GMG Classical Music Forum

I have in the past looked over many of Kirchner's piano works, so I think maybe I should give my thoughts on them. There are so many it is easy to give up on the mediocre and miss out on the gems. Some brief notes on him can be found here:

www.bach-cantatas.com/Lib/Kirchner-Theodor.htm (http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Lib/Kirchner-Theodor.htm)

It's a pity he was never able to splash with some big bets. He just didn't seem able to get to grips with large forms. I will mention in among his works for other ensembles although at present I know nothing of them. To begin with he was very keen on lieder and published:
Op.1 10 Lieder
Op.3 Mädchenlieder
Op.4 4 Lieder
Op.6 5 Lieder
Op.10 2 Lieder

Then for some reason he abandoned this genre never to return.

My first little flutter will be with the 10 Klavierstücke, Op.2

My assessments of Kirchner's music will of course be my own subjective reactions. There are some that I singled out and play fairly regularly. Others are allowed an occasional airing and the rest, hardly at all – there is so much keyboard music to be played. For this review I have revisited them all plus a few oeuvre that have since resurfaced.
Kirchner often uses the ABA structure, so if I refer to a middle section that is what I mean. Sometimes he writes out the repeat even though it is hardly changed at all.
To understand a composer's historical position one really needs a timeline but at the moment I am uncertain here.  Op.1 was published in 1843 and given a glowing review by Schumann. The publication date for Op.2 is given as 1852, which seems unlikely, and yet I'm given: Op.5 (1855) and Op.20 (1874). Heavens! He was over fifty years old by then. Can anyone clarify these dates?

Op.2 10 Klavierstücke – Band 1
1. Schumann's influence is immediately apparent. This is a powerful beginning and it reflects Schumann's opinion that here was a young composer of great promise. The mid-section (ruhiger) involves quite thick counterpoint and is perhaps rather turgid (I'm not sure I understand the instruction 'sehr gebunden' here).
2. Einfach (simple). This is a through composed melody that is very pleasing with a good climax before a lovely ending (Bb > F). The accompaniment is actually quite elaborate.
3. I like this one too. It has a piquant flavour due to the L.H. overlapping, F over E, C over B, Bb over A etc. The mid-section is strident (sehr kräftig) but not overlong and the return is recomposed using both syncopation and the strong rhythm picked up from the mid-section. Finally the piece drifts into repose.
4. Mit humor. Potentially interesting but needs great commitment. So far I haven't discovered the punch line!
5. Zart (tenderly) sehr gebunden. This is a beautiful piece with a floating offbeat melody that is full of pathos. One of my favourites, it would make a perfect background for a sad thoughtful TV drama – producers please note!

Band 2 to follow

I now think the dates are correct and it is probably Kirchner's early lack of compositional activity that resulted in him making no impact. If one picks and chooses (and there's a great deal to choose from) then one can find enough to place him alongside say, Grieg, in the second half of the century. He always carries a Schumannesque aura but adds sharper harmonies and more intricate rhythms. Certainly more worthy of hearing than Rubinstein et al.

Op.2 10 Klavierstücke – Band 2

6. Nicht schell, mit innigem Ausdruck. This has a wistful melody over a syncopated accompaniment. The mid-section proceeds in sombre snatches of dissonance that rise repeatedly in volume only to fall back. The opening part is then repeated but overall a worthwhile piece.
7. Lebhaft (lively). A little scherzo in 6/8 with interesting key changes. After a repeat, new material leads to a varied reprise. Quite fun due to its shortness.
8. Ziemlich langsam. This piece is also short but I find it rather repetitive and dull.
9. Mit leidenschaftlichem Vortrag. This Eb minor piece is the most powerful in the set – a veritable wild ride through the night. Even the Eb major section maintains the tension with a yearning melody that maintains the upward leaps of the opening. The ending is rounded off with a fine coda.
10. Langsam, und Ausdruck. This is strongly reminiscent of the ending of Schumann's Humoreske (I don't know which came first). Anyway, if you like one, you should like the other.

On the whole, I recommend No.4 for beauty and No.9 for the beast.
Clara Schumann's choice was No.2 and No.9.

Op.5 Grüsse an meine Freunde (1855)

I think I understand this title now – hey! You guys. I'm not dead. Look, I've actually composed something else!
(Incidentally if you try this from a scanned copy you'll find it useful to clarify the accidentals. There are a great many precautionary signs and the sharps and naturals are not easily distinguishable.)

1. Ziemlich Langsam. This short introduction has a heart-warming tenderness. Note the wide-ranging L. H. accompaniment.
2. Kräftig. Here Kirchner's power is not misplaced – this is a splendid piece. Note the contrasting centre with strange offbeat rhythms (ruhiger, frei vorzutragen) and the driving rhythms that lead to the conclusion.
3. Ruhig, zart. A pleasant piece with a wistful melody that emerges from the counterpoint, with a stronger, more powerful central section in the same vein.
4. Energisch. Another fine piece with a strong fluctuating rhythm – principally in 6/8 but the composer twice inserts 4/4 without warning and also twice into 2/4 (Langsam träumerisch). Lots of energy and an exciting piece to play.
5. Sehr markirt. This is quite a challenge – it is very dissonant and spatially challenging. I have a feeling that with the right orchestration it would sound like Mahler. I'm nowhere near mastering it yet.

Op.7 Albumblätter (1856)

Clara Schumann took up these little pieces after she'd fallen out with the composer, so she must have liked them. They are included complete in Henle's selection of Kirchner's works. Being short, they are through composed and full of fresh new ideas.

1. Ruhig, zart. A single page but a perfect example of how to create emotive music with minimum means.
2. Munter, nicht zu schell. A merry little piece with extra snatches of melody thrown in as it goes along.
3. Ziemlich Langsam träumerisch. A single line of drooping arpeggios. Effective but requires careful handling.
4. Mäßiges Tempo (sehr im Takt) In strict 3/4 time, I find this the most interesting in the set. The quivering pianissimo semiquavers are very evocative.
5. Mit melancholischem Ausdruck. A lovely fragment of haunting counterpoint.
6. Nicht zu schnell, mit Humor. This piece jogs along with a delightful good-humour, and it's not an old joke!
7. Scherzhaft. This little bagatelle is my second favourite – so short and yet so sweet.
8. Ziemlich schnell. Shorter still, its little off-beat phrases gallop away and then are gone.
9. Langsam Ausdrucksvoll. An expression of yearning with somewhat Wagnerian harmonies that diffuse into a sweet D major ending.

Op.8 Scherzo (1857)
This is a typically Schumannesque scherzo. The main section's rhythm is perhaps a little too persistent but the overall contour is good and there is variety in the added 17 bar coda at the end. The trio really is a joy with a fluid quaver line with added melodic notes and a very widespread accompaniment. Doesn't deserve abandonment.

Op.9 Preludes (1859)
These are dedicated to Clara Schumann and come in two books of 8. The composer has taken some time putting these together but they are worth the waiting. If he had only maintained this standard he might he a household name today. In some ways these preludes (which were never intended as a full set of 24) occupy a halfway position between Chopin and Rakhmaninov. Clara herself was quite critical of some of Kirchner's harmonies, which she describes as recherché. However, she did re-adopt these later after her rift with the composer.

Book I
1. C minor – Allegro energico. A passionate etude-like fragment closing triumphantly in C major.
2. Db – Lento ma non troppo. A gently rocking melody over a wide-stepping accompaniment (4 octaves).
3. F# - Allegretto grazioso. 6/8 – a flowing quaver line circling around an emergent melody that itself inhabits a wide compass.
4. A – Allegretto agitato. A lovely piece with yearning uprising phrases over a pulsating beat – all too short but at least D.C is indicated.
5. D minor – Allegro vivace. A much longer piece with an urgent reiterative motif that in due course shifts to F. A short fugato-like section leads into the return in D major and thence to a quiet ending.
6. A – Allegro con brio. 3/4 – another more exrended piece – a full-blooded outflowing of the Romantic spirit with a singing meno mosso as contrast. This is music that deserves to be heard.
7. Db – Allegro con spirito. 4/4 – another in the same vein and of similar length. An awkward staccato section leads back to the opening material and occurs again briefly in the close.
8. C minor – Allegro comodo. I love this prelude. The opening phrases with their quirky harmonies sound very 20th century. The answering section is more conventional but very apt. After a repeat the composer gives even more mysterious manifestations of the opening and he maintains the feeling of distance right to the end.

Book II
These are included complete in Henle's selection of Kirchner's works.
9. Allegro (ma non troppo) – Bb. This is a relentless staccato march only relieved by an interim quavered section developed from the theme – a piece of considerable power.
10. Cantabile – G una corda. This prelude with its ravishing dissonances ought to be a classic. Although the harmonies stretched Clara Schumann's patience it is hard to see how any book on Romantic piano music can be of any worth without referring to works such as this.
11. Allegro brillante – E minor. Clara laments its brevity. A piece that it is hard to believe to have been unknown to Rakhmaninov.
12. Con moto – C. An exercise in staccato chromatics this is one I confess to have avoided – it is difficult. However, I believe there to be much in it if you have the time.
13. Allegro con passione – Ab. Another high-Romantic piece whose harmonies shocked Clara, for a while at least, and that's without mentioning the note-clusters.
14. Allegro agitato – Db. This opens as one of Kirchner's skipping pieces but moves into a extended moderato section that is interesting rhythmically and quite moving. The reprise rises into the upper keyboard and a recitative then descends towards a quiet ending. There is plenty of scope for interpretation here.
15. Allegro scherzando – A. Very strong and original syncopated rhythms make this an exciting piece to play. I challenge anyone to get it right first time!
16. Allegro appassionato – B. A splendidly pulsating prelude full of shifting dynamics. Passionate indeed and only interrupted by a short hymn like passage that always reminds me of Scriabin's Mazurka Op25.9. This is my favourite.

Op.11 Skizzen (Kleine Klaviestücke) (1870-2)

The ten-year gap between piano publications seems to have been filled with Kirchner's other duties, as organist and conductor. His problem was that what was once bold became commonplace and ultimately ran the risk of becoming stilted. That is why it is necessary to pick and choose.

