Uncategorized – Page 2 – The Piano Files

CD Review: Benjamin Grosvenor’s “Rhapsody In Blue”

by Mark Ainley / Uncategorized / No Comments / September 24, 2012

The celebrated British pianist Benjamin Grosvenor has released the second CD in his much-publicized contract with Decca. After last year’s critically lauded solo disc featuring compositions by Chopin, Liszt, and Ravel, his new release focuses

Commanding Nobility

by Mark Ainley / Uncategorized / 2 Comments / February 11, 2012

Rudolf Firkušný had the air of a warm-hearted diplomat. His elegant demeanour and refined presence came through both his playing and his interactions with the people in his life. The Czech pianist studied with

Impassioned Elegance

by Mark Ainley / Uncategorized / 4 Comments / July 19, 2011

One of the mysteries of the musical world is how some performers make a huge name for themselves whereas others don’t. There are multiple factors which play into this, luck, attitude, sensitivity, and personality traits

A Bold Debut Disc

by Mark Ainley / Uncategorized / 1 Comment / July 9, 2011

Benjamin Grosvenor’s highly anticipated first CD on Decca is issued in the UK on Monday July 11. The young pianist, who turned 19 a few days before the release, continues to play with the brilliant

Expansive Precision

by Mark Ainley / Uncategorized / No Comments / March 20, 2011

When I first heard of Youri Egorov, it was in reference to my favourite pianist, Dinu Lipatti. I was reading a French dictionary of performers, and in the description under Egorov’s name it stated that

Frenetic Intensity

by Mark Ainley / Uncategorized / No Comments / March 19, 2011

Vladimir Horowitz was an easy pianist for me to love when I was younger. His fingerwork was dazzling and he brought great excitement to his interpretations. As I came to appreciate other pianists’ playing and

Glowing Reverence

by Mark Ainley / Uncategorized / No Comments / March 19, 2011

When I visited the soprano Elisabeth Schwarzkopf at her home outside of Zurich in 1992 as part of my research into Dinu Lipatti, she asked me about a recording Lipatti had made of the Bach-Busoni

Eloquent Bravura

by Mark Ainley / Uncategorized / No Comments / March 19, 2011

When I visited London a couple of years ago, I went to see Jonathan Summers at the National Library. He is a walking dictionary about the piano and great pianists, and always has some interesting

Refined Precision

by Mark Ainley / Uncategorized / 1 Comment / March 19, 2011

Geza Anda was most known for his performance of the complete Mozart Piano Concertos, particularly as his recording of the second movement of the beautiful C Major Concerto K.467 had been chosen for the popular

Distinguished Elegance

by Mark Ainley / Uncategorized / No Comments / March 19, 2011

The French pianist Alfred Cortot soon became one of my favourite pianists – once I got used to the fact that he didn’t always hit all the notes. In our era of sterile perfection in

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