Portrait

For her EP ‘Portrait’ Daria selected a number of works close to her heart from the enormously rich repertoire for piano. Works by Liszt, Prokofiev, Clara Schumann and Scarlatti.

“The Wiegenlied by Liszt on this EP is not what you’d expect from a work by Liszt. Late works by Liszt are special in that he writes a lot fewer notes than he wrote in his early years: there is an awful lot expressed and beauty created with less. I was leafing through my sheet music of late Liszt works and came across this Wiegenlied. It seems like a vision, a lullaby of the future. It is a bit abstract and yet so lovely and beautiful…. alienating actually. This is what I wanted to play!” – 

Clara Schumann was one of the most famous concert pianists of the 19th century. As a child prodigy she not only was an apt pianist, debuting at the Gewandhaus Leipzig at only 9 years old, she also composed from a very young age. 

I personally got to know Clara Schumanns music when I studied and played her wonderful piano concerto for my debut with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. I love her phrasing and virtuosic writing and am constantly amazed she was able to produce the 3 Romances, Op. 11 while in her teens!! 

Portrait tracklist:

Nocturne No. 8 in D Flat-Major, Op. 27 – Frédéric Chopin
3 Romances, Op. 11: I. Andante – Clara Schumann 
Keyboard Sonata in D Minor Kk. 1: Allegro – Domenico Scarlatti
10 Pieces, Op. 12: No. 7 – Sergei Prokofiev 
Préludes, Book 2, L. 123: V. Bruyères – Claude Debussy 
Wiegenlied, S. 198 – Franz Liszt 

Free the Piano

On this album, Daria combines J.S. Bach’s Fifth Brandenburg Concerto with pieces that, for her, represent Free the Piano. For instance, because they match the virtuosity of the Brandeburg Five cadenza, as virtuosity -as an etude or as a recital piece – propels a pianist forward into new worlds. Or music which to an extreme degree opens up a subtle and small yet important range of feelings. As expressing the smallest and relaxing gesture is in it’s own way very liberating, that is not just reserved for the grand and compelling.

Reviews Human: Nature, an imaginary suite

“The most beautiful album of the year has already been delivered by Daria van den Bercken. Van den Bercken’s intimate, colorful, tender and sometimes fierce pianistic performance ensures that the pieces, by composers such as Rachmaninoff, Liszt, Debussy, Couperin and Lili Boulanger, gain extra meaning for the listener.” Het Parool

“Daria van den Bercken not only sings, she sparkles, roars and whispers on her new album. It is an extraordinarily tasteful ensemble of diverse pieces.” De Volkskrant

“For her magnificently original album, pianist Daria van den Bercken collected twelve ‘nature’ compositions and wove them together into an ‘imaginary suite’. Surprising pieces (..)” Trouw

“Daria van den Bercken’s piano playing on this CD swirls, trickles and flows. And above all, her personal story of relationship between art and nature really resonates. So turn it on and experience Daria’s journey from beginning to end.”
Hans Haffmans NPO Radio 4

The music on this album takes its inspiration from the romantic idea of nature. A collection of works that portray nature, explore memories of nature, use nature as a metaphor, based on poems and prose about our relationship with nature. 

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