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LETTERS Write to International Piano, St Jude’s Church, Dulwich Road, London SE24 0PB, email international.piano@markallengroup.com or tweet @IP_mag. Star letters will receive a free CD from Hyperion’s best-selling Romantic Piano Concertos series SPONSORED BY HYPERION RECORDS THE ART OF FINGERING In her provocative article ‘Stretched to the limit’ (Issue 80, page 12), Margaret Fingerhut writes: ‘... it begs the question as to what point there is in including any fingerings at all.’ To which the answer clearly is, ‘None whatsoever’. She then adds, ‘... we have to assume that editorial fingerings are geared towards the vast majority of piano players and students who might appreciate this sort of guidance’, by which I assume she means amateurs. But do we ‘appreciate’ it? I certainly don’t. The first thing I do when I start learning a new piece is Tippex over the fingerings so I can work them out myself. And so, in my opinion, should everyone – even beginners. As Fingerhut says, no fingerings will ever suit everyone and it is part of the art of playing the piano to find solutions that suit you and make it possible to play expressively without awkwardness or strain. So ‘down with editorial fingerings in general’, I say! Joseph Laredo, via email MAKING MUSIC MATTER In the March 2022 issue of International Piano, Charivari writes of the marginalising of so-called ‘classical ‘ or ‘serious’ music’ (Ill-Tempered Clavier, Issue 80, page 14). He speaks of education as the solution but goes on to point out that music is now generally viewed as an ‘extra’ or ‘sideline’ requiring additional payment. When I related this situation to Sergei Dorensky, the long-time head of keyboard studies in Moscow, he listened in amazement and responded: ‘But surely great music is part of a country’s cultural heritage?’ Charivari suggests that Bach, Beethoven and Wagner should be as relevant to the classroom as Shakespeare, Dickens and the Brontë sisters. Indeed, those of us who cherish music – the truest mirror of human experience – will surely support Charivari’s call for education in a rich and inclusive sense, of quality set against philistinism. Bryce Morrison, via email IN HARMONY I couldn’t agree more with the Cliburn International Piano Competition’s decision to invite pianists from Russia and Belarus to take part in this year’s finals in Fort Worth (‘The Russians are coming’, Issue 83, page 29). I understand that audiences at the live rounds have shown them a warm welcome almost equal to the applause received by the Ukrainian competitor. It will be interesting to see this year’s results on 18 June and I look forward to reading International Piano’s coverage of the competition in your next issue. Jane McMaster, via email 6 July/August 2022 International Piano www.international-piano.com
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NEWS NOTES CANET T Y-CL ARKE IM S Stephen Hough awarded knighthood Pianist, composer and writer Stephen Hough has been awarded a knighthood in the Queen’s Birthday Honour’s List 2022 for his Services to Music. The first British-born classical pianist to be knighted since 1977, Hough was made a CBE in 2014 and has won many accolades including eight Gramophone Awards. He is scheduled to give 90 concerts in the 2022-23 season, which also features the world premiere of his song cycle Songs of Love and Loss, co-commissioned by Wigmore Hall, New York’s 92nd Street Y and Tippet Rise Art Center in Montana, US. Hough grew up in Cheshire, North West England and attended Chetham’s School of Music, the Royal Northern College of Music and the Juilliard School in New York. He is one of Britain’s most admired and beloved cultural figures whose career to date has embraced 70 recordings and 29 Proms appearances. As a composer, he has written for both Westminster Abbey and Cathedral, the Cliburn Foundation, the Takács Quartet and many others. Hough’s Rough Ideas: Reflections on Music and More won a 2020 Royal Philharmonic Society Award, and his memoir Enough: Scenes from Childhood will be published by Faber in spring 2023. He is a visiting professor at the Royal Academy of Music and holds the International Chair of Piano Studies at his alma mater, the Royal Northern College in Manchester. He is also a member of the faculty at New York’s Juilliard School. Hough recently performed at the launch of Yamaha’s new CFX concert grand (see page 70) and is the subject of a mural which he unveiled last month in the C. Bechstein Centre Manchester. stephenhough.com Casio Music UK launches Wellness Hub Casio Music UK, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of electronic keyboards and digital pianos, has launched a Wellness Hub – an online resource that explores the positive impact of music on health and wellbeing. the creation of animated videos, the bene�ts are split into three categories: Smarter, Happier and Healthier. An extensive range of positive outcomes is highlighted, all supported by studies and research referenced on the webpage. The Wellness Hub contains information highlighting the bene�ts of learning to play an instrument in supporting mental health. Through research and The launch of the Wellness Hub complements a research project launched by Casio called ‘Light Up My Life‘. Fifty lighting-key keyboards were sent to care homes across the UK via care provider MHA in partnership with Music for Dementia. This enabled researchers to gain a deeper understanding of how music can positively impact people living with dementia. Findings from this project will be available soon on the Wellness Hub. Neil Evans, head of Casio EMI, commented: ‘Through these initiatives, we are making much- needed strides to drive the conversation linking the positive impacts of music participation and overall wellbeing. Our aim is to build on existing research and gain a better understanding of how learning to play an instrument can improve everyday life for a wide range of people and age groups.’ casio.co.uk/emi/ musicandwellbeing www.international-piano.com International Piano July/August 2022 7

