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Pianist 87
CONTENTS
December 2015-January 2016 The next issue of Pianist goes on sale 29 January 2016
WIN! A YAMAHA CLAVINOVA
5
8 72
10 4 Editor’s Note 5
Reader Competition Win a Clavinova worth over £2,000!
6 Readers’ Letters 8
News Erica Worth’s report from the exciting finals of the Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw
10 Beatrice Rana She won silver at the last Van Cliburn Competition, and has just released a disc with Tchaikovsky No 1 and Prokofiev No 2 concertos. Jessica Duchen catches up with the dynamic and thoughtful young Italian
24 How to Play 3 Lucy Parham on Rachmaninov’s profound Elégie op 3 no 1 (Scores page 59)
76 Subscribe today for just £4.50 an issue by Direct Debit and choose a volume of festive Christmas piano pieces
27 The Scores A pullout section of 40 pages of sheet music for all levels
78 This year’s piano round-up From glam grands to feature-packed digitals, Gez Kahan looks at some top keyboard choices to add to your ‘wish list’ for the holiday season, including a Steinway player piano and a Maria João Pires edition (above) from Yamaha
45 Beginner Keyboard Class Hans-Günter Heumann’s Lesson No 15: Minor scales 67 Michael Roll As his 70th birthday recital at the Wigmore Hall draws near, Michael Roll talks about life since winning the first Leeds in 1963
14 How to Play Masterclass 1 Mark Tanner on making best use of a metronome and finding an inner pulse
68 Winners’ Circle Love them or loathe them, competitions can change a pianist’s career overnight. Inge Kjemtrup delves into the high-stakes world where you don’t always have to strike gold for instant fame
18 How to Play Masterclass 2
72 A Perfect Arrangement We give
Graham Fitch on managing leaps Don’t miss Graham’s onlineyour lessons!
20 How to Play 1 Melanie Spanswick guides you through Gurlitt’s Little Flower op 205 no 4 (Scores page 30) 22 How to Play 2 Janet Newman on Grieg’s Lyric Piece op 12 no 5 (Scores page 36)
78
an overview of Pianist’ firstfinish, composing competition from starts to plus an interview with winner Derry Bertenshaw (his winning arrangement, Scarborough Fair, features inside Scores on page 53)
74 Casio’s Celviano Grand Hybrid Erica Worth takes a trip to Berlin to witness the unveiling of Casio’s new hybrid piano. Why Berlin? All is revealed
Cover photo: © Marie Staggat/Warner Classics. Images this page, clockwise from top left: © Grzedzinski/Chopin Piano Competition; © Marie Staggat/Warner Classics; © Martin J Bieling/Yamaha. Notice: Every effort has been made to secure permission for copyrighted material in this magazine, however, should copyrighted material inadvertently have been used, copyright acknowledgement will be made in a later issue of the magazine.
84 CD Reviews Marius Dawn flags up the best new box set releases, just in time for the gift-giving season – from the perfectionist Michelangeli to the unjustly forgotten Dinorah Varsi as well as a truly monumental (81 discs) Glenn Gould set 88 Sheet Music Review New editions of classics by Bach, Beethoven and Schubert, as well as tangos, klezmer and a recommendable playing-by-ear volume 89 Classifieds
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Editor’s note
W
e pianists are a remarkable breed. No matter what our level of playing, we are constantly striving for the higheststandards possible, even if we are only able to squeezein 15 minutes of practice in a day. We’re like moths drawn to the flame (perhaps that’s the real inspiration behind Scriabin’s frenzied Vers la flamme). As it happens, the topic of high standards weaves its waythrough this issue. Piano competitions are all about high standards, and 2015 has been bumper a year, with many of the best-known competitions taking place one after an other. One of the biggest is the Chopin Piano Competition inWarsaw, which I attended in October. I was deeply impressed by the high level of playing from
Pianist www.pianistmagazine.com PUBLISHER Warners Group Publications plc Director: Stephen Warner Publisher: Janet Davison EDITORIAL 6 Warrington Crescent, London, W9 1EL, UK Tel: +44 (0)20 7266 0760 Fax: +44 (0)20 7286 0748 Editor: Erica Worth
the even thoseInge whoKjemtrup didn’t getdelves past the firstdeeply roundinto (seethe report, pagecompetitors, 8). Elsewhere in from the issue, more world of piano competitions, which have often been criticised for favouring athletic technical ability over musicality. Still, there’s no doubt about it – winning a major competition can change apianist’s life overnight. Even being one of the top prizewinnerscan help, as the career of our own cover artist, Beatrice Rana, who won silver medal at the last Van Cliburn Competition, shows. A pianist can even make a career on the basis of not winning. Consider the case of Ivo Pogorelich: Martha Argerich famously stormed off of the Chopin jury when he was voted out in the third round. We encourage high standards at Pianist as well, of course, and last year we launchedour first-ever composing competition. On page 72, I write about the srcin of the competition, the brilliant entries we received and the difficulty of narrowing 87 entries down to a single winner. Please try your hand at playing the wonderful winning arrangement – Derry Bertenshaw’s Scarborough Fair(page 53). It’s not only pianists and composers who are setting the bar high. Piano manufacturers are continu ally improving and, yes, evolving their offerings. In this issu e, you can read my report from Berlin, where Casio launched its new hybrid piano in collaboration with a renowned German piano maker. If you’ re thinking about a new piano, you won’t want to miss Gez Kahan’s four-page piano round-up, where he looks at a huge assortment of pianos – grand, upright anddigital – for all tastes and budgets. There’ s more of that in the 32-page Digital Piano Guide that comes free with thisssue. i Finally, you might notice the reader competition below is missing. Fear not. We have set our standards high here too, with our competition to a win aClavinova worth over £2,000! (See opposite page for details.)
