Everyone has a Bucket List, right?
There's one thing that has long been at the top of mine, and I've now fulfilled it.
After five albums that I recorded on grand concert pianos, I wanted to record music on a heirloom that has been in our family for decades.
An old practice piano that tuners of concert grand pianos would probably only smile at wearily.
A piano where the marks of time are immediately visible.
A piano on which tens of thousands of hours have been practiced.
On this piano, my grandfather once taught my then 5-year-old father. (Swipe for a photo from 1960).
This family heirloom has been my constant companion, the instrument I play on nearly every day - its warm sound is the perfect match for this recording.
'The Upright Reframings' are out now: 5 alternative versions of pieces from my album 'Chasing Heisenberg', played on this beloved instrument. I am very proud to share this recording with you.
Give it a listen; I believe this music can be a good companion - especially as it gets colder.
*Clemens

-> listen here

'Fallen' marked the beginning of the 'Upright Reframings' journey.

Playing the jazz waltz on the upright piano highlighted its dark tones, distinctly different from a grand piano. The piece transformed, unveiling a different kind of light through its intimate and quiet style.

Discover 'Fallen' now, available on all major streaming services.

*Clemens

Kudos to my dear friends, Erkin Cavus and Reentko Dirks, on the release of their new album, ‘Ütopya’. I’m delighted to join them again as a guest.

They shared the following thoughts:

“‘Ütopya’ is released today, along with our new single and video, ‘Galeri Avrasiya’. Erkin and I are very happy to have the wonderful Clemens Christian Poetzsch joining us once more on the piano.

The vision of this track is: Once famous for its traffic jams, the Avrasiya Tunnel is now the longest gallery in the world, displaying art by international artists and the citizens of Istanbul alike.”

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Here you can watch their latest video, ‘Galeri Avrasiya’.

‘Persante’ has made it to the top 3 most played songs on @applemusic classical worldwide in its debut week!

A huge thank you to everyone who listened and to all involved in bringing ‘The Upright Reframings’ to life.

*Clemens

Listen to ‘Persante’

The new single ‘Persante’ is out today.

“This circular melody came to my mind after I played the first concerts with my album 'Chasing Heisenberg'. At that time, I was on the Polish Baltic Sea, gathering ideas and jotting down notes that had occurred to me during the tour. In this place, the River 'Persante' flows into the sea after its long journey through Poland. It ends there, but at the same time, it doesn't. A beautiful image for this melody, which seems to spin endlessly.”

🎧 -> Listen to ‘Persante’ here

Some weeks ago, I had the opportunity to reinterpret selected pieces from my album “Chasing Heisenberg” on a special instrument. I had previously recorded my last albums in large studios on big Steinway concert grand pianos. However, these compositions were often written at home on my vintage family piano, which my grandfather used to give piano lessons on in the 50s.

I always considered this little upright piano sufficient for practicing and working, but for making recordings? I thought it was perhaps too old, too weak, too unstable.

Time can prove you wrong. After many hours of work, we managed to restore this piano to a condition where making recordings became possible.

The result is a collection of quiet, intimate variations of my pieces from “Chasing Heisenberg”, embracing the unique sound of this piano. I am proud that this family heirloom is now available for everyone to hear, and today, I would like to share with you Part 1 of the “Upright Reframings”.

-> Listen to “Belvedere (Upright Reframings) <-

I'm aware that music and numbers should exist in different spheres, but I still want to express my gratitude! Thank you for listening on Apple Music.

Whenever I want to listen to guitar music, I find myself returning to the compositions of Erkin Cavus and Reentko Dirks .Their music and playing are so pure and clear, focusing on sheer beauty with a subtle but strong underlying virtuosity - always inspiring to listen to.
Today marks the release of “Ütopya”, the first single from their upcoming album and as a friend of these amazing musicians I’m proud to have been invited to add my kind of light to this wonderful piece.
Listen to „Ütopya“ or watch the music video which was directed by Javier Sombremazas.

I am excited to announce that my album, "Chasing Heisenberg", has garnered multiple nominations for the esteemed "Opus Klassik" music award. This recognition is truly an honor.

Many of the fantastic projects I’ve been privileged to work on have also received nods – sending all the good vibes to my amazing colleagues at @mondenaquartet and @maltevief ‘s Kammer.

I’m deeply grateful for every single one of you who’ve tuned in to listen.

