Playing of poetry, intelligence and quiet authority in Charles Owen’s new release De Profundis
Tag: piano music
The Mist on the Moors – the piano music of Reginald Redman
British pianist Duncan Honeybourne continues in his quest to bring lesser-known and rarely performed British piano music to the fore with his latest release – a collection of pieces by Reginald Redman.
‘Opus 109’ – Vikingur Olafsson
Olfasson brings a fresh perspective to well-known repertoire through thoughtful programming, finding intriguing connections and shining a new light on the familiar
Small Treasures – Sarah Beth Briggs, piano
In her latest release, British pianist Sarah Beth Briggs celebrates the notion that “small is beautiful” in a selection of piano miniatures, including two of the greatest sets of miniatures ever written – Robert Schumann’s Waldszenen (Forest Scenes) and Brahms’s 4 Klavierstucke op. 119. These are interspersed with less familiar works by Clara Schumann and…
Palimpsest – a compelling debut album which demonstrates how music evolves
Palimpsest Rob Hao, piano Palimpsest – a manuscript or piece of writing material on which later writing has been superimposed on effaced earlier writing. – something reused or altered but still bearing visible traces of its earlier form ‘Classical music lends itself naturally to this layered form of creation as past and present, or composers…
A reflective, sensitive musical journey with pianist Ashley Wass
BLACK & WHITE Ashley Wass, piano This new release from British pianist Ashley Wass celebrates a significant milestone in his musical life – some 40 years since he first touched the keys of a piano. Black and White, the album and corresponding live concerts, is a reflection of the Wass’s desire to find stillness, focus…
“micro-glimpses into countless worlds” – CASCADE Cordelia Williams, piano
This new release from pianist Cordelia Williams celebrates the notion that small is not only beautiful – but also witty, imaginative, colourful, varied, virtuosic and transcendent. The piano miniature, of which this disc is a selection of some of the best, is a genre that includes some of the most exquisite and inventive music in…
Close to the edit: Edna Stern, ‘Schubert on tape’
Edna Stern’s latest release is a fascinating find. Beautifully performed, for sure, but those performances are led by an intriguing, impeccably realised idea. The pieces on this disc are well-loved and oft-recorded: the first four ‘Impromptus’ (D899) and the ‘Moments Musicaux’ (D780). But Stern, following the courage of her convictions, has arrived at a new…
Darkness and Light: Nightlight – Cordelia Williams, piano
Darkness and light pervade Cordelia Williams’ latest release, Nightlight, which explores the many facets of nighttime – its turmoil, terror and tenderness, and the longing for and consolation of light – through a programme of brooding, atmospheric and ultimately consoling music.
‘The Piano: A History in 100 Pieces’ – a must-read for pianophiles & music lovers
It was perhaps inevitable that pianist and writer Susan Tomes would turn her attention eventually to the extraordinarily broad repertoire of the piano – her instrument, and mine, and that of countless others, both professional and amateur players. While her previous books have been concerned with the myriad aspects of “being a pianist” – from…