40 PAGES OF SHEET MUSIC!

HELPING YOU BECOME

A BETTER PLAYER
AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022

No 127

Masterclass
MUSICAL
MOTIVATION
Fuelling the desire to practise

Improve your
arpeggio On Beethoven,
Barenboim and
technique finding time
for friends

DON’T
LOOK
DOWN!
Follow the score
(not your fingers)
 BY APPOINTMENT TO
HER MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH II
PIANOFORTE MANUFACTURERS
STEINWAY & SONS

CO L L E CT I O N

To honour and celebrate the natural beauty

of the earth’s most precious woods, Steinway
& Sons has created the MASTERPIECE 8X8
collection, a limited edition of eight grand
pianos and eight upright pianos in its
hand-crafted veneer, designed to
showcase the quality and unique
personality of each wood and
bring it to life.

MASTERPIECE 8X8 pianos are issued as model B 211cm grand and model K Availability is limited to:
1 Figured Sycamore Model B
132cm upright. The model B is equipped with , the most 1 American Walnut Model B
modern technology Steinway currently has to offer. 1 Figured Sycamore Model K

For more information or to arrange a private appointment at our London showrooms,

please call: 0207 487 3391 or email info@steinway.co.uk

Steinway Hall London W1U 2DB www.steinway.co.uk

Pianist 127 CONTENTS
August-September 2022
The next issue of Pianist goes on sale 23 September 2022

10 72

76
4 Editor’s Note 18 Composing Competition 67 Piano Teacher Help Desk
All the details about the 2023 Get your pupils to discover the
4 Reader Competition edition: find out how to win a joys of counterpoint, advises
Three lucky readers to receive the Kawai piano worth over £1,440 Kathryn Page
thrilling debut album from this
issue’s cover star Yoav Levanon 20 How to Play 1 Melanie 68 Mind over Motivation How do
Spanswick gives your ‘weaker’ we stay focussed when day-to-day
6 Readers’ Letters fingers a workout in this distractions get in the way?
Recital programmes, impressive delightful study by Lemoine John Evans turns to the experts
uprights and keeping already- for answers
mastered repertoire on the boil 21 How to Play 2 Nils Franke
shares both his learning tips and 72 The Generation Game What
8 Van Cliburn Competition his passion for Clara Schumann’s can three generations of student/
Erica Worth reports from the moving Mondnacht teachers learn from each other?
famous piano competition’s A lot, says Alisdair Hogarth
sixteenth edition Finals week 22 How to Play 3 Mark Viner on
one of Chaminade’s most 76 PH Pianos Once seen, never
10 Yoav Levanon The young Israeli intoxicating works, La Lisonjera forgotten. Warwick Thompson is
pianist talks to Jessica Duchen impressed by Denmark’s stylish
about lessons with Barenboim 25 Winning Score! A lesson on the piano company
and his passion for mature 2022 Composing Competition
Romantic repertoire winning piece, The Spectre’s Waltz, 80 Album Reviews Peter Donohoe
by none other than the composer embarks on a Mendelssohn series,
14 How to Play Masterclass 1 herself, Michelle Lord Pavel Kolesnikov dances his way
Mark Tanner on keeping your through Hahn and Alexander
eyes fixed to the score 26 The Scores Moszkowski’s Ullman dazzles with Liszt
Rêverie, Beethoven’s ‘Lustig und
16 How to Play Masterclass 2 Traurig’, Scarlatti’s Sonata K476 82 Sheet Music Reviews A focus
Legato arpeggios: be bold and and another gem by Mel Bonis on ABRSM’s new piano syllabus,
imaginative, says Graham Fitch all feature inside this issue plus French classics and more
Cover image: © Nir Slakman. This page, from left to right: © Gemmy Would-Binnendijk/Parlophone Records Ltd; © Preslyan Penkov
Notice: Every effort has been made to secure permission for copyrighted material in this magazine, however, should
copyrighted material inadvertently have been used, copyright acknowledgement will be made in a later issue of the magazine.

(VW 

FKHVWHUFRXUWDOEDQ\VWORQGRQQZEX
ZZZPDUNVRQSLDQRVFRP
 DON’T MISS OUR
FREE ONLINE
VIDEO LESSONS

Scenes from Childhood

This issue features two young pianists: cover star Yoav Levanon and
Yunchan Lim, gold-medal winner at the recent Van Cliburn Competition
in Texas. Both, remarkably, are just 18 years old. Lim’s account of Liszt’s
Transcendental Etudes at the Cliburn astounded everyone who witnessed www.youtube.com/
it (and you can hear it for yourself on the competition’s website). For PianistMagazine
Levanon, too, Liszt has become the vehicle of his precociously assured
technique: few young pianists indeed are granted the opportunity to
make their recorded debut with the B minor Sonata.
Perhaps, rather than asking how they have attained artistic maturity
while still in their teens, we may reflect that great music has something to
teach us at any age. Lim and Levanon have decades ahead to deepen their
understanding of Liszt and Schumann and Beethoven. The younger we
Pianist
www.pianistmagazine.com
are when mastering the dots, the longer we have to ‘see’ into the secrets
PUBLISHER
of scores which reward a lifetime’s study. Warners Group Publications plc
We should remember, too, that the phenomenon of the Wunderkind is nothing new. Never Director: Stephen Warner
Publisher: Collette Lloyd
mind Mozart, and indeed Liszt: Daniel Barenboim gave his first recital at the age of seven and
the twelve-year-old Evgeny Kissin performed Chopin’s First Concerto in the hall of the Moscow EDITORIAL
Warners Group Publications plc
Conservatoire (I can picture the album cover of the live recording: a fresh-faced Kissin dwarfed by West Street, Bourne, Lincs PE10 9PH, UK
his instrument). Lang Lang, Yuja Wang and Benjamin Grosvenor all found out for themselves how Editor: Erica Worth
editor@pianistmagazine.com
to grow up artistically after a prodigiously early start. Tel: +44 (0)20 7266 0760
This month’s Scores section features several composers who were composing and performing Editorial Assistant & Online Editor: Ellie Palmer
while still children. The nine-year-old Clara Wieck played for Paganini and was hailed as the ‘next ellie.palmer@warnersgroup.co.uk
Marketing: Collette Lloyd
Mozart’ for her extraordinary talent: she even had a cake named after her! The opulent tone- collette.lloyd@warnersgroup.co.uk
colours of Alexey Stanchinsky evoke the kaleidoscopic world of Scriabin, and he was performing Senior Designer: Nathan Ward
his own music by the age of six. We would doubtless hold him in higher regard had he not died at ADVERTISING
a tender age (just 26). Advertising Manager: Mark Dean
mark.dean@warnersgroup.co.uk
For most of us, however, our journey with the piano has taken a longer, more winding route. Tel: +44 (0)1778 395084
We don’t all have the luxury of intense coaching or the obsessive drive to make the most of it. The Mobile: +44 (0)7503 707023
piano is still there for us, at any age and at any stage of accomplishment – but if your motivation
has been dipping, read John Evans’s article to help you get your mojo back. Finally, our ever- READER SERVICES
popular Pianist Composing Competition is back and open for entries (details inside and online).
UK & WORLD SUBSCRIPTIONS
Now is the perfect time to shine a light on your own talent. Pianist Subscriptions Department
Warners Group Publications plc
West Street, Bourne, Lincs PE10 9PH, UK
Tel: +44 (0)1778 392483
Fax: +44 (0)1778 421706
editor@pianistmagazine.com Email: subscriptions@pianistmagazine.com

DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTIONS
www.pianistm.ag/digissues
Become a Pianist magazine subscriber, and receive free bonus scores DISTRIBUTION
To find a shop near you that stocks Pianist,
with every issue. Subscribe today: www.pianistm.ag/subscribe contact our distributor:
Email: nikkim@warnersgroup.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1778 391171

WIN!
YOAV LEVANON’S BACK ISSUES
Email: backissues@pianistmagazine.com
DEBUT RELEASE FOR Tel: +44 (0)1778 392483

WARNER CLASSICS FOR ALL OTHER ENQUIRIES

Answer the question below correctly, and you could be one
of three lucky winners to receive this monumental album.
Contact: Collette Lloyd, Publisher
Warners Group Publications plc
West Street, Bourne, Lincs PE10 9PH, UK
Tel: +44 (0)7920 713998
Registered Address: Warners Group Publications,West Street, Bourne,
Lincs, PE10 9PH. © Warners Group Publications plc. All rights reserved.

In which German city stands a large bronze statue Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission strictly
prohibited. Every care is taken in compiling the magazine and no
of Beethoven? responsibility can be taken for any action arising from information given
on the papers. All information, prices and telephone numbers are
correct at the time of going to press. No responsibility can be taken for

A. Bonn B. Hamburg C. Munich unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or transparencies.

Printed by Warners Group Publications plc.

ENTER ONLINE AT
© Benjamin Ealovega

WWW.PIANISTMAGAZINE.COM
4• Pianist 127
 3,$12:25/'%$<5(87+

+ L J K  ( Q G  3 L D Q R V  I R U      <H D U V ²
6 L Q F H    <H D U V D W  0 D U N V R Q  3 L D Q R V « 
LQ /RQGRQ 0DUNVRQ DQG 6WHLQJUDHEHU DUH FHOHEUDWLQJ WKHLU ORQJ ODVWLQJ VXFFHVVIXO
SDUWQHUVKLS LQ  ZLWK HYHQWV DW 0DUNVRQ DQG ZLWK D 5DFKPDQLQRZ ZHHNHQG RI
3HWHU 'RQRKRH DW WKH 5LSSRQ &DWKHGUDO LQ 2FWREHU 0DUNVRQ RIIHUV D ODUJH VHOHFWLRQ
RI 6WHLQJUDHEHU SLDQRV LQ WKHLU SUHPLVHV DQG RUJDQL]HV WULSV WR WKH ´3,$12 :25/'
%$<5(87+µ IRU FXVWRPHUV ZKR ZLVK WR VHOHFW WKHLU SLDQR GLUHFWO\ LQ WKH
PDQXIDFWRU\ VLWXDWHG LQ %D\UHXWK %DYDULD D PXVLF IHVWLYDO FLW\ ZLWK WZR VWXQQLQJ
RSHUD KRXVHV DQG KLVWRULF YHQXHV WKDW UHIOHFW RYHU  \HDUV RI ILUVWFODVV (XURSHDQ
FXOWXUH 7KH KLVWRULF 6WHLQJUDHEHU 3DODLV LWVHOI VWDQGV DPRQJ WKHVH ODQGPDUNV 7KUHH
OX[XULRXV VWXGLRV DUH DYDLODEOH WR ERWK FOLHQWV DQG DUWLVWV DOLNH

0DUNVRQ/RQGRQ&KHVWHU&RXUW$OEDQ\6W/RQGRQ1: %8  ZZZPDUNVRQSLDQRVFRP

.ODYLHUPDQXIDNWXU 6WHLQJUDHEHU 6|KQH%D\UHXWK*HUPDQ\ZZZVWHLQJUDHEHUGH

LETTERS
Your chance to
HAVE YOUR SAY
EMAIL: editor@pianistmagazine.com WRITE TO: The Editor, Pianist, Warners Group Publications, The Maltings, West St, Bourne, PE10 9PH.
Letters may be edited.

Grand uprights
Matt Ash’s ‘Baby Boom’ article inside
issue 126 came as a welcome read. A few
years back I was tempted to upgrade my
piano and to purchase a baby grand rather
than an upright. I shopped around and
spoke to many professionals. In the end,
I opted for a ‘top-of-the-range’ Yamaha
upright and I was not disappointed. It has
such a lovely big sound, including a deep
bass (in fact I had to ask my piano
technician to try to make it ‘quieter’!).
As Matt Ash so eloquently writes, try out
some of the big uprights before going
down the baby-grand route.
David Hargrave, London, UK
Building a programme
I am very happy with Pianist and what it
provides. For this amateur (and
struggling) pianist, your magazine is a
unique resource. I was wondering about
recital programmes. I believe that an
article on how to build an interesting
programme would be of use to many
readers. At the beginning of every year,
I take time to consider repertoire that I
would like to master throughout the year,
basing my considerations on scores from
Pianist and composer anniversaries. I am
keen to learn some Debussy, as well as
Ravel, Satie and Scott Joplin. I’m not sure
whether this makes an interesting
programme for an audience, though, as
it’s very ‘French’. Should I be including
Baroque or Classical composers in order
to provide a better contrast, such as Bach,
Mozart, Beethoven and Schumann?
Bob Hawkins, New York, USA
You’ve chosen a fair bit of French music, yes,
but the styles of all three French composers
are very different. Scott Joplin makes for a
big contrast, too. One doesn’t always have to
adhere to the practice of juxtaposing
composers of different nationalities and
periods. The most important thing is to
perform what you play and love best.
Keep up your repertoire
I played the piano seriously when I was
young, reaching Grade 8. Then life got in
the way (job and family etc.) and I didn’t
touch it for years. Now having returned to
the instrument (and just loving Pianist!) I
spend a long time trying to perfect a
piece, but unless I keep practising it
regularly, I forget it when I start a new
one. What’s the secret to learning new
repertoire whilst still retaining the old?
Vanessa Cowan, Shropshire, UK
Take some of your older repertoire, and
spend no longer than 15 daily minutes on it.
Focus on a section of the piece, adding a
little bit more each time. You will find these
older pieces are back in your fingers in no
time – quicker than you expected – giving
you ample time to learn new repertoire.

“In this intimate piano self-portrait,

Alex Heffes presents legitimate keyboard
works that are complex in form and abundant
in colour, light and shade.”

BBC Music Magazine

“Sudden Light is a wonderful way to discover

or rediscover some fine film music that’s been
stripped down to its emotional core. The
material is often stunning, and the intimate
setting makes for a relaxed, enjoyable listen.”

Film Score Monthly

“The results are impressive… Whether you’re

a fan of Alex Heffes work for film or a lover
of solo piano pieces, there is plenty to soak
up on Sudden Light. It’s multi-layered, rich
and deeply rewarding.”
[\IH
Review Graveyard

‘ S U D D E N L I G H T ’ O N C D & D O W N LO A D
AVA I L A B L E F R O M A L L M U S I C P R O V I D E R S alexheffes.com | silvascreen.com

6• Pianist 127
AT HOME ON STAGE

YOUR MUSIC
Experience the power and flexibility of the Kawai ES Series
Thanks to their lightweight body, powerful speaker systems and great audio connectivity, these truly portable
pianos are also an excellent choice for gigging musicians, academic institutions and places of worship.
They are extremely personal pianos that players of all ages and abilities can take pride in owning.

ES920 ES520 ES120

Control the ES Series with ease using Kawai’s PianoRemote App for compatible
iOS and Android devices. Scan the QR code for more information.

To learn more about the ES Series or find your local dealer, visit www.kawai.co.uk