Am 14. Mai erkunden Thomas Rühmann und ich gemeinsam die faszinierende Welt von Stan Nadolnys "Die Entdeckung der Langsamkeit". Dieser mit dem Ingeborg-Bachmann-Preis ausgezeichnete Bestseller ist mehr als nur eine historische Erzählung - er bietet eine tiefe Reflexion über Zeit, Wahrnehmung und den Wert der Langsamkeit in unserer hektischen Welt.
Als 2018 mein Album "Remember Tomorrow" entstanden ist, ging ich durch eine Phase, in der ich auf der Suche nach meinem eigenen Rhythmus war. Heute freue ich mich, diese damals entstandenen Kompositionen neben diesen großartigen Text zu stellen.
Feiern wir gemeinsam die Schönheit der Langsamkeit - diesen Sonntag um 11 Uhr im Theater am Rand.
Die letzten Tickets gibt es hier.
*Clemens

“Clemens Christian Poetzsch's Chasing Heisenberg – you won't hear a better piano study about the uncertainty principle, we imagine”

Thank you for the beautiful words, @loudandquiet

-> read the full review

I´m happy to join the Pinuts Music Agency Roster.

Portugal, see you 🇵🇹🇵🇹

"Chasing Heisenberg" made its way into Apple Music´s "10 Classical albums you must hear this month" selection.
It's wonderful to find my album in such good company with artists like Vanessa Wagner, Fazil Say, Martha Argerich and Ruby Hughes.
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What Apple Music says:
”By turns dreamy and foot-tappingly propulsive, Poetzsch exalts in harmonic suspensions, pedal points, superimposed chords and added-note harmonies. The result is a collection of time-suspending soundworlds set in motion by a series of eureka moments that can neither be predicted nor enforced.
Anyone who chimes with the reflective side of the late, great Lyle Mays, long-time keyboard player with the Pat Metheny Group, will adore this album.”

Making music and sharing the stage with the four beautiful souls of mondëna quartet is always a delight! I am proud to be part of their soon-to-be launched album. "Remember" is out today - listen to the song or watch the music video which was directed by Michael Mortlock,

Moments of inspiration arise when using time to specifically let go and forget all the musical mechanisms and rules you have learned. Then one actively enters a state of blurriness.
For me, „Helle Welten“ represents this - one of my first creations in the album. I sat at the piano for several hours a day for a week and had no inspiration on where to start. Suddenly, the piece was born!
This state is what I appreciate most about making music, and as an admirer of Damian Marhulets‘ art, I am very proud that he has created a visual interpretation of „Helle Welten“.
*Clemens

„Chasing Heisenberg“ is a pure solo piano album - both a come back and a search for me.
In the last months of my search and on the way to the creation of this music, I stumbled upon the Uncertainty Principle. It was formulated in 1927 by the physicist Werner Heisenberg. It says that it is impossible to determine the location and the momentum of a particle at the same time. It eludes our gaze and cannot be pinned down, either. The image of the world cannot be brought into focus at will - beyond a certain point, you find yourself in a blur.
I was fascinated by this idea because I am familiar with blurring and encounter it almost daily as a composer and improviser. No matter how much I research and gather knowledge as a musician, the most important part of my music- the igniting spark of inspiration; the emotional moment I want to share-cannot be planned, predicted nor constructed.
This search inspires me anew every day, when I am on the road, playing concerts, or sitting at the piano in my studio.

Enjoy this album and listen wherever you stream music.
*Clemens

listen to Chasing Heisenberg

Ich freue mich sehr darauf, mit meinem neuen Album “Chasing Heisenberg” an folgenden Orten zu spielen.

*Clemens

—> Tickets

Belvedere, in architectural history, is a term that refers to a building or part of a building that is laid out to provide a beautiful and expansive view.
For me, it not only describes a place, but also stands for a state of consciousness in which one is completely with oneself - in a moment where time is irrelevant and you wait for thoughts and ideas, capture them and deal with them in your very own rhythm - in a real calm atmosphere.

“Every day at the same place, every day the same view out.
Often the same kind of waiting. Over and over again - and yet it is the loveliest place.”

🎧 > listen to “Belvedere”:

In movements, in nature, in art, in the way of speaking; in the length of pauses or chords - grace can be discovered almost everywhere.

It gives a delicate, natural beauty and tranquility - in turn, it is rare. 

Every time I encounter it, in large and small forms, it gives me pause and inspires me. This composition captures a moment when grace shimmered for me quite by accident. These small moments of discovery mean a lot to me precisely because they are rare and I am happy to share this piece of music with you.

🎧 > listen to “Anmut”:

“Above the stillness is the flicker.

From it comes this movement, this impulse!

It gets stronger and stronger, turns into a rousing feeling, until you almost can't control it.”

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The precious moments on stage are the ones when you let go and lose yourself in improvisation and freedom. Moments when the very space, sound of the instrument, and the mood of the audience combine to create a unique mix - when melodies and harmonies meld in an unplanned way that surprise you. The birth of this piece spanned a few months during concerts when new parts are added at each performance given. 

'Flimmern' is the first single from my upcoming album.

*Clemens

🎧 > listen to “Flimmern”:

photo: Sandra Ludewig