Gebhard Ullmann — Impromptus Und Interationen
Impromptus Und Interationen collects together fifteen pieces for solo piano composed by German Composer/ jazz musician Gebhard Ullmann. It’s a surprisingly varied and often unpredictable release with the tracks switching between darting and abstract, repetitive and moody, harmonic to pattern-based, and beyond.
The release appears on the always-worthy/ consistent Austrian label Kairos- who release the most interesting/ creative music from in the modern classical/ modern composition fields. The CD comes in the labels house style digipak- with abstract green, black, and white oil paint swish art. Inside we find a nineteen-page stuck-inlay booklet- featuring German & English text regarding Ullmann, Ukraine pianist Vitaliy Kyianytsia who plays all the pieces, and the pieces themselves.
Gebhard Ullmann was born in Bad Godesberg, Germany in 1957. Seemingly started to record work in the mid-80s- with his releases spanning both the worlds of Jazz and modern classical music. He can play Saxophone, flute, and bass clarinet.
Ullmann penned all fifteen tracks in the year 2023- and these have runtimes between nearing two and seven minutes. And as mentioned earlier the pieces cover a fair bit of different ground, with the whole collection coming off a wonderfully varied/ at points jarring ride.
In the album's first half, we move from the steadily bounding almost bumping, and at times scratchy flow of “Interaction #1”. Onto the sombre sparse note tolling and subtle key developments of “Impromtu #4”, though to the deconstructed note flourishes/ darts of “Impromtu #9” which hints at both the blues & elegant classical music.
In its second half, we go from the sudden note strick, pick, pluck, and reverb “Interaction #2”. There’s “Impromptu #1” which shifts between ornate flourishes, and bounding to darting patterns. With the album playing out with the jarring hack/ strum, clunking toll, and mid-ranged darts of “Interaction #4”.
Impromptus Und Interationen is a both creatively composed & skilfully played collection of solo Paino works. If you enjoy both surprise and variation in your piano-focused composition- this is a must. I’ll certainly see myself returning to this again & again.