News

New Management for Germany

Artists’ management Concerto Winterstein took over as Sebastian Knauer’s agent in Germany at the beginning of the current 2009/2010 season.
More under Contact.

New CD ‘Pure Mendelssohn’ on Berlin Classics label

Sebastian Knauer paid his personal homage to Felix Mendelssohn on the composer’s 200th birthday.
On his new CD he combined a selection of ‘Songs without Words’ with the famous Variatons Sérieuses and the Rondo Capricioso; additionally this CD includes a number of world premier recordings of songs which had come to light only a short time ago. Whilst there had been great acclaim by the press for Sebastian Knauer’s previous CD with works by Schubert, the Mendelssohn recording exceeded even the enthusiasm shown by the media on that occasion.

“Sebastian Knauer sings these songs magically – say no more!... Heart catching... this is a distinguished contribution to Mendelssohn’s 200th anniversary celebrations.”
(Gramophone Magazine – Editor’s choice March 2009)

“A convincing plea for Mendelssohn.”
(Stuttgarter Zeitung)

“His interpretations, which never descend to the shallow or the expressionless, captivate with their lightness, poetry and warmth.”
(Pizzicato Magazin)

“Superb.”
(RBB Berlin/Kulturradio)

“Mendelssohn shines on this outstanding CD.”
(NDR Kultur)

“CD of the day on 3 February 2009, Felix Mendelssohn’s 200th birthday.”
(Radio Stephansdom/Vienna)

“Admirable and exciting! Mendelssohn would surely have been extremely pleased with Sebastian Knauer’s interpretation.”
(Hessischer Rundfunk/HR2 CD Tip)

“His interpretation and immense power of expression are moving. A listening experience not to be missed.”
(Piano New)

“Unbelievable richness of tone and fascinating lightness.”
(Koelner Stadtanzeiger)

“A pleasantly transparent sound, breathing rubati, sensitive use of pedal, sensitive and emphatic in the Andante, an expert and energetic attack in the Presto – hat off!”
(Rondo Magazin)

“A particularly valuable present on Mendelssohn’s 200th birthday. Highly recommended.”
(Crescendo)

“Poetic and beautiful phrasing.”
(Musik und Theater)

“He opens our ears with vocal warmth and admirably controlled intensification.”
(Fono Forum)

“Concentrated hanseatic power at the piano.”
(Hamburger Abendblatt)

“Mendelssohn of the highest standard.”
(WDR 3 Tonart)

More information on all CDs under Discography.

Sebastian Knauer devises concert cycle ‘Haydn Pure’ for the Bamberger Symphoniker and plays Haydn piano concerti on four evenings

Sebastian Knauer devised the cycle ‘Haydn Pure’ for the summer evenings of 2009 in Bamberg in memory of the 200th anniversary of the composer’s death. The whole range and diversity, from piano sonata to chamber music arrangement to piano concerto, were demonstrated in four concerts.
Sebastian Knauer’s programme consists of 16 works by the famous and the unknown Haydn; he combined works such as the Cassations and Divertimenti Hob:II, which are hardly ever performed in concert these days, with, for example, the ‘Emperor Quartet’ or the famous Piano Concerto Hob XVIII:11.
Apart from piano sonatas and piano trios Sebastian Knauer, who acted as presenter throughout all the concerts, played five piano concerti with the Bamberger Symphoniker and conducted from the piano.
Audiences and press alike welcomed the series enthusiastically and gratefully, and the ‘Fränkischer Tag’ wrote in conclusion:
“Haydn would undoubtedly have liked this homage to the 200th anniversary of his death, a good result. Audiences and musicians enjoyed themselves greatly! In his fantastic interpretations passion and richness in contrast mattered to both Knauer and the Symphoniker, always in lively harmony and total agreement.”

