Felix Mendelssohn: Fantasie, Op. 28
Franz Liszt: Waldesrauschen, Gnomenreigen
Dmitri Shostakovich: 3 Phantastische Tänze (Phantastic Dances), Op. 5
Emmanuel Chabrier: Bourée Fantasque
Felix Mendelssohn: Venezianische Gondellieder
Claude Debussy: L'Isle joyeuse
Franz Schubert: Der Wanderer
Franz Schubert: Wanderer-Fantasie, Op. 15 D 760

I've never been all that keen on this type of collection featuring various composers of widely divergent ethos and/or from different time periods, as they tend to wander (pun intended) from style to style and/or mood to mood, which leads the listener's mind to wander (pun intended yet again) from lack of focus and interest. But in cases like this one, in which a concept is used to hold or connect everything together through a single thread, it makes all the difference. And this new TYXart recording featuring German pianist Jamina Gerl makes an excellent job of bringing everything together through the concept of the Wanderer. And not just the physical traveler but also the spiritual journeyer, allowing the mind to wander via romantic ideals, exotic places, dreams or wild fantasy. And none of the works on this CD distract from this condition. Not even the Phantastische Tänze by Dmitri Shostakovich. Composed when he was only 16, they very much resemble the music of Erik Satie to a certain degree, and everyone knows how 'fantastic' his music tends to be.

And everyting here is performed with just the right amount of character, élan and expressive depth to take the listener along on a musical journey unique to each one. A well engineered recording, clear piano sound, booklet notes of interest and beautiful packaging, all help and make this a piano recording worth having. I may be wrong, but I believe this is Jamina Gerl's first recording. Well I, for one, am looking forward to more in the near future.

Concerts in Germany and abroad have always earned the young German pianist Jamina Gerl excellent reviews from professional critics. For instance, the press in New York declared her orchestral debut performance of Rachmaninoff's Third Piano Concerto "a triumph for all concerned," christening Gerl "a lioness of the keyboard." In addition to her versatile concert programs, she is often praised for her poetically inspired piano playing, remarkable virtuosity and richly shaded, differentiated expression. {TYXart Classics}

Jean-Yves Duperron - April 2017