CDs

June 3, 2017March 31, 2024
by stefan

Artists: Christoph Sietzen, Marimba
Guest Artists: Bogdan Bacanu, Marimba, Clemens Hagen, Violoncello, Academy of Ancient Music
2019, Sony Classical

The CD is available here.

He took up position at a marimba and coaxed from it sounds of rapturous fragility. (New York Times) ...this most questing of younger percussionists. (Grammophone) These are only a few examples that show how Christoph Sietzen has been praised by the media as an outstanding talent a refreshingly natural musician notable for his technical mastery and powerful stage presence. Christoph Sietzen has just been awarded an Opus Klassik as the ''Young Artist of the Year'' for his first album with Sony Classical, ''Incantations''. For his new album, Sietzen recorded fascinating works by Bach, Albéniz , Piazzolla, Glass, Francisco Tárrega and Arvo Pärt. In this highly personal selection, Sietzen chose works in which he encounters silence. The album begins with Opening from Glassworks by minimal-music-composer Philip Glass, which draws its special strength from slight changes and has much to do with silence for Sietzen. Asturias by Isaac Albéniz and Recuerdos de la Alhambra by Francisco Tárrega are both essential to this album as well, conveying something tangible and immediate. Sietzen finds it particularly enticing to contrast the movements Sarabande, Bourrée and Gigue from the E minor Lute Suite by Johann Sebastian Bach, with the other works on this album rather than playing them in succession as a self-contained form. A quite different and catchier world of sound is found in Romántico and Verano porteño by Astor Piazzolla. Arvo Pärt s Spiegel im Spiegel is the only piece on this recording in which Sietzen plays other instruments besides the marimba and also the only piece for which he did not adopt the text of the original edition one-to-one a practice he considered very important in the other works. The album comes to an end with the famous second movement, Largo, from Bach s F minor Harpsichord Concerto which is beautiful in its simplicity, the ornamented melody seeming to sway in two directions like a pendulum. With ''Silence'', Luxembourgish-Austrian percussionist shows once again his ''awesome technique, unrelenting intensity, tremendous power, breath-taking speed, idiosyncratic presence and a profound musicality'' (Pizzicato Magazine).

BR Klassik, CD of the month!

Album of the month November! The drummer Christoph Sietzen tried to describe on his new album "Silence" different ways how to encounter silence .
Here you find more.

3sat Kulturzeit

"Christoph Sietzen elicits the marimba sounds of great sensitivity" ...
Video of 3 sat

NDR Kultur

"I believe that silence or even finding peace is a very important topic of our time", says Christoph Sietzen, freshly chewed Opus Klassik Prize winner in the category of young musicians.
Read more.

Pizzicato Supersonic

The cover of this CD is rather prosaic and does not correspond to the musical content. With his third CD Christoph Sietzen reaches a new level of his art. In Philipp Glass’ Opening he immediately introduces the audience to the secrets of his playing: He leads us into the silence. There lies the centre of his power, there he takes new breath to concisely create the intensity of the sound even in the finest pianissimo. He is able to differentiate the atmosphere of silence with an almost unbelievable power of nuance and a subtle management of Crescendi and Decrescendi. Especially the Decrescendi, sometimes performed very spontaneously, have a lot of emotional power, and the most delicate marimba tones then become an overwhelming experience.
Review of Remy Franck

Docenotas

¿Es el silencio un lujo? - Is silence a luxury? Can silence be a place where things are born? Percussionist Christoph Sietzen presents his third solo album, in which he expresses the importance of silence (or lack thereof) in many areas of society.
Read more.

Gramophone

... and who’d have thought Arvo Pärt’s Spiegel im Spiegel would sound so magical played by marimba and cello … (Christoph Sietzen and Clemens Hagen, Sony Classical)
Read more

Luxembourger Wort

Christoph Sietzen on the fight against distraction......„Those who can concentrate are more intense"
You can read on here.

Fuldaer Zeitung

The sound of silence! The opus classic winner combines compositions of different colours with soulful elegance and invites you on a journey into silence.
Review of Anke Zimmer.

ZDF heute Reportage

Here is the Video link.

Artists: The Wave Quartet
2019, Sony Classical

The CD is available here.

