Interviews

To talk from the piano

Meeting the instinctive musician Sebastian Knauer

How would you react as a parent if your offspring, aged four, announces that he wishes to become a concert pianist, an idea that seems to be firmly fixed in his head? Sebastian Knauer’s parents reacted to this request with completely open minds and soon the young talent developed into a well-respected multi-facetted artist. The Hamburg-born pianist has a particular feeling for the music of the Viennese classics. This he has proved with his latest CD release with the world premier recording of Schubert’s ‘Sonata Oubliée’ in the Demus-Sölder-arrangement that appears alongside four Impromptus and the ‘Adagio and Rondo concertante’, arranged by himself for piano and string orchestra. Klassic.com editor Felix Hilse met with the North German local patriot in Stuttgart in southern Germany to talk about protégées, career-planning and the Hamburg Sports Club.

Mr Knauer, you are presenting yourself to fans of classical music with a brand new CD of Franz Schubert’s piano music. Why did you choose this particular composer?

Since early childhood I have played a lot of Schubert’s music. I have always been very fond of him and have developed a special affinity for him. This is by no means my first Schubert CD. For me he ranks amongst the most important composers. Of course it is taking a risk to offer yet another Schubert recording because one is forever immediately compared with the greatest and famous interpreters. However, the reaction from the media to my latest productions with works by Schubert and above all that of my audiences has told me that I have obviously something important to say.

What, in your opinion, places such importance, or, even more so, greater value, on Schubert’s music compared to that of his contemporaries?

I would not like to say that Schubert is better as, for instance, Beethoven. What truly fascinates me is the man Schubert. There is this young man, barely 31 years old, who had experienced throughout his short life nothing but bad luck, had no success, was often ill and yet, despite this extremely sad existence was able to write such a variety, such volume of the most divine music. This in itself simply fascinates me. A deciding factor for me is Schubert’s treatment of harmonies. He touches me deeply through his many and colourful changes in expression. There is hardly another composer who jumps so effortlessly from one key to another. Schubert’s music is simply divine. Maybe it helps a bit that a little Viennese blood flows through my veins. (He laughs)

Well now, how am I supposed to take that? Are you not a true ‘Hamburger’?

Oh yes, I am but my mother’s grandmother came from Vienna. On my father’s side we are nothing but ‘Hamburgian’.

Are you the only musician in your family?

I am the only professional musician but no one at home is unmusical. For a long time my father was in charge of the cultural programmes at the NDR (Norddeutscher Rundfunk) and before that he worked in the entertainment section of NDR2. For a while he was responsible for the NDR Symphony Orchestra. My mother used to play the piano and give lessons. At one stage she wanted to become a true professional pianist, however, her parents’ wish to learn ‘something respectable’ won. Because of her teaching there was always music in our family. They tell me that when I was a baby and there was piano music I used to scream terribly which could only mean that I either hated or loved the sound. It became quite obvious, however, that I was smitten. My mother also worked as critic for a press agency and she often took me along to operas, concerts, exhibitions etc. I am sure I slept through a lot of all this but I have always been surrounded by music. I declared quite early on, at the age of either three or four,: I want to become a pianist!

You mean to say you were absolutely sure? After all, this is rather an unusual wish for a small child…

Well, to start off everyone considered this to be just child’s talk. Later I received lessons and throughout that time I dreamt of becoming a performing musician. Nothing ever stood in my way. Of course there were periods during my school years when the enthusiasm for practice lessened. These phases are quite normal for a child. During my school years I played a lot of sport and was particularly active in playing field hockey. We were a very professional team and even made it to the German championships which meant making real efforts. I also studied other instruments. At school I played the violin and the oboe because it was desirable to play an orchestral instrument. As you see, my interests were varied but the piano commanded centre stage at all times. I never wanted to change that.

Your parents were at all times open to all their son’s plans?

Absolutely! I received much encouragement. I had lessons by someone else instead of by my mother. It was important to have someone outside as teacher, particularly when there is the danger that two stubborn minds might clash. That happens far more often within a family than outside. My parents made it possible for me to attend courses, go abroad, meet famous pianists and have private lessons. Thus I had their full support in the true sense of the word. Never was I pressurised. I was never told ‘you have to do that’ or ‘you should practice’. There may have been the odd reminder that I might have to do more if I wished to become truly professional; however, the final decision was left to me at all times.

When did it become obvious that not only did you have the desire to become a pianist but that you actually were sufficiently gifted? As we all know, the wish is not really enough…….

That happened quite early on, I should say when I was about six. At that stage I went to a truly professional piano teacher who taught something like professionalism for small children. When I was 11, I went to a professor at the music academy. There I reached a higher niveau quite quickly. It shows that both my parents took my vocation seriously right from the word go.

