Skip to content
Independent music since 1986.
Independent music since 1986.

Language

393: KATHARINA WEBER. In Márta’s Garden

Intakt Recording #393/ 2022

Katharina Weber: Piano

Recorded September 18, 19, 2022, at Hardstudios, Winterthur.

Original price CHF 12.00 - Original price CHF 30.00
Original price
CHF 30.00
CHF 12.00 - CHF 30.00
Current price CHF 30.00
Format: Compact Disc
More Info

Fred Frith describes the Swiss pianist Katharina Weber as a “piano icon”. The classically trained pianist and composer moves in the large world of today‘s music, where borders no longer exist and new music and jazz improvisation merge. 12 years after her celebrated solo CD Woven Time. In Márta‘s Garden is her second solo album. The musical framework is formed by two piano pieces by György Kurtág dedicated to Márta Kurtág and at the centre is his composition “... eine Wanderung mit Robert Walser ...”. The exchange with the Kurtágs, which has now lasted three decades, has left intensive traces in Katharina Weber‘s work - as a performer, as an improviser and as a composer. “Tall grass, gently moved by the summer wind. An image that is always changing, moving in detail, only seemingly monochromatic. Like György Kurtág, Katharina Weber creates her own sound cosmos. Full of shimmering, delicate flowers, buzzing bees. Inspired by intimate listening in meditative contemplation, not shying away from tonality, but emphasising colour, tonal tensions and overtones – at the same time an invitation and space for deeper listening, pondering, spinning forth,” writes Nina Polaschegg in the liner notes.

Album Credits

Cover art: Christiane Lenz
Graphic design: Jonas Schoder
Liner notes: Nina Polaschegg
Photo: Palma Fiacco

All Compositions by Katharina Weber (an und für…) except track 1 and 19 by György Kurtág (Játékok III, IX). Recorded by Michael Brändli at Werkstatt Gebrüder Bachmann in Wetzikon on April, 23 and 24 2022. Mixed by Michael Brändli, Katharina Weber and Anja Illmaier on June 29 2022 at Hardstudios in Winterthur. Produced and published by Intakt Records, P.O.Box. 8024 Zürich, Switzerland.

Customer Reviews

Based on 15 reviews
100%
(15)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
S
Scott Yanow
The New York City Jazz Record

Three recent releases feature veteran international pianists, one who is no longer with us and two others almost a generation apart. The one who has since passed happens to also be one of the all-time great jazz pianists: Frenchman Michel Petrucciani (1962-99) overcame a genetic disease (which greatly stunted his physical growth) and brittle bones to create rewarding music throughout his busy, if all-too-short life.

The Montreux Years (part of an extensive series that benefits the Claude Nobs Foundation) is a superb release consisting of previously unreleased performances by the pianist (from the Montreux Jazz Festivals of 1990, 1993, 1996 and 1998) and serves as a reminder of the major loss jazz suffered when Petrucciani died in 1999 at only 37 years of age. The pianist is heard in a variety of settings, starting with a real surprise: "35 Seconds of Music and More" features him with a boppish sextet (bassist Anthony Jackson, drummer Steve Gadd and three excellent horn players from France), an unusual setting for him. From the same date, performing in a trio with Jackson and Gadd, Petrucciani romps through the rhythm changes of "Little Peace in C for U", playing bebop at the highest level.

Two numbers (including a beautiful version of "Estate" that includes some stunning double time runs) have Petrucciani in a quartet with sweetening by Adam Holzman on synthesizer. There are three duets with bassist Miroslav Vitous: "Autumn Leaves", "So What" and a very effective uptempo version of "My Funny Valentine". A cooking "Summertime" has the pianist engaging in wondrous tradeoffs with organist Eddy Louiss. Petrucciani is also heard solo on "Take the 'A' Train" (which he takes apart) and a romantic version of his own "You Are My Waltz".

The other two releases are entirely solo efforts, starting with Mike Nock (who turns 83 this month). Nock left his native New Zealand to play music in Australia, and would spend 25 years based in New York, working with Yusef Lateef (1963-65) and leading the Fourth Way (1968-70). He has been back in Australia since 1985 and has at least 35 releases under his name, with Hearing being his first solo album in 30 years.

Performing 13 pieces (ten originals and three obscurities, including Bernie McGann's charming "Spirit Song"), Nock is in a consistently gentle mood, even when the performance is a free improvisation. Five of the selections are under two minutes in length, so he makes each moment count during this high-quality set of thoughtful and melodic mood music. Ranging from the playful "Conundrum" to a ballad for a fallen friend ("Vale John") to the attractively picturesque "Sunrise", Hearing serves as an excellent showcase for the pianist.

Swiss pianist Katharina Weber (65 this month) is an improviser and composer who additionally plays modern classical music. In Marta's Garden consists of brief sketches (only two of the 19 pieces exceed four minutes). It is the pianist's fourth album and second as a solo pianist for Intakt, and consists of 17 originals plus two by composer György Kurtág (with whom she studied in Hungary).

Weber's approach is closer to Ran Blake than to Cecil Taylor, in that she utilizes space and silence creatively, dramatically changing moods from piece to piece, which range from introspection or near-silence to moments of explosiveness. Her pieces are generally based on a single idea: variations on a phrase or, as on "Extemporale 1", something as simple as repeating one note. She often sounds as if she is thinking aloud at the piano, and her thoughts are never predictable, sometimes even jarring. In Marta's Garden will definitely keep listeners guessing.

For more info visit storyvillerecords.com, abc.net.au/abcmusic and intaktrec.ch

B
Ben Taffijn
Nieuwe Noten Blog

De komende tijd hier de nodige pianisten die het solo pad betreden, zowel binnen de jazz, als later binnen de hedendaags gecomponeerde muziek. Te beginnen met twee albums die de afgelopen maanden bij Intakt Records verschenen. Katharina Weber nam ‘In Márta’s Garden’ op en Marie Krüttli realiseerde ‘Transparence’.

De titel ‘In Márta’s Garden’ verwijst naar Márta Kurtág, de in 2019 overleden echtgenote van György Kurtág, maar ook zelf pianiste. Katharina Weber ontmoette het echtpaar dertig jaar geleden tijdens een masterclass. Een vriendschap ontstond die zijn sporen achter zou laten in het werk van Weber. De muziek van Weber heeft dan ook het één en ander gemeen met die van Kurtág. Allereerst zijn ook bij Weber de stukken kort, tot zeer kort, waardoor er negentien op dit album passen. Samengebalde energie ook hier en grote zeggingskracht en intensiteit met slechts weinig noten en vaak een ingenieus gebruik van stilte, bijvoorbeeld in ‘Für Márta Kurtág zum 90. Geburtstag’. Wat Weber ook gemeen heeft met Kurtág, aan wiens pianomuziek ik onlangs uitgebreid aandacht besteedde naar aanleiding van een festival in het Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ, is het puntige karakter en de vaak sterk repetitieve insteek. Iets dat we mooi terugvinden in de delen ‘Extemporale’. Overigens horen we in deze stukken ook mooi terug hoe Weber hedendaags gecomponeerd combineert met geïmproviseerd. Weber voegde ook twee stukken van Kurtág toe aan het album, het eerste en het laatste, beiden uit ‘Játékok’. Een prachtig hommage dit album.

https://www.nieuwenoten.nl/katharina-weber-in-martas-garden-marie-kruttli-transparence-cd-recensie/

// SCRAMBLED //