The Futur e of the Pi a no

@KawaiUK @KawaiPianosUK @KawaiPianosUK

COMPETITIONS
ON TOP
WORLD
A sensational young Korean pianist scaled the heights at this year’s
Van Cliburn Competition in Texas. Erica Worth reports back from Finals week
F
ort Worth, Texas. Home to the Kimbell Art
Museum, the Stockyards rodeos and a National
Cowgirl Museum, the fifth-largest city in Texas is an
unlikely destination for the musical elite. However,
every four years, pianophiles and classical music
executives descend upon it to find the virtuosos of tomorrow at
the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition.
To make it here, the finalists have already passed a stringent
selection process. Delayed by a year due to the pandemic, a
record number of 388 pianists from 51 countries made an
initial application, including Russian and Ukrainian candidates.
The competition’s administration grasped the nettle in early
March and indicated that Russian-born pianists would be
permitted to audition, as they were neither officials of their
government nor state-sponsored. Several other classical music
organisations followed suit; both the Honens and Dublin piano
competitions quickly reversed their ban on Russian candidates.
From the 142 candidates who made it through to an initial
screening, 72 were selected for a live screening in Fort Worth,
which further winnowed down the field to 30 competitors.
I arrive at the start of Finals week. The field of 30 has been
reduced to six through Quarter- and Semi-final rounds. Usually
calm and empty, the streets of Fort Worth are filled with agents,
promoters and journalists making their way downtown to the
2,042-seat Bass Performance Hall, home to the competition
since 2001.
The finalists are competing for their future, of course, but also
for substantial rewards in the here and now: a cash award of
$100,000 for the gold-medal winner, $50,000 for silver and
8• Pianist 127
OF
THE
$25,000 for bronze. All three will receive career management,
promotional help, a string of engagements… plus performance
attire from the upmarket Neiman Marcus store. The gold-medal
winner is also guaranteed a debut album on the Steinway label.
%½RIZMRXEKI
The ‘Cliburn’, as it’s known, started up 60 years ago after native
Fort Worthian Van Cliburn won the inaugural Moscow
Tchaikovsky Competition in 1958. Texan high society wanted a
share of the showbiz and stardust generated by Cliburn’s
triumph, and they got it. The inaugural winner Ralph Votapek
never won the recognition showered upon his compatriot, but
there have been memorable winners since – silver and bronze
medallists included – who have gone on to forge major careers
(Cristina Ortiz, Olga Kern and Beatrice Rana have all appeared
on the cover of this magazine).
Like all successful competitions, the Cliburn has evolved with
the times. New this year, a 700-seat Van Cliburn Concert Hall
at TCU (Texas Christian University) hosted the Preliminary and
Quarter-final rounds. All rounds are now webcast in 4K
high-definition video: a first among classical music
competitions. Affable TV host Buddy Bray gives a sleek,
© Ralph Lauer (main); Richard Rodriguez (p9)
sports-commentary vibe to the guest interviews. Emulating the
Moscow Tchaikovsky for the first time, the six finalists of the
competition’s sixteenth edition are required to play not one but
two concertos in the Finals, from two pre-selected lists.
Previous Cliburn Finals have been dominated by the kind of
Russian blockbusters – Prokofiev, Rachmaninov and
Tchaikovsky – that were signature pieces for Cliburn himself.
The new list casts its net wider across the canon, taking in
Beethoven, Schumann, Saint-Saëns and Chopin: ‘We never
heard those concertos [at the competition],’ remarks President
and CEO, Jacques Marquis. ‘For the audience, it will be
fantastic.’ The Semi-final Mozart Concerto round, introduced
in 2017, remains in place: ‘A Mozart concerto is very telling,’
says Marquis.
For the first time in the Cliburn’s history, all nine jury
members are active pianists: Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, Alessio Bax,
Rico Gulda, Andreas Haefliger, Wu Han, Sir Stephen Hough,
Anne-Marie McDermott, Orli Shaham and Lilya Zilberstein.
Marin Alsop makes her Van Cliburn debut as conductor for the
Finals and acts as Jury Chair.
Performances dreamy and dubious
After a sensational Finals performance of Rachmaninov’s Third
Concerto, on 18 June the 18-year-old Yunchan Lim of South
Korea became the youngest ever gold-medallist at the Cliburn.
Anna Geniushene (31, Russia) took silver and Dmytro Choni
(28, Ukraine) bronze. An
artist beyond his years, Lim
had become a leading
contender since an awe-
inspiring account of Liszt’s
Transcendental Etudes at his
Semi-final. Do check out his
Liszt for yourself at
www.cliburn.org, for its
jaw-dropping technique and
musical understanding,
exemplified by the swirling
flurries of ‘Chasse-neige’ (No
12) and the thunderous but
perfectly voiced chords of
‘Eroica’ (No 7).
That same mature
musicianship distinguished
his electrifying Rachmaninov
– one of the most exciting performances of this work I’ve ever
heard, well-paced from beginning to end, and generating a
stunning momentum in the finale. Just as crucially, he listened
and responded intently to Alsop and the Fort Worth Symphony
Orchestra (see picture above).
Lim also won the Audience Prize and Best Performance of a
New Work – the Fanfare Toccata by Stephen Hough. According
to the composer, Lim got his piece spot on: ‘What’s important
is rhythm and punch in the outer sections with a lyrical contrast
for the con sentimento section,’ Hough told me later. ‘A lot of
people played the middle section beautifully but most played
the rest of the piece too fast and rather freely, without bringing
out the accents.’
As for the other medallists, Moscow-born Geniushene is now
resident in Lithuania and the oldest contestant at the Cliburn.
She seemed entirely at home in the soundworld of Brahms with
her Quarter-final performance of the Four Ballades Op 10.
A muted Beethoven Third in the Final did not show her at her
best, but she brought myriad colours and a ravishing tone to
Tchaikovsky’s First Concerto, not to mention a punchy
fortissimo when required.
Out of the other finalists, it seemed a fair decision to award
Choni the bronze medal. A prizewinner at nearly 20
9• Pianist 127
international competitions, he produced a slick and exciting
performance of Prokofiev’s Third Concerto; his Beethoven Third
Concerto, for all its musical qualities, felt comparatively rushed
and nervous.
Uladzislau Khandohi (20, Belarus), Ilya Shmukler (27,
Russia) and Clayton Stephenson (23, USA) made up the
remaining finalists. Each had something personal to say, but not
enough to give Lim a serious run for his money. Khandohi had
given an impressive account of himself in earlier rounds, but I
found his Chopin Concerto No 1 too limpid and meandering.
Shmukler won Best Performance of a Mozart Concerto with the
ever-popular D minor K466, but his Grieg in the Finals was
rhythmically manipulated, even while graced with some
melting, lyrical moments. Stephenson’s Rachmaninov 3 had the
misfortune to come up against Lim’s superlative performance,
but he deserved some sort of recognition just for his bold choice
of the Gershwin Concerto in F; so did Alsop and the Fort
Worth Symphony for the fabulous flair of their support.
On the basis of his refined approach to Beethoven’s
‘Waldstein’ Sonata and more,
Masaya Kamei (20, Japan)
deserved a spot among the
finalists. However, I was
disappointed by Kate Liu
(28, USA), having seen her
take bronze at the 2015
Chopin Competition in
Warsaw; her indulgent
playing at the Cliburn
(culminating in a ponderous
Beethoven Op 110) did not
do justice to her talent.
The future’s bright
At a press conference a
couple of days before his
victory, the softly spoken
Lim told us that his dream is
to be alone on a mountain-top, playing the piano. He later
clarified in a Korean interview – ‘It wasn’t that I really wanted to
go up the mountain, it was just that I want to live for the sake
of music.’ During the 17 days of intense music making, 8.5
million people in 170 countries watched online and millions
more watched on-demand in the days following, with Lim’s
Rachmaninov reaching 1.2 million views in less than 24 hours
of his win.
Naturally, Lim has become an instant celebrity in his native
land, but he only began to grasp the extent to which his life will
change forever when a flood of texts and messages came in from
friends back home. In fact, he has already enjoyed success
Stateside, having taken Third Prize and the Audience Prize at
the Cooper International Competition held in Oberlin, Ohio,
in 2018. Nevertheless, he confessed that he never expected to
win – and his success seems to weigh heavily upon him.
A phenomenal talent, Lim may need careful nurturing. While
the rest of us enjoyed a lavish closing party in Fort Worth’s
Sundance Square, his image went up in lights on a billboard in
New York’s Times Square. This is where his story begins. n
Watch performances from all rounds of the Sixteenth Van Cliburn
International Piano Competition at www.cliburn.org.
INTERVIEW
At just 18 years of age,Yoav Levanon has already recorded two warhorses of the piano
repertoire. What’s next for the young Israeli pianist? Jessica Duchen speaks to him
U
pon hearing a teenage Israeli prodigy performing
at the Piano aux Jacobins Festival in Toulouse,
the critic of Diapason did not beat about the
bush: ‘Yoav Levanon is not only a stunning
virtuoso. His assertive interpretative choices
already make him an authentic musician who has everything to
become one of the major pianists of this century.’ It’s quite an
assertion, but Levanon’s progress since then seems to suggest
that it may just be right.
He is now 18 and his first album (on Warner Classics) was
released into the wild in May this year. It centres on two
enormously challenging Romantic masterpieces: Liszt’s Sonata
in B minor and Schumann’s Fantaisie in C Op 17, along with
works by Mendelssohn and Chopin. All four of the composers
were involved in helping to fundraise for the building of a
Beethoven memorial in Bonn, hence the album’s title A
Monument for Beethoven. Speaking to me via Zoom from the
family living room, the young pianist looks even younger than
he is, but not too young to be living and breathing music,
talking about it with infectious enthusiasm. He has been
growing up in rural Israel, one of four children – he cherishes an
early memory of running through the strawberry field opposite
the family house.
10• Pianist 127
Making
magic
Both his parents are musical; his mother is a professional
musician, his father a keen amateur jazz saxophonist. Among
his siblings, one of his elder brothers is a jazz guitarist who has
been studying in New Orleans; they have a younger sister who
also plays the piano (‘we played four-hands on some TV shows,’
says Levanon).
He still remembers how he felt when he first set finger to
keyboard. ‘There was an upright piano in our house,’ he says,
‘and I wanted to try it.’ He was three. ‘For me it was like magic
to press the keys and receive this sound from it. After some
time, my parents thought that rather than playing random
notes, I should have some lessons, so they took me to a teacher.
From there, everything grew organically.’ That included winning
Photos: © Gemmy Woud-Binnendijk/Parlophone Records Ltd
his first competition when he was five – ‘I loved it!’
Lessons with the legends
With any prodigy, the question of parental pushing invariably
arises. Levanon says that in his case it is not pushing, but
supporting. ‘I think that we’re in the perfect middle,’ he says.
‘It’s not good if someone pushes you to do something that you
don’t want, and it’s not good if they constrain you and say,
“Don’t do that, you should be doing something else.” But from
the very beginning, they gave me support. They always asked
me if I really want to do this, because it’s a serious thing! They
were always communicative and careful. I think they’re the best
parents in the world.’
It is not every day that you ask a young pianist who his
teachers are, and the answer is ‘András Schiff, Murray Perahia
and Daniel Barenboim’. He has been on the Piano Program at
the Jerusalem Music Center, working with Perahia, and consults
Schiff at the Barenboim-Said Academy in Berlin, as well as
Barenboim himself: ‘The day before meeting Barenboim, I was
talking with a girl who had already had the chance to play to
him and she said, “He’s going to be tough – you’ll see.” But I try
to keep an open mind, so I just went in – and he was super-nice
to me. It was really fun working with him. I had a great time.’
It is an unorthodox approach to studying, but he clearly
enjoys his contact with these eminent musicians, exploring their
contrasting approaches: ‘My method is to get a lot of different
visions which enrich me, and then, eventually, to find my own
way,’ he says.

‘I love to listen to lots of

musicians, both live and online,
to get more inspiration and
gain more knowledge’

A piano career and conventional schooling are not an easy

mix, so it is no surprise to hear he has been home-schooled since
seventh grade. ‘For me that’s been a lifesaver,’ he says, ‘because Forsyth’s friendly and knowledgeable team look forward
I’ve managed to do school, I’ve managed to have my career and I to helping you discover your ideal piano. Our clean and safe
also have time for my friends. And now I’ve got friends all over showrooms have an unrivalled display of quality pianos,
the world.’ His unusual situation has given him, he thinks, ‘the all tuned and prepared by our in-house technical team, so whatever
ability to connect with people that share the same values and your requirment you are sure to find something of interest.
interests, wherever they are.’
Although the pandemic has been a major interruption, it was We are happy to help over the phone & email providing
during those difficult months that Levanon was signed to both tailor-made video demonstrations of any pianos of interest.
the artists’ management firm Harrison Parrott and the record Our showrooms are open to the public and you can book
company Warner Classics. He has not been short of
an appointment to have exclusive access to
international engagements, either, having already played in
top-level festivals such as Verbier (where he was its youngest-ever our extensive stock.
piano soloist), Riga Jurmala in Latvia and the Kissinger Sommer Agents for August-Förster, Bechstein, Bösendorfer, Fridolin,
in Germany, besides performing concertos with orchestras Hoffmann, Kawai, Ritmuller, Schimmel, Shigeru-Kawai,
including the Suisse-Romande, Santa Cecilia and at home in
Wilhelm and Yamaha
Haifa. Among many other places, he has given recitals in
Munich, at the Jerusalem Music Centre, and alongside Martha Rebuilt Steinway & Sons pianos
Argerich at Schloss Elmau in Germany. To start you journey call direct on
0161 519 1996
A beautiful journey email: pianos@forsyths.co.uk www.forsyths.co.uk
Making his first recording, however, was a seriously new
experience. He went to Berlin for it, to the famous Teldex
studio. ‘I had recorded for radio, but I had never gone into a
studio before. And for hours I was recording, without an
audience. I think it’s actually like being a writer: you work slowly
and you are building something. It’s this incredible feeling that
you’re creating something that is going to last for a really long
V

11• Pianist 127

INTERVIEW
Yoav
Levanon
Up clos e
If you could play only one piece from now on,
what would it be?
I’d cheat the system and choose something very,
very long.
If you could play only the music of one composer
from now on, who would it be?
Rachmaninov, including his transcriptions of Bach.
One pianist you’d travel long and far to hear?
Murray Perahia.
One concert hall you’d like to play in?
The Pierre Boulez Saal.
Any technical troubles?
I’ve never played an octave glissando with one hand
and I wonder how that is going to feel…
What advice would you give to an amateur pianist
about how to improve?
Try to do something that you haven’t done before.
Push yourself out of your comfort zone and you are
certainly going to learn something new.
If you weren’t a pianist, what would you be?
I love to help people, in general – so something that
would enable me to do that.
One person you’d love to play for?
You!
A composer you’re not quite ready for?
Some contemporary music, perhaps – but the sky’s
the limit.
What other kind of music do you like listening to?
I love jazz.
12• Pianist 127
time. I think it’s a very beautiful process. It takes a lot of energy,
but I’m still young and it was fun. At Warner they are very
generous and they gave me plenty of time so that I need not do
the recording in a rush, because it’s a big programme. I had a
good producer and sound engineer who guided me through the
process very well.’
It certainly was a big programme, inspired by the monument
to Beethoven in Bonn that Liszt helped to fund and to which
Schumann had hoped to contribute with his Fantaisie in C (had
the publisher not turned it down). How did Levanon settle
upon those pieces?
‘I constantly look around, and I love to listen to lots of
musicians, both live and online, to get more inspiration and
gain more knowledge,’ he says. ‘I constantly try to find
something that resonates with me, something that has a
meaning for me. So when I create a programme like this, I try
to make it like a journey. It aligns between something I want to
play and something that I want the audience to hear. I heard all
these incredible pieces and then I found out this amazing story!
These four great composers – it’s amazing to think they were
born literally within months or a few years of each other – they
all gave up their egos and decided to contribute pieces to
fundraise for that monument to Beethoven. The friendship that
they had is really beautiful.’
As an interpreter, Levanon may be precocious, but he is also
relatively perspicacious about the processes involved. It’s all
about finding the right balance, he says. ‘As a performer, I try to
bring out what the composer wanted, because obviously I can’t
just do what I want; but at the same time, as a performer you
have still the freedom to express yourself. I try to make it
interesting for the listener, but I will never put a focus on trying
to make something obviously different for the sake of it – if
you’re forcing it, it will be horrible. You learn all about the
theory behind the music, but then you leave it behind and you
go and experience it in the moment, rather than analytically
thinking about everything that you have learned – then connect
with the audience and try to show them something special.’
His London debut recital was reportedly something of a
mixed bag: the setting of St Martin-in-the-Fields looked
impressive, but there was serious interference from traffic noise
and amplified rock music in Trafalgar Square across the road.
The audience – studded with fashion-world luminaries such as
Stella McCartney and John Frieda – still provided a standing
ovation and blogposts marvelling at Levanon’s visual
resemblance to Liszt, while the critic Michael Church noted:
‘Although Levanon is far from being a finished artist, there may
be the seeds of greatness here.’
Currently there is a small hiatus in Levanon’s concert schedule
while he deals with his final school exams. He has no doubt,
however, about what he would like his future direction to be.
‘I would always try to stay modest and authentic,’ he says,
‘telling my story and truly giving something that I found
valuable myself. I’d always try to keep on improving. And I
want to keep on playing to many people in many places,
because it’s what I love to do: sharing my passion for music.’ n
Yoav Levanon’s debut Warner Classics album, A Monument for
Beethoven, is out now (Warner Classics 9029642552). Levanon
plays Chopin’s Prélude Op 45 in C sharp minor on this issue’s
album (see album cover for details). Further information about
Yoav Levanon at www.yoavlevanon.com.
 3 & 2024 Grade
Pieces 202
Piano Exam
Grade

In 8 Piano
Exam
Pieces
2023 & 20
24

+audio
+audio

Piano es Piano
Exam Piece Exam
ABRSM Ini
tial Grad
ABRSM
Pieces
the
Selected from Grade
24 syllabus 8
2023 & 20
Selecte
d from
2023 & the
2024
sylla bus

“…unusual, but
deeply refreshing piano course."
Expressive Audio

“I love it! The colours make it so

much easier for me”.

Find it at www.patreon.com/ChopstickstoChopin

13• Pianist 127

 HOW TO PLAY
KEEP YOUR EYE
ON THE PRIZE:
FOLLOWING
THE SCORE
8IQTXMRKEWMXMWXSPSSOHS[REX]SYV½RKIVWMX´WNYWXEW
MQTSVXERXXSWXE]½\IHXSXLIWGSVI1EVO8ERRIVLIPTW
]SYWLMJX]SYVKE^I
F
or many
instrumentalists,
keeping one’s eyes on
the score need not
present a significant
distraction from playing. The
music stand can be positioned
so as to be easily visible, and for
more fluent players there may only
be an infrequent need to check
where the fingers are placed on
the valves, holes, keys or strings.
Pianists, on the other hand, are
tasked with continually navigating
a wide expanse of keyboard – what
we might call the ‘real estate’ of
the instrument – and this quickly
poses a potential conflict of
interest. Ought we aim to keep our
eyes fixed on the pages in front of
us, irrespective of the cavernous
leaps or shifts of register we’re
challenged with, or allow ourselves
to look down at the keys willy-
nilly? There is, of course, no single
solution, as myriad variables will
affect our decisions, person by
person, piece by piece, bar by bar.
Clearly, when reading from
a score, our eyes need to be
assimilating a great deal of
information efficiently, though
in reality this will often happen
in relatively uneven bursts, rather
than a steady, continuous stream.
This is partly due to the ever-
changing density or complexity of
information on the page. When
sight-reading, we need to feel
extra confident the fingers are
able to navigate their way with
minimal visual assistance. One
of the undoubted advantages of
memorising piano music, on the
other hand, is that we can visually
guide the hand(s) to where they
need to be at key moments, i.e.
when the hands are called upon
to move regularly away from the
central register of the keyboard.
8VYWX]SYV½RKIVW
Among the reasons teachers
encourage pianists to keep their
eyes mostly on the page, is to
maximise accuracy and rhythmic
continuity, as well as to pay
attention to musical detail – but
it’s best not to take a hard and fast
5
TOP
TIPS 0SSOMRKELIEH
1 Keeping our eyes on the score increases
accuracy and rhythmic fluency, but we can still
allow purposeful glances to reposition/check the
hand(s).
2 Build up trust in your fingers, muscle memory
and spatial awareness, so that you can locate
notes or chords, even at extremes of the
keyboard, without looking down.
3 Notice where on the page you tend to look
when reading – aim, as a general rule, to move
upwards vertically from the bass notes.
4 Always read ahead! When moving from ends of
lines down to the next line, head off any
tendency to lose the rhythmic thread.
5 Practise the left hand separately, while keeping
your eyes on the page, as much of what steers
the music forward will often be found in the left
hand’s notes.
14• Pianist 127
view. The converse of keeping one’s
eyes perpetually glued to the page
is what I call ‘nodding-donkey’
syndrome, i.e. allowing the head
to continually bob up and down
from the score to the keys and
back up again, which is hardly an
efficient way of playing, or indeed
reading. So I always encourage
pupils to practise what I consider
to be an indispensable skill:
locating notes by a combination
of feel and muscular memory.
This sounds daunting, but from
the earliest stages of learning it
should be possible to gradually
build our trust in either hand to
reach virtually anywhere on the
keyboard, then locate and play a
particular note, without needing
to look. This allows us to keep our
eyes on the score, or if need be to
glance elsewhere momentarily and
guide the other hand safely into a
new position.
Let’s start out by refreshing
something we probably did with
our teacher in Lesson No 1!:
visually locate the black key
patterns in twos and threes. Now
we’ll do the same thing, but purely
by feel. Once you’re confident your
hand can position itself reliably on
any black key, try this exercise with
your left hand:
1 With your fourth and
second fingers, find Db and Gb
respectively, somewhere low
down on the keyboard; keep your
hand nicely curled and your wrist
supple, then begin playing these
two notes as repeated chords,
raising the whole arm well away
from these notes before again
descending unhurriedly. Dare
to look away as you grow in
confidence and precision.
2 Now, continuing as before,
Quick test (don’t look down!): Find
a high F# in your right hand and a
low C in your left.
Building from this strategy of
finding single notes, without
Resisting temptation
Mark Tanner on avoiding the downward
glance in three of this issue’s scores
TRACK 11 Stanchinsky Song without Words:Alexey STANCHINSKY (1885-1914)
Song without Words No 2
INTERMEDIATE

notice how your fifth finger looking, more advanced Aside from the occasional high
happily lands on C, while your players can locate increasingly     