[email protected] Deputy editor: Inge Kjemtrup
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In the meantime, my team and I wish you a joyous holiday season. Don’t forget to practise, even if just for 15 minutes a day – keep your standards high!
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4• Pianist 64
ISSN 1475 - 1348
READER COMPETITION
WIN!
A CLAVINOVA One lucky Pianist reader will win a Clavinova CLP-545
WORTH OVER
£2,000
Readers of Pianist will know by now what a popular instrument the Yamaha Clavinova is. It’s great for all levels of piano players – from the beginner student to the more seriously advanced pianist. e CLP-545 features sound samples taken from both the Yamaha concert grand CFX and Bösendorfer Grand Imperial pianos. In total, there are 8 piano voices and 26 other instrument voices, all of which have been greatly improved compared to previous models. e model starts from £1,714, going up to £2,027 for the Polished Black finish. Together with 88-key sampling and 256-note polyphony, the (25W + 25W) x 2 amplifier and speaker system has also been upgraded to deliver the dynamic sounds of the instrument in superb quality. e piano also sounds superb
when using headphones, thanks to Yamaha’s Stereophonic Optimiser system. Touch and response are, of course, extremely important in a piano and, on the CLP-545, they are outstanding thanks to the revolutionary
NWX action with escapement feel and synthetic Ivory key tops. e user interface has been completely redesigned and is now both easier to use and less intrusive. By placing all controls to the left of the keyboard and incorporating a new back-lit LCD screen, the whole instrument has been given a more sophisticated appearance. ere’s a 16-track MIDI sequencer, rhythms, audio recording and a built-in lesson repertoire with over 300 songs. e instrument can also interface with Yamaha’s popular NoteStar App for iPad, with optional wireless connectivity. e styling is designed to create the image of a traditional upright piano and there are six colour choices, including Black Walnut, Dark Rosewood, Mahogany, White, Polished Black and the new White Ash. e lucky winner will be able to choose whatever finish they want – it doesn’t get much better than that!
WINEnter THIS CLAVINOVA PIANO!To enter, answer the question below online atwww.pianistmagazine.com/competitions QUESTION: How many piano voices are there on the Clavinova CLP-545? A. 4
B. 16
C. 8
To enter by post, simply send a postcard to: Sally Bridgewater, Clavinova Competition (PIA/Nov15/Clavinova), Warners Group Publications, 5th Floor, 31-32 Park Row, Leeds, LS1 5JD. *Please include your full name and full contact information. Closing date Friday 29 January 2016. UK entrants only.
