Daniel Barenboim is not the only one to have successfully had the complete Beethoven sonatas on his agenda lately. A Grammy nominee for “Best Classical Album (Without Orchestra)” for the second volume of his Complete Beethoven Sontata recordings for ECM, András Schiff began in 2004, a series of performances in Europe in which he explored the 32 Beethoven piano sonatas […]

Whether you live in Texas or Tokyo you can now find the world-famous orchestra and its musical partners – Artistic Director Sir Simon Rattle as well as renowned guest conductors and soloists. The video platform will be accessible to the public at www.berliner-philharmoniker.de. In the first live broadcast on Jan. 6, the Berliner Philharmoniker under Sir Simon Rattle will present […]

Alexander Melnikov’s extraordinary 2006 Scriabin recording for Harmonia Mundi tickled our curiosity about what was to come. And our wish came true. Alternating in the roles of soloist and accompanist (with soprano Elena Brilova) , his latest Rachmaninoff recording adds up to one hundred percent presence. Melnikov delivers some of the most intelligently musical and technically impressive Rachmaninoff interpretations available. […]

The Steinway Concept, the Last Son and the Amazing Journey From the Past to the Present and Into the Future Henry Z. Steinway, former president of Steinway & Sons and great grandson of the firm’s founder, died on September 18, 2008 at the age of 93. He was the last Steinway to run the piano-making company his family started in […]

NAXOS Music Library (NML) is a very useful resource for music professionals, students, amateurs and collectors. The service offers more than 26,000 CDs with over 371,000 tracks of music for online listening. In addition to this 500 CDs are added every month. It also contains comprehensive liner notes, opera synopses, libretti, composer and artist biographies and other essential information. The […]

Alfred Brendel: The Complete Vox, Turnabout, and Vanguard Solo Recordings, 1958-1970 Alfred Brendel, who during his six decades of performances, mastered the works of Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn and Schubert, has now decided to explore other passions in life such as literature and painting. He will give his last concert on December 18, 2008, in Vienna. Brendel will be 77 in […]

Ludwig van Beethoven’s supposedly “last piano work” has been found by musicologist Peter McCallum, while studying the composer’s final music sketchbook at the Berlin’s state library. The 32 bars piece was found in the so called “Kullak sketchbook”, one of Beethoven’s working documents full of ideas, jotted notes and musical fragments. Mr McCallum noticed what he calls the “Bagatelle in […]

Researchers at the medical university Karolinska Institutet and Umeå University (both in Sweden) have now demonstrated a correlation between general intelligence and the ability to tap out a simple regular rhythm. They stress that the task subjects performed had nothing to do with any musical rhythmic sense but simply measured the capacity for rhythmic accuracy. Those who scored highest on […]

– designer collaborations link instrument making to fashion and contemporary trends. In close co-operation with the world-famous Porsche Design company, Bösendorfer has created a contemporary approach to grand piano design. Bösendofer states; In keeping with our motto — “cherish traditions, transcend limits” — this new interpretation incorporates ground-breaking new features that will have a lasting impact on the development of […]

The National Gallery at Trafalgar Square in London is arranging a Dame Myra Hess Day on the 25th of November (2008). This annual event honours Dame Myra Hess who initiated, directed and performed a series of legendary concerts at the National Gallery during the Second World War. This year’s concerts will take place in the Barry Rooms (Room 36), where […]

In addition to his activities on the faculty of the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, pianist Hugh Sung is working to explore the possibilities and creativity of modern technology in music making and performance. He applies them, in his ”Visual Recitals,” to promoting and enhancing the wider understanding of music, and to actively engaging the listener at every level. […]

Not only are piano competitions such as the Van Cliburn YouTube-competition and the Minnesota e-Competition moving out onto the web, but students, music colleges, schools and all music lovers now have the chance to gain inspiration and to learn from master classes given by some of the world’s greatest musicians. The Masterclass Media Foundation is a charity that is creating […]