The second album of the Wave Quartet with Sony Classical is focusing on the perhaps most popular female figure in opera history - "Carmen" from George Bizet. Almost a century later, the Russian composer Rodion Shchedrin arranged the highlights from Bizet's opera into a "Carmen Suite" for string orchestra and percussion. The Wave Quartet has now arranged this version for four Marimbas. After these 25 minutes long opera highlights, the ensemble presents arrangements of pop hits. The Wave Quartet chose Ed Sheeran's "Perfect", Sting's "Message in a Bottle" and Suzanne Vega's "Gypsy". "Udacrep Akubrad", a piece by the Israeli composer Avner Dorman, in an arrangement for three marimbas and percussion concludes the album. This mix of opera, pop and Israeli music reflects a big musical spectrum of the Wave Quartet.

Artists: Christoph Sietzen, Romanian National Symphony Orchestra, Cristian Mandeal
2018, Sony Classical

Christophs new CD „Incantations“ has been released! It features percussion concertos by Finish composer Einojuhani Ruatvaara with the title giving work and by Avner Dorman with „Frozen In Time, recorded with the Romanian National Symphony Orchestra under direction of Maestro Cristian Mandeal.

Here you can pre-listen and order "Incantations"

Pizzicato Supersonic Award
"The belcanto percussionist: In both of the concertos, Dorman’s Frozen in Time and Rautavaara’s Incantations, Christoph Sietzen cares for a melodic and lyrical playing. He proves to be a real belcanto percussionist."
Read the complete review by Remy Franck here (in German): www.pizzicato.lu

Spiegel ONLINE
"Dessen ebenso präzise wie kraftvolle Explosionen beim Marimba-Spiel bringen die Ideen der Komponisten auf den Punkt: Dichte Struktur und sinnliches Klangschwelgen überwältigen. Von Zauber darf man sprechen"
Read the complete review by Werner Theurich here (in German): www.spiegel.de

Rondo Magazin
"Beschwörendes Singen der Instrumente von großer Kraft. Sietzen haut das so farbenreich wie makellos."
Review by Manuel Brug in Rondo Magazin (9/2018)

Fono Forum
"Dass Sietzen zwei große, dreisätzige Solokonzerte kombiniert, soll Konzerttauglichkeit demonstrieren. Zu Recht."
Review by Kai Luehrs-Kaiser in Fono Forum (9/2018)

Der Tagesspiegel
"So virtuos wie ein Pianist mit den Fingern über die Tasten jagt, bearbeitet Christoph Sietzen mit seinen Schlägeln das Marimbaphon. So werden Konzerte für Percussion und Orchester von Avner Dorman und Einojuhani Rautavaara zum klangsinnlichen Erlebnis."
Recommendation by Frederik Hanssen (September 16th 2018)

Artists: Christoph Sietzen
2017, Genuin Classics

We challenge anyone to listen to five minutes of Christoph Sietzen’s new GENUIN release without twitching their toes, tapping along with their fingers, and being seized with the irresistible urge to get up and start dancing. The prizewinner of the 2014 ARD Music Competition takes us on a trip through the percussion worlds of the late 20th and early 21st centuries that 70s groupies would have taken large quantities of drugs in order to emulate. Sietzen dazzles us with his sheer precision, seemingly endless range of tonal colors, and musical drive. From Arvo Pärt to Iannis Xenakis, from Emmanuel Séjourné to Bruce Hamilton – expanded consciousness guaranteed!

Fono Forum
"Das ist weit mehr als die Beherrschung von Rhythmus und Handwerk. Der Marimba entlockt er farbige, charaktervolle Töne, außerdem erlaubt ihm seine Schlagtechnik eine große dynamische Bandbreite."
Review by Christoph Vantz in the magazine Fono Forum, Ausgabe Oktober 2017

crescrendo
"Jedes einzelne Werk wird mit so viel technischer Brillianz, Feinheit im musikalischen Ausdruck, Liebe zum Detail, Virtuosität und vor allem einer solch immensen Spielfreude präsentiert, dass der Hörer oft aus dem Staunen nicht herauskommt. ... Eine Attraktion im besten Sinne des Wortes."
Review in the magazine crescendo, Ausgabe 05/2017

ZDF Morgenmagazin
Video with Christoph's performance as a guest at ZDF Morgenmagazin 02/01/2018

rbb Zibb
The interview of rbb zibb in the ARD-Mediathek 02/01/2018

Grammophone
"...this most questing of younger percussionists."
Review by Richard Whitehouse

SPIEGEL Online
"Mit Originalkompositionen und originellen Bearbeitungen brennt Sietzen ein Feuerwerk klanglicher Vielfalt und virtuoser Schlagtechnik-Hexerei ab, das auch Hörer faszinieren kann, die bisher Neuer Musik eher zurückhaltend begegneten."
Artikel von Werner Theurich

