Pianist

For the passionate players, or early beginners, Pianist magazine will teach you the art of piano playing through professional advice, sheet music and lessons for all levels. Your piano playing journey starts here with the magazine that doubles as an entertaining read and the ultimate interactive piano teacher. Read, learn and play the piano with Pianist magazine every issue. Improve your piano playing and perfect your tone with 40 pages of specially selected sheet music. Whether it’s reading fascinating industry articles or putting your fingers to work with beautiful sheet music, you’ll be playing like an expert in no time with a digital subscription to Pianist magazine!

Romantically inclined

Pianist

Your chance to HAVE YOUR SAY • EMAIL: editor@pianistmagazine.com WRITE TO: The Editor, Pianist, Warners Group Publications, The Maltings, West St, Bourne, PE10 9PH. Letters may be edited.

Dream Come True • This past November, a 22-year-old pianist from Osaka was the first Japanese competitor in the history of the Hamamatsu International Piano Competition to take First Prize. Franco Soda reports from the 12th edition

Renaissance MAN • Working with both conservatoire students and living composers keeps Charles Owen’s mind fresh and his fingers ready for Schumann, he tells Peter Quantrill

FROM CARESSING THE KEYS TO BRILLIANT BRAVURA PLAYING ROMANTICALLY • From the softest of touches to the most sonorous of double octaves, Romantic repertoire requires a plethora of skills, as Mark Tanner explains

PRACTISING FOR A PERFORMANCE PART 2: DEEP LEARNING TECHNIQUES • In his previous article, Graham Fitch addressed the basics of working on a piece for performance. Here he delves deeper with layers, microbursts and Q-spots. Intrigued?

THE SCORES • Pianist 142 • Read the lessons • Play the scores

FRANK BRIDGE BERCEUSE IN B FLAT • When it comes to fluctuations in tempo and changes in dynamics, less is sometimes more in this tranquil lullaby, says Matthew Mills

ROBERT SCHUMANN AUFSCHWUNG (SOARING) FANTASIESTÜCKE OP 12 NO 2 • Lucy Parham shows you how to soar high above the clouds in her detailed lesson on this Romantic showstopper

IGNATIUS SANCHO ‘BUSHY PARK’ FROM 12 COUNTRY DANCES • A good sense of rhythm is of the essence, says Melanie Spanswick, in this catchy and energetic dance by the little-known composer

HANS-GÜNTER HEUMANN BEGINNERS KEYBOARD CLASS

Melanie SPANSWICK • On Top of the World

Johann KRIEGER (1651-1735) • Minuet in A minor

Ignatius SANCHO (1729-1780) • Bushy Park, No 4 from 12 Country Dances

Johann KUHNAU (1660-1722) • Prelude from Partita No 5

Samuil MAYKAPAR (1867-1938) • Longing for Home, from 12 Album Leaves Op 16 No 3

Joseph HAYDN (1732-1809) • No 2 from 12 Short Pieces Hob.XVII:Anh

Frank BRIDGE (1879-1941) • Berceuse

Domenico CIMAROSA (1749-1801) • Sonata in D minor C 9

Adolf von HENSELT (1814-1889) • Polka, No 9 from 10 Pieces for Piano Op 13

Edvard GRIEG (1843-1907) • Once Upon a Time, Lyric Pieces Op 71 No 1

Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856) • ‘Chopin’, No 12 from Carnaval Op 9

Fanny HENSEL (1805-1847) • Notturno in G minor H 337

Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856) • Auschwung (Soaring), No 2 from Fantasiestücke Op 12

PIANO TEACHER HELP DESK Living in the moment • Kathryn Page helps us to bring out that much-needed ‘spontaneous inspiration’ when we play the heartfelt and heavenly works of Robert Schumann

The Myra myth • Myra Hess was at the height of her career when she started the series of morale-boosting wartime concerts at the National Gallery that brought her lasting fame. Hess biographer Jessica Duchen tells the tale...