CD Feature/ Christiane Klonz: "Bach, Beethoven, Schubert, Liszt"

Five years are more than just a long time in showbusiness – in terms of the recording industry, in fact, there’s not much between them and eternity. So calling Christiane Klonz’ return to the recording studio (or, more precisely, to record stores) a comeback is somewhat of an understatement. Especially considering the fact that she’s celebrating the occasion in style, with at least five albums planned over the next months, and with a partner full of optimism and good spirits: As the first artist to sign to the fledgling claxl label of Andreas Keil, an imprint dedicated to young artists, debuts and fresh material, their combined efforts may well make 2007 her biggest year yet.

Klonz, after all, is a pianist who deserves to be heard outside of tribute concerts and off the stage, regardless of how important both may be. She has an intuitive understanding of how CDs can be programmed to keep the listener’s attention from beginning to end, something all too often forgotten within the “time is money” mentality of the genre. This matters, because it means that this record can not only be enjoyed in smaller portions, but in its entirety as well, despite drastic jumps in mood and time. Most importantly, still, her clear and precise style effectively contrasts with the not necessarily wrong, but regularly uninspired tendency to turn every touch of emotion into a whirlwind of the senses. Take Beethoven’s c sharp minor sonata, for example and its pervasive opening movement. By allowing the piece to flow calmly through waters of well-dosed sustain and by concentrating on the interplay between melody and harmony, rather than more fleeting factors such as “mood” or “sound”, Klonz brings it back to its roots and especially increases the coherence with the individual parts. That a composer like Bach should profit from this approach can hardly be called a surprise and her “English Suites” are full of breakneck tempi while retaining an analytical transparency with regards to the thematic lines. Astoundingly, however, it also works for her interpretation of a Franz Schubert impromptu, which she delivers with the freshness of a meadow after a rain storm and a contageous optimism.

The disc thereby effectively demonstrates that developping your own voice does not necessarily mean bending the pieces to extremes. In these versions, the artists’ personality is just as much present as the directions of the score, which might even make them stand out more. With “Romantische Werke” already available, the re-release of her backcatalogue is therefore completed and we can now witness the second phase of Christiane Klonz’ comeback – as a studio musician and a composer.

By Tobias Fischer

Homepage: Christiane Klonz