These sketches are new to me and only have scores for books 1 and 3.
Book 1
1. Andante - Hardly worthwhile.
2. Vivace leggiero – Shows some originality.
3. Allegretto – A bit like Shostakovich gone wrong!
4. Ruhig – With lovely rich harmonies and counterpoint and a moving ending but the major section is weaker.
5. Allegretto grazioso – This frisky little piece has some good points.
Book 3
1. Moderato, con molto espressione. This is the surprise here – hardly a sketch but a full blown concert piece with luscious Romantic harmonies. Definitely recommended. Another forerunner of Rakhmaninov.
2. Allegro resoluto. A robust piece that is well worked out.
3. Moderato – Quite a nice song without words but nothing special.
4. Vivace – A lively piece with interesting features. Something could be made of this with a little practice.
5. Andante – A short piece with bold harmonies though these are hardly enough to save it.

Of the above the only one I'd happily put before the public is Book 3 No.1

He arranged/transcribed the two Brahm's sextets to piano trios. A really very good work. There's a fantastic recording by Alexander Rabinovich on piano, David Geringas on cello, and no less than Philip Hirschhorn on violin.

Quote from: Odnoposoff on February 10, 2012, 04:02:46 PM
He arranged/transcribed the two Brahm's sextets to piano trios. A really very good work. There's a fantastic recording by Alexander Rabinovich on piano, David Geringas on cello, and no less than Philip Hirschhorn on violin.

Kirchner made quite a number of transcriptions for which he was well known, including the Beethoven symphonies, often for two pianos, eight hands. Also the Brahms Piano Quintet Op.34 for piano duet.

Op.12 Adagio quasi Fantasia (1870)
This attempt at a more extended work never takes off for me. It has received some praise but I find it rather flat in the middle where there are repeated almost identical returns to Eb major. Although this is in Henle's selection, with so much music to choose from, I don't usually play it. I have the recording by David Ianni and it does sound better in his hands. If you'd like to judge for yourself, you can listen on: www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOu74pTq8CU (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOu74pTq8CU)

Op.13 Lieder ohne Worte (1873)

Kirchner now begins to find time for composing but he's no longer at the cutting edge, so, like Brahms, he must rely on quality and this in his case is like the parson's egg. For a while at least he does quite well.
These have been recorded by Gisela Ungerer
1. Largo ma non troppo. A slow lament. This relies heavily on the harmonies but it does work for me. The main section after the repeated opening employs triplet pedal notes that help to move the music forward.
2. Allegretto cantabile. A delightful song without words. A duet that can rival Mendelssohn's Op.38.6 Duettino. Recommended.
3. Allegro. An outburst of burning ardour that is at last satisfied and settles into a gorgeous ending. Also well worthwhile.
4. Animato. Kirchner does at least deserve some credit for this outburst of ecstasy that predates Scriabin by many years. One really has to let oneself go in performance and if you enjoy doing so then this piece is for you.
5. Agitato con passione. A turbulent opening is enlivened by a contrapuntal texture.  This music is repeated after the mid-section, which has a high melody strongly reminiscent of something I've heard in a show. This piece is not easy to handle but is worthwhile if you can pull it off.
6. Con affetto. This is more of a conte than a chanson, and quite an effective one too with a nice contrasting section full of drooping phrases, which are reintroduced to round the piece off.
7. Melancolico. A single page (with repeats) of plodding arpeggiated chords marked pp, una corda. Melancholy it is but it fails to break my heart.

Op.14 Fantasiestücke (1873)

Kirchner's output now becomes constant. Although my preference is for the lyrical, I will not forgive when he descends into the sentimental or uses weak cadences. For other reasons, the first here is not my cup of tea.

1. Marsch. Sounds very raucous and it just goes on and on. You could make this work if you have the stamina.
2. Albumblatt  (sehr ruhig) Not a great deal here but harmonically interesting. The ending is effective.
3. Capriccioso. This is a very lively piece that uses the keyboard well apart from the little Trio that to my mind is too static.
4. Nocturne. This has a lovely melody over a rocking accompaniment. The reduction to bare bones towards the close is very moving. Recommended.
5. Präludium (agitato con passione). A fine F# minor prelude with plenty of contrapuntal interest and a well contrasted (tender) meno moto section. Well worth trying.
6. Novelleten. This is an extremely confident and powerful piece throughout and the mid-section with its strongly rhythmic undulating quavers is a stroke of genius. Another classic.
7. Studie. This study is not long but it is far from straightforward. At present I can get some pleasure from it but the whole meaning escapes me.
8. Scherzo. A typical Kirchner scherzo – somewhat quirky and seemingly disjointed. If you like that kind of thing, this is a good example.
9. Polonaise. This is a sedate dance that needs to be kept at a moderate tempo. It's quite well composed but doesn't appeal to me.

Op.16 Kleine Lust und Trauerspiele (1873)

Overall, this opus is patchy but it does contain some good things.
Book 1
1. Marzia (poco lento). A slow sedate march with plenty of counterpoint but on the whole I find it dull.
2. Mässiges Tempo, aber Frisch. A shortish piece but with enough interest to make it a pleasure to play.
3. Langsam, schwermüthig. An effective elegy with powerful major/minor shifts. Very moving.
4. Kräftig, nicht schnell. This one doesn't appeal to me.
Book 2
5. Allegretto. A light-hearted piece that nevertheless has some heart – worth an occasional airing.
6. Animato. A vigorous 2/4 that is more of a 6/8 whose compass ranges from the narrow to the wide-ranging. There is also an extended cantabile middle section (ruhiger, singend) with some very fine passages. Overall I can recommend this piece.
7. Allegretto grazioso. Another interesting little piece enlivened by its many key changes.
8. Marsch. This march really is good fun and has lots going on – some of its ideas are played about with in a dolce middle section, which provides good contrast (Eb against G). Yes, I've actually found a march that I do like!
Book 3
9. Ruhig. This is a lovely tender little piece that melts magically from the base key of F# minor into A major at the end. Recommended.
10. Vivace. A light staccato piece that skips along without apparently getting anywhere.
11. Vivace scherzando.  An interesting D minor scherzo but the serenity of its trio needs careful interpretation.
12. Sehr langsam. A deeply thoughtful piece – not perfect but good enough to deserve rescue.

Op.17 Davidsbundlertanze.

I haven't yet found a score for this but I have recently acquired the recording by
It will take me a little longer before I can express any opinions.

Op.18 Legenden. (1876)

There is enough in this opus to make it worth acquisition although whether or not it is in print I do not know. Ten years ago, I found a music shop in Amsterdam that had many of Kirchner's works available, published I think by Amadeus Press. In those days I knew little apart from the Nachtbilder and didn't want to make a punt on anything else unheard. Anyway, many of these works can be found on IMSLP.

1) This is in Henle's selection – deservedly. It is one of the saddest pieces I know. The plaintive melody is underlain with countermelodies that clash in crushing dissonances. It is then restated against undulating 16th notes, una corda before finally appearing briefly in canon, only to be dragged down chromatically into utter despair.
2) Another effective legend in which a sense of distance is achieved by moving the melody into distant keys. Initially in Eb, it moves into G, then G minor, B and finally a ghostly Fb.
3) Con moto. The opening section is a little lacking but the piece takes off at the 'doppia movimento'.
4) Lento. This is a solemn legend, full of rich harmonies that burst out unexpectedly, as in the FF climax in Bb against the home key of B – descending bells bring the piece to a close. Recommended.
5) Poco animato. This requires carefull handling of the fluctuating tempo and dynamics in the outer parts, which frame a more serious central section that gives a sense of unreality.
6) Con moto. This is something of a lazy days piece that lilts along through weird and wonderful manifestations of the principal motifs – highly recommended.
7) (con espressione). A short but effective display of the high-Romantic spirit – also recommended.
8 ) Largo. This is another manifestation of bells. A solemn hymn-like melody grows to an enormous climax and then fades against rising bell- like scales that finally rise from the very base of the piano. Magnificent.
9) Andante. This last piece achieves its goal through simplicity. An almost timeless air is played once softly and again louder, the answering phrase expands to FF and then fades away to PP.

Op.19 10 Klavierstücke nach eigenen Liedern

This is presumably arrangement of his own songs but I do not have sight of it.

Op.21 Aquarellen (1875)
(Watercolours)

There is some fine music in this opus and it doesn't deserve to be neglected.

1. Etwas langsam und innig. This comes in two repeated sections. It can work but requires extreme sensitivity.
2. This is a lovely lilting piece that, after a repeat, builds to an offbeat climax and then melts away in a most apposite manner – sheer magic.
3. Ruhig, zart. A gentle little piece in which Kirchner is still able to avoid sentimentality.
4. Sehr lebhaft. This is in effect a scherzo and a very fine one at that. The main part has a flow of offbeat rhythms that are a real joy to perform and the 'trio' provides a beautiful contrast (6/8 Viel langsam und sehr zaht) and ends in a link passage marked etwas bewegter (one needs to learn a little German along the way!) before we're off again. Recommended.
5. Ziemlich langsam. This too has two repeated sections and can be described in the same way as No.3.
6. Nicht zu schnell. This again has two repeated sections followed by a short coda. I find more in this than I did at first. It has a waltz like rhythm without being one and it helps to get to grips with the key changes. The following sequence of quavers is rather amusing: F Gb Ab Bbb F Gb G# A E# F# G# A
7. Cantabile. The same can be said here about the key changes. After an introductory section the rest is repeated but with some justification. Another that improves with keeping.
8. Allegretto scherzando. I'd forgotten this one but it's a lovely piece and fun to play. Again, it has repeats (here written out) but there is a short coda.
9. Langsam mit viel Empfindung. A piece of brooding magnificence in F# - rising to a superb climax and through composed to a well thought out conclusion. Recommended.
10. Poco vivace. A skittish piece whose elements are nevertheless beautifully put together to make a more than worthwhile whole. One of my favorites.
11. Etwas langsam und singend. A stroke of genius – one of the most beautiful piano pieces ever composed in spite of its at times strange harmonies. The return of the tune in the bass against a descending scale is ravishing, as is the tiptoed ending Bb ⇒ Gb ⇒ Db. Definitely recommended.
12. Cantabile. Perhaps a bit of an anticlimax after the last but it does have a simple charm.

