Markus Berger’s musical sojourn has been well-documented over the course of 15 albums beginning with the 2002 solo piano release Ultreya. That quest continued included his duo project with saxophonist Jan von Klewitz, Spiritual Standards.
It was their 2017 album--Songs Inspired by Martin Luther—that first drew my attention to Burger. From there, I journeyed backwards an absorbed everything, including the Accidental Tourists’ 2019 album The Alaska Sessions with Peter Erskine and Bob Magnusson. What a wonderful trip it’s been.
Now Burger continues with another solo outing, The Vienna Sessions. It is the next evolutionary step in all that Burger has sought and achieved. As a longtime fan of Keith Jarrett, it was easy and understandable to hear reminiscences of La Scala and others. But it is also easy to see the influence of Lyle Mays and Esbjörn Svensson. Burger firmly entrenches himself in the hallowed hall of brilliant solo pianists, not through imitation, but influence.
It was their 2017 album--Songs Inspired by Martin Luther—that first drew my attention to Burger. From there, I journeyed backwards an absorbed everything, including the Accidental Tourists’ 2019 album The Alaska Sessions with Peter Erskine and Bob Magnusson. What a wonderful trip it’s been.
Now Burger continues with another solo outing, The Vienna Sessions. It is the next evolutionary step in all that Burger has sought and achieved. As a longtime fan of Keith Jarrett, it was easy and understandable to hear reminiscences of La Scala and others. But it is also easy to see the influence of Lyle Mays and Esbjörn Svensson. Burger firmly entrenches himself in the hallowed hall of brilliant solo pianists, not through imitation, but influence.
The 16 tracks on The Vienna Sessions are remarkably breathtaking and entrancing. Burger composed each of the tracks on the album. Burger describes the occasion of this recording.
“In August 2019, I had the privilege of spending two afternoons in Vienna, the music capital of Europe, recording. I traveled to Vienna with my friend and producer, Jim Linahon, to spend two days recording in the Bösendorfer piano showroom, courtesy of Ferdinand Bräu. Vienna has been my favorite European city for a long time. And I have been a fan of Bösendorfer pianos since studying at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen, Germany, where I fell in love with the sound of this amazing instrument. For the past 20 years,
I have visited Vienna many times, and have played in various ensembles around this beautiful capital of Austria. Vienna has always had a distinct impact on me. The city’s people, their humor, elegance, and joy, are like few other places I’ve been. While recording, I enjoyed exploring the sound of the piano, especially in the upper register. I also chose to improvise in a minimal way to let the instrument guide me on a musical stroll. I found my time in Vienna relaxing, inspiring, and deeply spiritual. I hope you, the listener, will enjoy the music as much as I enjoyed playing it.”
There are moments of solemnity and grace like the all-too-brief Doom and Gloom and Silent Lament and there are wistful and enchanting moments like Daybreak and An Afternoon in Vienna. The delicate movement of Cibelle’s Lullaby and the reminiscence of Fall Days and lovely beyond description. Then there are moments that will stay in your heart long past the conclusion of the music, as with O Great Love and Morning Mist.
As much as I would love to dissect and analyze each piece on the album, it is like saying this brushstroke of a Monet painting is more interesting or charming than another stroke. It must be taken as a whole. And, taken as a whole, I can say this about The Vienna Sessions: I have never been so emotionally moved by an album since first hearing Keith Jarrett’s the Köln Concert or, at least, since Takeshi Asai’s Live in New York, Vol. 2.
Markus Burger has given us astonishing, lyrical, even momentous music—both in performance and in composition—for over 22 years now but it has led up to this the exquisite charm, delight, warmth, and beauty of The Vienna Sessions.
~Travis Rogers, Jr. is The Jazz Owl
“In August 2019, I had the privilege of spending two afternoons in Vienna, the music capital of Europe, recording. I traveled to Vienna with my friend and producer, Jim Linahon, to spend two days recording in the Bösendorfer piano showroom, courtesy of Ferdinand Bräu. Vienna has been my favorite European city for a long time. And I have been a fan of Bösendorfer pianos since studying at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen, Germany, where I fell in love with the sound of this amazing instrument. For the past 20 years,
I have visited Vienna many times, and have played in various ensembles around this beautiful capital of Austria. Vienna has always had a distinct impact on me. The city’s people, their humor, elegance, and joy, are like few other places I’ve been. While recording, I enjoyed exploring the sound of the piano, especially in the upper register. I also chose to improvise in a minimal way to let the instrument guide me on a musical stroll. I found my time in Vienna relaxing, inspiring, and deeply spiritual. I hope you, the listener, will enjoy the music as much as I enjoyed playing it.”
There are moments of solemnity and grace like the all-too-brief Doom and Gloom and Silent Lament and there are wistful and enchanting moments like Daybreak and An Afternoon in Vienna. The delicate movement of Cibelle’s Lullaby and the reminiscence of Fall Days and lovely beyond description. Then there are moments that will stay in your heart long past the conclusion of the music, as with O Great Love and Morning Mist.
As much as I would love to dissect and analyze each piece on the album, it is like saying this brushstroke of a Monet painting is more interesting or charming than another stroke. It must be taken as a whole. And, taken as a whole, I can say this about The Vienna Sessions: I have never been so emotionally moved by an album since first hearing Keith Jarrett’s the Köln Concert or, at least, since Takeshi Asai’s Live in New York, Vol. 2.
Markus Burger has given us astonishing, lyrical, even momentous music—both in performance and in composition—for over 22 years now but it has led up to this the exquisite charm, delight, warmth, and beauty of The Vienna Sessions.
~Travis Rogers, Jr. is The Jazz Owl
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