Skip to main content
Read page text
page 6
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 WAR OF WORDS Thank you for your coverage of Wilhelm Backhaus by Benjamin Ivry in Issue 66. This was timely given Decca’s long overdue release of Backhaus’ complete recordings, but I was puzzled by the article’s intent: was it an examination of Backhaus’ pianism, a moral judgement of his life, or a study of how someone’s values influence their musicianship? Readers would do well to refer to Nalen Anthoni’s article on Backhaus, ‘Variations on an Enigma’, from the Summer 1997 edition of International Classical Record Collector. Anthoni suggests that although Backhaus never spoke about his wartime experience, it doubtless impacted his playing: ‘Characteristically Backhaus appears never to have disclosed the privations he endured. But many of his postwar recordings speak of a distressed mind.’ Mr Ivry suggests that Backhaus placed ‘career advancement, and nationalist feelings, above humanity’, yet failed to mention that Backhaus was twice imprisoned in a labour camp because he refused to accompany Furtwängler and the Berlin Philharmonic on a tour of occupied Europe. Phan Ming Yen, Singapore REVOLUTIONARY STUDIES I was intrigued by the article about Piano Portals in Issue 65 and want to respond to the author’s ‘playful Keyboard pedagogue Carl Czerny challenge’. Superficially, it reads like a good idea. However, it does not stand up to close scrutiny. It is long on management speak and very short on detail. Taking the list of 10 key points, No 9 states: ‘The relatively few who thrive on technical exercises have instinctively cultivated an impervious, harmonious whole-body coordination.’ The author then says, ‘Others who are prescribed them thrive because they ignore advice and do not play them.’ Where is the evidence for this statement? If exercises were not useful then piano teachers would not use them. When working on a technical piece, by say Wieck or Czerny, my piano teacher wants me to make it musical. Moreover, studies by other composers have been always treated as pieces of music. The rest of the list can be similarly analysed. Some, such as No 2, make obvious points that would be covered by any good teacher, while No 4 suggests that fingering is not important! There is nothing wrong with someone coming up with a new methodology, but this is not the revolution it heralds. Derrick Baughan, via email P T C 5 1 8 6 7 5 6 Musical Reflections on the Slavonic Soul Musical Reflections on the Sl Nelly at the sele Ma cycle Med brea while Slavo la y e e az e dt at s on Slavonic Reflections, recorded by Nelly Akopian-Tamarina in recital at the Wigmore Hall, is a highly personal selection of piano music containing Mazurkas by Chopin and Janáček’s cycle In the Mists, as well as encores by Medtner and Liadov. The programme breathes a melancholic air of sadness, while simultaneously showing an equally Slavonic passion for dance and nature. NEW ALBUM! Discover here: sma smarturl.it/SlavonicReflections www.pentatonemusic.com 6 January/February 2021 International Piano Distributed in the UK by www.international-piano.com
page 7
NEWS NOTES IANOS PHOUSE COACH Coach House Pianos opens new London showroom UK piano supplier Coach House Pianos has opened a new showroom in London. The showroom is located in the Art Deco-style Talisman Building on New King’s Road in the Chelsea Design Quarter, southwest London. It plays host to a wide range of grand and upright pianos from world-leading brands, including new Bösendorfer Vienna Concert grands, the latest hybrid ‘silent’ pianos and self-playing baby grands. Music meets fine art at Coach House Pianos in London A custom design studio on site allows clients to personalise their new piano or work with designers and manufacturers to create unique statement instruments. Also housed within the showroom is London’s new Bösendorfer Hall, an intimate venue for hosting online and live performances. The showroom interior has been designed by Ken Bolan, antiques dealer and founder of Talisman. Furnishings include fine art, 20th-century designer furniture, antiques and objets d’art – all of which are available to buy. It’s a bold move for a piano company at a time when many retailers are cutting costs due to the pandemic, but Coach House Pianos founder Nick Rusling is confident the gamble will pay off: ‘The last few months have made everyone realise how important our homes and interests are, and we have seen a huge surge in the desire for better and more beautiful pianos.’ The company’s education manager David Halford is similarly positive about the future, particularly when it comes to his plans for Bösendorfer Hall. ‘As soon as live events resume we will launch an annual season of recitals curated by the Russian pianist Yulia Chaplina,’ he explains. ‘Our partner schools will also be invited to make use of the space, and we can consider applications from charities who need a music venue for fundraising events.’ Coach House Pianos is currently offering showroom tours via video link for customers who book in advance. coachhousepianos.co.uk February 2021, and two winners will be announced on 1 March. Ciccolini Academy launches online piano competition The Aldo Ciccolini European Arts Academy, Italy, has announced the launch of a new online piano competition. The Ciccolini Prize Competition will be held at least once a year and is open to pianists of all ages and nationalities. The inaugural competition is accepting applications until 1 Each winner will be offered a recording contract with Divine Art Records to make an album for the label’s new Debut Series. Recording sessions will take place in the Palace of the Arts Beltrani in Trani, Italy, on a Steinway model D-274. Applicants are invited to submit a 25-minute video performance with their own choice of repertoire. Entries will be assessed by a jury led by competition president Pierluigi Camicia and artistic director Alfonso Soldano. Stephen Sutton, CEO of Divine Art, said: ‘It is a great privilege for us to be chosen as the Ciccolini Academy’s partner in this exciting new web-based competition. Though, of course, a concert hall performance in front of the jury is preferable, this format will allow more pianists to enter without the expense and diffi culty of travel to a venue.’ accademiaciccolini.org www.international-piano.com International Piano January/February 2021 7

