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KLAUS PAIER
accordion, bandoneon
P R O J E C T S
german
Klaus Paier Solo
Klaus Paier Solo
Klaus Paier & Asja Valcic
Klaus Paier Trio
Klaus Paier & rsqv
Klaus Paier & Gerald Preinfalk
Klaus Paier has long been a solitary figure in the accordion scene.
The Austrian, living in Carinthia, has explored the sound of the accordion
from the very beginning and has attempted to expand the borders of the
instrument both in terms of technique and composition - after all, he
remains fascinated by the openness and freedom of music. After studying
classical accordion and composition at the conservatory of music and
drama in Klagenfurt, he quickly turned his attention to other genres, from
tango and world music to jazz, in order to fuse them into an unmistakable,
personal style. Always searching for the greatest possible freedom of
expression, he has continued to do this in the most diverse lineups and
accentuations: especially in his own trio since 1997 with Stefan Gfrerrer
on bass and Roman Werni on drums, with whom he just presented the
sixth CD, "Dragonfly." But also in duo with saxophonist Gerald Preinfalk as
well as in numerous compositions for accordion and cello as well as for
string quartets.
The new double album, "Solitaire", is virtually a quintessence of this work.
It is truly unique - in many respects. For the first time, solo recordings
without multi-track technology move the "pure" Klaus Paier into focus. The
task of contrasting the accordion with the bandoneon, each with its
respective CD, is also without equal.
Paier explains, "Apart from the fact that both instruments create sound
using free reeds, they are very separate beings, each speaking a language
with its own typical voice. Through the separation, I wanted to clarify their
completely different characters, yet also demonstrate the extent to which
each instrument is capable of spanning a musically diverse range." And
finally, "Solitaire" differs from all other accordion recordings, including
Paier's own, in that the pieces were played on new instruments, custom
made for him.
The new technical possibilities also opened up entirely new compositional
paths. Paier's indefatigable melodic ingenuity and that typical Paier style,
pregnant with tension, creating space through pauses, both achieve more
dynamism and tonal colour than ever on "Solitaire". The spectrum moves
from eulogistic pieces with lows ("Hymn") and highs to minimalistic
miniatures ("EastWest"), from canon and fugue-like mountains of sound
("Elegie" or "Like A Little Organ") to clear motifs reminiscent of birdsong
("Awakening"), from the melancholic and lyrical ("End Of Day") to a
musette variation ("Prime Of Life") and from the three-part innovative
interpretation of the elements of Piazzolla's Nuevo Tango to excursions
into the music of the Balkans ("To Liven Up"). A range of sound and a
stylistic total work of art in the accordion field, the likes of which at
present could only be created by Klaus Paier. Indeed, a solitary work.
“...Seine eigene Sprache geht über Jazz und Tango hinaus, wenn auch der
Jazz das Grundgerüst abgibt und der Tango die scharfen Rhythmen vorgibt.
Der Komponist geht weiter, und man darf annehmen, dass der Musiker Klaus
Paier nicht nur als Virtuose des Bandoneon, sondern mindestens ebenso sehr
als gewichtiger zeitgenössischer Komponist ins Lexikon Einzug halten wird.”
Hans Happel, cd-kritik.de, November 2005
P R O J E C T S
german
Klaus Paier Solo
Klaus Paier Solo
Klaus Paier & Asja Valcic
Klaus Paier Trio
Klaus Paier & rsqv
Klaus Paier & Gerald Preinfalk
Klaus Paier has long been a solitary figure in the accordion scene.
The Austrian, living in Carinthia, has explored the sound of the accordion
from the very beginning and has attempted to expand the borders of the
instrument both in terms of technique and composition - after all, he
remains fascinated by the openness and freedom of music. After studying
classical accordion and composition at the conservatory of music and
drama in Klagenfurt, he quickly turned his attention to other genres, from
tango and world music to jazz, in order to fuse them into an unmistakable,
personal style. Always searching for the greatest possible freedom of
expression, he has continued to do this in the most diverse lineups and
accentuations: especially in his own trio since 1997 with Stefan Gfrerrer
on bass and Roman Werni on drums, with whom he just presented the
sixth CD, "Dragonfly." But also in duo with saxophonist Gerald Preinfalk as
well as in numerous compositions for accordion and cello as well as for
string quartets.
The new double album, "Solitaire", is virtually a quintessence of this work.
It is truly unique - in many respects. For the first time, solo recordings
without multi-track technology move the "pure" Klaus Paier into focus. The
task of contrasting the accordion with the bandoneon, each with its
respective CD, is also without equal.
Paier explains, "Apart from the fact that both instruments create sound
using free reeds, they are very separate beings, each speaking a language
with its own typical voice. Through the separation, I wanted to clarify their
completely different characters, yet also demonstrate the extent to which
each instrument is capable of spanning a musically diverse range." And
finally, "Solitaire" differs from all other accordion recordings, including
Paier's own, in that the pieces were played on new instruments, custom
made for him.
The new technical possibilities also opened up entirely new compositional
paths. Paier's indefatigable melodic ingenuity and that typical Paier style,
pregnant with tension, creating space through pauses, both achieve more
dynamism and tonal colour than ever on "Solitaire". The spectrum moves
from eulogistic pieces with lows ("Hymn") and highs to minimalistic
miniatures ("EastWest"), from canon and fugue-like mountains of sound
("Elegie" or "Like A Little Organ") to clear motifs reminiscent of birdsong
("Awakening"), from the melancholic and lyrical ("End Of Day") to a
musette variation ("Prime Of Life") and from the three-part innovative
interpretation of the elements of Piazzolla's Nuevo Tango to excursions
into the music of the Balkans ("To Liven Up"). A range of sound and a
stylistic total work of art in the accordion field, the likes of which at
present could only be created by Klaus Paier. Indeed, a solitary work.
“...Seine eigene Sprache geht über Jazz und Tango hinaus, wenn auch der
Jazz das Grundgerüst abgibt und der Tango die scharfen Rhythmen vorgibt.
Der Komponist geht weiter, und man darf annehmen, dass der Musiker Klaus
Paier nicht nur als Virtuose des Bandoneon, sondern mindestens ebenso sehr
als gewichtiger zeitgenössischer Komponist ins Lexikon Einzug halten wird.”
Hans Happel, cd-kritik.de, November 2005