News Flash

2024-09-17

Hyperion Goes Vinyl

Hyperion Records, after a hiatus of over three decades, is returning to vinyl. The label's initial vinyl releases include five carefully selected albums, three of which feature pianists, marking a return to the format that defined their early and most influential recordings.
Read more at pianistmagazine.com

2024-09-15

Giltburg's Wigmore 32 Cycle

Boris Giltburg, the renowned pianist known for his joyful and insightful performances, faced a formidable challenge: Beethoven's "Hammerklavier" Sonata. In his insightful online essays, Giltburg suggests that the sonata's title might be more accurately replaced with "Titanic," given its immense scale and complexity.
Read more at theartsdesk.com/

2024-09-14

Must Have Beethoven

Paul Jacobs, Yuri Egorov, and Rafael Orozco, pianists from the United States, Russia, and Spain, respectively, shared a tragic fate. They all succumbed to the AIDS epidemic during the 1980s and 1990s. Jacobs was a beloved figure in the music world, Egorov's promising career was cut short, and Orozco enjoyed a brief but significant presence on the concert stage.
Read more at limelight-arts.com.au

2024-09-13

Appassionata Passion!

Renowned pianist Paavali Jumppanen shares his deep affection for Beethoven's Appassionata Sonata. This iconic masterpiece will be showcased in a performance at the Martinborough Festival later this month. Based in Melbourne, Jumppanen revealed to Bryan Crump why the Sonata No 23 in F Minor holds a special place in his heart.
Read more at rnz.co.nz

2024-09-12

Pianist Showcases Talents

Irish pianist John O'Conor will perform solo and with violinist Eric Olson at Bemidji State on September 13th and 14th. The duo will also join a discussion about their music and friendship.
Read more at kaxe.org

2024-09-12

Piano Shortlistings for The Gramophone Awards

The best recpordings 2024? Many pianists show on this year's shorlistings for The Gramophone Awards. Find all categories' choices here.
Read more at gramophone.co.uk

2024-09-11

An Armenian Deep Dive

Describing the intricate soundscape of Tigran Hamasyan's new album, The Bird of a Thousand Voices, is a challenge worth taking on. This award-winning pianist has created a remarkable musical journey that will captivate listeners.
Read more at analogplanet.com

2024-09-11

Lisney Talks Chopin

British pianist James Lisney, a direct teachers' descendant of Chopin, will perform the composer's beloved works this autumn. Lisney's tour, titled "Ballads and Romances" showcases Chopin's virtuosity, narrative power, and poetic sensibility.
Read more at interlude.hk

2024-09-09

The New Chopin Podcast

The Chopin Podcast is a new series exploring the genius of Chopin's piano music. Join host Ben Laude and GRAMMY-winning pianist Garrick Ohlsson for a deep dive into the composer's world.
Read more at chopinpodcast.com

2024-09-08

Musical Family Business

The success of pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason and her six siblings, driven by their parents' passion for classical music, highlights their determination. All have thrived in their busy household, becoming professional musicians. "When music is part of your environment, it feels normal."
Read more at abc.net.au

2024-09-07

The 20th Chopin and His Europe Festival

Warsaw is presently running the 20th Chopin and His Europe festival. This year's theme - "Chopin and the Rest of the World" - highlights a diverse program juxtaposing Chopin's works with European music and showcasing exceptional musical performances from all continents. Here's an interview with the latest Chopin Competition winner Bruce Liu.
Read more at youtube.com

2024-09-06

Pianist Edge Walker Brubaker

Pianist Bruce Brubaker navigates the intersection of classical music with experimental, electronica and contemporary works. His albums feature interpretations of Glass, Monk, Muhly, Adams, and now Brian Eno. In his recent release, he tackles three tracks from Eno's Ambient 1: Music for Airports, plus other Eno pieces.
Read more at tapeop.com

2024-09-05

Sir Andras Schiff in Conversation

Sir Andras Schiff's significance in today's musical world is hard to define. Mastery in any field is challenging, yet Schiff excels in all his endeavors. His importance as a musician is indisputable. Additionally, he is a magnificent pedagogue, with his masterclasses garnering millions of views.
Read more at codalario.com

2024-09-04

A Forgotten Jazz Great

Charles Bell's originality lies not just in musical form but in the tone and voice he conjures. He borrows an elusive formality from European concert music, focusing on personal exploration rather than direct address. His art is urbane, vigorous but not vehement, and bluesy with more church influence than nightlife.
Read more at newyorker.com

2024-09-03

Quotes by W. A. Mozart!

Mozart wrote numerous letters from age 14 until his final month. Thousands have been preserved, thanks to his widow Constanze and her second husband Nissen. These documents are key sources on his life and character, revealing his intimate, unguarded thoughts on life, love, music, and the world.
Read more at interlude.hk

2024-09-02

Rachmaninoff in Theatre Play

Rachmaninoff's early years in Russia profoundly influenced his music and the environment he cultivated throughout his life. Even after leaving during the 1917 revolution and settling far from the Soviet Union, Russia remained deeply embedded in his heart and soul.
Read more at splashmags.com/

2024-09-01

The Mozart Improviser

Robert Levin, 76, has long contended that Mozart improvised cadenzas and ornaments during performances. He aims to revive this improvisational spirit in a landmark cycle of concertos on period instruments, a 13-album project started over 30 years ago with the Academy of Ancient Music, led by Christopher Hogwood.
Read more at nytimes.com

2024-08-31

Going for LvB's 32 at Twelve!

Mikkel Myer Lee, turning 12 this year, is poised to make history as the youngest musician to perform Beethoven's Complete 32 Piano Sonatas. The Singaporean prodigy will begin his three-year journey on December 3 at SOTA, launching an ambitious 8-part concert series.
Read more at bandwagon.asia

2024-08-30

Piano Festival in London

Two weeks of piano heaven at London's prestigious Wigmore Hall features leading stars, including cover artist Saskia Giorgini. The celebration begins with Peter Jablonski, followed by luminaries like Yoav Levanon, Pavel Kolesnikov, Alim Beisembayev, Vijay Iyer, and many more.
Read more at pianistmagazine.com

2024-08-29

The Faure Year 2024

Faure's music bridges the end of Romanticism with early 20th-century modernism. Born during Chopin's era and passing as jazz and atonal music emerged, Faure is hailed by The Grove Dictionary as France's most advanced composer of his generation.
Read more at interlude.hk

2024-08-27

To Be Soloist with Orchestra

At Tianjin Juilliard School's concert hall, young pianists focused intensely as they took turns on stagethe playing with Tianjin Juilliard Festival Orchestra, adjusting their tempi and dynamics in response, learning to synchronize their performances with the ebb and flow of the music.
Read more at chinadaily.com.cn

2024-08-27

The Multi-tasking Conductor-Pianist

Having seen Mitsuko Uchida and Leif Ove Andsnes do the same with different concertos, it's clear the performance must resemble chamber music. Achieving this with Prokofiev's large orchestra, rather than a classical-sized ensemble, was astonishing and highly impressive in coordination.
Read more at theartsdesk.com

2024-08-26

French Piano Celebration in San Francisco

The San Francisco Piano Festival runs from Aug. 23, to Sept. 1 at various San Francisco venues, focusing on French music and Gabriel Faure's centenary. It features solo piano recitals, vocal performances, and chamber music by local and international artists.
Read more at sfcv.org

2024-08-26

Yuja Wang Plays Ravel's G-major Concerto

ARTE TV offers a performance with Yuja Wang playing Ravel's G-major Concerto with Klaus Mäkelä and Orchestre de Paris from last October.
Read more at arte.tv/