Berio - Wasserklavier (Maria Ionel)
Romanian pianist Maria Ionel performs "Wasserklavier" by Luciano Berio (1925-2003). The recording was made live during the Klaipėda Piano Masters "88 Colors of the Sea" project at the Palanga Kurhaus. It included 25 piano miniatures based on the subject of the sea and water.
"Wasserklavier" (Water Piano) is the first of six short pieces written between 1965 and 1990, collected for publication as "Six Encores". Three of the other pieces are titled Erdenklavier (Earth Piano), Luftklavier (Air Piano), and Feuerklavier (Fire Piano). Water, as primordial element, selected from the four. The composer's indications at the beginning of the score are compelling. Teneramente e lontano (gently as from a distance), sempre legatissimo (always very legato), ppp sempre e lontano (always very softly and from a distance). The musical idiom is at once completely modern, yet nostalgic – echoing the intimacy of Brahms’ final piano works.
Maria Ionel (born 1993) is a Bucharest-based pianist, known for her interpretations of the 20th century music, particularly of Enescu, Ravel, and Debussy. After her graduation with the Masters degree of the National University of Music Bucharest (class of prof. Dana Borșan), she has been dedicating herself to teaching, as well as performing recital programmes in Romania and Austria.
Summer Piano Academy "Klaipėda Piano Masters"
Palanga Kurhaus, July 2023
Video production by Jonas Šopa
www.kpm.lt