… the details of the score, Schiff really gets to the heart, soul, and fundamental humanity of Schubert in his playing and brings a compelling intimacy to his performances, even in the largest of concert halls. Franz Schubert: 3 Klavierstücke, D. 946 - No. 2 in E-Flat Major (András Schiff, piano) Radu Lupu Radu Lupu The great Romanian pianist Radu Lupu, who died in April 2022, was described by Gramophone magazine as “A lyricist in a thousand”, who placed Schubert’s music at the centre of his repertoire throughout his career. Sensitive to Schubert’s mercurial moods …

Murray Perahia: Winner in 1972 Leeds International Piano Competition © medici.tv Since its inception, the Leeds International Piano Competition has attained a highly respected reputation as the “most coveted prize in the piano world and internationally acclaimed for introducing some of the greatest pianists of our time”. Renowned artists including Radu Lupu and Murray Perahia launched their careers by taking first prize; Mitsuko Uchida and Sir András Schiff were among the Leeds' prize winners, awarded 2nd and 3rd prize respectively. Since its inauguration event in September 1963, founder Dame Fanny Waterman was at the helm as …

… if halfway through a phrase. There is no discernible “main theme”; instead numerous melodies and themes are tucked in several layers. A skilled interpreter can bring all these layers together to create a coherent whole. Here is Radu Lupu: Johannes Brahms: 2 Rhapsodies, Op. 79 (Radu Lupu, piano) Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini One of the most famous Rhapsodies and an iconic piece in the pianist’s repertoire, Rachmaninoff composed this work for piano and orchestra – in effect a piano concert all in a single movement – at his summer home, Villa Senar in Switzerland …

… four hands. Prior to this, Schubert only wrote two other sonatas and one sonatina for piano four hands, but none of them are as extensive as this work. Schubert wrote these while staying in Court Esterházy’s house. The Grand Duo, D. 812, remains one of the most famous pieces for piano four-hands. Schumann described the piece as a “symphony arranged for the piano.” Franz Schubert: Sonata for Piano 4 Hands in C Major, Op. 140, D. 812, "Grand Duo" (Radu Lupu, piano; Daniel Barenboim, piano) Divertissement on a French motif D. 823 …

… “we bid farewell to a master, musician and philosopher with a unique gift for conveying Chopin’s greatness to the world both in words and, above all, through his playing. In a special album recorded to mark the artist’s sixtieth birthday, Martha Argerich, Leon Fleisher and Radu Lupu wrote, “Fou Ts’ong became one of the great teachers of our time. We are obliged to Fou Ts’ong for all his new ideas and for opening new musical horizons for all of us.” His former student William Youn writes, “he was …

… His interpretations are marked by absolute freedom, spontaneity and explosiveness. That poetry and esctasy in his playing of Scriabin’s Valse! And what a performance with white-hot passion and unparalleled intensity here! Take note of the roaring bass in the central section, symbolising boiling desire and urge. 5. Radu Lupu Radu Lupu© Hiroyuki Ito / The New York Times Lupu is probably the most seclusive pianist of all time – almost always declining interview invitations, zero social media engagement, last commercial recording made in mid-1990s… His Mozart is certainly the most sublime that I’ve ever heard …

… a professor at St. Petersburg Conservatory and he influenced the early Neuhaus a lot. He advised Neuhaus to study with Leopold Godowsky. He became a concert pianist when he was only 17. Neuhaus taught at the Moscow Conservatory, his pupils included Emil Gilels, Sviatoslav Richter, Nina Svetlanova, Alexei Lubimov and Radu Lupu. His published pedagogical work, The Art of Piano Playing, is one of the most influential pedagogical writings in the 20th century. Leopold Godowsky “The piano as a medium for expression is a whole world by itself.”- LEOPOLD GODOWSKY (1870-1938) From the left: Leopold Godowsky, Albert …

… years old. He made his orchestral debut at eight, an occasion memorable for the loss of one of his milk teeth during the performance! While studying at Moscow’s Gnessin School of Music, he listened to historic recordings of the great pianists from an earlier era, seeking inspiration and learning from recordings of Rachmaninoff, Cortot, Horowitz, Friedman and others from the golden age of piano playing. It’s no surprise that amongst his inspirations today are Martha Argerich, Grigory Sokolov and Radu Lupu. He seems to embody so many of their musical qualities, while also carving a …