Op.22 Romanzen (1875)
This is a very strong opus containing much original work.

1. Poco lento. This gorgeous piece escapes sentimentality through its inventive harmonies. The little sigh of its first two notes pervade the music to its end and the second entry of the melody against enveloping arpeggios is exquisitely managed.
2. Allegro. Here lies the answer to the first with the two notes rising instead of falling. The mood is quite upbeat apart from the repeated syncopations that pervade the mid-section and reappear at the end. Another fine piece.
3. Andante. A sad little legato melody steps its way against staccato pp chords (sans pedale) until the music smooths out and an energetic outburst leads to a passionate outburst that dies away to leave the melody to close the piece in melancholy.
4. Allegro. Kirchner at his boldest, this required uninhibited playing but the number of notes per crotchet should be as written. In parts magnificent, in parts fantastic and the brave spirit will find here one of the pinnacles of Romantic art (if one can stay on the tightrope).
5. Allegro ma non troppo (appassionato). A more conventional approach to the High-Romantic but nevertheless full of powerful ideas. There is a fine climax and a quiet ending.
6. Lento. A placid romance after the recent storms. The melody, as is common in Kirchner, moves about the keyboard and is invested with contrapuntal phrases.
7. Vivace. This begins with a very Schumannesque chromatic phrase. However, Kirchner develops it throughout into something more – the dolce passages maintain the same tempo and give this extended piece a strong unity. Recommended.
8. Andante ( simplice). Not a strong ending but it has redeeming features. The short mid-section moves from F into Db and in the return the quiet melody is decorated with descending semiquaver figures.

Op.23 Walzer (1876)

These little waltzes are dedicated to Brahms. The art of writing short pieces is to include an idea that captures the attention. Kirchner has varying success with that.

1. Dolce. (In Henle's edition) and
2. Lebhaft both have repeated sections and mobile accompaniments that involve many key changes. To me they seem somewhat chaotic.
3. Langsam, ausdrucksvoll is a short free form waltz that is much more approachable and worth noting.
4. Dolce. Here there is such an idea, even if it is only an offbeat octave in the bass – it works and after the double repeat it finishes the piece off nicely.
5. The offbeat rhythms are here picked up with a vengeance and this waltz really takes off. Note the unexpected delays in the phrase openings. This piece with its closing fireworks would make an excellent encore. Recommended (also in Henle).
6. Here is a relatively simple idea that might have come from Brahms but Kirchner builds it up through a series of distant keys.
7. Lebhaft. Very short and offbeat with the second section repeated pianissimo. Great fun.
8. Lebhaft. Another lively syncopated waltz. The change of rhythm in the middle requires good discipline.
9. Lebhaft. A much longer waltz that to my mind has a Russian air. The tonal plan is E min – E – E min but these keys are only touched on occasionally Nevertheless it has a strong sense of continuity. Also recommended.
10. Without tempo indication but a gentle pace imposes itself. A lovely little piece that is great for alternating thumbs in mid keyboard!
11. Lebhaft. Back to vigorous mode but this is far from Strauss! Hemiolas are paramount and after two repeats, hands alternate top the end. Exciting stuff!
12. A lovely melody to finish with and overall it seems probable that this set should be regarded as a cycle. It contains some excellent music.

Op.24 Still und Bewegt (1876)

As the title suggests, these eight pieces alternate between quiet contemplation and motion. Although unconfirmed, this opus is presumable inspired by Hölderlin's romance of the same name. It is another fine set that is worthy of attention. In it the composer makes some interesting experiments with meter.

1. Lento. This intensely moving piece is permeated by a rising fifth that lifts the music up to its climax. Recommended.
2. Allegro. A brilliant mixture of 3/4 and 5/4 that has real drive. In the mid section a running motif is tossed about the piano, so that, although marked Meno mosso, the momentum is maintained and the repeat leads to a glorious ending.
3. Poco lento – an intensely contemplative C major. After stating the theme, Kirchner develops it with a running triplet accompaniment. The music drifts into stasis before those two periods are reinvented and we reach a quiet repose. A beautiful piece.
4. Allegro agitato (after two bars 'ad lib'). The music surges forward with restless syncopation, concentrated entirely on the main idea. There are no repeats and the music arrives at a rapid conclusion. Taut and compact.
5. Andante con moto. Pieces like this one should never have been lost – Brahms didn't compose a better one. Metrically it is highly irregular but the flow is so natural that the half bars and those with five crotchets (both unannounced) are scarcely noticeable. A warm feeling of longing pervades the music and builds into a passionate climax. Highly recommended. Deserves attention.
6. Un poco lento. Kirchner continues with another gorgeous gem. It begins with a narrative melody that is tossed between the parts – the prevalence of counterpoint in Kirchner's music should be noted. The mid section presents the main idea in a ghostly manner, in thirds and distant keys. Again, highly recommended.
7. Cantabile. This is the most difficult piece in the set to understand. In many ways it is like a dream and there is not a four bar phrase to be found. Overlapping phrases of differing lengths follow each other giving a sense of formlessness.
8. Allegro vivace. The set is rounded of magnificently by this dynamic and upbeat number. The central part casts new light on the principal ideas and leads into an enhancement of the opening the material and a very conclusive coda. Arguably this is very Schumannesque in that composer's positive mode but it is still a wonderful piece. 

Op.25 Nachtbilder (1877)

This was the work that first introduced me to Kirchner. I found it in the library and I was so impressed I bought the edition from Breitkopf & Härtel. As it remarks in the preface, this is generally regarded as the composer's finest opus. Be that as it may, I think I understand how he failed to gain favour: his music falls between two stools. It is neither salon music nor music for the virtuoso. It is pure music, written for music's sake. Kirchner was a worthy member of the Davidsbund. Titles such as 'Nachtbilder' are similar in nature to 'French Suites' and are merely suggestive of mood or style.
These pieces form a cycle and like all true cycles contains related incipits – the most obvious of which is three rising (or sometimes falling) notes.

1. Sehr lebendig und charakteristisch. The description 'wolf's glen scene' seems to me rather archaic. With its sliding chromatics and hushed suspended chords, it would however make a suitable background to a horror movie. The attempt to lift the spirits with a rousing tune towards the end are drowned out by the voices of the night.
2. Leise und ruhig. A beautiful piece – one of the pearls of Romanticism. A series of reiterated notes form a background to an exquisite world of harmony and melody.
3. Allegro (unmutig). A turbulent outburst with the three-note motif constantly driving downward against a theme that includes its inverse. The mood eventually quietens, subsiding into a recollection of the previous piece but the fury returns (allmählich scheller und stärker) and leads to a stern conclusion.
4. Allegretto vivace. A lighter interlude, scherzo like in character but not in form.
5. Mesto. A funereal procession, whose music stretches across the whole keyboard and includes sometimes violent switching of dynamics. Inserted in this is a gorgeously rich elegy but the march resumes and continues to a chilling conclusion.
6. Sehr erregt. This short though immense piece is one of my favorites and it demonstrates the power of which Kirchner was capable. The three notes are prominent and even rise from the bottom A of the piano. Note the rich harmonies, such as Db,C,Ebb,Gb,Ab.
7. Allegro. The opening and closing sections, with their rapidly fluttering sextuplets resemble a mask to the central bacchanalia. Medtner's 'Danza sylvestris' come to mind.
8. Ruhig, singend. Kirchner quotes Brahms here but the beautiful lyricism of the setting is all his own work and contrasts strongly with the almost spiteful bitterness of the mid-section. As is often the case, one has to be nifty about the keyboard here.
9.Risoluto. This tertiary dance movement is a much more human affair. The vigorous outer parts in F# minor surround a serene little landler in the major.
10. Moderato. The three rising notes are introduced immediately and their moment increases as a pulsating rhythm takes the music to a huge climax across four ranges of the piano. This begins again but in the end, all that remains is that rhythm, and then silence.

Op.26 12 Klavierstücke (1877)
After the preceding opus, these are disappointing, as though Kirchner rushed them off to pay the rent. In effect they are little more than preludes.
1 and 2, both in C – hardly exceptional.
3 and 4, both in A – little to comment on.
5 in A minor – a nice little melody with answering voices and a contrasting middle section. All rounded off with a ghostly chromatic decline. Worthwhile.
6 in A – altogether too semplice.
7 in D – jolly but lacks sparkle.
8 in G – comodo – too much so.
9 in D – Ziemlich bewegt. A dynamic piece with strong rhythms that invite one to play the repeats. Worthwhile.
10 in Db – Nicht zu schnell. A delicate piece with little rapid scales. Also worthwhile.
11 and 12, both in B – The last is a little scherzo that might be useful as an exercise.

I can now return to Op.17 and this, I must say, was money well spent.

Op.17 Davidsbundlertanze (1872).

The composer here establishes his credentials as a member of Schumann's Davidsbund by producing one of the finest piano cycles of the 19th century. As on critic wrote at the time "the works will not fail to cause a big sensation and should soon become the intellectual property of every cultivated pianist." That this didn't happen one can only put down to blindness to the real aim of music, which lies in content rather than display.

1. Allegro ma non troppo (F). Kirchner begins with a very upbeat number, very much in the spirit of Schumann, note the opening seven bar phrase.
2. Allegro (con dolore) (D min). An often repeated offbeat motif haunts this piece and this same idea is ironed out in the mid-section development, which is in the major.
3. Largo (D min). A very powerful evocation, employing minimum means. I love that bottom A on the piano and the overlapping dissonances in the close.
4. Allegro con spirito (Bb). Another high-spirited piece with strong rhythms. There is a short chromatic mid-section before the repeat.
5. Allegretto vivace (A). The flowing intersection of the hands is reminiscent of Mendelssohn but leads into a more forceful middle section. The added decoration in the return gives a Baroque flavour before the music thins out into repose.
6. Andante con dolore (F#). After a quiet and somewhat dissonant contemplation the ideas develop into an increasingly passionate accelerando that ends in an outburst in the major key, which then subsides into the opening theme although finally the major prevails.
7. Vivo (D). A springy scherzo in 3/4 time moves into an operatic chorus (con grandezza) in 2/2. The scherzo is overlaid on this as the piece moves to an emphatic conclusion – a tour de force.
8. Allegro (D). A 6/8 in which the main idea is tossed between several voices and then developed into more concentrated climax before winding down into a hushed conclusion.
9. Allegro risoluto (E min). A substantial piece of vigorous character and string motifs. After a repeat of the exposition, the music is developed with Wagnerian harmonies and pulsating tremolos until a short lyrical section leads back to a recapulating coda.
10. Vivo (C). The melody runs in the bass whilst the right hand plays a running line through disparate harmonies, giving the whole a rarefied atmosphere.
11. Con moto (F min). This strikes me as being very Russian – both formal and passionate, it has the rhythm of a mazurka, even in its relentlessly driving trio over diminished sevenths  – very powerful.
12. Tempo rubato, con passione (F). A piece full of expression that should be a delight to all pianists who like to play with feeling.