You made your stage debut at the age of 13, all too often regarded as infant prodigy. Was this term ever applied to you?

Yes, I have heard it said quite often. But I always say that a child prodigy is someone who has no need for effort, who can simply sit down and play. In that sense I am no ‘Wunderkind’ at all because all I do and know has been the result of very hard work. I was never able to listen, for instance, to Beethoven’s ‘Apassionata’ on the radio and to play it straight away from memory.

What actually did you play when you were 13?

A piano concerto by Haydn with full orchestra. At the beginning no Chopin concerto, but the Haydn was a challenging work, added to which I played it in the great hall in Hamburg. It was incredibly exciting and was lots of fun too. Otherwise I don’t think I would have stuck to it.

When one aspires to make an international career as soloist, do you consider it normal and a necessity to play at such an early age on a big stage?

Because the classical music scene is experiencing huge problems nowadays it has become fashionable to make a quick buck through spectacular young talent. One is continually on the lookout for something special, something extraordinary which at the same time means the fast-moving. That has become very obvious in the concert halls. Whenever Mrs Netrebko gives a performance, the halls are full to bursting. Or take for instance my colleague Lang Lang, who fills every seat in the concert halls. He, too, is a phenomenon and not a pianist who followed a normal path. He appeared like a rocket from virtually nowhere because of his unique technique. What he does with the piano keys is incredible. The question arises: how long can someone like that keep up the pace? Is this just a fashion, exploited to the full by a record company to make money? I consider it rather disquieting if nowadays young artists, no, one should say children of 9 or 10 years, perform at the piano in large concert halls or give a concert with famous conductors.

Do you consider this development as something of the here and now or did you experience similarities during your own musical education?

Those young ‘stars’ existed during my early years as well. Yevgeni Kissin, who is almost my age, was one of those very young talents too. However Kissin developed his own personality very quickly and has matured to become a highly regarded pianist, he is now a truly great artist. If, however, you consider all that stress that weighs heavily on a career child, I think that some harm is done. A youngster of 13 or 15 years who travels the world continuously with either parents or teacher is in my opinion unable to fundamentally experience daily life and to follow a normal path in his or her development.

Are you yourself conscious of any such shortcomings?

I had a very normal childhood and probably spent more time with friends instead of practising. However, today I am able to say that I feel confident in every situation that may confront me. I will never forget the day many years ago when my then teacher Philippe Entremont phoned me and asked: “will you be able to take over my place at the Concertgebouw Amsterdam for six nights in a row, playing Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue?” I agreed enthusiastically. It meant a step forward to perform in such a hallowed place with such a famous piece of music. When I walked down the stairs and stepped onto the stage for the first time I knew that I was ready to meet this challenge, not least because Entremont, who nevertheless conducted the concert, had slapped me on the shoulder with the words “you’ll do it”. …. By then he had got to know me well and was confident that I had learnt a lot. I had gathered much experience and had used each and every opportunity to play so that I would develop this special feeling to perform in front of an audience. After all, there on that stage you are pretty much alone. To withstand the pressure and to slowly build up my career piece by piece was the only way for me. Surprising challenges cannot throw me any longer.

Does a patient development of a career allow taking part in competitions? Without winning a prize it has become so very difficult to succeed nowadays in the business of concert giving.

Ah well, competitions are a sensitive topic. I have a close friend who, many, many years ago, won the Van Cliburn competition in the USA. This led to 200 concerts, strewn all over the world, within a space of two years. After that he was completely burnt out. Today he is not where he would wish to be in his development, where he should belong due to his great quality. He simply could not cope with all that stress. I have taken part in competitions, also on an international level, and cannot claim having won a noted prize such as the Chopin or Tchaikovsky competition. But then I never was the right type for such competitions. My teacher at the time agreed with me. He felt that I was more concerned with the music than with establishing a technical record. At these competitions it is expected that one plays a huge variety of repertoire within the shortest time and that means almost inhuman nervous stress. That just wasn’t my scene.

How did you manage to get engagements, how did you get a foot onto a stage?

I think it started on a small scale with a few prizes in youth competitions plus sponsored scholarships. Then a conductor took note of me and we joined forces in small concert series. I am very communicative, I simply went and introduced myself to people in the business, auditioned for them. Later an agency took over and my teachers gave me introductions. One thing led to another, all continuous but never on account of taking part in competitions.

Looking through your programmes it becomes apparent that you have a particular affection for the piano music of the classical period, especially Mozart and Schubert. With whom do you feel at home apart from these two?

