Ludwig Hornung

Ludwig Hornung is one of those rare people blessed with natural virtuosity. His technique is truly breathtaking. And “technique” does not simply denote the ability to play many notes in quick succession (most musicians can do that), but rather to be able to create a unique singing quality for each note, and maintaining this quality in every imaginable context. He makes every note sing; every note is mesmerising, even in rapid lines (“Echos”); the chords are luminescent (“Der Spieler”). A musician who can “sing” like this is able to hear every note he plays entirely in that moment; each note makes him credible, and every improvisation becomes a spontaneous composition with nothing left to be added at the end. It is futile to point out single pieces or passages, for Ludwig Hornung’s mastery is omnipresent. His grasp of the music and his instrument are such that we follow his spontaneous journeys through his own compositions as well as the standards of the masters (“Kokolores”, paying tribute to Wayne Shorter’s “Dolores”; Monk’s “Ugly Beauty”), hanging onto every note, spellbound and wondering where the music will be taking us, disappointed when the piece has come to an end: I could listen to him for hours!