Sebastian Knauer performs Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 1 with the Staatskapelle Dresden conducted by Fabio Luisi in Hamburg and Cologne

“Knauer is a musician whose interpretations are of precise phrasing and true to the original work. We take our hat off to his precision and the absence of any desire for self-promotion.”
(Die Welt)

“Sebastian Knauer – a down-to-earth classics star.”
(Hamburger Morgenpost)

“Many of his admirers maintain that Sebastian Knauer’s particular style is recognisable after only a few bars, such is the magic of his Cantabile, the depth of expression and virtuosity of his playing, so often like the unleashing of a storm. Undoubtedly the freshness of Beethoven’s concerto in C major particularly appeals to him.”
(Concerti Magazin Hamburg)

“In the first half Sebastian Knauer shone with Beethoven’s first piano concerto. Tempo, beat and an acknowledged virtuosity of the sparkling non-legato in the corner movements and a fulfilled stillness in the piano in the Largo.”
(Kölner Stadtanzeiger)

“Sebastian Knauer gave a sensitive interpretation of Beethoven’s first piano concerto. He shaped the music organically right into the cadenzas. His touch is as soft as it is robust…”
(Kölner Rundschau)

“His touch is strikingly masculine and refreshingly energetic.”
(Bonner Generalanzeiger)

New Word Music Programme with Klaus Maria Brandauer

Sebastian Knauer has recently included another project in his long-standing and successful Word Music conceptions. Together with the Oscar-nominated, outstanding actor Klaus Maria Brandauer he performs the programme ‘A Pilgrimage to Beethoven’. The ‘pilgrimage’ tells the fictitious story of the musician Richard Wagner, a Beethoven fan, who embarks on a ‘pilgrimage’ to the ‘genius’ in Vienna. The still young Wagner travels to Vienna to take lessons from Beethoven. For Wagner, in great awe of the long-departed master, the journey turns into a veritable pilgrimage. An entertaining, fantastic and witty story, which gives an interesting insight into a composer whom one would not have credited with that much humour – combined with piano sonatas by Beethoven.
More information on all Word Music programmes under Projects.

Joint Performance with the percussionist of ‘The Police’, Stewart Copeland, and Daniel Hope at the Savannah Music Festival (USA)

A meeting of a special kind happened in 2008 within the framework of the Savannah Music Festivals. Stewart Copeland (‘The Police’), having been commissioned by the Festival to compose a piece of music, wrote ‘Celeste’ for percussion, violin and piano. The piece had its world premier at Copeland’s gigantic live performance in the Trustees Theater in Savannah, and together with his friend and duo partner Daniel Hope, Sebastian Knauer experienced a celebrated performance at the side of the rock star. Unforgettable!!!

Three concert tours to Japan within 12 months

Since his debut in Japan in May 2008, where he gave highly acclaimed performances within the framework of a recital tour in, among others, Tokyo, Nagano, Nagoya and Hamamatsu, Sebastian Knauer again travelled to Tokyo shortly afterwards for a concert in the Toppan Hall and then in May 2009 undertook another solo recital tour. This time his performances took him to Hiroshima, Kagoshima, Kumamoto and Nagano.
The next solo tour is planned for the autumn of 2010.

Extended Tour of the USA planned for February 2011.

A tour lasting approximately four weeks is planned for the beginning of the year 2011. Sebastian Knauer will be travelling to North America as soloist in, among others, the Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 2, with Philippe Entremont conducting the Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie. The tour will be managed by Columbia Artists Management.

New CD from Berlin Classics with the world’s first recording of Schubert’s “Sonate Oubliée”

Sebastian Knauer’s latest recording of works by Franz Schubert has received the highest international praise. Apart from the well-known 4 Impromptus D935, Op. 142, this CD also contains the world’s first recording of the “Sonate Oubliée” D 916B, a combination of hitherto unpublished movements from 1827.

Only discovered in 1978, these piano pieces were skilfully joined together by Jörg Demus and Roland Sölder to form a convincing and complete sonata, thereby reviving another work by Schubert from the final year of his life.
A further work on this CD is the Adagio and Rondo Concertante D487, originally conceived for piano quartet, here, however, presented in Sebastian Knauer’s own version for piano and string orchestra.

The press has heaped the highest praise on this new recording:

„Poise and discipline from a pianist we must hear more from.”