I play a lot of Chopin, Brahms and Ravel – concertos as well as other genres. Liszt does not feature much in my list of musical priority but I love and play quite often music by Shostakovich and Prokofiev. I have a fairly broad repertoire in which Bach features as much as contemporaries or as American music. I don’t close my mind to anyone. Of course I have my favourite pieces and composers who give me the feeling that I can contribute something worthwhile. The Viennese classic school is an important part but Johannes Brahms too – maybe because I am a ‘Hamburger’. (he laughs)

When you were 28 there was an occasion when you played all the Mozart piano concertos, conducting them from the instrument. How did this come about?

That was pure coincidence. A promoter, together with two sponsors, had the idea to have all of Mozart’s concertos performed, all, that is all 27 big ones plus his early concertos plus the double concerto and all that in a space of two years in the form of a cycle. I met him and he asked me whether I could imagine being part of this project. I was indeed interested but only if I could perform all the works. It had at any rate been a dream of mine to perform all his concertos. To begin with he hesitated but it worked out in the end. An orchestra was formed with members of the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra and the orchestra of the Norddeutscher Rundfunk. There was no conductor, so I did it all myself. It worked well. But it was a huge amount of music that I had to learn within quite a short period of time. With hindsight it was a great challenge but also an enormous enrichment for me.

How do you see yourself stylistically when you perform works from this repertoire? Do you follow the romantic tradition or do you prefer to go along with the historically informed style of playing?

I would say that my approach is natural. The music is all-important to me. Someone once expressed this rather aptly: “There is not much idle chatter”. I play the music as it is and as it is meant to sound. I myself remain very much in the background. In my opinion Mozart’s music does not require much individual interpretation. Of course nowadays one is able to get detailed information about each binding , each use of pedal as well as the relevant choice of tempi with regard to their historical correctness. I admit that first of all I play from my gut. I let myself be guided by my musical feeling and my instinct and so far it seems to have worked. I am no defender of the purely historical performance practice; it would be too one-sided for me. Why play Bach without pedals? What would have happened if Bach and Mozart had had access to one of the exciting Steinway Grands? Maybe they would have made use of the instrument and written totally different melodies?

You touched on instrumentation. Do you vary your choice of instruments, depending on the repertoire? Do you divert to a Hammerklavier if the composition would allow such diversion from a historical point of view?

No, the Hammerklavier is of little interest to me. I have tried them and have played once on a Pleyel Grand. For me they lack in sound volume and range of colour. To be honest, I simply want only Steinway and the big ones at that. For instance, I am no lover of the Bösendorf sound although I know that there are great pianists who play them most beautifully, like Andras Schiff. However in my opinion Steinway stands head and shoulders above all of the instruments that are at our disposal.

For a number of years you have performed in joint projects with famous actresses like Gudrun Landgrebe and Hannelore Elsner. How did this rather unusual joint venture come about?

I always had the idea that word and music would be a good combination. Readings with music are by no means my own invention. It started when I wanted to have text as background of my programme entitled “A winter on Mallorca”. I remembered the famous stories by George Sand which I wanted to have adapted. In conjunction with these texts I was going to perform music that Chopin wrote during his stay on Mallorca. My record label Berlin classics liked this idea very much and when I was asked who I thought should read those texts, I did not hesitate: Hannelore Elsner. I really wanted to start right at the top, with this famous personality, her characteristic voice and her incredible charisma. We made contact and the first joint project was one of a whole series of programmes with which I now travel. In the meantime actors like Klaus Maria Brandauer, Friedrich von Thun and Martina Gedeck have become part of these series. I even receive requests by agencies who warmly recommend actors they represent. Audiences enjoy these programmes very much since there is better and above all deeper understanding of the music through the word and of the word through the music.

How much space remains for the artist Sebastian Knauer on the stage that he shares with such strong characters from the world of theatre?

A lot. No only because I have the lion share of the programme as two thirds are music and one third text. Of course a lot of listeners come because of a famous name from stage and screen. The entire programme, i.e. assembling the texts, choosing the music, in other words the entire concept is mine. It is a wonderful experience to hear members of the audience rave not only about the actors and the pianist but about the entire presentation, the symbiosis of concept andtransformation .

You spoke about the close connection between word and music. Do you work with singers on a regular basis, which obviously would be another dimension?

Yes, of course I work with singers too but not on a regular basis because I spend much of my time with chamber music. I have no fixed partner with whom I perform regularly in recitals. But it does happen from time to time. I was fortunate to perform together with Hermann Prey and I have accompanied Olaf Baer in parts of Die Winterreise. These are meetings and experiences that I would hate to have missed. It is possible that I like to work with singers because in some way they are very similar to actors. On the musical scene, however, I feel closer to chamber music instrumentalists.

In this genre you enjoy a close friendship with the violinist Daniel Hope…..