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grandhybrid.co.uk 5• Pianist 77
News The Chopin show
There were 17 judges with 17 different opinions, plus an audience with its own views, but everyone was happy with the final results at the 17th International Chopin PianoCompetition.Erica Worthattended the concerto finals
M
usic history was made in the early hours of 21 October when 21-year-old Seong-Jin Cho became the first South Korean in the history of the Chopin Piano Competition to take the gold medal. e 17-person jury’s verdict was read out in the foyer of Warsaw’s Filharmonia Narodowa to a jam-packed crowd, and I shared in the excitement, having heard all nine E minor Concertos and one F minor during the three nights of the finals. e impressive jury included previous winners of the competition such as Adam Harasiewicz (1955), Martha Argerich (1965), Garrick Ohlsson (1970) and Yundi Li (2000); distinguished Chopin players such as Nelson Goerner and Piotr Paleczny and Chopin expert John Rink. I agreed with the jury that Seong-Jin Cho (pictured above) deserved his victory, not least for his poetic, noble and moving account of the E minor Concerto. ere were points in his performance when I might have liked a bit more daring and and at other times more left-hand power (possibly the fault of the orchestra, which was a little overpowering at times), but Cho’s opening of the Romance slow movement overshadowed all of this. His playing was utterly sincere and well-shaped, bringing out an exquisite tone from the instrument. Cho’s runs were crystal clear and always rounded off beautifully. efull Rondo third movement was of witty exuberance. All in all, fine playing, with tight collaboration with conductor Jacek Kaspszyk and the Warsaw Philharmonic. Cho also won the Fryderyk Chopin Society Prize for best performance of a polonaise. North Americans were in full force
this year, with Charles Richard-Hamelin (26, Canada; pictured below) taking silver medal; his compatriot, Yike (Tony) Yang, placed fifth. Richard-Hamelin was the only finalist who opted for the F minor Concerto. While his first movement came across somewhat hurried, the second was totally convincing – broad and expressive throughout and with a spellbinding return to the main subject. e exciting finale contained an abundance of Slavic feel, even if there was again some rushing in places, most noticeably in the coda. Richard-Hamelin is a mature and strong-willed musical personality. I heard his third-round B minor Sonata performance on the competition’s television channel and I could understand why his powerful interpretation won him the Krystian Zimerman Prize for best performance of a sonata. Bronze medal winner Kate Liu (21, USA; pictured left) gave the audience a real treat with her dreamy and lingering account of the E minor Concerto. It seemed her aim was to suspend a moment in time – and she succeeded, what with her deep rich tone, heard to its best advantage in the magical opening of the slow movement. And what phrasing! is pianist is special. My only quibble was that there were moments where it all became a bit too static and ‘stretched out’. Liu also won the Polish Radio Prize for best performance of the mazurkas. e remaining prizewinners were Eric Lu (17, USA, fourth prize), Yike YangDmitry (17, Canada, fifth (Tony) prize) and Shishkin (23, Russia, sixth prize) – all of them worthy laureates. I must make a particular mention of Lu, who offered up a sensitive and thoughtful account of the E minor Concerto, even if his nerves got in the way. Honourable mentions went to Aljosa Jurinić (Croatia), Aimi Koboyashi 8. Pianist 87
(Japan), Szymon Nehring (Poland) and Georgijs Osokins (Latvia). As had been the case at the last competition five years ago, the contestants had the choice of playing on a Fazioli, Kawai, Steinway or Yamaha at the start. By the last round, the ten finalists had opted for Steinway or Yamaha (split straight down the middle, with five finalists on each). Of the three winners, both Cho and Liu played Steinway, while Richard-Hamelin opted for Yamaha. At the press conference that took place directly after the judges’ verdict, a smiling Cho said, ‘I decided to enter this competition when I was 11. It became my dream. For me, the second and third rounds were really tough… I mean, really! e Finals weren’t so bad at all. I actually had to check on YouTube afterwards how I played, because I couldn’t remember!’ I attended Cho’s London debut concert on 5 November at the Royal Festival Hall with the Philharmonia under Vladimir Ashkenazy, and the concert confirmed Cho’s newly earned star status. He played the E minor Concerto with astounding phrasing (exquisite in the tender slow movement), beauty of tone and just enough bravura. His encore, the ‘Raindrop’ Prélude, left the audience wanting more; he played with fantasy and profundity, with a firm, almost threatening LH pulse in the middle section. Cho is not the only winner of a big competition this year, of course. At the Tchaikovsky Competition, which took place at the end of June, 27-year-old Russian Dmitry Masleev scooped up first prize. At the Leeds Competition in September, another Russian, 25-year-old Ana Tsybuleva took first prize. And in at the Long first ibaud Crespin Competition October, prize was not awarded, but 16-year-old British pianist Julian Trevelyan came in second.
Seong-Jin Cho makes his International Piano Series debut on 11 March at St John’s, Smith Square, London (www.sjss.org.uk). Cho’s new all-Chopin disc (Deutsche Grammophon 795334) is out now. Read about the world of piano competitions on page 68.
