The Grammy-nominated, multi-award winning composer and pianist’s newest album “Dichterliebe” will be coming out on April 5th and will be released on the Berlin Classics label. The title of the record may ring bells for some of you that are more familiar with classical music, in that “Dictherliebe” is associated with composer Robert Schumann. It is his best-known song cycle that was written in 1840 and the texts for these compositions originate from German Romantic writer and poet Heinrich Heine’s collection titled “Lyrisches Intermezzo”. As an interesting tidbit, the original song cycle featured 20 pieces, dedicated to another German composer Felix Mendelssohn, but the first edition only included 16 of the 20 pieces; as does Randalu’s album.
Just as spring brings a sense of renewal and revival, so does Randalu “revive” this classic song cycle by Schumann. If you’ve heard the renowned, talented musician at a live performance or listened to his recordings, you know that he always approaches composition and playing through his own unique angle; a completely different and often unexpected angle that delightfully surprises the listener and catches off guard. This freshness is once again very apparent throughout the pieces on this record, where improvisational jazzy rhythms and melodies breathe a new sense of life into this classic set of pieces. It should also be mentioned here that this record is a newly arranged version of this cycle, in that this is a never-heard-before adaptation of these pieces; a modernized, jazz version that has so far been unexplored territory for other musicians. The track “Aus Meinen Tränen sprießen” is a perfect example of how Randalu has added his own flavour and twist to these songs; slightly more syncopated rhythms and increased dissonance heard within melodies and chords brings in that contemporary, jazz element that not only brings these pieces into the present day musical landscape but elevates them to new sonic heights. Every song is a journey that brings the listener on a meandering, melodious path and leaves the soul deeply touched.