 

arpeggiated flourishes at bars 6 and



      
   
      

 
   



  

 
      
   
 

thumb arrives just as effortlessly complex chords. Enjoy specific   

10 etc., it is the LH that once again

 
 
 

  



       




    
 

   
       

on G. opportunities to use this skill in       



has the bulk of the repositioning to

 
  

   
             
       



 


3 Now see if you can silently any piece you’re currently learning.

 


 
 


 

do. Make a separate practice loop

      
    
  
 
  

  
        
   

‘ghost’ the two black keys you’ve


     


out of the ones in the agitato



  
  

    
  

    
   
  


Where to look
 

been playing, but still use them
as locators for the two white keys
(C and G), which you can now
confidently play out loud.
4 From here, you could
immediately play any key you’re
now touching, still without
Efficient score reading in part
comes down to where on the page
we choose to look, and there’s
(literally!) more to this than meets
the eye. A purposeful, quick glance
at a specific point on the page is
section (bar 19), following a similar
strategy to that suggested in the Scarlatti below,
though here, land squarely on the black keys and
quickly form each new hand position, where possible
minimising the amount of visual checking.
TRACK 9
Cervantes Cuban Dance: The key Ignacio CERVANTES (1847-1905)
Gran Señora, No 1 from 2 Cuban Dances
INTERMEDIATE

looking, say, F, with your second often surprisingly more fruitful of G flat major partly alleviates the
finger. than a hypnotic stare. Reading difficulties of executing the LH’s


          
 



 

  
  
        

   
      

quickly up from the bass notes

   
        
 

leaps here, but a helpful practice


  




  
      





    
      

You should eventually be able along a vertical axis is usually

 

tactic could nevertheless be to

      
          
    





 

to ghost and locate virtually any preferable also, to help keep the
          

            
  

simply repeat the progression from

    
 



  
 



  
  




 


each triad to the next (i.e. second


  
          


       
   




    

   


 
  
 

  
  
    



 



chord of bar 2, straight to the

Build up trust in your fingers, muscle
memory and spatial awareness
key from a position of trusting
that a particular finger is now
hovering over it or adjacent to it.
For example, locate the same C as
harmonic progression (and often
the accompaniment) intact –
though of course an ever-changing
texture may well dictate how
equivalent chord of bar 3 and back again). Use
adjacent black keys to firm up your accuracy and
confidence with playing the bass octaves. Another
few spots worth tackling from several different
practice angles, for added reliability, would be the
unison figures at bars 17, 21 and 25.
TRACK 10
Scarlatti Sonata K476: Copious Domenico SCARLATTI (1685-1757)
Sonata in G minor K476
INTERMEDIATE

before, but now with your fourth feasible this is. leaps add to the vitality of this
finger instead, by ghosting an Eb


 

 




 

Sonata, but these also make for


                       

 

  
  


      
      

The end of the line



with your second finger. Other

frequent difficulties in continually

   
   
            
          
  



examples could be to locate an Ab

          
  

Being extra aware of the transition


    
           



  

repositioning the hands. The
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 



 

with your fourth finger, or the C between the end of a line of
 


 
 
 
 
 
 
 

example at bar 19 is perhaps less

 
 
   
 

above it with your second finger, music, and the start of the next,




          

    
   

perilous in the sense that the

  




       
         

     


while ghosting octave Gbs with the
thumb and fifth finger.
The options are limitless –
every piece presents different
possibilities: first, estimate the
appropriate hand position and
geographical location on the
keyboard using muscular memory
and spatial awareness, ghost
particularly helpful keys situated
nearby and quickly commit to the
target note(s).
Obviously, a similar tactic will
work equally well with the right
hand. From here, you’re ready to
simultaneously locate a bass note
in the left hand and a note high
up the keyboard with your right –
hopefully without feeling the need
to glance down (risking losing
your place in the score).
should ease reading and fluency.
Occasionally, we’ll hear a brief
but unwanted break in the music
at such places, due to the longer
time it takes to reposition the eyes,
and the issue will likely worsen if
we happen to look down at the
hands at precisely these moments!
Reading ahead as far as one is
able – even to a tricky section
coming up several lines away if
time permits – is a good way of
maintaining accuracy, musical flow
and a calmly engaged mind.
On balance, avoid the rigid
dogma of ‘eyes always on the
score’, and yet be mindful of the
lapses in fluency that can result
from often needlessly confirming
your fingers have arrived on
the right notes. Busy, complex
contrary-motion inward leap lands
the hands close enough together to both benefit
from a quick glance down, if needed. But in
passages such as bars 40-63, the LH is kept extra
busy and could gain from slowly practising its
sequential leaps up to D, E, F and G – if possible,
mostly via spatial awareness and ‘feel’. Why not see
how cleanly you can strike these from above as
isolated target notes, and ditto the first descending
bass note sequence. Leaping and halting to a pause
over each target note is very helpful also.
music of course necessitates
more frequent visual checks for
security, so evaluate each case in
context and adapt your strategy
accordingly. n
More about Mark Tanner at
www.marktanner.info.

15• Pianist 127

HOW TO PLAY

SHIFT INTO GEAR AND

IMPROVE THE COMFORT
ARPEGGIOS
There’s a fair amount of shifting and pivoting involved in
legato arpeggio playing, says Graham Fitch, but it’s
the arm that will guide you through the twists and turns

M
any players complain that their arpeggios
feel awkward and unreliable. There are a few
reasons for this, but the main challenge is
how we deal with the quick shifts in hand
position as we traverse the keyboard. How
is an elementary player with small hands supposed to achieve
the required joins to and from the thumb notes accurately and
reliably in examination arpeggios, which are to be played legato,
but without any pedal? A tall order indeed. Only players with
large hands will find they can pass the thumb under the hand to
achieve a perfect legato. But is the thumb-under approach, which
relies on flexibility in the wrist and an arm that leads, actually
the best technique, or are there other ways? In this article, I will
look at the pros and cons of the thumb-under approach, as well
as exploring other ways of moving that involve shifting the arm
across. Rather than attempting to make a physical join to the
thumb notes, we can use lateral or throwing motions to create
the illusion of legato.
Thumb under
There are plenty of situations where physical connections in
the hand feel good in an arpeggio, and this approach can work
nicely if done well. Physical connections help us achieve a better
legato, with a greater level of accuracy – provided we stay loose.
The downside of the thumb-under technique is tension created
by the stretches involved in passing the thumb under the hand
(in arpeggios that move away from the torso) and pivoting
over the thumb (in arpeggios that move towards the torso). To
facilitate the movements, ensure the arm leads the hand, and that
the elbow starts to move immediately as we begin to play the
arpeggio (on the horizontal plane, never the vertical). Whether
we use the thumb-under or the arm-shift method, it helps to
imagine a floating elbow, the arm gliding smoothly and serenely
like a swan on water, with no jerks or dropping movements.
Burgmüller’s Study Op 105 No 1 from Twelve Brilliant
and Melodious Studies (pictured below left) offers a musically
satisfying opportunity to experience the light arm in various two-
octave arpeggio patterns. An important caveat: the thumb needs
to begin to move gradually under the hand as soon as it releases
its key to avoid jerkiness.
Thumb pivots
To sense the necessary freedom in the wrist for the thumb pivots,
the looping exercise below (consisting of one exercise in two
parts) is helpful – and can be applied to any arpeggio. Keep the
elbow in one spot; the movement will be easier if the elbow is
slightly raised. Begin with each hand separately, repeating as
many times as necessary to lubricate the lateral wrist movements.
Next, fan out by adding a note below and/or above until you
have a two-octave arpeggio, remembering that the arm moves
horizontally, never dipping down or up.

 
  


 

   
 


   



                



 




 



 



 









  


 





 
  





  




  
              
    







 


 
   
 

 
    


   
  
  

   
  

  
 

        





    





     

   



     

                  
 
 

     



 
  


16• Pianist 127

If we are using the thumb-under approach and can manage the To facilitate the movements,
ensure the arm leads the hand
stretches involved without issue, this overlapping exercise is
excellent for building in accurate measurements of the intervals.
Practise it slowly and firmly, taking a moment to enjoy the
physical sensations in the hand. loop without stops (the last note of each arpeggio becomes the
first note of the next). For example, if we choose the note C,



 
our loop will consist of the following different arpeggios (aim to




 




change only one note at a time, but this won’t work as neatly as





     
 
 you go through the dominant 7ths):
 

  • C major, root position
• C minor, root position
Arm shift • A flat major, first inversion
An alternative solution to arpeggio playing is to avoid passing • F minor, second inversion
the thumb under the hand; instead we release the hand at the • F major, second inversion
end of each position and shift across to the next octave. At the • A minor, first inversion
moment of release, a small rotational movement of the forearm • Dominant 7th, key of F, root position
allows us to keep close to the keyboard as we move across • Dominant 7th, key of D flat, first inversion
and is the reason this technique is sometimes referred to as • Dominant 7th, key of B flat, second inversion
‘thumb over’ (we might sense a small swing of the thumb into • Dominant 7th, key of G, third inversion
the air before it lands in its key). Physical legato is necessarily • Diminished 7th on C
compromised, but if the finger is firm enough at the point of
release and the movement free enough, there is no discernible





















break in sound (besides, in most repertoire examples the pedal







will cover any gaps). I recommend some exercises I call target
practice, where we throw the thumb to land on different notes
each time. As we master the skill, we are practising courage,
and when we keep mentally and physically relaxed we may be


 

 

 



   
pleasantly surprised by how accurate our thumb landings are.
Do this exercise hands separately (see my video demonstration
on the Pianist YouTube channel). Unless the correct technical conditions are met precisely, an
arpeggio is likely to be accident-prone and to feel awkward





 






 

 



and precarious – like walking on ice. As is so often the case












with piano technique, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. If
you have been brought up on the thumb-under approach and
struggle, you may well find the arm shift revolutionises your





















arpeggio playing. For demonstrations of some of the examples

 

 



and exercises I have described, please see my latest video on the



 
Pianist YouTube channel. n

I had a student who was working on Liszt’s Mephisto Waltz No For more on arpeggio playing, turn to Graham’s video series on the
1 who only knew about the thumb-under technique and came Online Academy: bit.ly/arpeggiosgraham.
unstuck at the notorious right-hand arpeggio passage. When
I showed him how to manage this using arm shifts he was
astonished at how powerful and easy it felt. I suggested he learn @ GET IN TOUCH
the passage very softly, only later adding the necessary power.
    






 

  

 

  
  
 






  
  


   



 
 
 

    

  
 



 
  

Arpeggio bouquet
For general arpeggio practice, I would like to share a favourite
exercise – the arpeggio bouquet. Not only is this a good warm-
up, it also helps develop mental flexibility and concentration.
From a given note, generate as many different arpeggios as
possible that include that note, and play all on one continuous
Graham Fitch would like to hear from readers who have piano-playing
questions, whether about a cer tain technique or a passage in a piece of
music. Please write to the editor at editor@pianistmagazine.com.
Due to the large number of requests, Graham may not be able to answer
every question that is submitted.

17• Pianist 127

 Composing

2023
Competition
Compose your own piece and
WIN a Kawai piano
THE PRIZE
• WIN a Kawai ES520 piano worth over £1,440
• Have your winning score featured in a future issue
of Pianist
• Concert pianist Chenyin Li will record your
composition for the Pianist album. It will feature
on Spotify
• Chenyin Li will also film a video performance of
your piece which will be featured on the Pianist
YouTube channel

ENTER ONLINE AT:

www.pianistmagazine.com
Entry closes Monday 5 December 2022
THE RULES
There are no restrictions of age, nationality or profession. However, you are ineligible if you derive any income from composing. Entries from earning composers will be
automatically disqualified. Your composition must be written for solo piano. It can be in any style that you like, and for any technical level. The length should not exceed
64 bars. Should you win, and if you reside outside of the UK, you will be required to pay for the shipping fees of your chosen piano. Entries cost £30 (£25 for Pianist
subscribers) and must be submitted online as a PDF by Monday 5 December 2022. For full terms and conditions, visit www.pianistmagazine.com
 THE SCORES
Pianist 127 • Read the lessons • Play the scores

LESSONS FROM THE EXPERTS SCORES

26 CZERNY
MELANIE SPANSWICK is a pianist, writer, teacher
The Young Pianist Op 823 No 11
and composer. As an author, she is published by
leading publishing houses, and has written a
three-book piano course for those returning to 27 SPANSWICK
piano playing; Play It Again: PIANO (Schott Music). Red and Yellow Tulips
Melanie teaches the piano at Junior Guildhall
School of Music & Drama and Eton College. As a 28 LEMOINE
composer, her music is published in the renowned Etudes Enfantines Op 37 No 10
Edition Schott Composer Series.
Read Melanie Spanswick’s lesson 30 BEETHOVEN
Bagatelle WoO 54,
‘Lustig und Traurig’
NILS FRANKE is Dean of Higher Education at the
University Centre Colchester, UK, having previously 32 LORD
held posts at the London Academy of Music and The Spectre’s Waltz
Dramatic Art (LAMDA) and the University of
Reading. He has recorded for Warner and Brilliant 34 R SCHUMANN
Classics. Nils specialises in historical performance arr. C SCHUMANN
pedagogy, with a particular focus on 19th-century Mondnacht Op 39 No 5
pianist-composers. His editions are published by
Wiener Urtext and Schott Music International.
Read Nils Franke’s lesson
38 MOSZKOWSKI
Rêverie Op 36 No 2

40 BACH arr. GOLDE

MARK VINER is a concert pianist, teacher and Largo from Organ Concerto
writer and is becoming increasingly well-known for in D minor BWV 596
his championing of unfamiliar pianistic terrain. His
recordings of music by Alkan, Blumenfeld,
42 CERVANTES
Chaminade, Liszt and Thalberg have garnered
international acclaim. His most important project to Gran Señora, Cuban Dance No 1
date is a survey of the complete piano music of Alkan,
© Erica Worth (Spanswick); Hao LV/Lumira Studio (Li);Vladimiros Giannakakos (Viner)

the first of its kind and a projected 18 CDs in length. 44 SCARLATTI

He is Chairman of both the Alkan and Liszt Societies. Sonata in G minor K476
Read Mark Viner’s lesson
50 STANCHINSKY
Song without Words No 2
CHENYIN LI is a celebrated concert pianist known
for her fiery and intelligent performances of a wide 53 BONIS
variety of repertoire. Having won multiple Mélisande, No 5 from
international competitions, she has established 5 Pièces pour piano Op 109
herself as a versatile player who shines in both solo
repertoire as well as concerto. Chenyin has 58 CHAMINADE
performed in many prestigious venues across the La Lisonjera Op 50
UK, Europe and Asia and her extensive discography
includes more than 50 albums for Pianist.
Hear Chenyin Li perform on this issue’s album
Music typeset by Beautiful Setting
 HOW TO PLAY
ABILITY RATING LATE BEGINNER

LEMOINE
ETUDES ENFANTINES
OP 37 NO 10
Evenness is the name of the game in this energetic study,
ERHXLEXQIERWI\XVE[SVOSRXLSWI³[IEOIV´½RKIVW
says Melanie Spanswick
Key A minor Tempo Allegro Style Early Romantic
Will improve your Finger dexterity Articulation Chordal balance

A charming little study that will to fully use the fingertip. Then throughout. Hand turns, such as
UHDOO\JHW\RXUÀQJHUVPRYLQJ depress it several times with a full the one between beats 1 and 2 in
This lively piece, written by the sound. Now return to playing bar 4, will need a flexible hand and
French composer Henry Lemoine all three notes together, and as wrist motion so as to not disturb
(1786-1854), comes from a they are being depressed, move the musical line in any way. This
collection of studies originally the wrist a little to the left so that will be particularly important in
intended for children. Consisting the fifth finger is fully supported. the LH between bars 19 to 32.
of four-bar phrases, the hands are You can practise all the chords
treated equally: notice how the throughout the piece in the same
roles are reversed halfway through way. This applies to the RH, as LEARNING TIP
at bar 19. well, which takes on the role of The sustaining pedal will add
accompaniment at bar 19. resonance but should be used
See how the LH acts as the sparingly.
accompaniment up to bar 18. 7KHUDSLGTXDYHUÀJXUDWLRQV
The chords sit well under the SURYLGHWKHPHORGLFPDWHULDO
hands, but require different The opening RH motive in bar 1 Now it’s time to practise hands
touches (legato, staccato as well as fits conveniently under the fingers. together. Keep the metronome
accented chords) and varied note During slow practice, however, beat on a slow quaver pulse, and
lengths. All this will need careful make sure to concentrate on the start working in small sections.
observation! ‘weaker’ fingers in order to produce Be sure to lift your LH promptly
a crisp, even sound. Here’s what I off from the chord at beat 1 of bar
When playing the chords, suggest: In the first two bars, add 4 – and similarly at bar 8, 11, 12
¶EDODQFH·WKHÀQJHUVVRWKDWWKH\ extra accents to beats 2 and 3 (the and 13. When you have worked
depress the notes at the same E and the D). These are the two your way through the piece at
moment. Try the very first opening ‘weaker’ fingers and if you hone in a slow tempo, start to increase
chord of A minor: play each note on them by pressing a little firmer the speed. Do this gradually,
separately with a full sound. Now into the key bed (thus working lightening your touch. Hopefully
rest the fingers over all three notes a bit harder), this will eventually this should all reveal neat, clear
(A, C, E) on the key surface, and lead to more even and rhythmic passagework.
then depress these notes slowly, all playing when you begin to increase
together, with equal weight and the speed. Use this technique for Take note of the brief key
with a full sound. Depress really both hands. changes. These occur at bar 19
slowly so that you can see and hear (a shift to C major) and bar 25
what’s going on. Being the weakest Henry LEMOINE (1786-1854)

6ORZKHDY\SUDFWLFHLVDOZD\V (a brief foray into G major). They

BEGINNER/
INTERMEDIATE
TRACK 3 0)7732 Etudes Enfantines Op 37 No 10

of 50 studies ‘pour le petit

Paris music publisher. When he This pleasant piece comes from a collection
Henry Lemoine was the son of a major in 1841. No 26 from the same set
main’ (for the small hand) published
Chopin and expanded the
took on the family firm, he published

useful for faster passagework. Set

the likes of Berlioz but also his featured in issue 88.
educational pieces, using materials from Read Melanie Spanswick’s lesson on
this piece.
teacher of piano and harmony.
own, based on his own experience as a

finger, the fifth finger is often
 


  

  

                 
    
provide colour – a certain musical
prone to lagging behind, so it will
a slow tempo on the metronome, ‘lift’ – so try to give them some
    



 

  

             

require a firmer touch. In order to using quavers as the pulse, and subtle dynamic changes. The D.C.
       