Page Text

View plaintext

NEWS NOTES

IANOS

PHOUSE

COACH

Coach House Pianos opens new London showroom UK piano supplier Coach House Pianos has opened a new showroom in London. The showroom is located in the Art Deco-style Talisman Building on New King’s Road in the Chelsea Design Quarter, southwest London. It plays host to a wide range of grand and upright pianos from world-leading brands, including new Bösendorfer Vienna Concert grands, the latest hybrid ‘silent’ pianos and self-playing baby grands.

Music meets fine art at Coach

House Pianos in London

A custom design studio on site allows clients to personalise their new piano or work with designers and manufacturers to create unique statement instruments. Also housed within the showroom is London’s new Bösendorfer Hall, an intimate venue for hosting online and live performances. The showroom interior has been designed by Ken Bolan, antiques dealer and founder of Talisman. Furnishings include fine art, 20th-century designer furniture, antiques and objets d’art – all of which are available to buy.

It’s a bold move for a piano company at a time when many retailers are cutting costs due to the pandemic, but Coach House Pianos founder Nick Rusling is confident the gamble will pay off: ‘The last few months have made everyone realise how important our homes and interests are, and we have seen a huge surge in the desire for better and more beautiful pianos.’ The company’s education manager David Halford is similarly positive about the future, particularly when it comes to his plans for Bösendorfer Hall. ‘As soon as live events resume we will launch an annual season of recitals curated by the Russian pianist Yulia Chaplina,’ he explains. ‘Our partner schools will also be invited to make use of the space, and we can consider applications from charities who need a music venue for fundraising events.’

Coach House Pianos is currently offering showroom tours via video link for customers who book in advance. coachhousepianos.co.uk

February 2021, and two winners will be announced on 1 March.

Ciccolini Academy launches online piano competition The Aldo Ciccolini European Arts Academy, Italy, has announced the launch of a new online piano competition. The Ciccolini Prize Competition will be held at least once a year and is open to pianists of all ages and nationalities. The inaugural competition is accepting applications until 1

Each winner will be offered a recording contract with Divine Art Records to make an album for the label’s new Debut Series. Recording sessions will take place in the Palace of the Arts Beltrani in Trani, Italy, on a Steinway model D-274.

Applicants are invited to submit a 25-minute video performance with their own choice of repertoire. Entries will be assessed by a jury led by competition president Pierluigi Camicia and artistic director Alfonso Soldano.

Stephen Sutton, CEO of Divine Art, said: ‘It is a great privilege for us to be chosen as the Ciccolini Academy’s partner in this exciting new web-based competition. Though, of course, a concert hall performance in front of the jury is preferable, this format will allow more pianists to enter without the expense and diffi culty of travel to a venue.’ accademiaciccolini.org www.international-piano.com

International Piano January/February 2021 7

read next page

My Bookmarks

Buy this Book
Skip to main content