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Traumblätter (Dream Leaves)

Traumblätter (Dream Leaves) (2007)

Recently I sat down at the piano for an hour and played through a thick collection of Robert Schumann’s short pieces. Strange but true: in modern music one hardly ever comes across a character piece. This observation gave me the idea of writing a commissioned work for piano four hands as a collection of short pieces entitled Dream Leaves. Anything can happen in a dream – this realization gave me a wonderful feeling of freedom during the composition process. Robert Schumann: thanks.

dreams

1. Das unruhige Einschlafen (Falling asleep restlessly), 1'50

2. Traumtropfen (Dreamdrops), 3'14

3. Traum des Mädchens am Spinnrad (Dream of a girl at the spinning-wheel), 1'38

4. Traum der Geliebten die sich nicht verstehen können (Dream of the beloved who cannot agree), 2'57

5. Ungeduldiger Traumwächter (Impatient Watchman of Dreams), 1'10

6. Déjà-entendu Traum (‘Déjà-entendu’ Dream), 2'04

7. Karussell nächtlicher Gedanken (Merry-go-round of nightly thoughts), 2'45

8. Letzter süsser Traum des Lebens (Last sweet Dream of Life), 3'33

World premiere: July 27th 2008 in the Kleine Zaal of the Concertgebouw/Amsterdam during the Robeco series (5 movements).
First performance complete cycle: October 26th 2008 in the Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ.

Reviews

Robert Nasveld’s music presented surprising power of expression.

Frau Dr. Alena Borková in Rovnost

Nasveld has always been a wayward composer, showing little interest in trends.

Frits van der Waa, Volkskrant

Robert Nasveld’s set of the Complete Works for One Piano by George Crumb is well worth having.

Peter Dickinson in Gramophone

Even when things could theoretically become serious, for example in Six Cavafy songs (2009), a song cycle using the poetry of Greek poet Kavafis, the tone remains springlike and sparking.

Jochem ValkenburgNRC

Pianist and composer Robert Nasveld is an outsider; as radio producer and indefatigable advocate of American composer George Crumb he is a man of significance.

Hans Heg, Klassiekezaken.nl

Robert Nasveld writes exceptionally beautiful music, although its beauty is not pastoral, but contradictory, unstable, disturbing, capable of stimulating all spiritual forces of the listener.

Julia Soultanova, CHAIN D.L.K. ID #603

Robert Nasveld presents a wonderful example of the bitter melancholy that is the essence of the blues with his beautiful Frozen Blues.

Frits van der Waa, Volkskrant

My reference for comparison with Crumb’s Makrokosmos IV is that of Robert Nasveld on the Attacca label, 9371 and 9372. My main reason for selecting this version is that it has always come out on top, all other recordings which I have come across long having gone by the wayside.

Dominy Clements, Musicweb Review

Robert Nasveld presents a wonderful example of the bitter melancholy that is the essence of the blues with his beautiful Frozen Blues. Volkskrant, Frits van der Waa.