Scenes from Childhood (Kinderszenen), Op. 15: XIII. The Poet Speaks [Der Dichter spricht]

This is the fourth CD by Hando Nahkur, an Estonian pianist residing in the United States of America. His prior CDs are: Works by... (released in 2007), DeusExClavier (released in 2010) and O Holy Night (released in 2011).

“Hando Nahkur is one of the greatest surprises in the classical music scene” (Zeit-Online). That is what the German web journal wrote about Hando Nahkur after they selected his CD DeusExClavier among the three best classical CDs in the world in 2011. Nor have other reviewers spared superlatives when talking about Hando’s performances, comparing him with legendary pianists like Wilhelm Kempff and Martha Argerich (PianoNews, Germany).

Hando has won Top Prizes in different international piano competitions and received many prestigious awards, including the Golden Medal of Merit for promoting the Estonian cultural life and music in Canada, the Harold von Mickwitz Prize and first prize at the Algur H. Meadows International Piano Competition in the USA and the Diplomat of the Nation Certificate of Merit from the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Hando continues to give concerts, performing in Estonia, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland, Germany, Greece, Denmark, Belgium, Czech Republic, Costa Rica, Canada, Israel, Russia and the USA.

In this CD, Hando performs the works of R.Schumann, F.Liszt and V.Bellini, all of whom are very well known, plus the works of two composers who have become overlooked.

Homeland Melody is the best known work by Heino Eller (1887–1970), the pioneer of Estonian instrumental music. The string orchestra version of Homeland Melody is comparable in popularity with the song My Homeland, My Love, by Gustav Ernesaks, Estonia’s Father of Song. Both works are unofficial anthems of Estonian people and are often performed at festive occasions. The main peculiarity, the typical “ellerism” of Eller’s music lies in his deep perception of nature and nation. Eller is a subjective observer: his work, like the Estonian nature, lacks sharp contrasts, its unique character is derived from the composer’s personal impressions.

Adolph Schulz-Evler (1852–1905), a pianist and composer of Polish origin, is famous for one work – the concert arabesques on the theme of An der schönen blauen Donau (The Blue Danube). This work is a paraphrase of that most famous and memorable waltz composed by Johann Strauss Jr. in 1866. His Arabesques An der schönen blauen Donau (The Blue Danube) was published in 1900 and was received with great success. In 1904, a second edition was printed. The work is seldom performed, it’s one of the most difficult piano pieces in the world. Only a few renowned pianists, among them Josef Lhévinne, have recorded this piece.

The cover of Waltzing Mephisto by the Danube is a painting titled Digital Rhapsody by Mark Kostabi.