Blue Autumn was commissioned by the Cellist Beth Root Sandvoss in 2006.

The energetic and boisterous opening quickly transforms into a more lyrical and pensive mood, but the flowing patterns soon gain momentum and lead to a short jazzy section before calming down again gradually into a slow, melancholic kind of waltz. The last section grows right out of the vanishing waltz, with the Cello getting into a groove of continuous sixteenth-note patterns. Soon, the piano joins in with doubling these patterns in a high register and the ostinato textures in both instruments build up to a joyful climax. Finally, a glimpse of the beginning appears again before both instruments conclude the piece with a soft, quasi “evaporating” sixteenth run in opposite directions, ending up in unison.

Blue Autumn- live performance by Mercer/Park Duo, June 18 2022

This piece is dedicated to my dear friend and mentor, George Zukerman who just passed away on Feb.1.  Elizabeth and I will miss him always - we are so grateful for all he has done for us.

For George

The Bergmann Duo's premiere performance of "Echoes of Tchaikovsky"  - a new commission for the 5th Salkind International Piano Duo Festival in San Francisco, Aug.2014


Echoes Of Tchaikovsky (I)

Blue Autumn was commissioned by cellist, Beth Root Sandvoss  as part of a CD production for the Arktos label. The album with the same title (Blue Autumn) was released in 2007.



Blue Autumn

Tango Frenético is based on a piece that I wrote with my long-term musical collaborator and friend, guitarist/bassist Boris Ruge. Over the years, various arrangements evolved and in 2008, I wrote the current version for violin, cello and two pianos for the Land's End Chamber Ensemble, which I was a member of for many years.

Tango Frenético

A live performance of Marcel Bergmann's two piano piece "Urban Pulse" by the Bergmann Duo. The work was commissioned by the Murray Dranoff  Two Piano Foundation for the 10th Dranoff International Two Piano competition that took place in December 2005 in Miami.



Urban Pulse- Roundabout

A live performance of Marcel Bergmann's two piano piece "Urban Pulse" by the Bergmann Duo. The work was commissioned by the Murray Dranoff  Two Piano Foundation for the 10th Dranoff International Two Piano competition that took place in December 2005 in Miami.


Urban Pulse - Cerulean Beat

Urban Pulse - Fast Lane

Morning Train was written for a volume of two-piano works (for advanced performers) that has been published as part of the Canadian National Conservatory’s series Making Tracks- An Expedition in Canadian Piano Music.


Morning Train(excerpt)

Midnight Journey was written for a volume of two-piano works (for advanced performers) that has been published as part of the Canadian National Conservatory’s series Making Tracks- An Expedition in Canadian Piano Music.


Midnight Journey (excerpt)

Carillon#1 features an array of bells & percussion, including Crotales, Glockenspiel, Xylophone and Marimba.

Carillon#1

Nocturnal Etude

Nova Bossa

Improvisation#1

Shadow lines

Continuum is a piano piece that I wrote in early 2014 as a contribution to "GlassWorlds" - a piano marathon project by French pianist, Nicolas Horvath that features pieces by over 100 different composers from around the globe. It was premiered  by Nicolas as part of a 12 hour long concert at the famous "Palais de Tokyo" in Paris in April, 2014.

Continuum

Overdrive

Chorale

Écoulement (I)

Écoulement (II)

Excursions- in three different parts- explore various aspects of combining, or juxtaposing, solo piano and electronic sounds.

Excursions - Part 3

A shorter piano piece, with a relaxed, gentle feel. Centered around the dorian mode, with short aeolian moments intertwined.

Dorian Night

Écoulement (III)

This piece is based on an continuous 16th pattern in the left hand and features an irregular time signature (5/8) throughout.  The motivic and thematic snippets in the right hand are more fragmented and are  shifting their metric positions over the continuum in the bass.

Jazz Study#1

Solitude is based on a very gradually descending chordal progression and features a constant rhythmic motif throughout. Its syncopated character is softened by more flowing quarter notes, providing a kind of 
pulse and second rhythmic layer. The first section repeats with a variation that adds short motives in the higher register before a short Coda/Epilogue lets those elements fade away.

Solitude

Excursions explore various aspects of combining, or juxtaposing, solo piano and electronic sounds. Part 1 features piano, bass and some cymbals, alongside a pulsating, synthesized ostinato- rhythm, creating a spacious, ambient atmosphere.

Excursions-Part 1

Relaxation Rag

For the last 20 years, Marcel has enjoyed an active musical career as a performer, composer,
improviser and teacher. His broad range of musical interest and experience in both, classical and
popular music has led to an output in a variety of styles and genres.


Marcel Bergmann

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