Quite so. When it comes to music we are like two peas in a pod, quite worryingly so. Although our partnership started in rather a bizarre fashion. I think it was 1990 when my telephone rang and it was Daniel Hope. He suggested a meeting for a rehearsal in order to get to know one another a bit. Maybe there was a chance for an evening of duos. When we met he was extremely well prepared and arrived with a whole heap of sheet music, some of it were very difficult sonatas that I had never played. Somehow it was not my best day and our playing left a lot to be desired. Neither of us had the feeling that in future we would simply have to perform together. He called me later to say that the concert was in fact not taking place. Until this day I do not know whether that was the actual truth or whether he wanted to let me down gently. (He laughs)

Some time later we bumped into each other at Hamburg airport – he lived in Hamburg at the time – and I asked him whether he would like to play piano trios with me. At that stage I was keen to form such a trio. He agreed spontaneously. We looked for a cellist and the whole thing took off almost from the start with great success in concerts and on tours. We used various instruments, right up to quintet. More and more duo projects developed; Daniel had become an international soloist, much in demand. Through our working together we developed a very close friendship. I was his best man at his wedding and he is godfather to my son. Thus we are bound closely on a personal level and when it comes to music we simply work on the same wave length.

Do you feel more at home by now with chamber music rather than with a recital?

No, definitely not. I enjoy both very much and have absolutely no preference. Of course sometimes it is easier to get a booking with an interesting duo programme if one’s name alone would not fill a big hall. But I do love recitals. You are very much left to your own devices and can prove that you in no way depend on another person. There are times when I would love to play more piano concertos but then there are other times when I would much prefer a recital. I enjoy everything I do and my career has made me multi-facetted and flexible. For instance, Thomas Hengelbrock has just asked me whether next July I could perform the Liebeslieder waltzes by Johannes Brahms with his Balthasar-Neumann-Choir. Something like that is simply marvellous and I look forward to it very much. Such programmes are only possible if I remain open to all kinds of music. In the coming year I will be on tour with the Staatskapelle Dresden and Fabio Luisi in Beethoven’s first piano concerto. This, too, is a wonderful opportunity that just happened.

When you look back who would you say were your most influential teachers and mentors?

There are a few important mentors in my life. In Hanover I studied with Karl-Heinz Kaemmerling. I think that everybody who wants to become a concert pianist should have spent time with him. I learnt a lot on the pianistic level because Kaemmerling is someone who, like none other, will provide you with the necessary know-how and will prepare you for the stage. At the same time he gave me the space to work with other pianists and artists. That led to many years with Philippe Entremont, still a great friend of mine, for whom I play on a regular basis. I have also had tuition by Andras Schiff, Alexis Weissenberg, Gyorgy Sandor and Christoph Eschenbach. These were short periods during which I advanced enormously. No doubt Gernot Kahl, my first teacher when I was a child, played an important role too because apart from the technical details he taught me the meaning of music. One might even say that he awakened my musicality. He used to say: “you must never just play fast or slow, loud or soft. You must make music, tell something from the piano”.

You feel very close the Northern Germany….

Indeed I do. I am a true local patriot. I travel much throughout the year but am always delighted to return to Hamburg. After all, that is where I lived, that is where my home has always been. Even after lengthy periods in Paris, Holland or England – Hamburg gives me a special feeling of home-coming. Naturally my heart beats for the HSV and every now and then I take my five years old son to their stadium. He gets totally euphoric.

Might he step into his father’s shoes and become a musician?

Well, he is only just five but thinks music is wonderful. I would never push him into my profession and should he wish to play an instrument I will be the last person to stop him. I can only recommend that parents let their children learn one instrument. It is wonderful training for the brain, particularly in the early years. Whether my son will become a pianist or something different is entirely up to him.

Finally, please tell me why I should make sure that I listen to your latest CD.

To my mind it is a rather beautifully made product, optically and musically. A number of saspects of this production are very important to me. For instance, you will find a sonata by Schubert that was totally unknown until 1978. The version of his “Sonate Oubliée” (D916B) is a true world premiere. For someone who loves to listen to Schubert this is doubtless an enrichment, one can say a new experience because he will listen to this composition for the first time. The “Adagio und Rondo concertante” (D487) is also a first in our recorded version for string orchestra and piano. I wrote the arrangement myself. Although this piece is generally known as a string quartet it has been proved through research into Schubert’s music that his concept had been an orchestral version. In this way it moves closer to the piano concerto, something that Schubert did not leave for posterity. For the four Impromptus I concentrated carefully on their sound, which means starting with the choice of venue and recording engineer all the way to selecting the instrument. This production is a further expansion of the repertoire and, with a view to its sound, worked well. All in all I think sufficient reason to listen to it.

The interview was conducted by Felix Hilse.

(klassik.com)

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