Nobuyuki Tsujii's Deutsche Grammophon debut album ``Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 29 ``Hammerklavier'', Distant Lover'' begins distribution on Friday, November 29th and domestic CD release!

Universal Music LLC (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Takashi Fujikura / Universal Music) is pleased to announce the release of pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii’s debut album for Deutsche Grammophon, Beethoven: Piano Sonata. No. 29 “Hammer Clavier, To a Distant Lover” will be released on Friday, November 29th.

In April of this year, pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii became the first Japanese pianist to announce an exclusive contract with Deutsche Grammophon (DG), the world’s oldest classical music label. Digital distribution of this debut album from DG has started worldwide. The domestic CD will also be released in Japan ahead of the rest of the world.

“The Distant Lover” is the first collection of song cycles composed by Beethoven and arranged by Liszt for solo piano in 1816. Consisting of six songs, the first and sixth songs use the same key (E-flat major), and the opening main melody is echoed at the end, emphasizing its cyclical nature. Liszt’s arrangement retains the simplicity and yearning of the original, without adding any extravagance. The domestic CD will be released in two forms: a regular edition with high-quality MQA-UHQ specifications, and a first-run limited edition that includes a DVD. The DVD includes recordings and artwork shoots conducted in Berlin, as well as interviews. The worldwide release on CD etc. is scheduled for March 21, 2025.

Among Beethoven’s 32 piano sonatas, the piece “Hammerklavier” is one of the most difficult for performers to perform, both technically and in terms of its size. -This is also the song that was performed when he won the Cliburn International Piano Competition.

Regarding this album, Tsujii said, “It’s been about 15 years since I won the Van Cliburn Competition. “Hammerklavier” is an important song that I have many fond memories of.I’m now in my late 30s. Well, it’s still 20 I think that my performance has changed from when I was younger.I really respect the fact that Beethoven, who lost his hearing, wrote many truly great works even in his later years, and I am a little different from what he did when he was older. He is one of the composers who is really important to me because there are parts of it that overlap with myself. I think it was great to be able to face Beethoven’s Hammerklavier again.” .

Starting in December, Tsujii will be holding a recital tour titled “Nobuyuki Tsujii Premium Recital 2024” in Tokyo, Osaka, Aichi, Saitama, Hamamatsu, Nagano, and Niigata for a total of 8 performances.

Beethoven: An die ferne Geliebte, Op. 98 (Arr. Liszt for Solo Piano as S. 469) : No. 1, Auf dem…

Beethoven: An die ferne Geliebte, Op. 98 (Arr. Liszt for Solo Piano as S. 469) : No. 6, Nimm…

Nobuyuki Tsujii “Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 29 “Hammerklavier”, To a Distant Lover”

Pre-release in Japan on Friday, November 29, 2024

[Limited Edition]MQA-UHQ+DVD: UCCG-40132/¥3,900 (tax included)

[Regular Edition]MQA-UHQ: UCCG-45109/¥3,300 (tax included)

https://nobuyuki-tsujii.lnk.to/Beethoven_Hammerklavier

Track list

Beethoven/Liszt arrangement: Song cycle “To a distant lover” Op.98 / S.469

1) Song 1: Sitting on the hill

2) Song 2: From within the gray mist

3) Song 3: A light sailing ship sailing through the sky

4) Song 4: Those clouds flying in the sky

5) Song 5: May returns and flowers bloom in the fields

6) Song 6: Dear, for you

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 29 in B flat major Op.106《Hammerklavier》
7) 1st movement: Allegro

8) 2nd movement: Scherzo. Assai vivace

9) Third movement: Adagio sostenuto

10) 4th movement: Largo – Allegro risoluto

Nobuyuki Tsujii (piano)
Recording: July 2024, Teldex Studio, Berlin

■Album purchaser benefit information

[Purchaser benefits]
UNIVERSAL MUSIC STORE: Postcard B
Amazon: Mega Jacket
Tower: A5 clear file
Other CD shops: Postcard A
*The number of benefits is limited.

*Benefits will be handed over at the time of product shipping or at the time of checkout at the store.

*Some stores do not offer benefits.

■Profile

Nobuyuki Tsujii, piano

Since becoming the first Japanese to win the 13th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2009, he has been active internationally. In 2011, his recital performance sponsored by New York’s Carnegie Hall was an incredible success, and since then he has been regularly invited to perform at Carnegie Hall, as well as performing in major cities around the world such as London, Vienna, Paris, and Milan. His recitals and collaborations with orchestras have all been highly acclaimed, and he has received many requests to perform at major concert halls and organizers in Europe and America. He has also been highly praised by famous conductors and world-class orchestras, and has been selected as a soloist for many famous orchestras’ tours in Japan, including the London Philharmonic under Jurowski and the Hamburg Philharmonic under Kent Nagano. He is often invited to perform regularly with top orchestras. From 2024 onwards, there are many performances planned in major cities including New York, London, Paris, and Sydney, as well as collaborations with world-class orchestras. Artistic leader of Suntory Hall ARK Classics since 2018. Furthermore, in April 2024, he will sign an exclusive contract with Deutsche Grammophon, and many recordings are planned, so he is expected to make further progress as one of Japan’s leading pianists.

Official site https://avex.jp/tsujii/

■Performance information

[Domestic performance information]

December 2024

Nobuyuki Tsujii Premium Recital 2024

A total of 8 performances will be held in Tokyo, Osaka, Aichi, Saitama, Hamamatsu, Nagano, and Niigata.

*Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 29 “Hammerklavier” and others played

https://avex.jp/classics/tsujii-premium2024/

2025

January

Philharmonia Orchestra Japan tour conducted by Rouvari

A total of 7 performances will be held in Tokyo, Osaka, Aichi, Fukuoka, and Kanagawa.

https://avex.jp/classics/po2025/

February to June

Daiwa Securities Group presents Nobuyuki Tsujii Japan Tour 2025

A total of 17 performances will be held in Tokyo, Osaka, Kanagawa, Shizuoka, Tochigi, Fukui, Miyagi, Yamagata, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, Kumamoto, Kagoshima, Kochi, and Sapporo.

https://avex.jp/classics/tsujii-nobuyuki2025/

[Overseas performance information]

2025

January England Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Rouvali[London]

February Ireland Piano Recital (Dublin)

British Piano Recital (Manchester)

March USA/Canada tour

Piano recital[Performance sponsored by Carnegie Hall, New York]

Piano recital[Des Moines]

Piano recital[Ottawa]

Piano Recital[La Jolla (San Diego)]

April USA Seattle Symphony Orchestra conducted by Shokhakimov[Seattle]