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LETTERS

Write to International Piano, St Jude’s Church, Dulwich Road, London SE24 0PB, email international.piano@markallengroup.com or tweet @IP_mag. Star letters will receive a free CD from Hyperion’s best-selling Romantic Piano Concertos series

SPONSORED BY HYPERION RECORDS

THE ART OF FINGERING In her provocative article ‘Stretched to the limit’ (Issue 80, page 12), Margaret Fingerhut writes: ‘... it begs the question as to what point there is in including any fingerings at all.’ To which the answer clearly is, ‘None whatsoever’. She then adds, ‘... we have to assume that editorial fingerings are geared towards the vast majority of piano players and students who might appreciate this sort of guidance’, by which I assume she means amateurs.

But do we ‘appreciate’ it? I certainly don’t. The first thing I do when I start learning a new piece is Tippex over the fingerings so I can work them out myself.

And so, in my opinion, should everyone – even beginners. As Fingerhut says, no fingerings will ever suit everyone and it is part of the art of playing the piano to find solutions that suit you and make it possible to play expressively without awkwardness or strain. So ‘down with editorial fingerings in general’, I say! Joseph Laredo, via email

MAKING MUSIC MATTER In the March 2022 issue of International Piano, Charivari writes of the marginalising of so-called ‘classical ‘ or ‘serious’ music’ (Ill-Tempered Clavier, Issue 80, page 14). He speaks of education as the solution but goes on to point out that music is now generally viewed as an ‘extra’ or ‘sideline’ requiring additional payment. When I related this situation to Sergei Dorensky, the long-time head of keyboard studies in Moscow, he listened in amazement and responded: ‘But surely great music is part of a country’s cultural heritage?’

Charivari suggests that Bach, Beethoven and Wagner should be as relevant to the classroom as Shakespeare, Dickens and the Brontë sisters. Indeed, those of us who cherish music – the truest mirror of human experience – will surely support Charivari’s call for education in a rich and inclusive sense, of quality set against philistinism. Bryce Morrison, via email

IN HARMONY I couldn’t agree more with the Cliburn International Piano Competition’s decision to invite pianists from Russia and Belarus to take part in this year’s finals in Fort Worth (‘The Russians are coming’, Issue 83, page 29). I understand that audiences at the live rounds have shown them a warm welcome almost equal to the applause received by the Ukrainian competitor. It will be interesting to see this year’s results on 18 June and I look forward to reading International Piano’s coverage of the competition in your next issue. Jane McMaster, via email

6 July/August 2022 International Piano www.international-piano.com

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