Martin Helmchen

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Martin Helmchen, born 1982 in Berlin, has studied with Galina Iwanzowa and Arie Vardi. He is first prize winner of the Clara Haskil Competition and beyond that, has won numerous other distinctions like the Prix Young Artist of the Year and the Credit Suisse Group Young Artist Award 2006. Martin Helmchen plays concerts in important halls and festivals such as Musikhalle Hamburg, Liederhalle Stuttgart, Herkulessaal Munich, Tonhalle Zurich, Salle Gaveau Paris, Piano Festival Ruhr, Rheingau Music Festival. Martin Helmchen cultivates active collaboration with prominent orchestras like DSO Berlin, Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart, Munic Kammerorchester, Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne, with well-known conductors such as Philippe Herreweghe, Marek Janowski, Armin Jordan, Christoph Poppen. Chamber music partner among others of Gidon Kremer, Heinrich Schiff, Christian Tetzlaff and Tabea Zimmermann. Martin Helmchen records for the Pentatone and Alpha labels.

Photos @ Giorgia Bertazzi

Schumann: Novelletten und Gesänge der Frühe

Alpha Classics Schumann: Novelletten und Gesänge der Frühe

On his new CD, Martin Helmchen juxtaposes Robert Schumann's early, fresh Acht Novelletten with his late, intimate Gesänge der Frühe. The contrast between the early and late works of this conflicted artist is brilliantly executed. Helmchen knows how to elevate the meaningful dissonances of the Gesänge to prayer, while the Noveletten brim with playfulness. The three inserted, colorful soirees musicales from Clara Schumann fully round out the aural experience. A wonderful record that only gains in expressiveness through the warm sound of the historic C. Bechstein grand piano.

The album was recorded in 2021 at the Sendesaal Bremen for Alpha Classics on a C. Bechstein grand piano from 1860 (collection: Chris Maene).