Canadian composer and pianist Robert Bruce has been active in Ontario for many years. He has penned copious works for the instrument, and published his first set of piano pieces in 1991 for Celestial Music Publications (his own publishing company). Robert has written music for young children, as well as piano repertoire for students which is…
Tag: Piano Music
Orchids for piano by Ed Hughes
A blog can provide the ideal opportunity to highlight less familiar Contemporary music, and this interesting set of pieces by British composer Ed Hughes (born in 1968), employs the piano in all its glory. Orchids consists of six movements written between 1990 and 2002 for a collection of fine pianists; Benjamin Morison, Stephen Gutman, Robert Saudek, Nicolas Hodges, Michael…
A few thoughts on Beethoven’s Für Elise
This small seemingly straightforward work has become such a favourite with pianists of all ages and abilities. It is perpetually at the top of the ‘must learn to play’ list. The piece is instantly recognisable from the first few notes. For many, Für Elise represents Beethoven (1770-1827). In reality, though, it holds scant importance when surveying…
Music Talk with Erica Worth
It’s been a real pleasure chatting to many wonderful concert pianists and pedagogues on camera over the past year, but the interview today takes a slightly different form to that of my Classical Conversations Series. I’m introducing a little subsidiary series called Music Talk. This series focuses on those who work in areas connected to the piano, music education,…
Rhythmic Precision in the First Movement of Beethoven’s Sonata in C Minor Op. 10 No. 1
Beethoven’s thirty-two piano sonatas are a musical autobiography, charting the composer’s development from a young man up to his death in 1827. The early sonatas are more typical of the traditional classical style. They are akin to those written by Mozart and Haydn. The last six sonatas are possibly the greatest in this genre ever written for…
‘Divine Fire’ at the Radcliffe Centre in Buckingham
The quaint, attractive market town of Buckingham is situated in North Buckinghamshire. It played host to a rather special performance which was held at the Radcliffe Centre earlier this week. The centre was formerly a splendid church. It’s attached to the University of Buckingham and has been tastefully refurbished and renovated. The centre caters perfectly for recitals and lectures….
A few thoughts on Chopin’s Nocturne No. 20 in C Sharp Minor Op. Posth.
Frédéric Chopin’s nocturnes offer a rich array of depth and emotion for both the pianist and listener. Written between 1827 and 1846, they consist of 21 short pieces. It’s generally acknowledged that the genre was developed by the Irish composer John Field. Chopin expanded on this original conception. He produced what are often considered to…