Masked Impressions
„In this new album, Cathy Krier takes an original step and goes entirely against the grain of her previous programmatic approach. In her two most recent CDs she had juxtaposed the apparently divergent styles of Rameau and Ligeti, or Liszt vs. Berg/Schoenberg, uncovering astounding new connections among them. The current release now takes the opposite path. At first glance, Claude Debussy – the inventor of musical Impressionism – and Karol Szymanowski – often called the ‘Polish Impressionist’ – would seem to have much in common. Both composers even use the same title in French: Masques (masks). Cathy Krier affirms, nevertheless, that she is much more interested in the differences one can observe between these two works written roughly during the same period. Our listening experience is thus enriched thanks to a new, fascinating aesthetical perspective. “ (excerpts from the booklet notes by Clemens Matuschek)
„Krier steers her own path between sentimental and spiky, with a bright, forthright tone and an approach that underlines the music’s depth to Schumann and Brahms“ (Boston Globe October 2015)
Elected ECHO Rising-Star for the 2015/2016 season, Luxembourg pianist Cathy Krier has enjoyed
great success in the most prestigious concert halls in Europe. Her programmes, combining classical
and modern periods and featuring works by Rameau, Schubert, Ravel and Berg, as well as a piece
specially written for her by the German composer Wolfgang Rihm, were highly praised.
Cathy‘s passion for music always drives her to go beyond conventions. She loves to work on special
projects and pushes her boundaries to go beyond herself and arouse her curiosity and that of her
audience. This includes well-thought solo programmes as well as collaborations with choreographers
such as Elisabeth Schilling (Hear Eyes Move with Études pour piano by György Ligeti), musical journeys
for younger audiences (Clara! – A compositional journey with music by Clara Schumann and Catherine
Kontz, directed by Tobias Ribitzki), music theatre (Funeral Blues – the missing cabaret, directed
by Olivier Fredj), projects with her chamber music partners Laurence Koch (violin) and Nils Kohler
(clarinet) and an annual cycle for Yoga at the Phil at the Philharmonie Luxembourg.
Cathy Krier has given successful concerts at the Bozar in Brussels, the Barbican Centre in London,
the Philharmonie 2 in Paris, the Sage Gateshead, the Philharmonie Luxembourg, the Laeiszhalle in
Hamburg, the Konzerthaus Dortmund, the Palau de la musica in Barcelona, at the Calouste Gulbenkian
Fondation in Lisbon, at the Palace of Arts (Müpa) in Budapest, Konserthus Stockholm, Concertgebouw
Amsterdam, Cologne Philharmonie, Casa da musica in Porto, Musikverein Vienna, Town Hall in
Birmingham, Festspielhaus Baden-Baden as well as at the Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
Radio and television appearances – as seen on Daniel Hope‘s musical journey EUROPE@HOME on
arte – frame Cathy‘s busy artistic schedule.
Born in Luxembourg, Cathy Krier began her piano studies at the Luxembourg Conservatory at the
age of five. At the age of 14, she was admitted to Pavel Gililov‘s virtuosity class at the Hochschule
für Musik und Tanz Köln. She received further musical impulses from Dominique Merlet, Robert Levin,
Homero Francesch and Andrea Lucchesini, with whom she continued her studies at the Scuola di
Musica di Fiesole.
Since 2018, Cathy Krier holds a professorship in piano at the Conservatory of the City of Luxembourg,
where she also lives with her family.
Claude Debussy was a French composer. He and Maurice Ravel were the most prominent figures associated with impressionist music, though Debussy disliked the term when applied to his compositions. He was made Chevalier of the Legion of Honour in 1903. He was among the most influential composers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and his use of non-traditional scales and chromaticism influenced many composers who followed.
Debussy's music is noted for its sensory content and frequent usage of non-traditional tonalities. The prominent French literary style of his period was known as Symbolism, and this movement directly inspired Debussy both as a composer and as an active cultural participant
Among his most famous works are his Clair de Lune, his Three Nocturnes and his orchestral piece La Mer.
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