SR2 Kultur
Interview with Christoph: Attraction was named CD of the week in the show "Canapé".
Interview with Gabi Szarvas

Rondo Magazin
"Dieser junge Mann beherrscht die seltene Kunst, auf seinem Schlagwerk zu singen – und bewirkt eine Revolution für das Marimbafon."
Artikel von Robert Fraunholzer

Concerti
"Schlagkräftig ... Vor allem die von Christoph Sietzen selbst für Marimba eingerichteten Werke machen das Hören dieser CD zu einem großen Vergnügen"
Rezension in Concerti von Jörg Armbruster, 21. Juni 2017

rbb Kulturradio
"Jahrhundert- oder Ausnahmetalent – an Superlativen fehlt es für den Schlagwerker Christoph Sietzen wahrlich nicht."
Porträt von Tomas Fitzel im rbb Kulturradio

NDR Kultur
Christoph Sietzen im Interview

Pizzicato Magazine
"Die Gestaltungsfähigkeit mit feinfarbigen Nuancen beruht natürlich auf technischer Präzision, aber die perfekte Balance zwischen Technik, spontan-kreativer Inspiration und einer auf der intensiven Ausgestaltung eines jeden Tones beruhenden Musikalität macht Sietzen so leicht keiner nach."
Zur ausführlichen Rezension von Rémy Franck

Stuttgarter Zeitung, 4.7.2017
"Der Tausendsassa. Christoph Sietzen gilt als Jahrhunderttalent. Warum, hört man auf seiner ersten CD. Ein Hörvergnügen, auch wegen der exzellenten Klangqualität."

Artists: The Wave Quartet, L'Orfeo Barockorchester, Michi Gaigg
2017, Sony Classical

The CD is available here.

WDR 3 (5 stars) Tonart suggestion of the week
"I do not want to go so far and say, who needs a harpsichord for Bach's harpsichord concertos? But I do not really miss anything in this recording."
You can listen to the review on WDR 3 (in German)

CD of the week on rbb Kulturradio
"This harpsichord concertos by Johann Sebastian Bach can be discovered in a new way as Marimba concertos, bringing a wonderful meditative effect especially in the slow movements"
rbb Kulturradio (in German)

Pizzicato Supersonic Award
"Enjoy goose bumps and shivers going down your spine when the marimba players get a maximum of expressivity from the slow movements in those well-fitting transcriptions of Bach’s harpsichord concertos. The dancing outer movements of the works are no less exiting due to the refinement of the Wave Quartet’s exquisite playing."
Review by Remy Franck (in german) / Pizzicato 27/11/2017

MDR Klassik CD suggestion
"It is wonderful, the way the musicians including a Baroque orchestra play with each other, the voices are interweaved and maintain an elegant sound."
Review in german language / mdr Klassik 06/01/2018

Rondo Magazine
"(...) The intimacy of the Marimba opens up completely new sound spaces."
This article was published in Rondo Magazine in german language.

Fono Forum
"Musically, this new recording has quite a few charms to offer: for example the mysterious atmosphere in the slow movements, which is enchantingly enthralling, meditative, time-lasting. The conciseness with which the Wave Quartet plays is certainly one of the special qualities, especially in the exact coordination with Michi Gaigg's orchestra. Amazing is the clarity with which the Wave Quartet, reinforced by four other soloists, masters the final A minor concert. Precision specialists are needed here, who harmonize very well not only rhythmically but also in the dynamic progressions."
Review by Christoph Vratz / Fono Forum November 2017

SWR2
"(...) The intimacy of the marimba sound opens up a very unique sound magic (...)"
CD-Tip from 20.10.2017 from the program "SWR2 Cluster" (in german)

CD of the day on Radio Klassik Stephansdom
"Unusual in the sound and yet somehow familiar, these arrangements of the Bach concerts have a special effect."
Radio Klassik Stephansdom / 18 October 2017

Online Merker
"(...) From the first second of the Allegro from the D minor to the final Allegro of the A Minor Concerto, the percussionists from Austria, Luxembourg, Bulgaria (...) and Japan hold the musical threads firmly in their hands. In comparison to the harpsichord, the music sounds less ethereal, salon and chiselled, but more archaic and more dancing like. The expressive strings of the L'Orfeo baroque orchestra under the direction of Michi Gaigg also contribute unrestrictedly."
This article was published here in german language.

Kulturbericht OÖ
"Inspiring. (...) An absolute must for every decent sound library!"
The article by Norbert Trawöger is published here in german language.