 





    
     

achieve this, it needs to stand on 

  
            
        
       play the quaver passages separately al Fine marking at the end requires


 


 

 




its small fingertip. Work at this in each hand, sticking rigidly to the performer to return to the start


 

       
      


       


note (A) alone, paying attention to
the metronome. Try using an and then finish at bar 18 (Fine).





  
    
     

how your fifth finger is placed on exaggerated, heavy touch for every
© Erica Worth

the key, ensuring it has a suitable SEE SCORES finger; this will help assimilate More about Melanie Spanswick at
‘hooked’ shape so that you are able SECTION note patterns and ensure evenness www.melaniespanswick.com.

20• Pianist 127

HOW TO PLAY
ABILITY RATING INTERMEDIATE

ROBERT SCHUMANN
ARR. CLARA SCHUMANN
MONDNACHT OP 39 NO 5
Sometimes less can be more: Clara Schumann’s
transcriptions of her husband’s songs are a model of
pianistic sophistication, says Nils Franke
Key E major Tempo Tenderly Style Romantic
Will improve your Voicing  Phrasing Awareness of on and off-beat melodies

Can you imagine a world without on the upbeat into bar 7, to get a It is crucial that ornaments
any kind of recordings? Quite. feel for the piece. don’t interfere with the basic
And yet that’s the backdrop for rhythmic pattern they are meant
many of the 19th century’s musical Let us study the opening bars. to enhance. In bar 20, this means
initiatives, some of which were The way the phrasing of the first ‘tucking in’ the grace notes in the
designed to enable music lovers to couple of bars is written underlines RH before the third quaver of the
play the pieces they most admired: that musical idea of starting off- bar. The easiest way to achieve this
Beethoven symphonies as piano beat and letting the piece flow is to practise the repeated quavers
trios, Mozart overtures for piano across the bar line, in this case of the RH with the LH, leaving
four hands and yes, songs as piano towards the first beat in bar 3. the RH free to set the pace of the
solos. What kept people busy The top line in the RH of bar 2 melody line. To get the right flow
in domestic music making soon emphasises this even more, because for the grace notes, it might be
attracted the attention of virtuosos the melody notes on the second helpful to imagine them as being
who dazzled audiences with a and first beats are both off-beat. written as demisemiquavers.
ratio between melody notes and
accompanying textures that was, The reason for dwelling on the
well, fabulously over the top. rhythmic construction of the LEARNING TIP
ÀUVWWZREDUVLVWKDWWKH\VHWWKH Listen to performances of the
And that’s where Clara scene for the rest of the piece. original song to inform your
Schumann’s song transcriptions The sense of fluidity I described understanding of tempo and
are so refreshingly understated. above is not the result of a faster tonal balance.
As a transcriber, she assumes a tempo, but of off-beat melody
thoroughly ‘modern’ approach of patterns that eventually resolve
letting the original piece speak for onto a strong beat of a bar, thus $QGÀQDOO\ it’s quite easy to forget
itself. No showmanship necessary, creating the sensation of speed. the bigger picture when learning a
just the spirit (and the beauty) piece, and being preoccupied with
of the original song. Clara’s Bar 8 also contains an illusion, problem solving at micro level. The
piano solo arrangements of her but this time a harmonic one. macro level, on the other hand,
husband’s songs are testimony On the third quaver of the bar is all about the sound of the song
to her skills as a pianist: she Schumann juxtaposes the E# in transcription. Bars 10-13 have a
simply knew how to capture the the RH with an E§ in the LH. It’s wonderfully simple bass line that
essence of a piece. ‘Mondnacht’ a bit of a jarring sensation when really adds a sonorous dimension
(‘Moonlight’) is the fifth song played at first, but think of it like to the work.
this: in the RH, the E# rises to the
Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856)

from Robert’s 1840 masterpiece

INTERMEDIATE
TRACK 6 0)7732 arr. Clara SCHUMANN (1819-1896)
Mondnacht Op 39 No 5
itself. No showmanship, just the
Schumann’s piano solo of letting the original piece speak for
As Nils Franke states in his lesson, Clara The original ‘Mondnacht’ is the
testimony to her skills as a spirit (and beauty) of the original song.
arrangements of her husband’s songs are song cycle, Liederkreis Op 24.

Maybe this is the time to draw on

the essence of a piece. With fifth song from Robert’s 1840 masterpiece

subsequent F#, whereas in the LH

pianist: she simply knew how to capture Read Nils Franke’s lesson on this piece.
a thoroughly ‘modern’ approach

song cycle, Liederkreis.

Mondnacht (‘Moonlight’), she assumes

 



 



   
 
           
 

DGYLFHIURP6FKXPDQQKLPVHOI

       

the E§ descends to the D#. Aurally




 

    
    


    
  

 
 
            

When starting out, you will need



           


   


 



 


    




  

 







  
I’d focus less on the clash of ‘…Train your imagination so that
to think carefully about the time


notes and more on its resolution. you can remember not just the
  





 

              

 



               

signature. Three quavers to a bar
 

 

 










 

 




Hearing (and imagining) both the melody of a composition, but also
 
 
 

   
 
 

E# and the E§ as stepping-stones to

 
                 

         

in the context of this work means a

 

   


      
the harmony that goes with it.’ n
gentle and fluid tempo that keeps the first beat of the next bar will
the melody moving across the bar SEE SCORES alter your perception (and tonal More information about Nils Franke
line. Try the melody only, starting SECTION balance) of the notes themselves. at www.nils-franke.com.

21• Pianist 127

HOW TO PLAY
ABILITY RATING ADVANCED

CHAMINADE
LA LISONJERA
'qGMPI'LEQMREHIHI½IHLIVJEXLIV´W[MWLIWXSTYVWYIEPMJI
MRQYWMG¯ERH[LEXEWXEWLSJHIPMGMSYWVITIVXSMVIWLIPIJX
behind. Mark VinerHMWWIGXWSRSRISJLIV
QSWXMRXS\MGEXMRK[SVOWJSVWSPSTMERS

C
écile Chaminade was born in Paris on 8 August World War and subsequent occupation of France brought
1857. Her interest in music was first kindled further difficulties when she lost all royalties from her Jewish
by her mother, from whom she received publisher, which was liquidated by the Nazis. She died in
preliminary instruction before pursuing studies Monte Carlo on 18 April 1944 at the age of 86.
under Félix Le Couppey for piano and
Benjamin Godard for composition. At the age of eight, she The music
played some of her compositions to Georges Bizet who was While Chaminade is best remembered today as a composer
most impressed by her talent, dubbing her ‘little Mozart’. All of ‘salon’ music, a casual perusal through her catalogue
this was pursued, however, on a private basis due to her reveals that she had her ambitions; among the familiar salon
father’s disapproval of a musical education being undertaken pieces which brought her fame and fortune we find piano
by a young lady of his daughter’s social standing, and it was works on a more ambitious scale viz. the Sonata Op 21
not until the age of 18 that she gave her first concert. (1895), large-scale balletic, chamber, operatic, orchestral
It was not long, however, before she began to make a and vocal works. By around the turn of the 20th century,
serious impression on the Paris music scene, undertaking however, such large scale, ‘serious’ works appear few and far
tours of her native France while her music steadily gained in between and the offerings are, more often than not, of the
popularity, garnering, from Ambroise Thomas the famous salon variety.
epithet, ‘This is not a woman who composes, but a composer The reasons why her compositional output followed such
who is a woman’. In 1892 she made her debut in England a trajectory remain unclear and while some have attributed
where her music was already immensely popular and one of the repression of Chaminade’s more serious compositional
her biggest fans, none other than Queen Victoria, invited aspirations to the misogyny of the time, let us not forget
her to Windsor Castle. She made many subsequent return that not only does it take a certain type of composer to write
tours and in 1897 was awarded the Jubilee Medal from the ‘salon’ music of such elevated quality – not to mention this
Queen. well – but it was immensely lucrative and a genre in which
In 1901 she married the Marseilles music publisher, Louis- she arguably remains unsurpassed to this day. Among the
Mathieu Carbonel, a man some years her senior and, as such, most enduring creations we must count the ravishing and
the union was rumoured to be one of convenience. After his still ubiquitous ‘Automne’ from the Six Etudes de concert
death in 1907 she never remarried. She incidentally never Op 35 (1886) which once graced every other music desk
published anything with her husband, instead maintaining either side of the English Channel and beyond; the ‘Pas
a close and productive relationship with Enoch & Cie. who des Echarpes 3me air de ballet’ – an extract from her ballet
continue to issue her music to this day. Chaminade toured Callirhoë Op 37 (1887); the entrancing Pierrette, air de ballet
the USA in 1908; her popularity was so immediate that over Op 41 (1889); the beguiling Les Sylvains Op 60 (1892) and
200 Chaminade clubs were instantly formed. By 1913 she the splendid Thème varié Op 89 (1898).
was admitted to the Légion d’Honneur; the highest order
of merit granted to French civilians and a first for a La Lisonjera (L’enjôleuse) Op 50
female composer. TRACK 13

La Lisonjera was first published in 1890 by

0)7732

In recent years, the music of French composer

been receiving somewhat of a well-deserved
Cécile Chaminade (1857-1944)

Cécile Chaminade has

revival. Some of it is
La Lisonjera Op 50

into English as ‘The Flatterer’) is not quite

requires careful practice and lots of flair.
talks about the composer and the origins
Chaminade expert Mark Viner
of the piece – including the
INTERMEDIATE/
ADVANCED

as virtuosic as Automne, but it

the fingers. One of Chaminade’s

The outbreak of the First World War, however, Ricordi before being subsequently issued in a
gorgeously romantic and fits well under Mark Viner plays
Op 35 No 2, appeared inside background behind its title – in his article.
most famous pieces, the virtuosic Automne his in-depth lesson.
La Lisonjera on this issue’s album. Read
Parham. La Lisonjera (translated
issue 86, along with a lesson by Lucy















 









    

 




    

witnessed a decline in her compositional activity,



plethora of other editions overseas (mainly in the

   



  

   


 



 
   
   
  
 

preferring instead to nurse wounded soldiers from

USA – remember all those Chaminade Clubs)

 










   
   
 











 



 









        

    


 
         

the front line while her remaining years were spent doubtless due to the piece’s enormous popularity
  





  


   

      














       
  
 





    
© Vladimiros Giannakakos



in increasing isolation and debilitation. A medical
not to mention some shrewd business acumen of         






     


   
 

   
 

  







 











 












    
     

complication in 1938 led to her left foot being the composer. It was through these subsequent

  
       

    
    

 
       
   
 



amputated – something her family ascribed to her
‘strict’ diet: she was a vegetarian – quite unheard of
SEE SCORES
in France at the time. Her refusal to use a wheelchair
left her bedridden and the outbreak of the Second SECTION
editions that it became known simply as ‘The
Flatterer’ though it is important to point out that
while this corresponds to the English translation
of the Spanish feminine noun ‘lisonjera’ given

22• Pianist 127

in the original title issued by Ricordi, the French feminine
noun ‘enjôleuse’, given in brackets, carries a slightly different
overtone to the English word ‘flatterer’ – it suggests just
a shade of deception. In any case, if ‘flatterer’ was what
was intended, the French word ‘flatteuse’ would be the
equivalent, plain and simple. All this might seem a moot
point in the grand scheme of things but it’s subtle details
like these that can reveal a secondary layer of meaning and
determine how we might interpret a piece like this – indeed,
the present writer has known of more than one innocent ear
to detect a hint of delicate irony in this little piece’s suave
contours and come-hither lilt.
Why, you might wonder, a Spanish title in the first place
when every other title of Chaminade’s is conceived in
French? Well, this is due to the vogue of Spanish influence
sweeping through French music at the time – think of
Bizet’s Carmen (1875), Emmanuel Chabrier’s España (1883),
Claude Debussy’s La Puerta del Vino from the second
book of Préludes (1913), Jules Massenet’s Le Cid (1885)
and Maurice Ravel’s Rapsodie espagnole (1908) reaching its
apotheosis with the latter’s Boléro (1928). La Lisonjera wasn’t
the only such work to spring from Chaminade’s pen – her
comic opera La Sévillane Op 19 (1882), the overture to
which she later arranged for two pianos in 1891, was the
first of such pieces; there is also Lolita, caprice espagnol Op
54 (1890) – a work of unrivalled sass; a brunette irresistibly
personified in La Morena, caprice espagnol Op 67 (1892); and
melody is brought to the fore while ironing out any lumps
and bumps in the accompaniment:

‘The key to much of 


  
Chaminade’s music is, for want


 
 








  














 
 


of a better word, a keen sense

    

of tempo rubato’
a charming Sérénade espagnole Op 150 (1895) – all pieces
well worth exploring but La Lisonjera remains one of the
most immediately compelling and successful examples,
irresistibly redolent of a bygone age and as ephemeral as a
whiff of perfume.
Some thoughts on interpretation
The first immediately obvious technical consideration at
first glance is that of voicing a melody within a series of
repeated chords – I discussed a similar problem (Pianist
116) regarding a prélude by Charles-Valentin Alkan in
which the main difficulty lies in voicing the melodic line
while ensuring that the accompanying notes in the chord
are struck simultaneously; a tall order, indeed, as this
requires the melodic line to be struck with greater speed
than its accompanying notes, requiring their being played an
infinitesimal fraction earlier! All very complicated in theory
but quite simple in practice. Chaminade very helpfully gives
the accompaniment in small notes – something she doubtless
adopted from her favourite composer, Camille Saint-Saëns
in the second of his Six Etudes pour l’indépendance des doigts
Bars 1-16
The key to much of Chaminade’s music is, for want of a
better word, a keen sense of tempo rubato – though any
musician worth their salt will affirm that the true definition
of the term is a contradiction to the word’s literal meaning of
‘robbed’ from the verb ‘rubare’. Rubato in its truest musical
sense is a give and take; time that is taken in a phrase must
be given back lest gestures become mannerisms and the
musical rhetoric grind to a vacuous halt amid the wholesale
robbery. It’s a certain elasticity that’s required – think of
Liszt’s aphorism for rubato as a tree when he said, ‘the wind
plays in the leaves, stirs up life among them, the tree remains
the same […]’
In short, Chaminade’s music requires a ‘lift’ off the ground
to get it airborne and while it benefits from rhythmic
crispness, it still commands a certain flexibility – think of
a sparkling French vintage, not flat soda water. Take the
opening gesture, for example – such reiterative gestures as
these are easily liable to sound wooden if not handled with a
certain laissez-faire and it is in such instances that the molto
capriccioso of the performance direction gives us license for
wilful indulgence.
I would suggest drawing out the opening anacrusis and
V

Op 52 (1877). The following practice method will ensure the making up for the time taken at the analogous gesture at

23• Pianist 127

the end of bar 1 by pushing ahead; drawing out the upbeat to
bar 3 into the first three quavers of the said bar and pushing
forward through the rest of the bar and settling into bar 4 – this
rhetorical exchange can, in a broad sense, be applied to all such
instances in the piece. This is only half of the story, however,
as all the charm and playfulness is to be had at the quaver rests
which permeate at bars 1, 2 and 4 and other analogous places
viz. bars 20 and 28 where they really must be heard for the
piece to have its full effect.
This, of course, goes against the pedal marking prescribed but
we need not take such markings at face value – much of the
pedalling Chaminade indicates in her music is of the simpler
variety and, as with many other composers, it is clear that she
felt more inclined to leave much of it to the discretion of the
individual interpreter rather than fall into the trap of being
over-prescriptive, especially given the nature of such music and
its respective consumer. I would suggest a gentle staccato on
the downbeat of bar 1 while simultaneously sustaining the Gb
in the bass into the following Db and deploying the sustaining
pedal on the aforementioned note. This allows the rest its
full breath while conserving the bass note in the left hand. A
small fermata on the downbeat to allow for a clean pedal (i.e.
not catching any of the right chord) is not only permissible but
mandatory and while this may all sound rather complicated at
first glance, once you master it, it will only enhance our heroine’s
bashful batting of eyelids and gracious lilt amid the gentle rustle
of taffeta. Play in a more fulsome manner at bar 9 and deliver the
left hand doubling of the melody at bar 11 with equal relish.
Bars 16-32
This second section from bar 16 onwards should be played in
a restless, almost breathless manner – note the use of the word
rubato at bar 19 and at every other analogous passage and allow
each instance its requisite liberty. The descending flourish at
bar 23 represents a singular problem with scales being passed
between the hands in that it can be difficult to disguise the seam
between the two. If one plays the first note of the left hand (F)
with a trifle more strength than one initially thinks is required,
the problem will disappear – similarly, observing the crescendo
hairpin in this instance helps. Tiptoe and linger on the last
three quavers of bar 24. Take the direction of molto stringendo
at bar 31 quite literally and make up for it by giving back in the
following bar.
Bars 80-94
Relish the descending chromatic line between bars 80-82 and
indulge similarly at bars 84-86 where one can play very much
a piacere at the entry of the low bass Eb octave – it would be
a pity not to. Play in a very free manner until the music takes
flight at the accelerando and subsequent vivo at bars 90 and 91. n
Mark Viner plays La Lisonjera on this issue’s album. Full details
on back of album cover. His latest Alkan album (Vol 5), of the 11
Pièces dans le style religieux Op 72 and Etude Alla-Barbaro, was
released early June. A further recording, of Blumenfeld’s 24 Preludes
Op 17, is due out in the autumn. Full details can be found at
www.piano-classics.com.
HOW TO PLAY
COMPOSING COMPETITION WINNER 2022

THE SPECTRE’S WALTZ

2022 Composing Competition winner Michelle Lord talks you through her quirky
waltz, where sudden shifts of harmonies and dynamics create the menacing drama