Op.27 6 Caprices (1877)
Dedicated to Frau Mathilde Schlüter (19 Mai).
Much more interesting.

1. Vivace.  This opens in a very sprightly Schumannesque manner but the descending chromatics become more evident and threatening in the mid-section. Altogether quite pleasing.
2. Moderato cantabile. A very restful piece that slowly unfolds its ideas through changing keys until it sinks into repose.
3. Agitato. A strong piece with just a hint of mystery. A secondary idea maintains the momentum through to a conclusive ending. Recommended.
4. Vivace assai. The apparently light-hearted opening leads into a number of surprising harmonic twists as the material is continually developed through to the end.
5. Ruhiges Walzertempo. This has something of a Schubertian air. The trio too, although Schubert would not recognise its harmonies.
6. Allegro. A typical fiery Kirchner opening with strong rhythms. The mid-section (meno vivo) is also typical of the composer, an outburst of seemingly uncontrolled lyricism in which the melodic lines meander to a dreamy conclusion. The opening returns to provide a powerful conclusion. My favourite in the set.

Op.28 4 Nocturnes (1877)

It is interesting to observe nocturnes that do not belong to the Chopin tradition. I'm not sure where the German nocturne originated but we do have Fanny Hensel's Notturno (1838) and Schumann's Nachstücke(1839). Kirchner's own Op.25 Nachtbilder belong too but here he uses the standard title.

1. Ruhig, singend. This begins with a gentle serenade in C major. However, the middle section is altogether darker and full of foreboding, so that the apparent simplicityof the opening returns like a breath of fresh air. The hint of darker things before the ending is soon banished.
2. Con sentimento. This magnificent nocturne is one of those pieces in which the predominantly major keys are tinged with immense sadness. The opening Db migrates to F before returning on an undulating pedal (Db/C). It then moves on to a passionate climax in D before subsiding resignedly onto the pedal, which continues to the end. Highly recommended.
3. Moderato. Again in the major, this opens as a night stroll but builds up into a big climax (the opening Bb major becomes A# major here). Repeating triplets are then added, giving further urgency but eventually these transform into a trickling accompaniment that brings the walker home.
4. Molto moderato. This opens with something resembling a night watchmen's song. However, the passionate outburst that follows seems all the huger in contrast. Cast in Eb minor, it employs echoing phrases, reminiscent of Op.25.2. Afterwards, the home guard return to leave us in comfort.

Altogether, this opus is worthy of standing alongside Brahms. It deserves much greater airing.

Op.29 Aus meinem Skizzenbuche (1877)
I'm a little suspicious of sketchbooks. For one thing, the assemblage is unlikely to form a cycle and, for another, one is likely to find variations in quality. That is what we have here. There are six pieces in all and Kirchner unusually supplies titles.
1. Ungarisch. Kirchner's strong sense of rhythm is put to good use here in supplying the Hungarian flavour. Great fun but obey the 'not too fast' at the beginning, as the tempo becomes faster and faster.
2. Deutcher Walzer. Quite an interesting rendition that can be compared with Brahms, with a mid-section in the minor marked 'sehr markirt'.
3. Humoreske. Pleasant enough but hardly striking, although the agitato section has some content.
4. Frühlingsgesang. A similar remark can be made here – the content sounds a little like April showers.
5. Ständchen. Somewhat sentimental for my taste.
6. Jagdstücken. Quite fun but only a bagatelle.

One or two interesting pieces but nothing outstanding.

Op.30 Study and recreation (1877)

This is a large undertaking, published in four volumes. I don't quite see it being performed in toto, although it does contain some very good music. Two things to note are the importance of rhythm and dynamics.
Volume 1 – this part is presumably aimed at students.
1. Poco lento. A simple introduction written more or less in block chords but quite pleasant.
2. Lento semplice. A gentle song without words with two interweaving parts.
3. Etwas langsam, klagend. The lament in softened by the ensuing warmth of the major section, which is itself enlivened where the texture is spread with triplets.
4. Allegro vivace. A lively exercise in slightly irregular running scales that becomes in the minor section, a two-part invention.
5. Ruhig. This little example of expressive romantic counterpoint is well worthy of attention, even by experienced pianists.
6. Animato. One of Kirchner's driving three to a bar rhythms – after the initial repeat it develops through to the end (with one awkward bar 4 over 5) where it signs off with a flourish.
7. Allegro moderato. Another rhythmic piece, this one in common time (4/4). More extensive than the last, in ternary form with quite a catchy little idea.

Volume 2 – we have now reached the meat of this opus.
8. Moderato. Another song without words with a chromatic accompaniment. The music becomes more turbulent and amidst the storm, undulating thirds hover pianissimo. The opening is revisited briefly before the thirds return in a lower register, bringing the piece to a close. Worth exploring.
9. Allegro. A magnificent piece with driving energy, although the mid-section hovers ethereally over the continuing offbeat left hand part – tricky in places.
10. Scherzando (Vivace). The opening with its dynamic 6/8 rhythm is followed by a section of pounding triads that thin out to a single reiterated G over which fragments of the opening appear before entering in staggered form to give a dramatic ending. Also recommended.
11. Allegro ma non troppo. A little esquisse of some interest.
12. Allegro. A dashing piece that can be played with some abandon. In spirit it seems almost Scriabinesque. Recommended.
13. Scherzando. A bit of a puzzle. Triplet runs are interspersed with semi-quaver trills through ever changing keys before the music decides that it really is in C.
14. Allegro capriccioso. This may be the answer – the triplet runs continue, beginning in Amin. But here the music is more structured. One is left almost breathless. Recommended.
I not sure about playing this portion as a set because of the preponderance of quick tempos.

Volume 3
15. Moderato. Moody and magnificent best describes this. A background of hushed sixteenth-note broken chords hovers around the theme, which broods with dark foreboding. Towards the end, the pace is slackened through the use of triplet repetition and the music melts into the major key. I like the modulation back to opening material – C E Bb B is such a Fanny Hensel chord!
16. Piu animato. A lively piece with a repeated exposition and development/recap sections followed by a coda.
17. Allegro con passione. By placing this in A major and overlaying that with sharp minor keys, Kirchner creates an atmosphere of ecstatic emotion from which trumpet fanfares (in C and F) attempt to recall one in vain. The final trumpet (in the home key) sounds in joyful abandon. Highly recommended.
18. Vivace. A lyrical piece with a trickling stream of sixteenth-notes over chromatic harmonies and a gentle melody. The whole expands across the keyboard before subsiding into memories. Most beautiful.
19. Nicht zu schnell, aber kräftig. This opens with a dramatic chromatic declamation. After a repeat, a rhapsodic development leads back to the opening theme with added embellishments. Worthy of note.
20. Allegro. This looks most interesting but the free score from IMSLP has a page missing. Therefore, I'll leave it until I've saved enough to buy the full opus. However, it's likely I will – there are snatches here that sound most modern.

Volume 4
21. Un poco allegretto. A through composed lied in F# in a high romantic style. Really most beautiful and the delayed climax is a stroke of genius.
22. Vivace. A racing scherzo in which the principal idea skips between the hands. A trio (meno mosso) smooths out the main idea but gradually moves back into chromatic figuration and a foreshortened version of the opening. Recommended.
23. Allegro vivace. This opens with a rapid eighth note chromatic passage, hands with separate parts. In the answering section, the hands come together but the music is bold and wide ranging. The Eb mid-section is equally bold (con calore) and reaches a climax on a high Dd before returning to the opening material. An original conception.
24. Allegro. This dramatic piece is based around reverberating triplets, at first in consonance but later based on diminished sevenths and chromatic descents. The pace increases into a coda and the accelerando continues into a splendidly affirmative ending. Highly recommended.
25. Poco lento. A serene but irregular melody with answering phrases in other registers floats over a series of block chords whose harmonies twist and turn until arriving at an almost ghostly ending. Very moving.
This last volume contains music of the highest quality.

Op.32 Aus Trüben Tagen (1878)
This is an excellent cycle all through and deserves the attention of pianists. It's the kind of music that the more one examines it, the more one finds.
1. Widmung. Larghetto. The strong adherence to D minor provides a sense of reverence but it is invested with much dissonance. A major section intervenes (piu lento), which may be the dedication itself with moments of distant expectation.
2. Allegro. D minor continues in what is more or less a sonata movement. It opens with an urgent motif that overlaps itself. A strongly lyrical second subject over a triplet accompaniment leads into the development. In the recapitulation, the second subject is switched from F to D, which becomes the home key through the chromatics of the coda.
3. Allegro giusto. D major but irregular both harmonically and rhythmically, being held together by the thematic material. Rewarding but requires some study.
4. Ruhig, ausdrucksvoll. A major – short but beautifully constructed piece, drawing out a fragment of melody from number 3.
5. Allegro agitato. A minor. A relatively straightforward quick movement with a strange landler at its core (ein wenig ruhiger). This begins with gently rocking warmth  but expands into a series of chromatic undulations before dying away to nothing.
6. Moderato. The key moves back to F with a lovely rich melody that is tossed between the parts. This continues into a return of D minor (con passione) and then to a climax that subsides over a pedal D. A return is briefly made to the melody and then to the same pedal on F. A lovely piece – one of my favourites.
7. Allegro ma non troppo. A short piece that concentrates on its main idea, giving a strong sense of tautness and economy.
8. Lento, con dolore. Again, not a note is wasted and Kirchner makes much use of multiple voices. The switch in the climax from 6/8 to 3/4 is very telling.
9. Poco lento. The seemingly innocent opening is once again laced with counterpoint and soon becomes involved with some wide hand crossing. The development passes through Fb major and the piece slows to very quiet ending.
10. Rückblick. Agitato. A very turbulent chromatic vision interrupted by a somewhat sombre reflection (con molto espressione) that includes a moment of pure Schumann. A fine ending to a very strong set.

