Hardy Rittner is a pioneer in the field of historically informed performance of nineteenth century keyboard music. At the same time, he feels at home both on period instruments and on the modern concert grand piano, interpreting a repertoire extending to contemporary music.
Hardy focuses on researching Chopin and making his insights tangible in concert performances. Hardy’s book “Die vergessene Cantilene. Frédéric Chopin’s misunderstood virtuosity” (dissertation for Dr Phil, publication in September 2022) brings new insights into the performance of Chopin’s music. Its key finding is that Chopin pursued a ‘vocal ideal’ influenced by bel canto (amongst others) even in his virtuoso passages.
Hardy has performed in most European countries at such distinguished venues as Philharmonie Berlin, Konzerthaus Berlin, Alte Oper Frankfurt, Kurhaus Wiesbaden, Historic Stadthalle Wuppertal, Rudolf-Oetker-Halle Bielefeld, and Tonhalle Düsseldorf. Concert engagements have also led Hardy to the United States, Canada, South Korea, China and Taiwan.
For the Detmold label MDG, the two-time Echo Klassik laureate has recorded the first complete rendition – on period instruments – of Johannes Brahms’s solo piano music; his discography includes a live recording of Brahms’s first piano concerto, Chopin’s complete etudes, and Arnold Schönberg’s piano oeuvre.
After studying piano and fortepiano with Karl-Heinz Kämmerling and Siegbert Rampe at Mozarteum Salzburg, Hardy continued his education at Universität der Künste Berlin, where he studied piano with Klaus Hellwig (Konzertexamen) and music theory (diploma) with Hartmut Fladt. Christian Zacharias, Krystian Zimerman, Ivo Pogorelich, Maria J. Pires, and Sylvain Cambreling were also among those who contributed to his education as a performing artist.
Hardy is a professor for piano and artistic research at Musikhochschule Freiburg.
Programme:
Nocturne in D-flat major op. 27 No. 2 Nocturne in B major op. 32 No. 1 Nocturne in E major op. 62 No. 2
Polonaise in C-sharp minor op. 26 No. 1
Mazurka in F-sharp minor op. 6 Nr. 1 Mazurka in C-sharp minor op. 6 Nr. 2 Mazurka in C-sharp minor op. 63 Nr. 3
Barcarolle in F-sharp major op. 60
Sonata in B-flat minor op. 35 – Grave. Doppio movimento – Scherzo – Marche. Lento – Finale. Presto