Ohrenmensch
"Bach remains Bach (...) you not only hear opulent sounds, but you can also see impressive pictures."
Hans Ackermann / More at: www.ohrenmensch.de (in german language).

Artists: The Wave Quartet, Bogdan Bacanu, Cristian Mandeal, Romanian National Symphony Orchestra
2016, Genuin Classics

Following their successful first GENUIN release Loco, the Wave Quartet is turning on the heat – when we hear them, we’d be forgiven for mistaking the marimba and percussion quartet for a full-fledged orchestra. Joining together with Bogdan Bácanu, the world’s youngest marimba professor and winner of many international competitions, the world-class musicians have committed two world premiere recordings to CD – concertos by Emmanuel Séjourné where they give full rein to their brilliant and varied malletwork. Romantic, with plenty of humor, groove, and feeling – an inspiration for percussion fans and music lovers everywhere!

WDR 3
"Es geht nicht um Anpassung, sondern um bedingungsloses Erforschen musikalischer Möglichkeiten, und zwar nicht nur in der Barockmusik, für die das Quartett eine besondere Leidenschaft pflegt, sondern auch in der radikalen Ausdruckskraft von Piazzollas Tangowerken oder in Stings “Message in a Bottle“."
Am 22.10. präsentierte WDR 3 die neue CD des Wave Quartets.

Pizzicato
"(...)der einfallsreiche Marimbapart, hinreißend gespielt von Bogdan Bacanu, gibt dem Werk eine persönliche Note."

"Das ‘Wave Quartet’ und das Orchester spielen mit Engagement und Raffinement."

Das Orchester
"(...) Admirably high performance art (...) The CD is a must for the audio library of every percussion enthusiast and a very enriching supplement for all classical listeners with a sense of something special."
Review (in german) by Stephan Froleyks / Das Orchester, April 2017

Artists: The Wave Quartet
2016, Genuin Classics

The 4th Wave Quartet CD was released in January 2016! An exciting repertoire with arrangements of some Latin - American Masterpieces as well as hot Mexican tunes add lots of spice to the Quartet's Discography!

Pizzicato
"makellose Technik und das faszinierende Ensemblespiel (...)"
Rezension und Auszeichnung mit dem "Supersonic" im Magazin
Pizzicato von Remy Franck, 11.1.2016

ICMA Awards 2017
Nominated in 'Chamber Music'

25.01.16 / Deutschlandradio Kultur
In der Sendung TonArt wird die CD "Loco" vorgestellt.
Zur Homepage von Deutschlandradio Kultur

CD der Woche auf Radio Klassik Stephansdom
"Pures Leben. Wer zuhört, ist dabei."
Am 23. Januar wird die CD "Loco" CD-Tipp des Tages auf Radio Klassik Stephansdom sein.
Zum CD-Tipp auf Radio Klassik Stephansdom

SR 2
"mitreißende Spielfreude und respektvolle Herangehensweise an das Ursprungsmaterial"
Ein Gespräch mit Christoph Sietzen und Bogdan Bacanu vom Wave Quartet stand am 12. Januar im Mittelpunkt der Sendung "MusikWelt" auf SR 2.
Zur Sendung auf SR 2

Videoempfehlung auf Crescendo
"Ein Geheimtipp ist das Wave Quartet schon lange nicht mehr. Erfrischend anders ist das exquisite Ensemble jedoch immer noch, wie man auf dem neuen Album “Loco” hören und im famosen Video sehen kann."
Zum Video auf Crescendo

Neues Volksblatt
"Den Kontrapunkt bildeten die sanften, weichen Töne, die Christoph Sietzen mit geradezu erotischem Streicheln seiner Marimba entlockte."
Werner Rohrhofer in der österreichischen Zeitung Neues Volksblatt am 13.06.2016

Hertener Allgemeine
"überragend vielseitig (...) Die Musik spricht authentisch aus sich selbst heraus."
Besprechung in der Zeitung Hertener Allgemeine von Stefan Pieper, 14.06.2016

American Record Guide
"(...) the warm, earthy tone of well-played marimbas, I find the program highly enjoyable and approachable. Their arrangement of pop singer Josh Groban’s ‘Wandering Kind’ is particularly well done."
Rezension im American Record Guide von Lamper, Juli/August 2016

CDs

CDs

Silence

Carmen

Incantations

Attraction

Bach Concertos

Lauda Concertata

Loco

Senza Ripieno

Marimbas & Orchestra

Aurora Borealis