Imagine it’s the 18th century. You Build the momentum with a
are looking down onto a haunted crescendo until you reach the
ballroom from the balcony. The dramatic arpeggiated chords in
lighting is dim, and the cobweb bar 35. Pause, and emphasise the
chandeliers are twinkling. The E in the LH in bar 36, followed by
spirits take to the dancefloor the even more dramatic dominant
dressed for this spectacular event. seventh chord. Bring out the two
RH crotchets – the C and B –
The Spectre’s Waltz opens with an along with the pauses.
introduction of four bars that set
the scene as the ghosts take their Bar 37 sees a return to the main
SODFHRQWKHGDQFHÁRRU Be sure theme. The texture is now more
to set a firm tempo and establish ‘rounded’ with the use of thirds in
a waltzing pulse from the onset. the RH. Keep the melody flowing,
Make use of cantabile playing to original tempo. Notice how the remember we are still waltzing.
bring out the melodic line clearly melodic line moves chromatically,
above the LH accompaniment, and the pitch is higher, which Notice the variation in the LH
balancing the parts to ensure that gives the feeling of floating in the in bar 38 – it’s unexpected! And
the LH does not drown the RH. air. Notice how the E§ in bar 22 a variation of harmony in bar 42
and the A§ in bar 23 affect the (another unexpected moment!).
In bar 5, in the treble, the D# to character of the melody. Then, as the phrase comes to an
E drives the phrase upwards to end in bars 43 and 44, play the
the F# in bar 7, before the phrase After four bars of C minor, LH acciaccaturas lightly with a
ends on E. These accidentals are of we have arrived at bar 25. little dab of pedal, whilst slightly
importance, as without them the Inversions of the F minor chord holding back.
phrase would not have the same descend until suddenly we have
ghostly character. (If you play the a dramatic diminished chord The melodic line returns and
same four-bar phrase replacing the (bar 29), followed by yet another rises upwards, this time in
D# with an E, and the F# with an (bar 31). Very importantly, the a Chopin LH style. Build a
F§ you’ll hear what I mean.) notes in the LH in bars 30 and crescendo and an accelerando,
32 should be played lightly with climaxing on the Bb at bar 48.
In bar 9, there is a shift of a staccato. The contrast between Then another pause, followed by
VHPLWRQHWR%ÁDWPLQRUThis is the two ideas adds to the drama. three emphasised chords in bar 49.
followed by a scale passage with a (Diminished chords are full of The tempo and dynamics subside
crescendo on the dominant scale drama; think about the old silent to a quiet moment in bar 51.
of E major, bringing us back to movies.) I like to use the sudden
the original opening melody line change of dynamic, as well (see Don’t go to sleep, however. You
(bar 13). However, this time the the sforzandos), just like Beethoven will need to pull out all the stops
phrase continues to rise, along used to! in bar 52 with a huge, extremely
with another crescendo climaxing dramatic accented diminished
on top C underpinned by an A In bars 33-35, I have chosen to chord, only to be followed by
Michelle LORD INTERMEDIATE
TRACK 5 The Spectre’s Waltz

with a Chopin left-hand style

Pianist Composing Competition. and I couldn’t decide which to do. I went
Michelle Lord is the winner of the 2022 displayed more of an understanding
waltz, The Spectre’s Waltz. Full of towards the end, because I felt that it
Lord wowed the judges with her 56-bar tremolo in the last bar because I
between different styles. And I used a

use inversions of chords as such:

composition will suit
unexpected twists and turns, the two-page wanted a really dramatic ending!’
sense of imagination. Lord says it tips inside this issue. Plus

minor seventh/augmented fourth broad and powerful octaves in

intermediate-level pianists with good Read Michelle Lord’s in-depth practising
‘I didn’t sit and compose it in Composing Competition!
took a while to get the piece in good shape: find out how to enter the 2023 Pianist
happy with it. I had two endings
one go. I kept going back until I was

  


 
     
  


      

chord (bar 17). Emphasise the E






 
  






 
  












 
 


 
 


 
 
F minor first inversion, D7 second both hands. Take a moment to
bass note in bar 18 which is then





 
 
  


 



 
  


  

   




   


 
 
 


inversion and finally G major pause on the last octave (bar 55),
followed by an Am6 chord (bar 

   
    
 

  
    
 



 
 
first inversion. If you play these before give it giving it all you’ve


  
  


 


19) and three very lightly-played chords in root position, you will got on the final massive tremolo! n
      
         

   


    


 

   

            

staccato bass notes (bar 20). hear the difference. (It’s always
  



  


 


 

 
 

 
 
 
 
 

great to experiment with different Details on how to enter the 2023

These three bass notes lead to SEE SCORES inversions of chords. The results Composing Competition can be
the middle section, and to the SECTION can often be surprising.) found at www.pianistmagazine.com.

25• Pianist 127

 Carl CZERNY (1791-1857) BEGINNER
The Young Pianist Op 823 No 11

Austrian composer Carl Czerny’s vast musical production amounted to combine his ability to analyse technique with his years of teaching
over 1,000 works. One of Beethoven’s best-known pupils, his books of experience. The Young Pianist Op 823 comprises 73 studies – the shortest
studies are still widely used in piano teaching. He was successfully able to being just eight bars. Look closely at the technical tips.

Count the pulse silently for a few bars In the RH melody line, make
before you begin.The tempo marking a small emphasis on the first
‘Andante’ implies ‘At a walking pace’. beat of the bar.
Try to keep the sound even from note to note, and
keep the touch light on the three repeated crotchets.





 

      


  
     
     
The key is
C major











Depress all three notes of
the chord at the same time.










Make sure that there’s enough weight on the
chords so that the sound lasts for the full bar.






   





      


   
  
      

Tail the phrase off elegantly

 Reduce the dynamic to at the end of this bar.
mezzo piano (quite soft).

  

 
 
 


 
 


From bar 9, think in two-bar phrases,
as such: bars 9-10, then bars 11-12.

       

   







   
       

Here, the dynamic is a strong Now reduce the dynamic to

 mezzo forte (quite loud).  piano (soft).

 
 

 
 


 
 


Carefully lift the fingers off the
The opening material returns at bar 13. It is identical to the keys at the end of the bar.
start until the very last bar. Make this last line of music sound
resolute: the dynamic marking is forte (loud).
      

  


        
    








 












26• Pianist 127

 Melanie SPANSWICK BEGINNER
Red and Yellow Tulips

Notes from the composer: If you look at red and yellow tulips together,
they are a bold, colourful sight. This is characterised by the joyful key of
G major combined with the constant shift to the flattened sixth, which
runs throughout the piece; it offers a bright yet slightly ominous quality.
I hope that the continual swift quaver movement might be reminiscent
of walking or running through a field full of these beautiful flowers.
To learn the note patterns, ‘block out’ (or play as a group) the notes for
every minim beat. The figurations are mainly built around chords and
this type of practice will help familiarise yourself with the hand shape
needed. A metronome will be useful to keep the quavers running evenly
and smoothly, and this will be particularly important between bars 9 to
12, where notes must run seamlessly between the hands. Be sure to work
at the quaver coordination in the last bar, and to also observe the pause at
bar 8 as well as the tenuto markings. These will help convey the mood.

 


  


        





 

 

 


   


 









  
 



  
 
 





 



                  



  

     
  


 
 




 


    
   


    














     
 
 
 
 
 
     
  

 


 

 

 

 

 



 


 




        


       

 

 







    


    
 





     
 

27• Pianist 127

 DON’T MISS
MELANIE
SPANSWICK’S Henry LEMOINE (1786-1854) BEGINNER/
LESSON INTERMEDIATE
ON THIS PIECE Etudes Enfantines Op 37 No 10

Henry Lemoine was the son of a major Paris music publisher. When he This pleasant piece comes from a collection of 50 studies ‘pour le petit
took on the family firm, he published Chopin and expanded the main’ (for the small hand) published in 1841. No 26 from the same set
educational pieces, using materials from the likes of Berlioz but also his featured in issue 88.
own, based on his own experience as a teacher of piano and harmony. Read Melanie Spanswick’s lesson on this piece.

 


  

              
  
    
      

   










     
 
     




 
 

           
   
      


     



 
 

 


 
 
        



 
 

     
 

 

            


          
 


 


 
  
 
 








 



    
     

   

 


           


 
  



 


 
      



 


28• Pianist 127
  

    

  

   


      
 
  
     
 
  
     





    



 

  
 
 


    



         
   



          
 
    
   

 

    



   



        
   

     



    









           


   

 


 
             
 


   




 


      


           
   
 

  
 

 
     


  


 





29• Pianist 127
 Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) BEGINNER/
INTERMEDIATE
Bagatelle WoO 54 ‘Lustig und Traurig’

Beethoven wrote his Bagatelle WoO 54 in 1802. Whoever gave it its
nickname ‘Lustig und Traurig’ (‘Happy and Sad’) remains unclear.
Playing tips: You will see that the first section of the piece (bars 1-16) is
marked Lustig (‘Happy’), so it will require a brighter, optimistic feel.
Think in long four-bar phrases; the first four bars appearing as a type of
question with the next four as the answer. Try to use a good legato touch
and remember to lift the hands for the rests. Marked Traurig (‘Sad’), the
key shifts to C minor at bar 17, so a more poignant and expressive style
will be needed (though don’t give in to rubato). Here you will benefit
from a lighter touch, but make sure that each note depresses all the way
to the bottom of the key. Practise slowly, maintaining evenness from one
note to the next. The semiquavers should sound seamless.
Pedal tips: Pedalling is not necessary (let the fingers do the legato!). You
can add the odd dab when finger legato is not possible.





   



  

 
 

     

          







  

   




 








     



   
   


     

 
  

  
      
      


  
 
    





 

  
  








   


 


  

      

 




          
    
  
     

  
    


   


 
 

   






             
 
      



30• Pianist 127

      



    
   

  
 

    

            
 
        
   
 








          
   




 

   










  
  











        

    
  

 
      

    
 




  
 




  

      


    


  
    
 

 

 

                         



 

 

       



  





       









31• Pianist 127













 
  
 Michelle LORD INTERMEDIATE
The Spectre’s Waltz

Michelle Lord is the winner of the 2022 Pianist Composing Competition.
Lord wowed the judges with her 56-bar waltz, The Spectre’s Waltz. Full of
unexpected twists and turns, the two-page composition will suit
intermediate-level pianists with good sense of imagination. Lord says it
took a while to get the piece in good shape: ‘I didn’t sit and compose it in
one go. I kept going back until I was happy with it. I had two endings
and I couldn’t decide which to do. I went with a Chopin left-hand style
towards the end, because I felt that it displayed more of an understanding
between different styles. And I used a tremolo in the last bar because I
wanted a really dramatic ending!’
Read Michelle Lord’s in-depth practising tips inside this issue. Plus
find out how to enter the 2023 Pianist Composing Competition!

  


 
  
      



 


   
  

 

 







 
 








 
 











 
 


 
 


 
 



         




      

      



 

 



 

  















 

  
       





    

 
    

  
  
 

 
         
       


  



 

    

 

        
 

  
  
  


  
 





 


 


 

 
  




 
 
 

 

32• Pianist 127






     


  
  

     



 
 
   

 
     



 

 
 



  



 
  
 

 





    


     
 
  
 

         
  




       



 






 
    
      
 
      
  
   








   

       

  
    


 


  

     


 
   



 

 
    
  
 


 



       




   

           

  
  

 
      

 
   
 
         



       

    
   
 
  
  
  

 

  
  







 
   


          



     
  

    

      

 
        









33• Pianist 127
 DON’T MISS
NILS FRANKE’S
Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856)
LESSON
ON THIS PIECE arr. Clara SCHUMANN (1819-1896) INTERMEDIATE
Mondnacht Op 39 No 5

As Nils Franke states in his lesson, Clara Schumann’s piano solo of letting the original piece speak for itself. No showmanship, just the
arrangements of her husband’s songs are testimony to her skills as a spirit (and beauty) of the original song. The original ‘Mondnacht’ is the
pianist: she simply knew how to capture the essence of a piece. With fifth song from Robert’s 1840 masterpiece song cycle, Liederkreis Op 24.
Mondnacht (‘Moonlight’), she assumes a thoroughly ‘modern’ approach Read Nils Franke’s lesson on this piece.

 



 



           





 

    

        
    


 
     


 
  



   


    

    


            
 
            
 

     
      
 





          

 


  

  


  
  


                    

 
 
 

      

    
   

     


 
       

     
 


                 
 
         

 

 




      

34• Pianist 127

 
      
 

       
                      

 


    

   

     
 


 
   
                      
                


  



    


  

    





                
                       



     
  
           
 

 
   
  
  

               
                      
  

  
   

      

  

35• Pianist 127

  


                  





     



      



 

 


 


  




  


  
   ! 


      
                

        


    
     
       
   

"  
 #

 $

   
 

               


      
         

  
                    




  
  
    

  
 
  

      

 

              

 


       




                   

   
          

 

36• Pianist 127

 %    
  



           

              


           



                 
              
  




 %&
   


 
 
                        

         
 

    
 
    
     


 

            

 


 




   
 
    

  

 

 
    
    


 


 
            
 


 
  


 

     

                
  
 

37• Pianist 127

 Moritz MOSZKOWSKI (1854-1925) INTERMEDIATE
Rêverie from 8 Morceaux caractéristiques Op 36 No 2

A neurological illness ended the virtuoso piano career of the German
composer and pianist Moritz Moszkowski, but that didn’t stop him from
composing many works for the piano, including this heartbreaking,
romantic gem from his Op 36 set.
Playing tips: The opening should have a very improvisatory feel, so don’t
be afraid to use rubato. Voice the chords in order that the top melody
line stands out, and make sure to phrase this introduction. Even if a
tempo marking is supplied, this should be fluid, so try not to think too
much about it until bar 18 when the pulse of the main melody begins.
Now bring out this ravishing melody, allowing the LH accompaniment
to follow. At bar 26, the melody blooms even more (with the RH part
now in octaves). Always remember to phrase the melody (singing it will
help) and aim for a rich cantabile tone.
Pedal tips: In order to maintain a good legato, ample pedalling is needed.

 






  


                 





 






    

 

   

        
   
 

  
        
  
   

        

  


  


     
          

     

 
     
        

 



 
        



         
 

    


 

  
  
   

           









 
  
 
 

          
   
        

      
  

        
  



          
 

      


     
    

  
 
          


  
  


 
         
           
 

     







        
    
 

   
38• Pianist 127
 


      
 


  
  

      

    
   
       




  
      
       
  
 

  



   
        
 


  


             
               

 


        
         
   

 
       

     
 



        

                  




    
  
   

   


   


   


      
   


 





 
    

    
 
 
 


   
                
       

            
  

 

 
     
    
       




  


        
 
 
 



 


       


   


    


  




   


  

             


  
 

 
  
      
 

        



 

  
 
  

  

       
39• Pianist 127
 JS BACH (1685-1750) arr. Adolf GOLDE (1830-1880) INTERMEDIATE
Largo from Organ Concerto in D minor (after Vivaldi) BWV 596

Playing tips: Poignant as this arrangement is, try not to drown it in pedal. slow, but keep the pulse flowing. We suggest listening to the original
‘Spiccato’ is a string technique involving detached notes played with a Largo from Bach’s Organ Concerto for guidance. Take your time over the
bouncing bow, so one needs to emulate that articulation. The tempo is stretched broken chord. They should not sound ‘grabbed’.

  



 


 
 
    
     

           
       


                      

   

 
     
       
     


                





       
 
 




 
 
 
 


     

       
 
    



 

 


     



    


          
      
      

                        

 

 




                        
   








           
  







 

   



                          



               

   




                       


  

 

                         
              



40• Pianist 127
 

      
 

    


         

            
            
    
            
  



      
          
          

 

  
  
     

         
      
     


  
     


  
         
  
        
 
      



             
         





           
            


        
            

 
    
 

                  



 
  



 

   

      

  
                 



        
 

 
 


         

 

             
           


41• Pianist 127

 Ignacio CERVANTES (1847-1905) INTERMEDIATE
Gran Señora, No 1 from 2 Cuban Dances

A child prodigy, Cuban pianist and composer Ignacio Cervantes was
encouraged to study at the Paris Conservatoire by the American
composer Louis Moreau Gottschalk. There, he studied with none other
than Charles-Valentin Alkan.
Playing tips: Feel the Cuban-style sway and make sure to follow all the
articulations on the score (such as the slurs, staccatos etc). Both hands
will need to move quickly around the keyboard – it helps to keep them as
close to the keys as possible. The piece rounds off with a short, animated
eight-bar scherzando section (bar 25 to the end). Then return to the start
and play the piece over again. Note: Whilst learning this score, pianist
Chenyin Li thought it felt musically ‘wrong’ that the piece finishes on the
dominant chord, so she has actually added an extra chord (at the * sign).
See what you think: it’s not obligatory and you can end on the dominant
if you prefer (as per bar 32). We like Chenyin’s version and we do
wonder whether Cervantes forgot to pen that last chord!
Pedal tips: See markings on the score.

 


 



 
 



  

          
 
  

   




 
  
  

   
   

    

 



 
 






 
   



  
  



 


 

 
    
 

 


   


       

  
     
         
    
 

 

       
            
    
   


      
        
     
 

 






   
        





  
    
  
   






  
        
   
        

      
 
42• Pianist 127
            




 


        
 
 

  
 



   
        
   
      
  



    
  
          
         
  
     

       

   
 
         



        

    
  

    




  


      





          

 
          




  

 
 
 
    
      
        
       


    




    


    

  


   
 
  

                     

   


 


   


    
  
      
  
  
  
    

          



 

                


     


   

  
   
     


   
     

  

  
     
43• Pianist 127
 Domenico SCARLATTI (1685-1757) INTERMEDIATE
Sonata in G minor K476

Throughout his career, the Italian composer Domenico Scarlatti wrote 555
keyboard sonatas. They are single movements and mostly in binary form.
Playing tips: This feisty Sonata will require lots of practice: rhythmic
precision is of the utmost importance, as is an even articulation and a
forward drive. In true Scarlatti style, the score comes without dynamics,
allowing for the performer to be creative. In order to play it well and
with an Allegro tempo, some might class this sonata as ‘Advanced’, but
we believe intermediate-level pianists can benefit from learning it. Enjoy
Chenyin Li’s sparkling performance.
Pedal is not required.



