powder snow. Sleds. Snow. The phenomenon of snow fascinates young and old. In this collection of classical piano miniatures, the pianist Shoko Kuroe takes us to an enchanted winter landscape.
And not, as one might assume, with the now sometimes kitschy evergreens of Christmas literature, but with a varied, captivating program of carefully selected and excellently played pieces from different epochs of music history. Romantic works by Schumann and Tchaikovsky stand alongside contemporary pieces by Gubaidulina and Vasks. Non-European countries such as Australia and Japan are also represented.
So Shoko Kuroe takes us on an exciting journey through a winter that we all wish and dream of. With virtuosity, sensitivity and - with snow.
“The dramaturgy of their compilation is skilful and does not overtax the children's ability to concentrate and perseverance. Particularly appealing are the floating "Tropical Fish" by Akira Yuyama, well-known for his children's songs in Japan, and his homage to Japanese crystal sugar candies entitled "Confetti from Okashi-no-Sekai".
Helmut Peters, fonoforum 03/08
(via CD "Elise in Wonderland")
"Excellently performed by the pianist Shoko Kuroe, who lives in Hamburg,..."
Märkische Oderzeitung 14.10.2019
"Shoko Kuroe, a pianist born in Japan and living in Hamburg, intoned the "Moonlight Sonata", one of Beethoven's most popular piano works even during his lifetime, with the necessary affects - calm and solemn in the first movement, lively in the second, in order to create a highly dramatic finale - rapid, impetuous and immensely virtuosic."
Elbe-Jeetzel newspaper, October 1, 2019
01 Snowflakes Op. 57 no. 2
02 Sleighbells in the Snow
03 Sleigh with Little Bells
04 The First Snow Op. 11b no. 5
05 Sledge H. 167 no. 1
06 The Snow is Dancing
07 Footsteps in the Snow
08 The Snows of Fuji-Yama
09 Winter Storms Op. 12 no. 5
10 Winter Time I Op. 68 no. 38
11 Midwinter Op. 62. No. 3
12 Studies Op. 1 no. 12