský palác 01:27
• Melodie:
• 19 Janácek: Melodie 00:32
• Jen Slepy osud?:
• 20 Janácek: Jen Slepy osud? 01:01
• Frederic Mompou (1893 - 1987): Dialogues:
• 21 Mompou: Dialogues: I. Plaintif - sans espoir - expliquez - questionez - répondez - plus suppliant - plus decidez - hésitez 02:33
• 22 Mompou: Dialogues: II. Modéré - expliquez - suppliant - exaltez vous - donnez des excuses - dans la pensée - avec confiance 02:25
• Alexandre Tansman (1897 - 1986): Quatre danses miniatures:
• 23 Tansman: Quatre danses miniatures: I. Gavotte 00:48
• 24 Tansman: Quatre danses miniatures: II. Menuet 00:49
• 25 Tansman: Quatre danses miniatures: III. Mazurka à la Chopin 02:33
• 26 Tansman: Quatre danses miniatures: IV. Petite Marche 00:50
• Emile Jaques-Dalcroze (1865 - 1950): 3 Entrées dansantes:
• 27 Jaques-Dalcroze: 3 Entrées dansantes: I. L'ingénue. Ingenuo e danzante 01:43
• 28 Jaques-Dalcroze: 3 Entrées dansantes: II. L'oncle Tom (Ragtime) Allegretto giocoso ma lordo 02:07
• 29 Jaques-Dalcroze: 3 Entrées dansantes: III. Le Fox-trot angoissé. Moderato e doloroso 02:38
• Total Runtime 01:10:59

Info for 1923

The musical year 1923 is a cosmos of impressive complexity. In Vienna, Arnold Schönberg completes his first twelve-tone works; in cosmopolitan Paris, musical neoclassicism is celebrated; throughout Europe, composers are enthusiastic about American fashion dances; and in Berlin, at the height of the political and economic crisis, the age of German radio begins with the first Funkstunden broadcast.

In her new album 1923, which the pianist Yaara Tal recorded for Sony Classical, she undertakes an unusual journey through time to this year of extremes. Based on extensive research, she has compiled a very personal selection of works that brings the richness of piano music of that time to life in a fascinating way: the diversity of currents, the coexistence of different styles, but also the obvious or hidden connections between different works and their creators.

Among the special trouvailles of this recording are certainly the miniatures by Joseph Matthias Hauer based on words by Hölderlin, which reproduce scenic episodes on the theme of man-nature in sound, as well as Nirvana by Ernest Bloch, a kind of modern ballad from the spiritual beyond.

"Die Maschine" by Heautontimorumenus alias Fritz Heinrich Klein, an "extonal self-satire" is probably the most humorous composition on this album. Here Andreas Groethuysen joins his long-time piano duo partner to sketch a world that depicts the relation between the human and the machine.

Unique in their distinctive musical language are the fragments of Leoš Janáček, which depict a mirror of the human soul, and the delicate little dance fantasies of Alexandre Tansman.

Yaara Tal was inspired to undertake this project by the musicologist Tobias Bleek. He published the book Im Taumel der Zwanziger. 1923: Music in a Year of Extremes (J. B. Metzler Verlag) and wrote the booklet for Tal's new album. "It was only while researching compositions from that year that I realised and became aware of how multi-faceted and fascinating the repertoire for piano from that period is," the pianist reports in retrospect. "Likewise, I was surprised to discover that my personal musical biography is closely interwoven with some of these works written in 1923, I already played Joseph Achron's Dream or the 3 Dance Movements by Émile Jaques-Dalcroze as a child, for example."

Yaara Tal, piano
Andreas Groethuysen, piano 4-hands

Yaara Tal & Andreas Groethuysen


The Israeli pianist Yaara Tal and her German partner Andreas Groethuysen are one of the world ́s leading piano duos of our time.

Besides an unsurpassed homogenity and spontanity in their playing, the duo displays great creativity which feature unjustly neglected musical treasures in addition to the standard repertoire.

The exclusive cooperation with the record company SONY CLASSICAL makes up an important part of their international success: The Duo Tal & Groethuysen has released about 40 CDs of piano music for two pianists whereas many of them are world première recordings e.g. of pieces by Carl Czerny, Reinhard Febel, Theodore Gouvy, Charles Koechlin, Richard Wagner etc, which have brought them great acclaim from critics and the public alike.

Their CDs have won the coveted “Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik” ten times, while the German Phono Academy has awarded its “Echo Klassik”-Prize to five of their recordings, including the complete recordings of Schubert ́s music for four hands and the complete Mozart piano duos. Other awards from outside Germany, such as the “Cannes Classical Award“,“Editor's Choice“ by Gramophone and the “Supersonic Award“ reflect their high international reputation.

The latest recording "COLORS" (Sony Classical) including orchesteral works by Debussy and Strauss in transcriptions for two pianos will be released in Summer 2017.

Booklet for 1923