The Solo Piano Works of Georges Bizet
On this day exactly 150 years ago, the French composer Georges Bizet died from a heart attack. He was 36 years old. He never saw… Read More »The Solo Piano Works of Georges Bizet
Piano Repertoire
Ravel’s Solo Piano Music, part 1
The Young Alchemist (1893–1901): Forging a New Pianism Early Experiments: Spanish Grotesques and Antique Dances (1893-1895) Although Ravel’s compositional voice did not emerge fully formed,… Read More »Ravel’s Solo Piano Music, part 1
A Pianist’s Guide to the Solo Works of Maurice Ravel
On this day 150 years ago, Maurice Ravel, one of my absolute favourite composers, was born in Ciboure, a Basque town some ten miles from… Read More »A Pianist’s Guide to the Solo Works of Maurice Ravel
In Defence of ‘Salon Music’: the Legacy of a Misunderstood Genre
It is almost a dirty word, a label for a kind of polite, facile music, written for the bourgeoisie, lacking the heft of more serious,… Read More »In Defence of ‘Salon Music’: the Legacy of a Misunderstood Genre
Cecile Chaminade: ‘Marine’, op. 38
Like many of Chaminade’s solo piano works, Marine, op. 38, is in ternary form—the A section being repeated literally before leading to a coda. Gratefully… Read More »Cecile Chaminade: ‘Marine’, op. 38
Franz Liszt: La cloche sonne
Although I rarely have cause these days to paddle in the balmy waters of the lower grades of the ABRSM syllabus, a little piece on… Read More »Franz Liszt: La cloche sonne
Edvard Grieg: ‘Elegy’, no. 7 from Lyric Pieces, Op. 47
‘Elegy’, Op. 47 No. 7, the final piece in the fourth book of Lyric Pieces, published around 1888, presents challenges that are more musical than… Read More »Edvard Grieg: ‘Elegy’, no. 7 from Lyric Pieces, Op. 47
Edvard Grieg’s ‘Little Bird’, op. 43 no. 4
My survey of my favourite Grieg Lyric Pieces continues with ‘Little Bird’, from the op. 43 set. Originally titled Fruhlingslieder (Spring Songs) and first published… Read More »Edvard Grieg’s ‘Little Bird’, op. 43 no. 4
Cécile Chaminade: ‘Automne’, op. 35 no. 2
Undoubtedly one of Chaminade’s most well-known and well-loved solo piano works, ‘Automne’ comes from the collection Études de Concert, op. 35. No fewer than four… Read More »Cécile Chaminade: ‘Automne’, op. 35 no. 2
Edvard Grieg: ‘Elf-Dance’, no. 5 from Lyric Pieces, op. 12
Inspired by the folklore of his native Norway, Grieg’s ‘Elf-Dance’ is a scherzo-like movement which exemplifies many aspects of Grieg’s early piano writing. Most often… Read More »Edvard Grieg: ‘Elf-Dance’, no. 5 from Lyric Pieces, op. 12
