There's substance aplenty in the Chinese superstar's mercurial Chopin.

★★★★★ The superstar pianist dazzles Brisbane in an unforgettable concert.

From the concerts to the clothes, he’s never been just your average pianist. We catch up with the classical celebrity. Continue reading Get unlimited digital access from $4 per month Subscribe Already a subscriber? Log in

Imagine the archaeological thrill of tracking down musical manuscripts and finding works which have been unheard for centuries. In 2011, the Morgan Library in New York acquired a manuscript which alternates sonatas by Soler and Domenico Scarlatti (who influenced Soler’s writing deeply). Of Soler’s works in the collection, 29 were previously unknown and are recorded here for the first time. With a treasure trove of new music before him, harpsichordist Diego Ares can enjoy the interpretive freedom afforded by works without the weight of expectation. While he was composing in Spain in what is ostensibly the late Baroque, to my ears Soler’s style is more similar to that of style galant composers like CPE Bach, with an emphasis on the melodic line and musical twists aplenty. Ares’ playful style perfectly suits this music, which often breaks into a spirited flurry of semiquavers or dashes away with another fresh melody just when it is least expected.  Soler’s improvisatory compositional style is reflected in some clever programming. Ares’ notes discuss Soler’s publication of rules for improvising modulations to remote keys, and indeed Ares uses a similar method to insert a few linking passages in between sonatas. Though brief, these interludes provide just…

Lang Lang may have made the grade, but would a young Sokolov pick up a recording contract today?

The fourth in our series of interviews with the jurors for the Sydney International Piano Competition of Australia.

Bluegrass masters and Spanish virtuosi on offer at this year’s four-day Festival in the South Australian capital.

portrait of North America’s vibrant and diverse classical music culture, with works for cello, with and without piano, performed by brothers Paul and Huw Watkins. Both eminent musicians, Paul has played with the Emerson Quartet and manages a career as a conductor, while Huw is also a notable composer. Both bring technical refinement and a keen musical touch to their performances. Both Samuel Barber and Leonard Bernstein’s works are appealing, thanks to an attractive lyricism in the former’s case, and jazzy, eclectic beats and rhythms in that of the latter. Paul’s playing is full of passion, but also nuanced in capturing the lighter shades of both works. Elliott Carter’s Sonata for Cello and Piano was an important work for the composer, marking a crucial change away from a lyrical neoclassicism, to melodic angularity and radical rhythmic and metric invention. The pair’s performance here is as fresh and articulate as the work.  George Crumb’s Sonata for Solo Cello is an invigorating experience. The work is a masterpiece – expertly paced, passionate, with beautiful harmonic language and an authentic approach to virtuosity. It is the best demonstration of Paul’s expert musicality.  Finishing with music from Aaron Copland’s old-school American classic Billy the…

An Israeli violinist Barolsky has released her debut solo album, featuring some notoriously challenging works, but even from listening to the first ten seconds of any of the tracks on the album, it is obvious that she understands her own capabilities as a violinist; the technique and knowledge required to successfully perform any of these works requires true dedication to modern repertoire. Introducing the CD with Berio’s infamous Sequenza VIII, Barolsky’s intensity and connection with the work is strikingly obvious. The work itself contrasts with the composer’s other sequenzas through its more melodic approach. Barolsky conveys the work’s musicality throughout, overcoming Berio’s stereotypically “ugly” timbres while portraying a consistent agitato over the full 13 minutes. The album features some other contemporary repertoire, including works for violin and various electronic effects. Dai Fujikura’s Fluid Calligraphy was included, curiously, without the visual aid of the film for which it was scored, which might explain the slight lack of extra sparkle on this track. A personal favourite was Amos Elkana’s Reflections, which features some sort of looping. The effect came across quite convincingly, despite some slight tempo inconsistencies. Barolsky also chose to include a composition by her late father, Michael Barolsky; Prana, Sanskrit…

Friends President and Artistic Director are among those choosing the 2016 Competition running order.

This release is consistent with Hyperion’s reputation for creating warm, engaging records matched with exceptional sound. On this fourth volume, Howard Shelley tackles the Opus 35 set of Preludes and Fugues, Mendelssohn’s most substantial opus for solo piano, and pairs it with the popular fifth book of Songs Without Words. Shelley makes a strong case for these Bach-influenced studies. One listen leaves you in no doubt of his musicianship in an album executed with pristine attention to detail – his dexterity is especially on trial in the faster movements. Of particular note is the Prelude in B Minor, while the unpublished  Andante Cantabile and Presto Agitato are something else. Shelley plays with quicksilver speed and agility, but never seems to over-pump the gas. He maintains a reserved, agile, darting sound that dances up and down the keyboard with ease. In the exquisite fifth book of Songs without Words, a lesser pianist might milk phrases or revel in their sentimentality, a tendency that Shelley avoids perfectly. Instead, he marries an understanding of these wonderful Romantic phrases with the clarity that one would expect in Bach. The closing Spring Song is elegant and full of colour. This fine new recording demonstrates why…

The second in our series of interviews with the jurors for the Sydney International Piano Competition of Australia. Continue reading Get unlimited digital access from $4 per month Subscribe Already a subscriber? Log in