Another winner

Op.33 Ideale (1878)
These pieces are presumably in remembrance of the composers Kirchner took as his models.
1. 8th June [Schumann's birthday] Langsam, zart. A somewhat heady reflection in two repeated halves.
2. 31st January [Schubert's birthday] In gemessenen tempo. The F# minor opening has a Schubertian melancholy, after which a short lyrical passage leads into a restless 6/8 that climaxes on an unexpected high Bb. We are then led back to the opening, slower at first but accelerating to a conclusion.
3. 3rd February [Mendelssohn's birthday] A. Andante (poco lento) – rather homely and undistinguished. B. Animato – reproducing Mendelssohn's racy style quite effectively.
4. ***   Moderato (poco lento). An exquisite little piece, full of touches of Romantic counterpoint with an agitated 12/8 section to provide contrast. Finally, a trickle of chromatic figuration brings repose.

Op.34 7 Waltzes (1878)
This second set is more ambitious than the first, although with the possible exception of the 5th they are not showy concert pieces.
1. A light-footed waltz in which, as is often the case with Kirchner, one has to watch the offbeat rhythms carefully. The variation of the reprise is welcome and it leads into an exhilarating coda.
2. A graceful dance in a slower tempo (comodo) – note the frequent introduction of hemiolas.
3. A very dramatic ceremonial waltz that borders on the mazurka. It has a powerful climax and triumphant ending. Highly recommended.
4. Another reminder that we are in Vienna rather than Paris. Again marked 'grazioso' but here the foil lies in the two the bar phrases – delightfully understated.
5. This waltz is more in the grand ballroom style of Johann Strauss. The sweeping melodic phrases stick in the mind and are given two contrasting sections – the first a vigorous one in Bb min against the Db home key, the second lyrical in Gb. Orchestrated, this would grace any Viennese evening.
6. Kirchner returns to Bb min for a short but heartfelt moment of despair – note the aborted canonic entries, falling octave by octave.
7. For this bright, chirpy waltz, the composer switches to Bb maj, reserving the minor for a darker mid-section with stepping quavers – a delightful conclusion.

Well worthy of resurrection.

Op.35 Spielsachen (1878)
These light pieces have no pretensions. Effectively, they are bagatelles and contain an obliqueness that offers some charm. Although small and of little difficulty, they are adult toys.
1. Ziemlich langsam. A small Schubertian melody with chromatic harmonies added.
2. Langsam. Similar but closer to Schumann.
3. Allegretto. A jaunty little piece with an odd hiatus.
4. In Mässiger bewegung. A real bit of fun.
5. Ziemlich langsam. More extended and providing beauty by minimal means.
6. Allegretto. This flutters with an almost religious fervour.
7. Munter. A spritely idea, taken on an adventure.
8. Sehr ruhig. A simple melody is stated and then elaborated.
9. Mässig schnell. A strong, concentrated piece.
10. Moderato. In which A major flirts with B diminished 7ths.
11. Allegretto con moto. A pleasant melody in F that climaxes delightfully in Gb min.
12. Lebhaft. A fleet-footed romp.
13. Drängend. This piece, with its rich harmonies, is a real gem.
14. Ziemlich langsam. Almost chorale-like with a quicker core. Brings the set to a peaceful ending.

They are probably not intended as a cycle but it is worthwhile to put together a selection from them, as Jean Martin has on his recording.

Op.36 6 Phantasien (1878)
From the key sequence (Eb, Cmin, Ab,Ab, Cmin,Ab) and certain relations between the musical ideas, this is presumable intended as a cycle. On the whole, it is worthy of recovery.
1. Lied - essentially a song without words with two varied repeats and a coda. It contains some fine climaxes and examples of Kirchner's sliding key transpositions. The tune returns through a canon led from an inner part and the piece ends with the hands crossed, another of the composer's trademarks.
2. Burleske. This lively piece is a real delight. It is quite short and best played with all repeats, even though some have no beginnings! The mid-section is more of a development than a contrast.
3. Notturno. A night piece on the German model. The principal melody is enlivend by counterpoint and developed strongly before pulsating triplet thirds draw the music back to the opening.
4. Erzählung (Narrative). A light-hearted tale invested with dissonant wit (opens with the chord A,B in Ab and, in the closing bars, Db repeatedly conflicts with D). The contrasting section has a very open feel about it.
5. Trauer. This begins with a slow weary tread of repeated notes, the full force of which becomes unleashed after the music lapses into a resigned silence. This climax is eked out over a dotted rhythm in the base and finally the music rises up ethereally to resolve in the major, as though offering consolation in death. If you love sad music then this is for you.
6. Walzer.  This is a fairly standard waltz with a mid-section in the minor. However, it is rendered interesting by its inventive harmonies.

Op.37 4 Elegies (1878)
The arrangement of these, alternating grief and consolation, strongly suggests they are intended as a cycle – key signatures: F min, F, A min, F.
1. This opens with an expressive melody embellished with counterpoint. A reflective period follows with diminished French sixths over pedals in the bass. This leads back to the opening phrase, which rises to a climax only to sink down into despondency.
2. A singing melody in unison provides a feeling of companionship. This is developed freely in various registers and keys until only fragments remain.
3. Here, a mock waltz rhythm in 6/8 gives a sense of distance to the mournful cries of the melodic line. The music then becomes more free-flowing with major/minor alternations adding to the pathos until the compass narrows again and that rhythm returns like the call of doom. One of the saddest endings in all of music.
4. After the last, the composer provides some comfort with phrase repetitions and warm counterpoint. Unlike the previous elegies, which are through composed, this one has two written out repeats before the coda visits the ghostly world of C major and ends gently on the cadence Eb7 > F.
This set has long been one of my favourites and is perhaps the definitive collection of elegies in the whole repertoire.

Op.38 12 Studies (1878)
These are not on the model of Chopin, but more an exploration of styles and ideas.
1. Poco moderato in C. A somewhat prelude like piece in two repeated sections. Not particularly adventurous but surrounding the home key with those of B and Db provides a nice touch.
2. Allegro ma non troppo in C min. Very vigorous with a dotted rhythm between the hands. Recommended.
3. Poco moderato in Eb. More of a stalk than a march, staccato and becoming increasingly dissonant. The contrasting mid-section is legato (dolce) but equally weird and ending in an orgy of chromatic dissonance. Kirchner really deserves some credit for pieces like this.
4. Allegro – A min. A Scarlatti sonata in texture and form but belonging firmly to the Romantic era. A strong vigorous piece – recommended.
5. Allegro – E. An odd combination of running scales and block chords. Not entirely without merit.
6. Moderato in A min. This opens with a lovely melody in the manner of a 'legend'. The answering section in the major is full of offbeat rhythms. Twice it rises to a climax before the melody returns to provide an ending. A masterpiece.
7. Sanft bewegt in B. A gently rocking motif continues until its deceptive simplicity is shattered by a menacing answer from deep in the bass (nach und nach immer starker). The opening innocence returns briefly before the piece ends with unexpected force. Another worthy of recommendation.
8. Poco animato – C min. Another strong piece that drives forward through some quite difficult keys (Bbb major) before coming to an emphatic conclusion.
9. Mässig schnell – Db. Kirchner sets a dotted motif against staccato scale passages, taking these ideas to a climax before unwinding them. Not a favourite of mine.
10. Allegro ma non troppo – D. A kind of invention in two or more parts. The counterpoint includes snatches of canon and interesting breaks of rhythm – possesses some originality.
11. Scherzando – G. – A cheeky little chromatic motif is tossed about and then simplified into a turn in the more serious mid-section. The whole is through composed and the two versions are combined in the ending – worthwhile.
12. Allegretto sostenuto – C. A gently flowing melody is enlivened by the interplay of hands and subtle key changes. Nothing startling but a very pleasant conclusion.

Op.39 Dorfgeschichten (1879)

These fourteen small pieces are unusual in having titles. I do not know on which particular set of village tales they are based, this being a popular genre in the early part of that century (possibly Auerbach). Although not impressionistic, they are none the less impressions. That is what the character piece is all about.
1. Großvater erzählt von der guten, alten Ziet (Grandfather tells of the good old days). Suitably old-fashioned.
2. Unter der Eiche (Under the Oak). Warm and charming but very 'Mendelssohn'.
3. Der verdrießliche Fagottist (The peevish bassoonist). A good bit of fun.
4. Schlechtes Wetter (Bad weather). If played as pure music, this is quite startling.
5. Regenbogen (Rainbow). If this had ever reached the drawing-room, this gorgeous piece would have become a classic – deserves recognition.
6. Menuett. A lively little neo-Baroque affair. The trio is spatially quite interesting.
7. Im Mondenschein (In moonlight). The instruction 'sehr langsam und träumerich' should be taken seriously. Given that and zen-like contemplation it can work.
8. Jagdlied (Hunting song). A romp.
9. Zwiegesang (Duet). A duet sung in harmony but its odd phrase lengths and changeable dynamics make it difficult to master. It seems to drift into and out of ones consciousness.
10. Ländler. An interesting rendition.
11. Gondellied. This is Mendelssohn territory and I'm not sure what it's doing in town. Nevertheless, it is suitably hypnotic and worth its short duration.
12. Bauerntanz (Barn dance). A rowdy dance in which the composer enjoys the clashing harmonies.
13. Bruder Eduard muß läuten gehn (Brother Edward must go ringing). Edward's natural inclinations vie with his religious duties, another bit of fun.
14. Zum Abschied (Farewell). Rather a tame ending in my view.