 
 

 
       



 




       
   

 


 

 


    
 

 
 
 
 







           
  
  
     



          

    

      
 
















  
        
  



     
       




  



    
 

 

 
  

 
  

 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 


    
  




           
   
 

  
 








   
    
   

 

44• Pianist 127

                            

 


   



 



   






   
  


        


         
 


     
   

  
   


          


    

 
     

     

     


                  

       
 
 

 

 
 
    

  





   
  
     


           



           
  
  

45• Pianist 127

           


        

 

     

     
 


            
     

        

 
     

     


      



  

      


     


 

  
     
      

     
      
          



 
 

 
 
  



 




  
 




    
 
        
      

   
 
  

 
 


46• Pianist 127

 

 
 
 
                   

  




    


 

        




   


 
  


       
      

  

  
   
   
   

      


  

  
 


 


          
 


  

 


    


 
 


     


   
             

 

 
 

  

 
          


     

  
    


47• Pianist 127

    
    
 
     
   


             




    







     

     
       



        

   

       


    
    



  
 
       
 




    
    

       
        
 

  


  



   

     
       



        

 

48• Pianist 127

       



         
   

 

   
 
       






 



        

  


  


    
  


       
 

    

   

   

            


      
     

  

   
     

           



  
        
   
  





  

         

     
    

 


 

49• Pianist 127
 
  
 

 Alexey STANCHINSKY (1885-1914) INTERMEDIATE
Song without Words No 2

Russian composer Alexey Stanchinsky was somewhat of a child prodigy
– composing and performing his first works when just six years of age.
There’s no doubt that Scriabin, whom Stanchinsky met during his studies
with Taneyev, influenced his writing. His two Songs without Words were
composed around 1903 and this No 2, in the key of D minor, might
sound a little like early Scriabin (with hints of Chopin and Schumann).
Playing tips: The LH is the lilting accompaniment over which the RH has
to sing. Work on your cantabile, pressing the notes deep into the key bed.
We suggest working hands separately: the LH, with its big stretches,
wanders all over the keyboard, so will need serious practice. The RH
chords will need careful voicing coupled with a good sense of phrasing.
Pedal tips: See markings on the score.





 

 

 

 


   
  

          
   

 




 



  










 




  

 

 

    
  

 
 




  


     





  
  



 


 
 












   



          
    
 
 

 





   


   



 




     
     
 
    
   

   


         

  
            
 

 
  
 

 


  
          
   
  

50• Pianist 127

 


 
    
    


   


 






         

   










 
      
        
  
   







          
  

        

    


 



 
   
 

   
   
  

 
       
  

 
       
 


  

  

   

  
   
  
  


  


      
    





       
  

             




   

 
 







 



  
     

 
      

    

  
           


  
  

  
   
   
   
51• Pianist 127
   


   
 
     
    

      
    
  





















  

  

 

 


           
  

      


  
  

















 
 


 

 

 
         


        


   












    
 



   





   



   
  

     
    




 

 



 

 


   


 

 

      
    




       




 

 






 



  

52• Pianist 127

 Mel BONIS (1858-1937)
Mélisande, No 5 from 5 Pièces pour piano Op 109
WATCH CHENYIN LI PLAY THIS AT WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/PIANISTMAGAZINE
Mel Bonis’s piece Phoebé proved to be such a success inside issue 121,
that we’ve decided to feature an equally ravishing piece by the composer.
ADVANCED
Playing tips: The most important thing to remember is that the melody
should stand out above all the notes. And lots of pedal is required.




 





 

     


   



  

  

 




  
 





     

 

 



  
  
    
  
   

  

 















  
   


 




  
 
 


  
   
  


 
 
  

        

  









  

 


   







 



  

 

   
       

      

      
   
 
    


 

 

 
 
  

 
   

      

   
 

         
     


 53• Pianist 127


 

  
  


                                           

   


 



            
    
 





 



 


        
   
  


 


    



   


 
 




    
 


  
  

        
      

 

 

 

           

   
 
 
     


 
   

 
  




 

 

         

   
  
 
                  
  
 
 

 

   

 
   

   
 
                 

            


              
    

 


54• Pianist 127

 
  
  

                     

  

      


   




  
      

 

 
    


   

 
 

                             

 



   

   
  
   




     

                     

           

 
 










 
 

 

 
  



     

                       
 

  


 
   
        
    
   

 





  
 

    

    

    
  
        
        
  
   

55• Pianist 127

   

 






   
 
  

    
 


  

 




  

 

 





 






    



  
   
  

      


  
   
 

        
  

   

  

  
   

         
   



   
  
            


  

  

        


       



           

   
 




 

  
  

    


 

 


  

   

  

 
 
      



   

 

 






    
  

  
56• Pianist 127
    


   




               







   
 



 



  
  
 



 
    


  
  

       



  
 
   
 

   
  




      
    

    

  

  

  

            

       


    
  






 
   
 



      
 

 

       

 

  


      
           








  

 

         
   


  

            
   
          

    



   



 
     
     

                 
  
 
 



       
  

           

      
               
 
 

  
              

         
 
  
 
  
 



57• Pianist 127
 DON’T MISS
MARK VINER’S
LESSON
Cécile Chaminade (1857-1944) INTERMEDIATE/
ON THIS PIECE ADVANCED
La Lisonjera Op 50

In recent years, the music of French composer Cécile Chaminade has
been receiving somewhat of a well-deserved revival. Some of it is
gorgeously romantic and fits well under the fingers. One of Chaminade’s
most famous pieces, the virtuosic Automne Op 35 No 2, appeared inside
issue 86, along with a lesson by Lucy Parham. La Lisonjera (translated
into English as ‘The Flatterer’) is not quite as virtuosic as Automne, but it
requires careful practice and lots of flair. Chaminade expert Mark Viner
talks about the composer and the origins of the piece – including the
background behind its title – in his article. Mark Viner plays
La Lisonjera on this issue’s album. Read his in-depth lesson.










 
    








 







 







              

  
            
 

 



   
   
    

  





     
  



 
















 










             

        
       
 
    

     
 

 


      
   


   
   


    


















  


 










      

  



           







 

    

        
             
 

      





    


  





   
   

 


  




 

 




 









 














 


   
 

         

  

      
    
    
  

         

     
  
  
          



58• Pianist 127




 







 



 

 
   


 
 

    
       
  
 
           

 


 
     




      

       
   
    
     

 

 



 



        
     

        

  
 

         



  


 

  
 


  
 




      
      
  

  
  
  








  




 
  

 
       
 

      
  
  

  
  

  
 

           
           
   
  






 




  









 

                  
 

       


    



 


 





        
 




     



 


 

  

 






   
 




59• Pianist 127

   




     




  
     
  

  


   





   





     

 


         




 
 

  
 




 

 
    
    


  
      

     
            

   


   


  
           

  









   

   





 
 








                 

       

    
            

   

 
 
       
        


    
     


 

 



 
 
 








 



















   


           
 

         



   
  
        
   
   
 





60• Pianist 127



 
 























  
            

 




           


   
  
 

 









 









 





 









       
     
        
     




      

  


       
  




  


   

 
























     

         
  

  

     
       
 

 
    
   




  

  
       

        


           


  



  

      




         
    
 

61• Pianist 127
  

             
  

    
   
   






     

 


      
   
   
  
  


 

 

               
 
    

 

           
          
   
 

  










         






 







 
   
  


   





 

 



 
  
 
  
 




        


    
  

 

     

 


     
     




 
 
 

62• Pianist 127


 

 
   
   
  


     
            

   


         
         

  


 
  


  










 
            

       

    

 

                


    


  








     
 










 













 
   
            

         
  
  
        
 
   



 





 
 


















               

 




           


   
    




63• Pianist 127
  









 









 



 











            
        
     




   

    



         




  

    

 





















 




      
      
     

  

           
 

  
     
   

 


  
 


    

       
 
 
   


    


  





 
      
   




      
 
 




 

 

      

 
   

   
 

          
    








   
  

  
   


















 






 


64• Pianist 127

      
      









 



           


     
  

  
   
 

 
      
   
 
    

 
  


 

   


         
  

    


   




          

  


   

 
 

     

   

  
   

  
  

       
 



                         




   

 

 


   
  
 
 


 

    
 
 
  



 
  
      
 





       



   


 


     

 




65• Pianist 127

PIANO TEACHER HELP DESK
The cas e for co un te rp oin t
We can learn so much from musical imitation, says Kathryn Page, who advises
teachers to include a dose of canon into every student’s repertoire
W
hen we think of
counterpoint, alarm
bells can ring:
Fugues, canons,
complexities, and
complications. This is a great shame, for
counterpoint can and should be fun. It is
the art of combining apparent opposites,
of simultaneously playing contrasted
melodic lines. It is the art of multitasking.
Counterpoint should feel natural and
inevitable. Think of a canon as a walk in
the sun with your shadow following. Ask
pupils to sing in rounds. Get them to
improvise by playing the right hand only
of a pre-prepared piece, then continuing
with the left hand playing the right-
hand part but starting a bar later! Make
imitation fun, and the fear will disperse.
Counterpoint develops the ability to
articulate and project layers of sound,
contrasted rhythms. If you can show
different voices as you play, different
colours, different characterisations
simultaneously, then you are in a strong
position to facilitate a wide range of
interpretive possibilities – at every level.
Even a simple melody line with bass
accompaniment can be considered as
‘contrapuntal’ in the sense that you are
heavily contrasting differences between
the right-hand melody part (weighted
and projected with a stronger dynamic
level) against the subservient bass
accompaniment (played more lightly at a
softer level). There’s some great repertoire
out there (aside from the usual Bach),
such as Pachelbel’s Canon and Scriabin’s
miniature Canon.
Despite the obvious necessity of
learning to play with different colours and
touches, simultaneously, and the obvious
relation between this and works such as
the two- and three-part inventions of
Bach, too many budding pianists look
on imitative pieces with trepidation
© Erica Worth
and disquiet. There can be a reluctance
on their part to practise this repertoire.
Young pianists can feel intimidated when
the hands move in different directions and
have contrasting roles to play.
Fruity practice
As teachers, we have a duty of care to
encourage multi-tasking as a pathway
towards confidence in counterpoint from
the very first lessons with our beginners.
Encourage pupils to tap loudly on a
surface with one hand whilst tapping
quietly on another surface with their other
hand. Can you get a student to move an
orange with their left foot in a clockwise
movement whilst moving an apple with
their right foot in an anti-clockwise
movement? If that is too challenging (and
it is for me!) get them to rotate an orange
with one foot as they play with their left
hand and sing the right-hand part of a
piece with which they are familiar. This
is a physical manifestation of three-part
counterpoint and can be practised with
the easiest of pieces – with enormous
long-term benefits.
Developing contrasting touches
between the hands can begin by focusing
on extreme differences of approach.
Play scales with a sense of weighted
intensity in the left hand (‘bedding’ the
keys) whilst opting for a lighter, lifted
and more delicate approach in the right.
Try C major scale with one finger only
in the right hand, then start the left
hand (also with one finger) when the
right hand plays its third note (the E).
Playing scales (and then arpeggios and
broken chords) in canon is fascinating.
Think ‘down’ in one hand and ‘up’ in
the other. When it comes to separating
voices played simultaneously in one hand,
remember the wonderfully immediate
approach called ‘finger tapping’ that was
utilised by Glenn Gould’s early teacher
Alberto Guerrero as a means of separating
sounds with immediate ease. This can be
practised with your fingers placed in the
five-finger position from middle C-G.
67• Pianist 127
F O R T H E T E AC H E R
Kathryn Page has appeared in concert and on
television as a soloist and in chamber music.
She is a teacher, adjudicator and administrator
for Chetham’s International Summer School
and Festival for Pianists, as well as the
Manchester International Concerto
Competition for young pianists. She lives in
Cheshire and has five children.
Place your fingers on the keys of all the
notes. Keep non-playing fingers stationary
on adjacent keys. Play G with your fifth
finger and C with your thumb. Use your
non-playing left hand fingers to hold on
to the thumb and ‘play’ it with firmness,
ensuring that the sound it makes is louder
than the sound coming from your fifth
finger. You can then repeat this exercise
by holding onto your right hand fifth
finger with your left hand. Make the
G sound louder than the C. It can be
helpful to press down with your left hand
on the knuckle of the finger you wish
to make louder: When you finger tap,
you are literally giving pressure from one
hand onto the knuckles of a particular
finger as a means of intensifying the
sound. It should feel painless, effortless,
and natural. Think of finger-tapping as
the pianistic equivalent of the rubber
ring used by novice swimmers, or the
stabilisers used by young children when
they are first learning how to cycle. n
E D U C AT I O N
How to be your own
MUSICAL MOTIVATOR
Now that life has become a little more normal, are we still as driven to
practise as we were when we had none of the usual distractions?
John Evans investigates
M
ore than two years since the first Covid
lockdown and a few months since the last
restrictions were lifted, at least in England,
it’s back to reality. Family and office
gatherings, meals out, trips to the cinema…
they’re all back. So what’s the future for all those ‘mindful’
activities that were so popular during the pandemic when there
was nothing else to distract us – such as reading, painting, or
playing the piano?
Regarding that last one, in the June-July 2021 issue of Pianist
(No 120) I reported that piano sales boomed during lockdown,
with many people keen to learn the instrument or pick up from
where they left off as children. For evidence, look no further
than Steinway. Worldwide, its sales of pianos increased by 30%
to almost £412 million in 2021. As a result, the privately-
owned company has announced it is listing on the New York
Stock Exchange.
That’s good news for Steinway but investors will be hoping
that as lockdown restrictions disappear and old habits and
distractions return, customers will continue to buy the firm’s
pianos in their droves. Also hoping that people keep buying will
be the rest of the world’s piano makers, as well as retailers of
68• Pianist 127
both new and used pianos, all of whom enjoyed strong sales
during the pandemic. Being motivated to play or learn the
instrument when there are so many easier things to do is going
to be the big challenge for many of their customers.
My story inside Pianist last year featured Tim Dearing,
a 36-year-old computer games designer living in London.
Finding himself with a lot more time on his hands during the
pandemic he decided to buy a cheap old upright piano and a
copy of the same tutor book his grandfather had first taught
him from years before. His goal was to invite the family over for
Christmas, rules permitting, and play carols they could all sing
around the piano.
It’s a heart-warming story but fast forward to summer 2022
and things have turned out very differently as, with Covid
restrictions lifted, normal life has reasserted itself. ‘My partner
and I got married, had a baby and moved home,’ says Dearing.
‘Then I changed jobs and now it looks like we’ll be emigrating
to Canada in a year’s time. Unfortunately, as soon as we were
able to go out again and have some fun, the piano took a back
© AdobeStock/mast3r
seat. I wish I’d carried on with it, but I hit a point where I felt it
would need a lot of time to take it to the next level. I hit a glass
ceiling and really struggled with motivation.’
The comfort of others
Clearly, much has changed in Dearing’s life so it’s
understandable he has struggled to be motivated to play and Piano Specialists for four generations
to practise his piano. Even so, for the rest of us pianists
emerging from lockdown, albeit into slightly less altered
circumstances, motivation to play may also be harder to
summon up than it was when distractions were limited. Of
Pianos for Everyone
from the beginner to the professional
course, tell most successful concert pianists that you struggle
with motivation and they’ll wonder what you’re talking about.
As many of them have told me, playing the piano is as natural
to them as breathing; they need no excuse to play.
For the rest of us, carving out that bit of time each day to
play and to practise is surely a more conscious act. How do we
find the motivation to do that? I asked a professional life
coach. Zoe Thompson spends her days helping people make
personal changes for the better, including finding direction
and focus. ‘Motivation and discipline overlap, and successful
people have a mixture of both,’ says Thompson. ‘Discipline
brings results, which breeds motivation. If I were working
with a pianist, I’d first ask why they want to do this; why they
want to invest their time and money in learning or playing
the instrument. This is because when we’re clear about why we
want to do something, we will be disciplined about
prioritising it above other things and from this, motivation
will follow.’ Tel: 01344 873645
Verve House, London Road (A30), Sunningdale,
Berkshire, SL5 0DJ sales@handelpianos.co.uk

‘When we’re clear about why we www.handelpianos.co.uk

want to do something, we will

be disciplined about prioritising STREAM OUR LATEST
it above other things and from
ALBUM ON SPOTIFY
this, motivation will follow’
Zoe Thompson
Unfortunately, removing ourselves from friends and family
to play and to practise can seem selfish, triggering a sense of
guilt. Thompson has an answer to that. ‘It’s important that we
regularly empty our personal “stress bucket”. You may feel
guilty about “abandoning” others to play the piano but we
know that a mindful activity such as playing a musical
instrument is important for our mental wellbeing, which can
benefit those around us as well as ourselves. That should be
motivation enough.’

