Paolo Zanzu – Grand piano by Steinway, New York, c. 1864

Kreisleriana
The musical sufferings of Kapellmeister Johannes Kreisler

ETA Hoffman (1776-1822)
Sonata in F minor WV27 (around 1805)

Robert Schumann (1810-1856)
Kreisleriana op.16 (Early version, 1838)
I. Äusserst bewegt
II. Sehr innig und nicht zu rasch
III. Sehr aufgeregt 
IV. Sehr langsam 
V. Sehr lebhaft 
VI. Sehr langsam
VII. Sehr rasch
VIII. Schnell und spielend 

Created by the German novelist ETA Hoffmann in early 19th century, the character of Johannes Kreisler was inspired by the musician Ludwig Böhner, a child prodigy who became a virtuoso composer and a rival of Beethoven.

Schumann, deeply influenced by Hoffmann’s writings and an admirer of Böhner, transformed Kreisler’s turbulent inner world into music in his Kreisleriana. This programme explores Kreisler’s character through works by Schumann and Hoffmann himself.

After his studies in Italy, at the Paris Conservatoire (CNSM), and at the Royal Academy of Music in London, with, among others, Orio Buccellato, Noëlle Spieth, Christophe Rousset, Carole Cerasi and Patrick Cohen, Paolo Zanzu was a prizewinner at the Bruges International Harpsichord Competition in 2010. Since then his career as a harpsichord and fortepiano soloist has taken him to major international venues (BBC Proms, Utrecht Early Music Festival, Cartagena International Music Festival, Festival de La Chaise-Dieu, Festival de Radio France Occitanie Montpellier).