(Gramophone Magazine)

“Absolutely worth listening to”

(Hessischer Rundfunk – CD Tip)

“He achieves great things”

(WDR 3)

“A pianist deeply immersed in Schubert”

(NDR Kultur)

“Superb touch and highly musical”

(Kölner Stadtanzeiger)

“Schubert in mature form”

(N – TV)

„A glittering raw diamond“

(Rondo Magazin)

“The pianist Sebastian Knauer in excellent form”

(Klassik.com)

“CD of the double month!”

(Piano News)

" Supersonic 2007 Award"

(Pizzicato Magazine Luxembourg)

For more information about all CD recordings click on discography.

Haydn Piano Concertos with the Cologne Chamber Orchestra under Helmut Müller Brühl on the Naxos label

Shortly after his great success with his Schubert recording, Sebastian Knauer again received much praise from the press, this time for his recording of four Haydn piano concertos.
Far too rarely performed, these concerts deserve much more attention than they have received in the past, and Sebastian Knauer has made a huge contribution towards it, by acting as a herald, as it were, for the coming Haydn year in 2009.

„He makes the slow movements sing most beautifully“

(Kölner Stadtanzeiger)

“Beautifully sounding and highly differentiated interpretation”

(Klassik.com)

“A masterly re-creation”

(Rondo Magazin)

“Cheerfulness that is catching”

(Bild am Sonntag)

“Steeped deeply in Haydn’s world”

(RBB Kulturradio)

“Convincing synthesis of light touch and solid sound”

(Fono Forum)

New Agencies for France, Austria and Spain

With the start of the 2007/2008 season three big artists’ agencies have taken on the management of Sebastian Knauer for France, Austria and Spain respectively.

With immediate effect the Künstleragentur Raab & Böhm is responsible for Austria and the Musica Glotz Artists Management for France and Monaco. The first joint project with Musica Glotz will be an engagement with the Orchestre National de France under

Kurt Masur in 08/09.

Pere Porta Concerts of Barcelona represents Sebastian Knauer in Spain.

For more information about managements click on Contact.

2006/2007 Review and 2007/2008 Preview

Here are just a few of the concert highlights of the 2006/2007 season:

Sebastian Knauer performed as soloist and conductor with the Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland Pfalz in Ludwigshafen as well as with the Kammerorchester Basel in Lucerne und Basle, where his Mozart interpretations (K271, K414 and K466) met with great enthusiasm.

At the Robeco Summer Concerts, he played under Jaap van Zweden with the Netherland Philharmonic Orchestra in the Concertgebouw Amsterdam.

For the first time Sebastian Knauer also worked with the conductor Thomas Hengelbrock.

Further concert appearances were in New York (Lincoln Center), Paris, Athens, Gstaad (Menuhin Festival), Vevey (Festival Vevey/Montreux), Bonn (Beethoven Fest), the Schleswig Holstein Festival, the Festspiele Mecklenburg, the Kissinger Sommer, and his debut in the Alte Oper Frankfurt.

The principal concerts planned for the current 07/08 season are with the Staatskapelle Dresden under Fabio Luisi in Hamburg and Cologne as well as his debut in Japan as part of a Recital Tour in May 2008.

Further concert stops will be the Cadogan Hall and Wigmore Hall in London, KKL Lucerne, Bologna, Santiago de Compostela, Beethoven Fest Bonn, Festspiele Mecklenburg, Miami, New York, Savannah Music Festival and the El Paso Music Festival.

A new solo CD for Berlin Classics will be recorded in February 2008

New Word & Music Projects for 2008 in Progress

Apart from his activities as soloist, Sebastian Knauer has also made a name for himself during the last few years with programmes of words and music.

Work is presently in progress for two new programmes, one is “Rhapsody in Blue – Hommage to George Gershwin” and the other “On Wings of Song – Felix Mendelssohn and the Singer Jenny Lind”.

Sebastian Knauer will perform both programmes with his long-standing partners from the stage, Hannelore Elsner,

Martina Gedeck and Gudrun Landgrebe; all current programmes will also continue to be performed.

For more information about all the Word and Music programmes click on projects.

Sebastian Knauer :: Pianist