Op.40 3 Poems for Voice and Piano (1879)

Op.41 Verwehte  Blätter (Fallen Leaves)  (1879)
In spite of the title, this set is essentially an outpouring of music with no other particular connotation. Not big works but each exquisitely formed.
1. Moderato. Relatively serene with interesting harmonies – two repeated sections and a short coda.
2. Allegretto.  Begins with a Kirchneresque dialogue over two short repeats moving into a typical outburst 'con passione', which spreads itself across the keyboard before the music returns to a syncopated version of the opening line and then accelerates to a conclusion.
3. Poco allegretto. This weaves its way gently through several registers, once again with two repeats and a coda – charming.
4. Allegro. A dynamic piece opening with a passage of invertible counterpoint. After much development this returns before a strong variation brings closure – recommended.
5. Ziemlich langsam, zart. A song with crossing hands and overlapping parts. Each of its two parts is followed by an elaboration – another fine piece.
6. Andante. A gently flowing piece, Baroque in style but Romantic in harmony and feeling. Short but a very pleasing ending.

Op.42 7 Mazurkas (1879)

Round about this time, Kirchner arranged ten of Chopin's songs for solo piano. He also edited an edition of 50 of that composer's pieces, including mazurkas. This interest seems to have inspired him, both in this opus and the one that follows. These seven mazurkas offer a good complement to the seven waltzes Op.34, both being representations of ballroom dances with folk origins. Those origins are naturally less obvious here than in Chopin. Any discussion of the development of the mazurka in art music will be of little worth if it does not consider these, and also those of Heller's Op.148, although I have not yet tracked down a score of the latter.
1. Poco lento. This has a drooping motif that becomes embellished with a tremolo, at first over a dim. 5th, later over a maj. 3rd. These return after a more vigorous section that fades mysteriously away.
2. Semplice (poco lento). The opening simplicity soon disappears in overlapping entries and a switch to the minor with bass tremolos that are full of foreboding. The return of the opening is shortened.
3. Mesto. Moody and magnificent, this is a good exemplar for the 'melancholy mazurka'. The music rises to a climax that sinks chromatically before switching somewhat reluctantly to the major, which is sustained through another chromatic descent to end on the pulse of a broken heartbeat.
4. Moderato. This comes the closest to Chopin. Two different rhythmic ideas are introduced that come together in the close.
5. Vivo non troppo. Like the 5th waltz, this is a more extensive piece. The exposition runs to 33 bars and is then repeated. A development section follows leading into a concealed recapitulation and a long dramatic coda. A sa first reviewer remarked, this has the appeal of extravaganza and it is certainly worthy of recommendation.
6. Mesto. A slow sedate 8-bar opening runs from E maj to C, which is held for four bars before the opening repeats. A second repeat of 9 bars follows, leading from c through A min to A. All very subtle.
7. Moderato. This delightfully free and easy version of the mazurka is a real joy. Kirchner uses the instruction 'rubato', which probably differs from Chopin's insistence on keeping the left hand in strict time.

Op.43 4 Polonaises (1879)

Kirchner continues his interest in things Polish. The polonaise is a processional dance and was a grand affair when used to open a ball. Kirchner's grandeur is admittedly not as subversive as Chopin's. However, it does remain effective.
1.  Maestoso. The basic element here is three rising notes that are stated boldly at the very beginning and then appear again and again in various guises. The opening ceremonial has a gloriously climactic ending. The ensuing development (con spirito) introduces a new rhythmic element but the opening idea is never far away and mounts up over a drum roll into the reprise.
2. Allegro ma non troppo. This has always been my favourite – probably because it is so memorable (that has to count for something). The principal idea is presented in 3/2 and has a very formal air. After two repeats, a lovely melody is introduced over the continued rhythm (dolce, the key switching from F to Db). This migrates to remote keys before reintroducing the opening material without repeats.
3. Lebhaft. In lighter mood, Kirchner holds back the theme by commencing it each time with three bars of 4/4 common time. The main section is wide-ranging and volatile, closing with a descent of minor thirds from a high register. The singing melody that follows is introduced in the tenor but moves to the higher octave. Once again the opening returns to round of the piece.
4. Moderato. This follows the others in format and is typical of Kirchner in style (not a bit like Schumann incidentally). The more sedate mid-section is relatively short and retains elements of the main thematic material, ending on a particularly dissonant climactic ascending scale.

Op.44 Blumen zum Strauß (1879)

Flowers for a Bouquet – much to do with poetry and nothing to do with Strauss! An interesting collection, although its strongest element perhaps lies in perfume.

1. Allegretto. A bright little bloom. As is fairly typical with Kirchner we find a non-arpeggiated accompaniment spanning more than three octaves.
2. Sehr ruhig. Heavily scented, this gorgeous and sensuous piece belongs to a later age. It's a sad reflection on today's musical world that there is no recording. Please, please, can we have one? Indeed, why not several.
3. Vivace scherzando. A chirpy little prelude that is full of surprises, both in harmony and in the sudden halving of the tempo – a touch of genius.
4. Langsam, zart. More voluptuous perfume with an almost Scriabin-like langour.
5. Moderato. The opening innocence becomes disturbed in the second repeat and the coda is like a regretful memory.
6. Allegretto scherzando. More colourful flowers but this little scherzo becomes increasingly chromatic and quite tricky. There are no repeats.
7. Moderato. Another gentle interplay of voices that rises to a subdued climax before fading away into a lovely poetic ending.
8. Allegretto vivace  (gleichsam zänkisch). There seems to be a colour-clash here. The main thing is to master the rhythms, which are irregular and often offbeat – a very individual piece. 
9. Poco lento (sehr zart). Although effectively a short double repeat, dynamic variation and the lovely harmonies make this a piece to treasure.
10. Moderato. The opening bars seem a little commonplace but Kirchner transforms them into something magical.
11. Lebhaft, mit Humor. Anyone who has investigated Kirchner will have discovered his sense of humour and this classically-textured piece is full of witty subtleties, even in the contrasting mid-section (Etwas ruhiger) with its mischievous hand-crossings. Another delight and an excellent object for study.
12. Poco lento. This little farewell is perhaps not as strong as the rest but nevertheless possesses charm.

Opus 45 6 Klavierstücke (1879)
Here we find to the full, Kirchner's individual style and vision.
1. Ballade. Einfach, ruhig
The principal idea runs in parallel chords onto which bell-like notes intrude before a more impassioned section (leidenschaftlich) introduces an urgent double-noted motif, which becomes doubled in pace in a violent climax (heftig). The main idea survives all this and becomes magically transformed (in Cb major). The music then rises chromatically to reach a peaceful ending in which the bell notes return.
2. Mazurka. Etwas gemessen
An addition to Opus 42 and a magnificent one at that: richly textured throughout. The main argument is divided into two contrasting halves, based on F min and Ab respectively. Then follows a delightful trio with a skipping rhythm (scherzando) in Ab min. As a variation, the first part of the opening appears in G# minor.
3. Novelette. Sanft bewegt
This opens with soft interwoven syncopation from which is built a major climax. This reduces to a simple falling semitone, a motif that draws the piece to an emphatic ending after another page of development.
4. Mazurka. Tempo giusto
Very positive and upbeat with the usual added layers. The main section has two repeats, which are omitted on the return. The trio (Ruhig, leise) is a little gem in which a simple idea is tossed about with great subtlety and skill.
5. Intermezzo. Sehr ruhig, doch nicht schleppend
An exercise in the art of understatement with uncertain rhythms and a pizzicato accompaniment. More animation is introduced using running triplets (erregter) but after a brief climax the opening mood returns and the music sinks to a close with broken rhythms and an F pedal. An original piece that requires great care of interpretation.
6. Romanze. Andante espressivo
The essence here is the changes of pace and key. The opening phrases lead from Eb to G and a doubling in speed then leads towards a bold statement in Db with the quicker rhythms taken into the bass. This accompaniment continues with the motif now at half original speed high above. After a brief resumption of the opening, the motif moves to the left hand with the right adding a static version below at the double.

This set is worthy of every pianist's attention.

Opus 46. 30 Kinder- und Künstlertänze (1879)
This exemplifies the difficulty an explorative pianist has with Kirchner's works. A set of dances for children and artists may sound to be relatively minor pieces but this is by no means the case. A reviewer describes them thus: a splendid phalanx of martial character pieces, pervaded with artistic effervescence, with multifarious lunges against false pedantry, mechanical platitudes and dry philistinism.
These pieces serve two purposes and division is not straightforward. It is unlikely they were conceived as a cycle, so one can pick and choose. It is sad for Kirchner that there are still philistines amongst us today.
1. Allegretto. Clearly a piece for children with little remarkable other than the question asked in the coda.
2. Poco lento, espressivo. Here Kirchner sticks to four bar phrases but pulls the rhytms and harmonies about.
3. Munter. Follows the same course as the preceding but lively.
4. Nicht zu schnell. A short and Vigorous classical style minuet surround s atrio full of suspended chords (tranquillo) and a tricky little three-voice sequence.
5. Moderato. Another offering for the student with touches of humour. Nothing of great note so far.
6. Lamentoso. Almost a slow march but enlivened by rhythmic changes. Kirchner dispenses with repeats her and the result is a fine little piece.
7. Mässig schnell. Back to repeats but this time much more interesting harmonically.
8. Espressivo. A lovely piece in which snippets of melody are treated contrapuntally across several voices with some very sharp dissonances.
9. Poco vivace. One for the artists amongst us. The main section has a Hungarian air, which is further emphasised in the mid-section, switching to the major and very equestrian.
10. A single page but with much musical content – a fine little prelude.
11. Ruhig, singend. A most beautiful example of floating melody – ideal for moments of contemplation. This really ought to be a classic.
12. Moderato. Perhaps a little pedestrian but punctuated by a dropping 7th motif that occurs in another guise in the flowing mid-section.
13. Nicht zu schnell. The strong opening harmonies contrast vividly with the more wayward offbeat deviations that follow and the return is particularly satisfying where the keys of C and F combine. The midsection introduces staccato scales subject to similar offbeat rhythms and snatches of the main theme (now in Eb). A more extended piece well worth exploring.
14. Moderato. Another shorter piece but its many twists of harmony make it interesting.
15. Poco vivace. The vigorous F major theme is suddenly interrupted by a Bb entry that presages a flowing midsection in which the melody is ironed out.
16. Poco lento. Another beautiful piece in which the opening notes are put to ethereal use before finally rising into heaven.
17. Moderato. A very short piece with a slightly Polish aura.
18. Vivace.  One of Kirchner's stepping pieces. Great fun once you've mastered the rhythms.
19. Moderato. Not especially interesting. Perhaps aimed at students.
20. Nicht schnell, innig. Pleasant enough but hardly more than a song without words.
21. Sanft bewegt. A strong flowing waltz with strong rhythms – recommended.
22. Lebhaft, wild – and wild it is too requiring an uninhibited approach. A brief slower section (langsamer, zart) offers only temporary respite – again recommended.
23. Mässig. This piece with its open horn calls and sudden key changes employs two written out repeats and perhaps lacks a little in development.
24. Mesto. Again with two repeats but being slow and stately with its active counterpoint it works out well.
25. Poco vivace. A boisterous tripartite piece with rising chromatic flourishes. The stepping trio is a bit thin but on the whole quite fun.
26. Vivace. Very strong with dynamic syncopation and tart dissonances. The midsection provides a subdued contrast – highly recommended.
27. Poco allegretto scherzando.  The main idea persists throughout with little time to pause even when overlain with more expressive lines in the midsection. With its many interesting key changes, this piece is a delight.
28. Andante, dolce. A floating dream, one could almost call this piece divine. Ought not to be ignored.
29. Mesto (poco lento). Rising from the depths with a slow measured tempo, mournful phrases are answered by ones expressive of consolation. After a dramatic climax the piece ends in repose. Recommended.
30. Vivace. A vigorous scherzo-like movement with some seemingly strange passages, whose logic is eventually revealed. The rhapsodic midsection seems to demand a wild abandon, given which it works through its harmonies. A splendid conclusion to the set.

