Eisler - Two Piano Pieces

Two Pieces (Nos. 2 and 3) from the Piano Pieces Op. 3 (1923)

Hanns Eisler (1898-1962) "was a 'rather refractory fellow' - or in any case this is how he described himself when asked about his years as a student. Arnold Schönberg not only began teaching him free of charge in 1919 but also helped him financially, and for a time Eisler even lived in his teacher's home. Schönberg had the highest hopes in his pupil and amused himself more about Eisler's leftist political views. Various misunderstandings led to a break between the two, but throughout his life Eisler always had the greatest respect for his teacher, even after 1948, when he went to the German Democratic Republic, where, for his part, Schönberg was more a persona non grata than an esteemed or even noticed composer...

Hanns Eisler composed his Piano Pieces Op. 3 immediately after his period of instruction under Schönberg. In 1927 Theodor W. Adorno said of them: 'In them an eerily uncertain and ambivalent tone prevails; it does not employ any mediating espressivo, derived solely from the musical disposition at the same time encompassing it. The pieces delusively vacillate between rebellious trickery and steadfast tenderness; for the spiritual clarity of their state of knowledge, they have the grace of natural temperament.'"

Category:

Music

Tags:

• schoenberg
• berg
• webern

[cziffra1988]

Hexameron, thanks for the wonderful videos and, in particular, this selection from Hanns Eisler. I'm about to begin studies with a man who was the first ever to record the 3rd Eisler sonata (as well as other works) and will begin work on that particular sonata myself. Do you have any recordings of that or the other sonatas, or maybe more of Eisler's piano music? I don't normally make requests, but I am strongly interested in this music...

[Hexameron]

We share similar tastes. I, too, really like the Third Sonata and planned to upload it in the near future. I may even put up all of the piano sonatas anyway. Since you are intimately familiar with the Third Sonata, I will be interested to hear your observations once the video is up.

Thanks for your interest.

[herma57]

incredible pieces for young age, beats the hell out of Schoenberg,Opus 11; now I know why Schoenberg never recognized Eisler; he was too good; the First Sonata of Eisler is excellent as well;

[cziffra1988]

Awesome! I will be watching your channel intently (well, I always do--your uploads are always fantastic) for more Eisler. As it happens, I am not intimately familiar with the sonata yet. My studies with the pianist--Falko Steinbach, whose recording you might have--will not begin until this Fall, and as of now I have not begun to study the work yet myself. Though, my initial thoughts upon scanning through it are that it is nothing short of genius! As of yet, I have no one's recording of the piece

[3cplantin]

Very rich and moving pieces. Thank you so much for posting. I've played some of the songs with singers, which are also beautiful, but I've never heard these before. Are the scores in the public domain? Keep up the great work, Hex!