Schierbeck: Complete Works for Solo Piano | Classical Piano Sheet Music Collection | Perfect for Piano Practice, Recitals & Music Lovers

Poul Schierbeck (1888-1949) made a name for himself late in life as a film composer. Before that he studied with Carl Nielsen and wrote in traditional genres. His style is like a bridge between the 19th century idioms and modernism: freely tonal, chromatic, dissonant, but still clinging to late Romantic gestures.The early Piano Sonata is unfortunately not a strong work. Largely melodyless and meandering, there’s very little inspiration throughout. It opens with an “Allegro voluble” of tense anxiety and pungent dissonance in late Romantic garb, but not one phrase piqued my interest. In the solemn “Lento,” a theme and variations, the texture is unvaryingly homophonic and many of its ideas failed to grab me. Likewise, the “Allegro fuocoso” is not fiery at all, but optimistic, relaxed, and rather torpid for a finale. Originally, Schierbeck composed a more academic finale, which he republished as the “Rapsodisk Klaverstykke.” It is recorded here, but few moments elicited my attention.For me, the most striking pieces are the two Fantastic Etudes. I wish Schierbeck had written more like this. “Morke” (Darkness) is an extremely agitated and feverish piece, gripping for its drama and enigmatic expressive lines. Even better is “Natteblaest” (Night Wind) which sounds peculiarly like the Scriabinesque style of Samuil Feinberg. The inner chromatics, dense filigree and polyphony, gossamer figurations, and morbid mood is uncannily similar. It is as if Schierbeck studied Feinberg’s early sonatas. A bit of Scriabin also looms over the very effective and pensive “Intermezzo,” which evokes a twilight mystical atmosphere drawing upon Franck and Wagner.“Sydvest, Sweater Og Shag” is a cycle of nautical pieces of uneven quality. “Rigning” is a memorable jewel, characterized by a hypnotic arpeggiated texture with profound lines soaring above. “Krap So” is another interesting piece, totally severe in mood and displaying stark dissonance and tritones. Less impressive to me is the quiet and dreamy “Oceanets Vuggesang,” the weird and fast perpetual motion “Kolvand,” and the cheerfully bouncy “Harmonika.” Of the “Tre Stykker”—all salon pieces—only the gently expressive and serious “Mazurka” carried any weight.Bottom line: For collectors of tonal early 20th century piano music. The two Fantastic Etudes of a Scriabinesque disposition are gems.