Philipp Jarnach: Composer's Portrait
This CD presents a young german violinist and pianist, Kolja Lessing, who has done a wonderful work: He recorded works by Phllipp Jarnach, a spanish born composer who emigrated to Germany after World War I following Feruccio Busoni and becoming his assistent and one of his friends. His own unmistakable musical idiom stamped him as one of the leading representatives of his time. Kolja Lessing has chosen chamber music works that presents a musical portrait of this very sensitive composer.
Philipp Jarnach was born in France on July 26, 1892. His father came from Spain. At the Paris Conservatoire he studied piano and harmony. After this time he longed to go to Germany. But because of World War he had to stop his journey in Zurich. In Zurich he met Feruccio Busoni and became his assistent and friend. After the war he followed Busoni to Berlin where he had a lot of success as well as a pianist and as a composer. His works were played very often and he became well-known all over in Germany. During World War II he rather composed nothing. The “Amrum Diary” attests his state of mind during these very hard years of inner emigration.