Posts – Page 13 – The Piano Files

Resources for Historical Piano Recordings

by Mark Ainley / Uncategorized / No Comments / May 27, 2015

If you are interested in purchasing recordings of the artists featured in my posts, the following sources may be useful – most of which are the labels themselves. I always suggest, if possible, that you

The Firebrand

by Mark Ainley / Feature / Recordings / No Comments / August 19, 2014

The Israeli-American pianist Natan Brand was one of the most fiery of pianists, a towering talent with a mercurial temperament that fuelled his impassioned conceptions. When he died in 1990 at the age of 46,

Benjamin Grosvenor’s ‘Dances’

by Mark Ainley / Download / Preview / No Comments / August 1, 2014

Benjamin Grosvenor’s new album ‘Dances’ launches on August 4, 2014 in the UK and a few weeks later in North America. I am delighted to have had the opportunity to write the booklet notes

The Valse Mélancolique

by Mark Ainley / Uncategorized / 3 Comments / December 31, 2012

For fans of great music, the possibility of a new discovery is always tantalizing. However, there are times when a work is misattributed – the famous ‘Albinoni Adagio’, for example, was written centuries after the

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

Twilight of a God

by Mark Ainley / Feature / Recordings / No Comments / April 23, 2012

Alfred Cortot’s name is sometimes uttered with disdain for his technical ability at the keyboard. It is indeed a fact that some of Cortot’s performances have wrong notes, something that our sanitized ears today are

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

Benjamin Grosvenor Interview

by Mark Ainley / Interview / 3 Comments / July 11, 2011

Benjamin Grosvenor photographed by Sussie Ahlburg The music industry is not an easy place for a young pianist like Benjamin Grosvenor. Young talents are often sold as the flavour of the month, receiving simultaneously undue praise

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

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