Listen and learn

When it comes to playing the piano myself, I’ll admit that I’ve
struggled with motivation. I struggled when I was learning as
a young student, and for many years afterwards. However,
comparing myself with how I was then with how I am now, I
think I know why. I was undisciplined. My practice had no
structure and no aim. I’ve now given it those things by always
setting out to memorise the pieces I play. This forces me to Search ‘Pianist Magazine’
study and analyse the score, and to work out and stick to
fingerings that will establish a muscular memory. Memorising to listen NOW
also frees me from the tyranny of the dots to inhabit the
V
E D U C AT I O N
music and to listen to how I’m playing (on that point, it’s not
great but at least I enjoy it).
This last sentence will chime with Anthony Williams –
concert pianist, teacher, chairman of the European Piano
Teachers Association (EPTA), member of the ABRSM examiner
training and review team and Head of Keyboard and
Instrumental Music at Radley College, Oxfordshire. ‘Simply
reading the notes on the page is a binary exercise,’ he says. ‘If
the level of challenge of playing the notes is 60 percent and
interpreting them 40 percent, you won’t be engaged. The
important and motivating thing is communicating your
musical ideas. You have to discover what you’re trying to say
with the music.’
Williams describes a pie chart composed of other things likely
to motivate pianists. He reserves the biggest slice of the chart for
choosing the right repertoire (‘the music should be enjoyable
but also challenging’), followed by music exams and assessments
that provide goals to work towards. He reserves another slice for
taking opportunities to play at festivals (‘involve yourself in the
local music environment’) and in masterclasses for the feedback
they provide.
On this last point he’s encouraged by how more people
recorded their playing during lockdown. ‘The move to online
lessons and the fact that students had to record themselves
meant that a lot of pianists heard themselves for the first time.
I’m sure that going forward, doing so will have motivated them
to listen more closely to the sounds they make.’
‘As long as I can play my pieces
a bit better today than I did
yesterday, that’s motivation
enough for me’
Lee Tooey
One person who’d agree there are benefits in listening to
yourself, as well as letting others hear you, is Lee Tooey. The
37-year-old airport worker only took up the piano in lockdown
but now posts his progress on YouTube for all to see and hear.
‘I upload what I’m practising to my Facebook page and as I
work on a piece, regularly update it with the latest version,’ he
says. ‘It’s all open to my friends. A few people see it and say how
inspired they are by my playing.’
New pianos, new friends
Tooey is a genuine Mr Musical Motivator; a person who has
come to the piano later in life of his own free will and really
embraces it. ‘I had no real interest in music except pop… and
then in lockdown I saw an advertisement for a piano app on
YouTube that showed how far students could progress in a short
time. That triggered something, so a friend lent me his keyboard
and I was away, learning to read music from an app.’
Christmas came and with it, the second lockdown. Tooey
decided he wanted to have a decent piano but the only way he
could afford one was to take a second job working for a
takeaway-delivery service. When the shop, whose Yamaha
70• Pianist 127
The things that motivate us
Based on teachers’ responses, the ABRSM’s
2021 Making Music Report lists, in descending
order of importance, the four factors that fuel
our motivation to learn and play a musical
instrument:
• Amount of practice, commitment, enthusiasm
• Family support and encouragement
• Quality of teaching, goal setting
• Performance opportunities
• Playing pieces that are interesting, enjoyable
and suitable
Clavinova he had his eyes on, opened in the April, he was the
first in the queue to buy it. Tooey continued to teach himself
from the app but with the arrival of the Clavinova he decided
he needed a teacher to provide more structured learning. With
his help, Tooey has since taken and passed Grades 1 and 2 and
as you read this, will have just taken his Grade 3.
‘The thing is, it was my choice to learn,’ he says. ‘Wanting a
new piano and being good enough to justify buying it, then
getting the teacher and doing the grades – they all motivated me
to carry on. I love playing the piano and getting better at it;
learning to invert a C chord, to pass the thumb under for a C
scale, to play hands together and so on. As long as I can play my
pieces a bit better today than I did yesterday, that’s motivation
enough for me. There’s always something to learn and it never
feels like a chore. It certainly never occurred to me to give up
after lockdown.’
Another source of Tooey’s motivation was a visit he paid to
the Piano Sanctuary, a residential piano course at Leiston Abbey
in Suffolk. With his Grade 2 exam fast approaching, he stayed
for three days and despite having to play in front of people for
the first time, found the experience genuinely motivating. A
fellow student was Jane Bellingham. Likewise, the seasoned
veteran of piano courses finds them hugely motivating and very
enjoyable but believes that regular lessons and performing are
also great motivators. ‘I’ve performed at a lot of music festivals,’
she says. ‘You have to be brave to take part but having that
deadline is very motivating. The exams and ABRSM and LRSM
diplomas I took were also motivating as goals to work towards.’
If the idea of playing in public terrifies you, Bellingham says
that simply attending events such as summer courses and
rubbing shoulders with like-minded people is also a great
incentive to keep playing. Even preparing for the course is
sufficient.
But back to Tooey, aka Mr Musical Motivator. If courses or
festivals are beyond you or you’re just not interested, then take a
leaf out of his book and redecorate your piano room. Tooey
fitted a black carpet in his. ‘It’s a cool workspace where I practise
for an hour a day,’ he says. Don’t be afraid to dream, too. Tooey
visualises himself being the regular pianist in a restaurant one
day. Until then, he’s got a very important target to get him
motivated: his brother’s wedding. ‘He’s asked me to record a
piece for the big day. I can’t afford to get it wrong!’ n
INTRODU CING K AWA I AU GMENTED R E A LIT Y # MyGL 1 0

THE KAWAI GL-10

MAKE IT A REALITY!
Try our Augmented Reality Window on your mobile device and
see how the Kawai GL-10 would look in your room…
1. Scan this QR code on your mobile/tablet
2. Point your device in your room, and position the piano into desired position
3. Snap and share pictures of your Kawai GL-10 #MyGL10

The GL-10 is Kawai’s most compact Acoustic Grand Piano. At just 153cm long and 150cm wide,

And at a price that reflects its size this superb grand piano, made with the traditional values of all

To learn more about the GL-10 or find your local dealer, visit www.kawai.co.uk
*Actual appearance and size may vary from model.

@KawaiUK @KawaiPianosUK @KawaiPianosUK

The Futur e of the Pi a no
E D U C AT I O N

THE
GENERATION
GAME

As a young student, Alisdair Hogarth studied the piano with Philip Fowke.
Now, as a professor himself, he teaches upcoming concert pianist Marina Staneva.
He explains how all three continue to learn from each other

‘W
ell of course you
can trace my
pianistic lineage
back to Liszt’ is a
commonly-heard proud announcement
and a terrific boast when pianists hang
out together. It’s a fun thing to think
about – that what you may have
learned is perhaps something that Liszt
himself taught to a student. But what
exactly gets passed on through
generations and stands the test of time?
This is inextricably linked to the
concept of ‘schools’ of piano playing (a
and we view these types of conundrums
in a slightly simpler way: you are either
good or you ain’t.
I don’t really think the ‘schools’ of
piano playing amounts to much these
days. I have heard great and terrible
pianists from all nationalities, with a
variety of different approaches exhibited
within each group: flat fingers, curved
fingers, high wrists, low wrists, raised
eyebrows, chilled-out eyebrows etc. Not
to mention all the ‘methods’. However,
it is now increasingly common
knowledge (but not as common as it
There is much more of a physiotherapy-
based sense of what is advisable and
what isn’t.
Often my favourite pianists,
technically speaking, are simply those
that use their muscles in the most
strong and efficient way. For me,
examples are Philip Fowke, Sir Stephen
Hough, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Leif Ove
Andsnes and Yuja Wang – all of whom
use a curved hand position, engage
their body with good posture, and keep
as physically efficient as possible at all
times. They all use very similar
All photos © Presiyan Penkov

term I don’t particularly like), with
certain nationalities and even regions
allegedly using a specific hand position
and physical approach to the keyboard.
I’m from the region of Essex in the UK,
needs to be) that certain techniques can
actually cause injury and are physically
dangerous to do, such as using flat
fingers or spending too much time with
the thumb tucked under the hand.
techniques but Fowke and Hough are
English, Ashkenazy is Russian, Wang is
Chinese and Andsnes Norwegian.
I’m currently in this interesting
position of still being able to play to my

72• Pianist 127

own teacher Philip Fowke when I need
a pianistic MOT, but I’m also the
teacher of another concert artist,
‘Over half a century of teaching continues
Marina Staneva, who is leading up the to produce an ever-richer harvest of
next generation. All three of us record
for major commercial labels and students and grandstudents. Here depicted
perform at major concert venues – and
we all still play to each other.
are two generations of which I am the
proud teacher and grandteacher’
Lessons in philosophy
In this article, I have set about trying to Philip Fowke (on Alisdair and Marina)
discover what we have taken from each
other as teachers and students and,
perhaps more interestingly, what has
been passed down through three
pianistic generations.
My first question is this: can I hear
Philip’s playing in Marina’s playing?
What is passed down the piano
genetics? There are certainly some
technical and sound elements in
common: A finesse in pedalling, a
cleanness and control in the technique,
power when it needs it, a focus on
voicing and an organisation of the
material so it works as a large-scale
structure. And in terms of positioning
at the keyboard, the hand positions are
curved, the joint stability strong and
the posture comfortable. There’s a
stillness and efficiency to the approach;
close to the keys at all times but
retaining power and delicacy as needed.
So far, so good.
So how was this passed down the
lineage? It’s easy to think that it would
be quite specific things like sound,
voicing, hand position, choreography
and physical movements employed.
I asked Marina what were the main
things that she’d taken away from all
the lessons from me. She of course
mentioned a number of very practical
things, such as how we worked on first place. And not forgetting that when I had lessons with him as a child.
piano exercises like Joseffy and Marina went ahead and actually did And many of them were quotes that his
Dohnányi, and techniques to approach these exercises in all the suggested ways teacher Gordon Green told him. A
practising certain tricky passages in big which is a huge part of the equation. fourth generation! One of the most
scary terrifying repertoire. At face value Teaching is not a one-way thing. memorable quotes Philip passed on to
one could then go on to assume that me was from the Dutch piano wizard
the exercises themselves were what did Be careful what you say Egon Petri. Fowke’s teacher Gordon
the magic, but it’s really the philosophy If we take this idea one step further into Green went for a lesson with Petri, who
of how to practise them, which is less specific areas of piano playing, was renowned for his technical prowess,
something I garnered from Philip many of the quotes that Marina and eagerly asked him how he practises
Fowke. An openness to approach, a mentioned from our lessons that have to achieve such a polish in his technical
sense of exploration, like each exercise stayed with her – such as ‘Your best has apparatus. Petri thought for a while,
session is an adventure into discovering to be so good, that your second best and replied, ‘I try to practise and play
different ways of doing things. will do’, or ‘The hallmark of a great everything in every way possible.’
Practising them in millions of different artist is someone who plays Seemingly simple and quite generic-
ways and thinking outside the pianistic superlatively well…occasionally’ – were sounding advice, but absolutely
box is the key to why they work, not actually not my own quotes. They were bullseye-specific brilliant at the same
the decision to use the exercises in the quotes that Philip passed on to me time. Trying to practise everything in
V

73• Pianist 127

E D U C AT I O N
every way means that you give your
body options and then crucially, your
‘I have found myself giving the exact same
body selects what works for your advice that he’s given me, without realising
particular make up from those options.
We’ll all be different, too (which it, and in a way it makes me feel his
possibly accounts for why Green’s
students were famously incredibly
presence when I teach’
varied as artists). This goes against the Marina Staneva (on Alisdair)
idea of schools of playing (which I
really like). If it’s any ‘school’, then it’s
one of acceptance and experimentation
– and an open mindedness that lots of
techniques are equally valid in different
situations. The only caveat to this,
I think, is that the hand position is
strongest and most injury-resistant
when the fingers are curved, not
collapsing, with the wrist in a neutral
position for as much time as possible.
Everything else within reason can be
varied and is up for grabs. It also keeps
things simple but highly effective in the
practice studio. Do I use rotation or
fingers in this passage? Well, practise
both and let your body decide; it’s likely
to be a subtle mix of the two.

Don’t shop around

One thing that all three of us probably
have in common is a willingness to
learn our teacher’s entire approach,
without judgement, even if something
does not seem like it will work. It could
be a bizarre fingering or a hilarious (or
maybe even dubious!) exercise for
practising a difficult section. The
receptiveness of the student is as
important as the teacher. A willingness
to try ideas if you don’t know quite why
you are doing them.
A big problem right now is that
students are constantly moving from
one teacher to the next because they
feel like they haven’t got better instantly
– so they end up with 20 piano teachers
on their biography! The reality is that in
many cases they have not learned the
complete technique of that particular
teacher; something that does not make
sense now could make sense in five
years down the line when you know
other less obvious approaches that
particular teacher takes. For example,
high finger practice may only really
work when you realise you also have to
practise the counter movement: keeping
close to the keys and super legato. It is
the combination of the two things that
makes the magic happen.
Teaching, and what is passed to the
next generation, is a lot more
complicated than a school of
technique. It’s a complex set of
variables which also includes a good
rapport between teacher and student,
and the whole eclectic approach behind
the specifics. You can pass down
surface-level information, like hand
position and posture, but so much of
piano technique and approach is
behind the scenes and invisible. This
kind of knowledge is accrued from
many years of being a student with that
particular teacher. A trust that the
teacher understands you as a student.
It’s so much more than a passing on of
information and more to do with the
presence of that teacher every single
week, like a kind of musical parent.
What counts is that you are reliably
there, day in, day out. I believe this
inevitably leads to frequent moments in
practice when we might suddenly
think: ‘Ah, my teacher would like this
redistribution’. Marina told me she
thinks this sometimes, and I definitely
do the same.
So, the next time someone dazzles
you with their Liszt lineage
announcement, it’s probably more than
meets the ear. And teachers, be careful
what you say... it could be around for a
very long time. n
Alisdair Hogarth’s next album, Songs
from Isolation, features works by Stephen
Hough and is released on 16 September
(VOCES8 Records). Marina Staneva’s
Slavic Roots album on Chandos received
a glowing review in Pianist issue 126
(Chandos CHAN 20251).

74• Pianist 127

MAKERS
;LIR7 VIR:MRGIRXW7ZIRHWIR½VWXWE[E4,TMERSMRXLI[MRHS[SJE'STIRLEKIR
WLS[VSSQLIGSYPHR´XMQEKMRIXLEXXLIIZIRX[SYPHGLERKILMWPMJIJSVIZIV
Warwick ThompsonQIIXWXLIJSYRHIVSJEVIZSPYXMSREV]TMERSGSQTER]
I
n the world of chemistry the
symbol ‘pH’ stands for ‘potential
of hydrogen’. In the world of
design, the same two letters stand
for the Danish designer,
academic, architect, writer and all-
round polymath Poul Henningsen
DANISH
BY DESIGN
PH PIANOS
(1894-1967). Funnily enough, both
abbreviations refer to explosives.
Poul Henningsen presented his first
piano to the world in 1931. It was an
extraordinary design with eye-popping
tracery, concave legs, and a clear
celluloid lid which was curved so that
Poul Henningsen seated at his PH Grand
76• Pianist 127
people wouldn’t be able to litter the
surface with photos, knick-knacks and
domestic detritus. In 1937 he
introduced another revolutionary shape
of piano with a lid which looks
something like the Sydney Opera
House, and which is bored with sound
holes looking something like port-
holes. With both instruments he was
aiming to light a firework under the
staid worlds of piano design and
domestic furniture, and create some
sparks. Explosive indeed.
He achieved his aim. No-one who has
seen a PH piano is ever likely to forget
it. And this is where we skip forward a
few years to 2009, and meet Søren
Vincents Svendsen (pictured above),
who is now the founder and CEO of
PH Pianos. In that year a friend of his
needed some cash, and offered to sell
Svendsen his old PH piano (it was one
of the 1931 models). Svendsen couldn’t
play the piano himself, and had no
room in his apartment to house it, so he
realised he would quickly have to sell it.
And this is where things get interesting.
The story begins
‘There was a lovely piano shop in the
heart of Copenhagen, where I put the
instrument to be sold,’ says the
charming and cheerful proselytizer for
his company, when I catch up with him
via Zoom. ‘I was walking past it every
day, and I started to notice how much
attention it was receiving from people
standing there. They were admiring it,
and talking about it, and really drawn
to it. It struck me that it’s definitely a
piece of art that inspires and provokes.
People can love it or hate it, but they
won’t forget it.’
The piano was soon sold, but
Svendsen couldn’t get it out of his
The PH Bow Grand Piano
mind. Why shouldn’t there be more
PH-designed pianos in the world? More
of these extraordinary instruments to rights to the pianos. PH had also which he admitted that the previous
give people a jolt of pleasure? created some furniture designs too – incarnations of the piano from the
Something to challenge the ubiquitous sometimes privately as gifts, or 1930s to the 1960s did not always have
‘black box’ design? sometimes as prototypes which were a high reputation for sound quality. So
Because there weren’t many left, is the never commercially produced – and why the coyness about who makes the
answer. In the 1930s, Henningsen had Svendsen believed he could add these to working parts now?
worked with the Danish piano the adventure, and market them as well. Svendsen explains his philosophy:
manufacturer Andreas Christensen to ‘We believe that what makes a PH
turn his ideas into marketable Open for business piano is the case. That is the most
iterations. This company stopped In 2010 he part-bought the piano important thing: that’s why we do not
making the PH designs in the 1960s, showroom in which he had sold his mention any of the other piano makers
and was subsequently wound up. It own instrument, and made this the we work with, apart from Blüthner.
looked as if PH pianos were destined
for the history books and museums.
(Museums have indeed been keen,
incidentally: you can find a piano in the
‘We believe that what makes a
permanent exhibition of the Danish
Design Museum in Copenhagen.)
PH piano is the case. That is the
But that wasn’t going to happen if
Svendsen had anything to do with it.
most important thing’
He had no background in either music
or design – his main sphere had been
Søren Vincents Svendsen
academia and corporate governance –
but he decided to try and inject new life base of his new outfit. In 2011 the first Of course, just as with a good sports
into these extraordinary instruments. new PH Grand Piano, based on the car, it not only has to look good, but
It wasn’t quite a case of starting from 1931 design, was ready for sale. It is drive well – in this case, play well.
scratch, however. Poul Henningsen is a often called the ‘glass lid’ piano, We know that beauty has to lie on the
household name both in Denmark and although the actual material used is inside too. So we always highlight the
in design circles around the world, and plexiglass. It was made in collaboration technical details, and underscore that
his lamps and lighting designs are still with Blüthner in Leipzig, and this we work with European quality makers,
hugely popular and sell well (see picture particular model of the PH Grand was and only with a Renner action. But the
overleaf ). He was also an important named ‘Excellence’. case is the thing.’
figure in the Danish anti-Nazi When I was doing my research for The PH Grand piano took off, and
movement during the war, a prominent this piece, I received the impression was snapped up by hotels, halls and
writer on politics and social issues, and that Blüthner was responsible for the private individuals. It turned out that
a well-known architect. If one wanted casings and inner parts of all there was a real appetite for this curious
to re-launch any kind of PH design, an subsequent PH pianos, but this is not and eye-catching design. In 2018 the
essential element of brand recognition the case: the reason I had made this company launched a new version of the
would already be in place. error was that no other piano other design from 1937 too, and called
So Svendsen went to the family of manufacturer’s name is given in it the ‘PH Bow Grand Piano’. I
Poul Henningsen (who control the connection with the company. I had mentioned earlier that when I first saw
estate) and negotiated the exclusive also read an interview with Svendsen in a picture of this second model, I was
V

