The viola may be the less flashy sibling of the violin, but in the hands of these seven great women composers, the viola truly shines as a solo instrument. From the bold modernism of Marga Richter and Peggy Glanville-Hicks to
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Duncan Ward January 1st, 2021 With performances from Moscow to Newcastle, Dresden to Geneva, young British conductor and composer Duncan Ward has had a very busy year, given the current circumstances. As 2020 draws to a close, I catch up with him and hear his -
Passing on the Wisdom
Leon Fleisher and Hamish Milne December 31st, 2020Death has been on our collective minds more than usual in this year of the coronavirus pandemic. A number of well-known composers and musicians passed away in 2020, including composers Krzystof Penderecki, Nikolai Kapustin and Ennio Morricone, cellist Lynn Harrell, -
Roll Over Beethoven
Dragging Beethoven Into the 21st Century December 31st, 20202020 was to be the main stage for Ludwig van Beethoven. Just about everybody was ready to celebrate the 250th year of his birth with concerts, installations and special exhibitions. And then we got Covid-19, and Beethoven wasn’t the main -
Bach’s Corona Cantata BWV 28
“Praise God, This Year Is Coming to an End” December 30th, 2020Of course, Bach didn’t know about Corona. But he certainly knew about hardship, depression, disease and death. In fact, Bach and his family endured extended periods of tragedy and loss. Bach had twenty children by two wives, but ten children -
Legendary Beethoven Performances
Piano Concertos December 29th, 2020For Beethoven the pianist, the piano sonata and the piano concerto were his star vehicle of choice. In the piano sonatas, his tremendous virtuosity came to the fore. Remember that when he came to Vienna, he was there as the -
The Many Versions of “Auld Lang Syne” December 28th, 2020 To say that 2020 was a difficult and complicated year is a massive understatement. Since Covid has taken away so many of our freedoms and our plans, it’s been downright depressing at times. I was really looking forward to visit -
Hooray for the New Year: Welcoming in 2021 December 27th, 2020 If there ever was a year that didn’t live up to its promise, it was 2020. Do you remember January? Do you remember February? You certainly remember March! The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic changed everything. Introspection became the order -
Books for Pianists and Pianophiles December 27th, 2020 There is a wealth of books for pianists and pianophiles, from detailed analyses of repertoire to books on technique and practising, pianists’ memoirs and novels featuring pianists. Here is a brief selection of books to satisfy the pianist and pianophile,