Norwegian pianist Christian Ihle Hadland releases his third solo album, providing imaginative readings of Haydn, Brahms, Borodin, Glinka and Schubert.
Lyricism
Christian Ihle Hadland is a true lyricist at the piano, extremely fine-tuned into the most sensitive nuances of the music he performs. Displaying an exceptional control of timbre and the most delicate and sensitive approach to the instrument imaginable, makes him a high-in-demand musician all over the world and a favourite both with audiences and music critics.
Sturm und Drang in Central-Europe and eastern melancholy
Ihle Hadland’s previous recordings of works by composers such as Chopin, Schumann, Grieg and Mozart, have rightfully received world-wide attention. On his third solo album the extraordinary pianist approaches the musical landscape of Central-Europe and Russia. The melancholy permeates throughout the title track, “Zhavoronok” (The Lark), by Mikhail Glinka – a re-working for piano the Balakirev did by a song Glinka wrote after his marriage stranded. The melancholy is no less evident in Brahms’ piano pieces or Haydn’s Sturm und Drang-characterized piano sonata – a lonesome swallow (or perhaps, lark) in minor amongst his many sonatas in the major key.
Christian Ihle Hadland
Christian Ihle Hadland (1983) is widely recognized as one of Norway’s most exciting pianists. Following his recital debut at the Norwegian Opera he was hailed in the Norwegian press as an artist who “shows himself as a unique musician whose artistry should be heard on the world´s concert stages.” Hadland was appointed BBC New Generation Artist in 2011 and has since worked regularly with all of the BBC orchestras as well as many UK orchestras such as the Ulster Orchestra, Halle Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Symphony, Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Manchester Camerata. Being a highly demanded solo artist and chamber musician, he has performed on several prestigious concert scenes and festivals, such as Wigmore Hall, Risør Chamber Music Festival, Schleswig Holstein Music Festival and Kissinger Sommer. He is also artistic director for Stavanger Internasjonal Chamber Music Fesitval. Christian released his debut album in 2010 for Simax Classics with works by Schumann and Chopin, and Mozart´s piano concertos nr. 21 and 22 together with the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra in 2013 – both to great critical acclaim. In 2015 he received the Norwegian Grammy for his recording of Grieg’s “Holberg Suite”.