77• Pianist 127

MAKERS
The PH Grand Piano in red
reminded of the Sydney Opera House,
and it turns out that I wasn’t a hundred
miles wide of the mark. The architect of
that Australian icon was Jørn Utzon
(1918-2008), a Dane who knew Poul
Henningsen in Copenhagen, and who
owned one of the ‘glass lid’ pianos.
Utzon even took the instrument all the
way to Australia with him when he
went to work on the Opera House in
the late 1950s.
But did Utzon actually base his opera
house on the lid of the other model, the
‘People can love it or hate it,
but they won’t forget it’
Søren Vincents Svendsen
1937 ‘bow’ piano? Or is it just
coincidence? Svendsen is blatantly
upfront about it: ‘It’s a lovely link that
we like to make, but the honest answer
is: we don’t know,’ answers Svendsen.
‘The two men did know each other, and
they met in Copenhagen. And it’s
incredibly likely that Utzon saw a ‘bow’
grand piano, but we can’t say for
certain. But I like to make the point
that PH was always ahead of his time,
and that the PH pianos still belong to
the future. His ideas are still bearing
A Pianette sits behind two iconic PH lamps
fruit in so many spheres… possibly, just
possibly, even in the Sydney Opera
House. So we believe that we are
building on his legacy, and combining
it with innovation.’
Shapes, sizes and suppliers
Between the launch of the PH Grand
(glass lid) and the PH Bow Grand
(Sydney Opera House), both Svendsen
and his company went through the
most enormous learning curve. ‘During
that time we also acquired the licences
for PH’s furniture pieces,’ he continues,
‘and thus built up our own production
capacity for a whole range of wooden
furniture. It means that we now have
the ability to do all our case work for
the pianos too. We source the insides
from different suppliers, and then do
everything else in house.’
I’m not going to concentrate too
much on the furniture for this piece
– we are Pianist after all, not The World
of Interiors, and I’m pretty much as
ignorant as a toadstool about design –
78• Pianist 127
but to my uneducated eye, some of it
looks absolutely gorgeous. If you’re
curious, then do check out their website
www.phfurniture.com, and see what
you think about the sleek and sinuous
PH Snake Stool.
Now the company also produces a
striking upright piano too (based on a
model from 1939), and the PH Pianette.
For the modern iteration of the latter, a
digital approach was considered superior
to the light action which had been used
in Henningsen’s day.
Each of the models now has different
versions, or ‘editions’. There are shorter
and longer versions of the PH Grands
and Bow Grands – 150cm long to over
200cm – and different finishes are
available, for example. And they sell
restored old models too. There are
self-player units available on all editions
as well.
In one of the most exciting moves,
the company also offers a bespoke
service. If you have a piano to which
you have a sentimental attachment, or
love the sound, but also have a
hankering for one of these quirky
designs, then PH Pianos can offer to
re-model it into one of their editions.
The possibilities are almost endless.
‘We’re definitely planning to make
more customised pianos, and also new
versions,’ he says. ‘Take the upright
piano: it has a rounded “stomach”,
 The PH Upright Piano
which PH made with glass as well as
wood. So now we’ve started a
collaboration with a renowned glass
specialist who’s prepared some amazing
new glass designs for us. And we’ve
launched a new bench: you know, most
piano benches are either non-functional
or just really ugly. So we’ve addressed
that in-house, and made an adjustable
professional-level bench, inspired by the
PH design principles. And we’ve just
launched a range of speakers too. The
next step is to invite designers to create
completely new designs for us, but
based on the PH philosophy: we’re
hoping to launch something very soon.’
Sounds about right
They certainly don’t let the grass grow
under their feet. But let’s address the
sixty-four thousand dollar question.
What do they actually sound like? For
all the assurances given, are they
actually worth playing?
Here I have to say I haven’t touched
one myself, so I’m relying on my tinny
computer speakers to give me an idea.
But judging from the Chopin Project
– a number of Chopin études,
performed by students at the Royal
Danish Academy of Music on two
newly made PH pianos, with the results
available on the company website – the
sound is rather lovely. The instruments
appear to have a superb response to
both delicacy and firmness, and have a
rather lovely fluty overtone in the treble.
Christine Eggert, a Canadian
professional pianist who is also the
customer relations officer for the
company, fell for the sound
immediately the first time she played a
Bow piano. ‘I sat down and was
immediately struck by the tone-holes
facing me,’ she tells me. ‘Usually at
home, you have the lid down and
music desk up. But this piano is
designed for the player to have the
experience and sound of openness,
because of the holes, even when the lid
is down. It plays like a dream.’
At the moment of writing this article,
the company is preparing to expand the
recording aspect of their work, and is
knocking down some walls to expand
the audio-visual recording facilities in
its showroom, and increase sales space
too. It’s hoping to forge more and more
links with leading artists and become a
major musical hub in Copenhagen.
But there’s another sixty-four
thousand dollar question too, of course
– and, please now prepare yourself,
because the answer often involves quite
a lot more than sixty-four thousand
dollars. How much do these pianos cost?
The standard PH Grand Piano
‘Legacy’ edition will set you back
€93,125 (£79,100); the PH Bow
Grand, finished in American red maple
79• Pianist 127
burl wood, is €99,375 (£84,400); and
the PH Upright ‘Legacy’ varies from
€33,125 to €49,375 depending on
which of the three sizes you choose.
If you’re the sort of person who
thinks in pence rather than pounds, let
alone hundreds of thousands of pounds
(guilty as charged), then the Piano
Bench is a nearer bet. It goes for €3,350
(£2,800), and admittedly does look
wonderfully stylish.
As we round up our conversation,
I ask Svendsen what has been the most
surprising thing he has learned on his
journey from academic to piano
salesman? ‘That I feel like the ugly
duckling in the fairy tale; that I find
myself in such a conservative industry,
where people can be a bit negative
about innovation and development and
progress. We’re not doing harm to
anybody! We’re not marauding Danish
Vikings! We build on the PH
philosophy of reaching out, bridging
gaps, partnering with piano makers,
making beautiful things. We have
spectacular designs, and that’s where we
want our place in the market.’
Of course, in the fairy tale, the ugly
duckling became a beautiful swan. And
for PH Pianos, it looks like it’s
happening already. n
For further information on PH Pianos,
go to www.phpianos.com.
REVIEW
ALBUM reviews
MITSUKO UCHIDA
Beethoven: Diabelli Variations
Decca 4852731
++++
In the Diabelli waltz
that spawned so much
from Beethoven,
Mitsuko Uchida can’t
seem to decide if it
should be treated as a
country bumpkin or
as a precious artefact.
For the 33 Variations
that follow (recorded rather too edgily in
October last year at the Snape Maltings
Concert Hall) she offers a coherent view
of Beethoven’s commentaries if sometimes
exaggerating dynamics and over-forcing
accents, distractingly so. Clarity between the
hands is exemplary, however, as is the illusion
that this is a ‘real’ performance rather than
one built up over five days of studio time,
although the piano’s perspective does change.
The somewhat perfunctory feel at times in
her account is put to rights with Variation
18, which reaches deeper into the music,
ditto Variation 20, a still-centre, and points
to what will be sublime readings of the final
sections. Recommended with reservations, if
not above Martin Helmchen on Alpha. CA
CATHRINE PENDERUP
E Hartmann: Scandinavian Folk Music Op 30
Danacord DACOCD936-937
++++
Sold on the Lyric
Pieces (as a player and/
or listener), maybe also
other Scandinavian
tone-poets such as
Backer Grøndahl and
Peterson-Berger, and
wondering where to
go next? Try Emil Hartmann. Son of Danish
music’s father-figure JPE Hartmann (1805-
1900), Emil compiled Danish, Swedish and
Norwegian folk tunes and arranged them
more or less faithfully (some more than once)
into a collection of 50 short pieces. The style
is high-Romantic, the idiom thoroughly
pianistic, the technical demands varied, the
expression fresh as a spring breeze. Danish
pianist Cathrine Penderup inflects the dance
rhythms – the vigorous Halling, the sturdy
Polska and carefree reel – with a native
affinity. Her playing always tells a story:
a girl alone on a beach (Agnete), festivities in a
castle courtyard (Dans i borgegaard), a mother
braiding her daughter’s hair (Roselille). Every
now and then an elegy or hymn darkens
(or elevates) the scenes of everyday people
at home and at play. Airy sound gives a
well-conditioned Steinway plenty of room to
breathe. PQ
Reviews by Colin Anderson,
John Evans, Peter Quantrill
and Warwick Thompson
PETER DONOHOE
Mendelssohn Songs without Words Volume 1:
plus Rondo capriccioso Op 14 & Op 16 pieces
Chandos CHAN 20252
+++++
28 pieces totalling
80 minutes of music,
and that’s just the
first volume of Peter
Donohoe’s survey of
Mendelssohn’s Songs
without Words. Are
they quantity over
quality? No, says Donohoe, who – in his
eloquent booklet notes – explains why. For
evidence, look no further than Donohoe's
finely judged performances of the Andante
from Rondo capriccioso Op 14 and of Op
19b No 1. Elsewhere in his notes, Donohoe
writes of what he describes as the ‘ecstatic
nature of Mendelssohn’s music’. His playing
of two more favourites, Op 62 No 6 ‘Spring
Song’ and Op 67 No 4 ‘The Spinning
Song’, expresses this aspect of the composer
perfectly. Given so many songs, the potential
for discovering something new is enormous.
For me, they include Three Fantasias or
Caprices Op 16 No 3 ‘By the Brook’ and
Op 30 No 4 – a reminder that the gracious
Mendelssohn had his impatient side, too. JE
ZLATA CHOCHIEVA
Chiaroscuro: Works by Mozart & Scriabin
Naïve V7542
+++++
Chopin is the missing
link here – or to
continue the album’s
painterly analogy,
the canvas for her
wandering right hand
in the reflective sixth
of Mozart’s ‘Duport’
Variations, as it strays into the dream-world
of Scriabin’s Op 15 Preludes. The circle
turns with the initially simple steps and then
questing counterpoint of Scriabin’s Op 16 No
3, her clockwork left hand in the Andante of
his Third Sonata, and their symbiosis with the
Romantic architecture of Mozart’s D minor
Fantasia. All the same, Zlata Chochieva is
too musicianly a pianist to play Scriabin like
Mozart – or, perish the thought, vice versa.
Her fingerwork in a late, brief and searching
Mozart Gigue is pure fortepiano fantasy, and
she opens the glorious Unser dummer Pöbel
meint Variations with a perfectly straight face
before the expression breaks into laughter and
smiles, with a superbly articulated cross-hand
Variation 8 to recall the remarkable caprice of
her Chopin Etudes (on Piano Classics). As a
one-time pupil of Pletnev, Zlata explores shade
after shade of pianissimo dynamics in Scriabin’s
Tenth Sonata. No reservations. PQ
80• Pianist 127
ALEXANDER ULLMAN
Liszt: Concertos No 1 and 2; Sonata in B
minor. BBC Symphony Orch/Andrew Litton
Rubicon RCD1057
++++
A legend has it that
Liszt sang the words
‘Das versteht ihr alle
nicht, ha ha!’ (None
of you understands
this, ha ha!) to the
opening theme of his
First Piano Concerto.
I bet he wouldn’t have been so sure if he’d
heard Alexander Ullman at the keyboard.
Ullman’s natural exuberance and technical
virtuosity make him an ideal interpreter of
the great Abbé (recognised with his win at
the 2017 Franz Liszt Competition), and in
this recording of the two Concertos and the
Sonata, he exceeds all expectations. Using
careful tempi choices, outstanding lyricism,
and bold dramatic effects all the more
explosive for their restraint, he takes you on
a journey from first note to last, and brings
coherence and rigour to Liszt’s rhapsodic sense
of form. Unfortunately, the very top range of
the piano isn’t captured ideally, and sounds
a little tinkly – but that’s really a tiny fly in a
pot of otherwise luxurious ointment. WT
PAVEL KOLESNIKOV
Reynaldo Hahn Poèmes & Valses: Selections
from Le rossignol éperdu and Premières valses
Hyperion CDA68383
++++
Pity poor Reynaldo
Hahn (1874-1947)
who is almost always
introduced as ‘Proust’s
boyfriend’. Oops, I’ve
done it myself. But he
was much more than
that, as many exquisite
chansons and two enduring operettas prove.
There hasn’t been a massive amount of
interest in his solo piano music however
(Earl Wild released a collection in 2001,
and there have been a few others since), so
hurrah to Pavel Kolesnikov for stepping up
to be another champion and defender. And
what a superb one. He brings a remarkable
palette of colours, from long passages of open
pedalling, via whispered pianississimos, to an
effortless legato, and he responds with real
poetry to the Debussyesque impressionism
and salon-music melodies. The close position
of the microphone brings a magical intimacy,
too. An album of miniatures can feel a
little under-nourishing, and you might find
yourself longing for something that feels like
a main course, rather than a series of starters.
That said, Kolesnikov’s performance is so
good, it supplies any lacking nutrients. WT
REVIEW
SHEET MUSIC REVIEWS Reviews by Michael McMillan
PIANO
EXAM
PIECES
SELECTED
FROM THE
2023 & 2024
SYLLABUS
ABRSM
The ABRSM
has undergone
significant
large-scale
adaptation and
evolution of its
operations in
recent years. This includes a new iPad-based
examining interface, revamped booking
system, introduction of online theory
and video-based performance exams, and
addition of new syllabuses. All whilst coping
with the turbulence caused by Covid. Signs
of inevitable teething strain have surfaced
at times, but there are several changes in
this new piano syllabus that highlight their
endeavour to keep abreast of the latest
consumer demands and maintain their
position at the forefront of exam providers.
For the 2021 & 2022 syllabus, ABRSM
boosted its repertoire selection at each grade
from 18 to 30 pieces. For the new syllabus,
it has been increased further still to 39
pieces, perhaps to get ahead of Trinity (who
offer 35 pieces). Ironically, ABRSM has done
so by adopting the same practice that Trinity
introduced in their most recent syllabus: by
changing the pieces printed in each book and
copying across all the alternative list pieces
from the current syllabuses. Perhaps ABRSM
could have gone a different route, by looking
into its exam statistics and putting the most
frequently performed pieces from the current
syllabus onto the alternative list of the new
syllabus.
The push to recognise the works of female
composers is reflected in the repertoire
selection, with over 20 works by women
represented in the books. By comparison,
in the respective volumes from a decade
ago, there was only one. There is the usual
carefully selected blend of favourite teaching
works, pieces that have previously appeared
on this and other examining boards, and
some great finds such as Dianne Rahbee’s
Prelude Twilight (Grade 7), Samuel
Coleridge-Taylor’s Impromptu in B minor,
and Louise Farrenc’s Etude in D flat (both
Grade 8). There are a few sections where
I imagine some candidates will struggle
to connect with a piece, but the enlarged
alternative lists should provide relief. The
revamped scale requirements that kicked
in during 2021 remain in place, whilst the
sight-reading tests and aural tests are also
unchanged. With the syllabus overlap period
now extended, these books will be valid until
the end of 2025.
The overall presentation of the books is
characteristically exemplary, and, in another
sign of evolving with the times, the option to
buy the books with a CD has been dropped
and replaced with an option to buy with or
without access to downloadable recordings.
Teaching notes for all the pieces in the
books (not the ones on the alternative list)
are available under separate cover. Including
Musical Context, Technical Challenges, and
Performance and Interpretation, these are
eminently readable and informative.
SCHOENBERG
Three Piano Pieces
Op 11
Six Little Piano
Pieces Op 19
Suite Op 25
Henle
Schoenberg once
wrote about his
Three Piano
Pieces Op 11, that
‘technically they
don’t present any
particular difficulty. But their performance
demands belief and conviction’. Just bear
in mind that the recipient of the comment
was Busoni, because the music is visually
treacherous and is well beyond Grade 8.
More approachable is the Op 19 set – all but
one of which are just a page long. Fingerings
in these two sets are provided by Emmanuel
Ax. The Suite Op 25, referred to by Glenn
Gould as ‘six movements in search of an
audience’, is Schoenberg’s first complete
12-tone composition and features detailed
and unusual articulation markings. Henle’s
presentation is typically polished, and a
helpful translation of all the German terms
is provided.
DEVONSHIRE
SKETCHES
Mike Cornick
(DUET)
Mike Cornick
Devonshire Sketches
Five pieces for piano duet
Universal Edition
Mike Cornick has written
a substantial number of
UE 21 838
attractive piano duets
Universal Edition
aimed at intermediate
pianists around Grades 3-7. His Devonshire
Sketches include five pieces suitable for Grade
82• Pianist 127
4-6 pianists, and, as one might expect,
these all have a rustic character, ranging
from a cheerful ‘Country Walk’ to quiet
reflection ‘In A Country Churchyard’. The
pieces alternate between jovial and relaxed
characters, presumably to allow suitable
contrast if a complete performance of the
set is undertaken, and since melodies are
almost always contained in the upper part
perhaps players could swap if multiple
pieces are being performed. All the music is
pianistically written and the pieces are just
the right length for this level of difficulty.
DEBUSSY
Préludes Book 2
Bärenreiter
Bärenreiter released their
edition of Debussy’s first
book of Préludes around
seven years ago. The same
team that produced that
book (Kabisch/Widmaier)
has made us wait a surprisingly long time for
the second book of Préludes, but it enjoys
the same qualities as its precursor. There is a
detailed Preface which includes a description
of the work’s genesis and comments on each
individual piece, as well as some general
ideas about pedalling focusing on Bruyères.
A Glossary providing translations of all the
French terms is welcome, and Bärenreiter’s
larger than average page size allows for
spacious presentation of the musical
material. A Critical Commentary rounds
off a splendid book that is reassuringly
expensive.
FAURÉ
5 Impromptus
Bärenreiter
Fauré’s 5 Impromptus
were written in two
bursts, in 1881-83 and
1906-09. The first cluster
of three were premiered
by Saint-Saëns and
published by Hamelle. By the time Fauré
wrote the latter two, his relationship with
Hamelle had deteriorated, so these were
published by Heugel. Bärenreiter’s edition
takes these versions as a starting point,
with any revisions or corrections noted in
the commentary at the back of the book.
These pieces are all Grade 8+, and the most
popular Impromptu – No 2 – appears on
several associate level diploma syllabuses.
The premium quality and clear presentation
make Bärenreiter’s edition an obvious choice
for this set of works.
GEWA Portable Piano PP-3
NOW available

GEWA REMOTE APP | SMART TOUCH KEYBOARD

TWO-WAY SPEAKER SYSTEM | HIGH RESOLUTION GRAND PIANO SAMPLE

SIMPLE AND MODERN USER INTERFACE | BLUETOOTH AUDIO + MIDI

gewakeys
gewakeysofficial
gewakeys
// gewakeys.com
 Crafted for Your Moment.
There’s a moment every artist lives for.
Where the music flows effortlessly.
Player and piano in harmony, as one.
Reaching this state takes more than practice.
It takes a piano that feels like an extension of you.
An instrument that lets you express an extraordinary range of emotions
with exceptional tone and resonance.

Presenting the next generation CFX, our flagship concert grand.

uk.yamaha.com/cfx
 FREE ALL ABOUT JAZZ
PIANO CHORDS DOWNLOAD
WHEN YOU SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTERS

1
chords-ep.indd
All about jazz piano

19/06/
2020
14:20

Make sure you’re signed up to the

free Pianist newsletter:
• Get even more piano playing advice and tips
every month
• Read up on the latest news and concerts
from around the world
• Stay creative with our regular playing
exercises and video tutorials
• Receive exclusive offers and discounts

Register today at:

https://pianistm.ag/jazzcheatsheet
 Play like t he Gr e at s

now available in print

Visit bit.ly/composerbundle today