Op.47 Federzeichnungen (Ink Drawings).

One should note Kirchner's use of original titles. As there is no lack of colour, Kirchner presumable is referring to line rather than filled in details. This is clearly an integrated cycle.
1. Moderato. A beautifully constructed ternary form with variation in the material.
2. Allegro ma non troppo. Vigorous. The stepped motif from No.1 is inverted here. A more subdued trio continues the rhythm, the return being a straight repetition.
3. Moderato. An example of Kirchner's fragmented counterpoint, with double repeats and coda but nevertheless beautifully balanced.
4. Poco lento. Very subdued with a very effective sketchy effect. Reminds one of Satie.
5. Allegro vivace.  Another sketch but very quick and light (leggiero). Nore the two to a bar insertions – great fun.
6. Andantino. A gentle little piece with fluttering tremolos at its core.
7. Moderato cantabile. The most overtly romantic piece in the set. Short but intensely satisfying, being through composed.
8. Poco lento (Sehr zart). Very sweet but rather flat. Kirchner is going over old ground here.
9. Intermezzo. Very short but made effective through its halting rhythm.
Zum schluss. Poco lento. Back to Schumann here but this is so lovely there is nothing to forgive.

There is enough here to make this set worth acquiring.

Op. 48 6 Humoresks
These are light by design but nevertheless pleasing musically.
1. Allegro ma non troppo. This trips along with a somewhat Mendelssohnian air. There is a short, warmer, mid-section before the opening returns doubled between the hands.
2. Con moto. More in the manner of Haydn – light and fresh.
3. Allegretto. Perhaps Kirchner is invoking Beethoven here. A chirpy little tune is developed through distant keys.
4. Allegretto. A delightful little minuet in Baroque style – perhaps the tune is borrowed but the treatment is novel.
5. Allegretto grazioso. Another charming melody that becomes enlivened by little chromatic runs in 16th notes.
6. Allegretto. An exercise in minimum means, especially in the mid-section. Such little touches of originality as found here deserve more recognition.

Op. 49 Neue Albumblätter.
Kirchner begins to create large numbers of small pieces, possibly because his publisher agreed to pay pro rata and he was generally in a state of poverty. This set is little more than album leaves but later he becomes more focused and discovers the possibilities of this genre. It is difficult to comment in any detail, so I will merely indicate those I think worthy of recognition.
Book 1.
1. Allegretto. C. Pseudo-classical.
2. Moderato. C min. Pleasant but not outstanding.
3. Allegretto. C. More typical of Kirchner – strong.
4. Allegretto. F. Balletic – good fun. Strong.
5. Allegretto. A min. Again, well constructed and fun. Strong.
6. Andantino. C. Weak.
7. Andante Ab. Weak.
8. Allegretto. C. Weak.
9. Poco vivace. F. Very short – somewhat minimal.
Intermezzo – The piano tuner comes. Poco lento, sempre – a clever little joke.
10. Poco lento. E. A pleasant melody embellished with stepping semiquavers.
Book 2.
11. Allegretto. A min. A pseudo-classical minuet, chromatic in parts. Good.
12. Moderato. F. Weak.
13. Con moto. A. Lively and fun, especially the halting rhythms in the coda. Strong.
14. Moderato. G. A pseudo-classical piece with a touch of bitonality.
15. Poco vivace. C. Lively and fun. Strong.
16. Andantino. G min. Interesting. Strong.
17. Allegretto. G. A gentle little romp that is a real delight to play. Strong.
18. Poco lento. Eb. The soft rising phrases of the opening seem to presage more.
19. Allegretto. C. Weak.
20. Andante. C. A piece that walks on tiptoes.

Op. 50 6 Songs

Op. 51 An Stephen Heller. 1880

These more substantial pieces represent a tribute to a fellow progressive. Curiously, although Kirchner knew both Wagner and Brahms, we see no reference to Liszt.

Andantino. The main melody here is rather lovely but the long midsection becomes rather turgid.
Moderato (semplice). Maybe a little repetitious but it is only short and has subtle touches.
Allegro moderato. This magnificent piece shows what Kirchner is capable of. Beginning in E minor, an irregular melodic section reaches a radiant climax in C before a more turbulent recapitulation finally fades into E major.
Etwas langsam ind still. Another excellent piece. I think Kirchner is at his best when he doesn't rely on repeats. Strange harmonies cast an eerie light over an undulating theme that moves between several registers.
Poco allegretto. The guitar imitation is good but the gently meandering melody in the midsection is weaker - works best if kept very quiet.
Ruhig. Here, Kirchner would have done better to develop rather than repeating.
Allegretto. Not special but brisk and vigorous.
Moderato. A waltz with repeats but there is enough harmonic interest to make it worthwhile.
Sanft bewegt. Nicht shnell. Another fine piece with plenty of scope for expression. The midsection developes the material very effectively in flowing semi-quavers. There are no repeats.
Sanft bewegt. Nicht shnell. A gently plucked idea is developed through interesting harmonies but again, one does rather regret the repeats.
Con comodo. This has a harmonic openness that seems almost 20th century. The more stately midsection is also interesting, especially in the modulations that presage the return, which is more or less a repeat although there is an emphatic coda.
Lamgsam ausdrucksvoll. A sedate and solemn ending but Kirchner adds nothing new here.

All in all, this is a mixed bag.

Op. 52 Ein neues Klavier-Buch (1880)

Composed specifically for young pianists, these are, as a reviewer put it, set with refinement and gratifying for their harmony and proportion. Still worthy of use today.

Allegro. C. The little C major prelude brought up to date.
Allegretto. G. Skips along amongst the registers.
Poco allegro. G.
Allegro. Bb. Very light and quick, each phrase introduced by a flourish.
Einfach, ruhig. G.
Einfach, ruhig. D. More extended. A pleasant tune with a tremolo midsection.
Con moto. G. Fast running triplets rush to an early conclusion.
Allegro ma non troppo. C min. Pseudo-Baroque with a chromatic section in the major.
Allegretto scherzando. 3/4 and 6/8 fight for predominance.
Con moto. D min/D. A vigorous though subdued main section is answered gently in the major.
Ruhig. A. A lovely little serenade.
Allegretto. A. This little clock does not go by clockwork!

Op.53 Nachklänge (Resonances) 1881 [Florestan ind Eusebius]

Here Kirchner maintains a high level throughout and the set as a whole is a masterpiece whose neglect is shameful. Note that in spite of the obvious homage, the actual title is again original.

1. Non troppo vivace. Permeated by a little dotted rhythm that befits the title. Development continues until a much varied return leads to a strong conclusion.
2. Poco lento. A powerful elegy that pauses on multiple Db chords (5 at one point). The consoling major section soon breaks down and the final mournful lines are overlain by the palpitations of fate.
3. Animato. A very strong scherzo with irregular syncopation. The deep bass in the trio further enhance the music and although the return is unchanged without repeats, one has no regrets. No one does this kind of music better.
4. Andante (poco lento). A wandering melodic line is shared between hands. Brief moments of anguish melt away into repose.
5. Kräftig, nicht zu schnell. Here insistent rhythms form the driving force. Note the clever disposition of the hands in the second section. In the middle is another of Kirchner's rhapsodic interludes, here quiet throughout, even tranquillo.
6. Dolce animato. Another ternary piece marked by the loveliness of its melody. Its closing scales reappear in the more emotional midsection (etwas ruhiger) and bring the piece to a resonant end. 

Op.54 2nd Scherzo (1881)

The scherzo itself is exciting, developing throughout and, apart from the first 8-bar phrase, without repeats. I find the trio rather disappointing - no doubt Kirchner is trying to provide contrast but there's not a lot there. Fortunately it is brief and one can at least make use of its sonorities.

Op.55 New Scenes from Childhood (1881)

These are easy pieces for young pianists and I have the RSM edition (Easy Piano Pieces No.52). There are twenty-five in all and I'm not going to detail them here. They are, I think, good for their purpose and might while away an odd moment.

Op.56 In Stillen Stunden (1881) (In Quiet hours)

These are titled and have individual dedications. There is some excellent music here.

