Blogs

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How to Practice
A follow-up to my earlier article What Is Practice? Debussy: 12 Etudes – No. 1. Pour les cinq doigts (For the five fingers) (Joseph Moog, piano) No. 11. Pour les arpèges composés (For written arpeggios) (Joseph Moog, piano) “Practice Makes
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The King of Instruments
For an instrument that is said to rule over all the other family members in the vast empire of musical instruments, the organ does not get much prominence or recognition. Outside popular pieces like the Toccata and Fugue in D
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A Personalised Sheet Music App for the Amateur Pianist
There are any number of apps and online courses to support and inspire the amateur pianist, from simple score readers which enable the user to read music from an iPad or tablet to more involved applications which offer an immersive
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In Memoriam
Peter Schreier (1935-2019)
The singer and conductor Peter Schreier, one of the leading lyric tenors of the 20th Century, has died in Dresden at the age of 84. As one of the most highly esteemed tenors of the century, Schreier hit his mark
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Stepping Stones to Bach
American pianist and teacher Eleonor Bindman is, by her own admission, devoted to the music of J S Bach. She has been praised for her performances and recordings of Bach’s keyboard music and has made a transcription for piano 4-hands
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2019’s Great Concerts in China
My first concert experience in 2019 began in Hangzhou, the provincial capital of Zhejiang province. There, at the crescent-shaped Hangzhou Grand Theatre by the Qiantang River, I celebrated the New Year’s Eve bells on December 31st, while attending the theatre’s
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Emotional Music
What is emotional music? But maybe first, I should ask, what is an emotion? And, are all emotions universal? Are your experiences of grief, remorse, shame and heartbreak the same as mine? I’d guess no; I don’t see how they
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Messiaen’s Cathedrals of Sound
Thoughts on listening to Vingt Regards sur l’enfant-Jésus Olivier Messiaen builds cathedrals in sound. From a single candle gently flickering in a quiet side chapel to the glorious fan traceries of the main transept, the private place for solitary prayer
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