International Piano

Expert advice for every piano enthusiast

International Piano offers a rich mix of inspiration and guidance to pianists and piano fans around the world, from dedicated amateurs and students to professional pianists, teachers and aficionados. Celebrating the piano in all its forms, including the fortepiano and digital keyboards, each edition of our magazine is packed with interviews, features, news and reviews showcasing the top artists of today and yesteryear.

Practical advice for players runs the gamut from articles on technique and repertoire to learning resources and study courses, plus the latest developments in piano technology. Our goal is to draw together the fascinating strands that make the piano such a popular instrument, enhancing every reader’s knowledge and supporting those who strive to master its challenges.

The cover of the October issue of International Piano features Lukas Geniušas, who has made the world premiere recording of Rachmaninov’s Piano Sonata No 1 in its unpublished original version. He talks to Jeremy Nicholas about discovering this manuscript in a library in Moscow, and how Rachmaninov’s longer original compares with the published version.

 

In other features this month, Mark Ainley continues his column on great pianists from the past by considering the small but precious recorded legacy of Dinu Lipatti; Bryce Morrison examines the unique pianism of Glenn Gould, who continues to both inspire and exasperate and whose Bach-playing remains hugely influential; Guy Rickards explores the history on record of a set of piano miniatures by Sibelius; Charles Timbrell writes a fascinating piece on how pianists from the early 20th century who were known to Debussy played the composer’s music, and what we can learn from them; and Ingmar Lazar introduces his new album of César Franck’s piano music, which includes the first recording of a youthful piano sonata.

 

That’s not all. Murray McLachlan continues his educational guide for pianists returning to the instrument; we offer a round-up of the piano courses on offer at American conservatoires; and Christopher Elton gives some tips on performing Schumann’s popular Arabeske. In our reviews coverage, Jonathan Dobson listens to the early recordings of Shura Cherkassky, and we assess new recordings from Víkingur Ólafsson, Igor Levit, Francesco Piemontesi, Pierre-Laurent Aimard and many others, as well as presenting round-ups of festivals in Verbier and Rosendal. Finally, this issue’s ‘Music of my Life’ features Stewart Goodyear, who talks about five pianists and five recordings that helped to shape him as a musician.