1.   Frühlingsgruß (Spring's Greeting). Allegretto grazioso. A worthy addition to any collection of Spring songs - altogether a lovely piece, recommended.
2.   Caprice. Lebhaft. An idiosyncratic piece needing a light touch - again a pleasure to play and to be recommended. These first two are ion Henle's selection of Kirchner's works.
3.   Novelette. Nicht zu schnell, gut markirt. Rather dark but will appeal to those who like gloomy music or who enjoy playing the bottom notes of the piano with the right hand. The somewhat rarified atmosphere of the midsection is a pleasant contrast but requires great control.
4.   Lied. Ziemlich langsam. A subdued period of answering voices leads to a stormier passage (etwas bewegter) making use of the opening material. Quintessential Kirchner.
5.   Tanzlied. A waltz tempo requiring a light touch and a sharp eye for detail - short but worthwhile. Recommended.
6.   Humoreske. Vivace. The fleet and staccato opening section delves into some strange dissonances. The midsection is in the same vein although more conventional - overall very interesting.
7.   Klage (Lament). Ausdrucksvoll, aber nicht schleppend. Essentially an elegy with two written out repeats and a coda. Best for the lovely warmth of the openings to the second repeat.
8.   Freundliches Erinnern (Friendly Recollection). Another lovely piece - full of expression, especially in the highly romantic midsection. Recommended.
9.   Valse Mélancolique. Shades of Tchaikovsky here but there is a splendid melody and plenty of harmonic interest in the midsection.
10.   Ein Sylvesterlied (A New Year's Song). Sehr langsam. After a repetition of the tripartite opening, the material is developed to a harmonious conclusion. The atmosphere throughout is solemn but restful. A fine piece.

Op.60 Plaudereien (Gossip)

Kirchner returns here to the small piece but with more purpose. He throws out a plethora of ideas, not always new but in the context of the title, apt.
Book 1:
1.   Con moto. G. A little melody switched between the hands with a nice entry in Bb.
2.   Allegretto. D. With contrasting staccato and legato passages.
3.   Allegro. D min. Basically a running line divided between the hands.
4.   Nicht zu schnell. D. A vigorous little contrapuntal exercise.
5.   Poco allegretto. G. Delicate staccato motifs smoothed out internally with a triplet accompaniment.
6.   Poco allegro. A min. Another contrapuntal piece involving descending triplet turns. Quite strong.
7.   Mässiges Tempo. C. Basically a minuet this more extended piece has a core full of wonderful sonorities. Worth presenting on its own.
Book 2:
8.   Con moto. C min. Another longer ternary form. At first turbulent with interweaving of bass and alto lines; midsection with staccato descending sixths in the major. This piece could stand alone.
9.   Allegretto. Eb. Following the last in staccato mode. Quite adventurous within its short limits.
10.   Allegro. C min. Pervaded by a persistent dropping motive that gives it coherence.
11.   Allegretto. Eb. Very brief: the home key scales being interrupted by an extended one in E.
12.   Poco Andante. Db. A lyrical melody in ¾. Nice but nothing new.
13.   Con troppo vivace. Db. Races along with a little skipping motif.
14.   Zart nicht schnell. E. Perhaps tending to the sentimental but 'not fast' does mean slow!
15.   Poco moderato. Ab. A gently flowing melody interlocked with tritone passages.
Book 3:
16.       Allegro ma non troppo. G min. Typically ebullient Kirchner – always fun to play.
17.   Comodo. G. A game of hide and seek reminiscent of Haydn. Recommended.
18.   Molto moderato. Ab. An extended song without words – dated perhaps but rather lovely.
19.   Poco animato. Eb. Another extended piece in which overlapping pedal notes frequently occur. The midsection in triplets illustrates Kirchner's skill in the interruption of flow.
20.   Comodo. Bb. A short piece with an antique air.
Book 4:
21.   In Gavotten Tempo. D. A full scale dance in neo-classical style.
22.   Con fuoco. B min. Fiery indeed, even in the melodic major section (be careful of the dynamics). Recommended.
23.   Poco Allegro. D. A free exploration of rapidly undulating motifs – original if nothing else.
24.   Allegretto (Gavotten tempo) D. Another fine neo-classical dance. The trio with its wide-ranging triplet figures offers even more and again this could be played as a stand alone piece.
25.   Andantino. Eb. A short farewell but deliciously dissonant and rewarding. Should not be ignored.

A newcomer to Kirchner may be baffled by this somewhat eccentric collection but it is illustrative of his unique contribution to the piano repertoire.

Op. 61 6 Characterstücke (1882)

A more ambitious collection dedicated to Mary Krebs, a distinguished pianist.
1.   Con passione. A full-blown concert piece full of sweeping phrases and with an extended central section that is so familiar it must have been popularized somewhere, a lovely melody (tranquillo) that ends in an orgy of trills.
2.   Andantino. Taut and concentrated with chromatic harmonies that float in a seemingly disembodied manner.
3.   Moderato. Almost a funeral march - originally marked Lento, but better at the more mobile tempo, as this gives the midsection more life. Nevertheless the overall impression is one of gloom.
4.   Allegro. A Grieg-like effusion gushing with sunshine and singing birds that bring joy to the heart.
5.   Poco vivace. A tightly knit spinning song (pedal only where indicated) that is more caustic than bleak, although the intermediate recitative (langsamer, frei vorzutragen) casts a long shadow. At times sharply dissonant and modern.
6.   Allegro. Material Kirchner has used before but here more open and resonant. A bell-like outpouring of uninhibited joy that maybe belongs in the 20th century. A subdued midsection (ruhiger) in 2/2 time provides contrast, having a somewhat religious flavour. A fitting end to another cycle that deserves recognition.

Have you looked at the piano trios, the string quartets, the piano quartet, the pieces for violin and piano (Op.63, Op.90) or the cello & piano (Op.79), too?

There are also pieces for cello and organ (Op.92) and violin and organ (Op.91.)

Quote from: Scion7 on March 30, 2016, 04:19:14 PM
Have you looked at the piano trios, the string quartets, the piano quartet, the pieces for violin and piano (Op.63, Op.90) or the cello & piano (Op.79), too?

There are also pieces for cello and organ (Op.92) and violin and organ (Op.91.)

Thank you. I'm aware that these are worth exploring and obtaining recordings is part of my work in progress. There are also the lieder but these seem almost totally neglected. For the moment, as a pianist, I am concentrating on the piano works and it's still a long way to Op. 100+!
It's time I had some recordings though.

Haven't heard the string quartet pieces, but the others I have.
Very nice Brahmsian-circle music.

Quote from: Scion7 on April 01, 2016, 10:14:09 PM
Haven't heard the string quartet pieces, but the others I have.
Very nice Brahmsian-circle music.

I'll be looking for a few Wagnerian touches :)

Haven't heard anything like that, although he was acquainted with RW.  Schumann and some Brahms elements are what I hear - with his own individual sound mixed in.

Quote from: Scion7 on April 02, 2016, 01:56:45 PM
Haven't heard anything like that, although he was acquainted with RW.  Schumann and some Brahms elements are what I hear - with his own individual sound mixed in.

Only the odd harmonic sequence here and there, Kirchner is perhaps more inventive when it comes to rhythm although there are things in Op.61 that Brahms would probably have shuddered at.

Next, a very minor work:
Op. 62 15 Miniatures (1882)
I have these in the RSM edition (Easier piano pieces). More little ideas – brief but not without interest and certainly good for learners. Nothing of  importance, so I too will be brief.
1.   Lustig, doch nicht zu schnell. A chirpy little opener.
2.   Con moto. Based on rather flat chromatic phrases. Needs pace.
3.   Allegretto. Quite fun.
4.   Allegro vivace. With alternating running and chordal passages. Nicely arranged.
5.   Zimlich langsam, ausdrucksvoll. A lovely example of how to extract maximum expression from only a few notes.
6.   Vivace. Short and playful.
7.   Nicht zu schnell, aber lebhaft. A lively little dance.
8.   Ruhig, ausdrucksvoll. A somewhat languorous exercise.
9.   Allegretto, poco agitato. Another lively little piece with doubled offbeat chords.
10.   Allegretto. A little song.
11.   Mässig. A little minuet.
12.   Lebhaft. An exercise in stationery staccato hand alternation. Quite enjoyable but the second repeat is written out and doesn't require repeat marks.
13.   Poco allegro. Brief and based on a tortuous fugue-like phrase.
14.   Mässig schnell. The pick of the set, this more extended piece with its fluttering ascending phrases and midsection with an extended trill on B/C could easily stand alongside Grieg's Lyrical Pieces if given a title. Maybe this is a precursor to Butterflies.
15.   Animato. Passionate and agitated, its fluid variation within a brief span give it interest although Kirchner has done this bigger elsewhere.

Op.64 Gavotten, Minuetten und Lyrische Stücke (1883)
Here Kirchner is following the fashion for neo-Baroque dance suites without actually using the suite form.
1.   Gavotte – Poco allegro (Mäßiges Tempo). A neat little tune, in the minor but echoed in major in the trio.
2.   Lyrisches Intermezzo – Ziemlich langsam, ausdrucksvoll. A gentle development of the main idea leads into a more animated section (Erregter), which although passionate remains principally in major keys. The truncated return concludes with a positive ending. Altogether am engaging piece.
3.   Menuett – Sehr mäßig. Quite interesting within its short compass. After a 16-bar introduction of staccato counterpoint the material is enlivened with semiquavers (Etwas bewegter) before an 8-bar variation forms a conclusion.
4.   Menuett – Allegro moderato. A strong and vigorous minuet of longer duration with an imaginative syncopated trio.
5.   Gavotte – Allegretto. Somewhat dainty and nice although the trio with its descending scales adds some spice.
6.   Ein frommes Lied – Poco lento. As indicated, a hymn-like conclusion, perhaps justified by the G#, F#, E chords.

I just picked up a CD:

(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51D0pcvNcjL._SCLZZZZZZZ__SY500_SX500_.jpg)

With German pianist Tobias Koch playing Album Leaves of Robert Schumann, as well as a couple by Brahms and two by a composer I'd never heard of before, Theodor Kirchner. I'm listening to the latter of those now. First off, Koch is playing an old piano, an 1830 Tröndlin. The sound is great, very resonant, and of course period appropriate. I'm not big on old pianos or fortepianos typically but this is one of the good ones. Anyway, I enjoyed both Kirchner leaves. One of them was written in memory of Robert Schumann who had recently died. It's a very dark piece and might the longest on the entire disc at about 3 and a half minutes.

So my interest is piqued. Any love for Kirchner recently? Apparently he wrote over 1000 short piano pieces. I'm wondering if they are worth exploring further.