Dieter Zechlin

DIETER ZECHLIN
East German pianist (1926 - 2012)

Dieter Zechlin was one of East Germany's most important pianists. He was awarded the Art Prize of the GDR in 1959 and the National Prize of the GDR in 1961. Sadly, he is hardly known in the United States though he did travel Outside the Soviet bloc to western Europe and as far as Japan and Latin America to give concerts.

His Beethoven is often quite wonderful. He plays with a clarity that is rarely heard, particularly in the later sonatas, with excitement, and with élan. The way Beethoven might have played? In my opinion, certainly not. But marvelous nonetheless.

Dieter Zechlin's performances of Schubert and Brahms are along similar lines. While I normally prefer my Beethoven and Schubert played with a bit more intrusion on the part of the pianist, and my Brahms with greater angst and greater passion, I find his playing very satisfying.

Dieter Zechlin was a great supporter of his contemporaries, performing and recording their works. His first wife, Ruth, was herself a very gifted composer. I have only heard her music for orchestra but as she was married to Zechlin, I hope to to find something for piano to share with you.

I find the concerti by Kochan and Cilenšek to be a excellent music. Interestingly, the former by the younger composer is clearly a descendant of Shostakovich while the latter is much more modern. Even more interesting perhaps are the later Mendelssohn Variations by Kochan.

This link to the Zechlin Plays Schubert page will take you to a near comprehensive offering of this wonderful piano music. There are also several lovely examples of Dieter Zechlin accompanying soprano Elisabeth Ebert in Schubert songs.

Beethoven Piano Sonata 3 in C major, Op 2~3

recorded in 1968

i Allegro con brio

ii Adagio

iii Scherzo - Allegro

iv Allegro assai

Beethoven Piano Sonata 4 in E♭ major, Op 7

i Allegro Molto e con brio

ii Largo con gran espressione

iii Allegro

iv Rondo - Poco allegretto

Beethoven Piano Sonata 5 in C minor, Op 10~1

i Allegro molto e con brio
04:51 ii Adagio molto
12:45 iii Finale: Prestissimo

Beethoven Piano Sonata 8 in C minor, Op 13 "Pathétique"

Beethoven Piano Sonata 13 in E♭ major Quasi una fantasia, Op 27~1

i Andante. Allegro. Andante
ii Allegro molto e vivace.
iii Adagio con espressione
iv Allegro vivace

Beethoven Piano Sonata 14 in C♯ minor Quasi una fantasia, Op 27~2 "Moonlight"

i Adagio sostenuto

ii Allegretto
02:05 iii Presto agitato

Beethoven Piano Sonata 15 in D major, Op 28 "Pastoral"

recorded in 1969

i Allegro

ii Andante

iii Scherzo - Allegro vivace

iv Rondo - Allegro ma non troppo

Beethoven Piano Sonata 17 in D minor, Op 31~2 "The Tempest"

recorded ca1968

i Largo. Allegro

ii Adagio

iii Allegretto

Beethoven Piano Sonata 21 in C major, Op 53 "Waldstein"

recorded in 1969

i Allegro con brio

ii Introduzione - Adagio molto

iii Rondo - Allegretto moderato. Prestissimo

Beethoven Piano Sonata 23 in F minor, Op 57 "Appassionata"

i Allegro assai

ii Andante con moto
iii Allegro ma non troppo

Beethoven Piano Sonata 26 in E♭ major, Op 81a "Les Adieux"

i Das Lebewohl (Les Adieux) Adagio. Allegro
ii Abwesenheit (L'Absence) Andante espressivo
iii Das Wiedersehen (Le retour) Vivacissimamente

recorded in 1969

Beethoven Piano Sonata 32 in C minor, Op 111

i Maestoso. Allegro con brio ed appassionato
08:10 ii Arietta. Adagio molto semplice e cantabile

Beethoven Eleven New bagatelles, Op 119

1 Allegretto in G minor.
2 Andante con moto in C major
3 A l'Allemande in D major
4 Andante cantabile in A major
5 Risoluto in C minor
6 Andante. Allegretto in G major
7 Allegro, ma non troppo in C major
8 Moderato cantabile in C major
9 Vivace moderato in A minor
10 Allegramente in A major
11 Andante, ma non troppo in B♭ major

Beethoven Piano Concerto in E♭ major, Op 73 "Emperor"
Kurt Sanderling conducting the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig

i Allegro
ii Adagio un poco mosso
iii Rondo - Allegro

recorded in 1963

Brahms Scherzo in E♭ minor, Op 4

recorded ca1974

Brahms 2 Rhapsodies, Op 79

recorded in 1974

1 in B minor

2 in G minor

Brahms 4 Klavierstücke, Op 119

recorded in 1974

1 Intermezzo in B minor - Adagio

2 Intermezzo in E minor - Adagio

3 intermezzo in C major - Grazioso e giocoso

4 Rhapsodie in E♭ major - Allegro risoluto

Reger from Träume am Kamin, Op 143

I Larghetto

II Allegro grazioso

III Molto adagio

VII Molto sostenuto

X Vivace

Ernst Hermann Meyer (1905-1988)

Drei Klavierstücke

1 Klavierstück in D (1930)
03:28 ➢ 2 Klavierstück für Sylvia - Moderato (1970)
06:36 ➢ 3 Klavierstück für Sylvia - Andantino (1970)

Aus dem Tagebuch eines kleinen Mädchens (1946) - Neun Miniaturen für Klavier

09:19 ➢ 1 Der Tag beginnt Froehlich
2 Wir spielenauf der Strasse
3 Ein wenig traurig
4 Aus der Schule - nach Hause
5 Die Untergrundbahn
6 Ein frueher Verlust
7 Ungezogenes Kind
8 Eine alte geschichte, zur schlafenszeit erzaehlt
9 Geut Nacht