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INTERVIEW
SUNNY SIDE UP Beatrice Rana won a silver medal (and a following) at the Van Cliburn Competition in 2013 – and now a new Tchaikovsky/Prokofiev disc looks to take her career up into the stratosphere. Jessica Duchen meets her
B
eatrice Rana, the youthful Italian pianist whose debut concerto recording pairs her with no less a maestro than Antonio Pappano, has braved a horrendous storm to meet me at the London offi ces of Warner Classics. It never rains but it pours – an old maxim that is just as true of today’s weather as it is of Rana’s career. Since she won silver medal at the 2013 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, her career has taken off in earnest. She entered the contest, she says, because she had wanted ‘an upgrade’. gotVirtuosity one. , the recently If you’veShe seen released documentary by Christopher Wilkinson about the 2013 Van Cliburn Competition (and if you haven’t, it’s worth a look), you’ll have seen Rana there. Aged 20 at the time, she is shown surrounded by her family – her parents both pianists, her sister a cellist – who seem always to be smiling and laughing with her, plus a soulful-eyed dog whom she insists leaves the room if she is not playing well. You might also notice that Rana is seriously brainy. In person as well, it’s hard to believe that Rana is only 22 years old, so analytical is her thinking and so mature her approach to the piano and the music she performs upon it. Pappano, it turns out, was crucial to the genesis of their new recording, which features the Tchaikovsky Concerto No 1 and, more unusually, Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No 2. It seems that he invited her to record with him. ‘Of course I knew Pappano’s way of conducting and admire him very much,’ Rana says. ‘He got to know my playing and I was privileged to be asked by him for the recording. I arrived with a lot of expectations, but at the same time no expectations – because that’s how you always feel when you work with new people. I knew the orchestra because I had worked with them, but an orchestra is a very strange animal as conductors can change everything. Working with Pappano and his own orchestra, I could notice the relationship between them, especially how he wants them to colour and phrase.’ She found Pappano to be eminently supportive. ‘We had a meeting the evening before the sessions,’ she says, ‘and I went with my mum and told her I’d in an later hour. ree andbea back half hours I realised I’d better go and sleep. I hadn’t even noticed the time passing! I was shocked by his strength and his power, not just in conducting, but in thinking. He’s never tired and he has so much energy. You know that when you tell him something, he’s not just
receiving it in a passive way, but always thinking a step ahead.’ e heat was on for the sessions, which took place over four intense days during a steamy July in Rome. ‘e repertoire was very demanding for everyone, especially the Prokofiev,’ says Rana. ‘In a concert you know it’s a live experience and there will be mistakes and that amount of adrenaline that makes you project the emotions differently, but there is not that will to achieve perfection. To my mind, a concert is firstly an emotional experience. A recording should be an emotional experience, but at the same time youtrying have such microphones; to getperfect the right balance between perfection of notes and projection of emotions over that number of hours was the main challenge for me.’ Island of peace
Rome is now home for Rana, but she hails srcinally from Lecce, an exquisite Baroque town in Puglia, southern Italy, the heel of the country’s boot shape. ‘It’s very far away from the rest of the world – a beautiful island of peace,’ Rana smiles. ‘My parents are both pianists and my sister’s a cellist – we are quite noisy! – but my grandparents are actually winemakers. We have this wonderful, very strong red wine in Puglia. It’s not for aperitif!’ Although she has been playing the piano almost longer than she can remember, Rana says her parents decided against becoming her teachers as well. ‘ere is an excellent Pugliese school of pianism and that is why I was able to work from the age of ten with Benedetto Lupo.’ e Italian pianist was himself a prizewinner at the Van Cliburn, taking bronze medal there in 1989. ‘I was so lucky,’ Rana says. ‘Usually for a really good education you have to
BEATRICE
RANA Up close If you could play only one piece in the whole repertoire from now on, what would it be?
What would be your advice to amateur pianist about how to improve?
Bach’s Goldberg Variations.
Don’t let yourself be destroyed by technical struggles – that’s our business.
If you could play only one composer from now on, which would it be? Bach.
If you weren’t a pianist, what would you be? Space Woman! I would love to have been an astronaut or astrophysicist.
One pianist, dead or alive, you’d travel long and far to hear? One person you’d love to play for? Krystian Zimerman. Vladimir Horowitz. One concert hall you’d love to play in? The Berlin Philharmonie.
One composer you’re not quite ready to tackle? Brahms.
Any technical struggles? Trills, because in our school of pianism we had Aldo Ciccolini who had magnificent trills, and if I can’t do trills like his then I’m not satisfied!
What other kind of music do you like to listen to? I like Italian songs from the 1970s and 80s, and good rock music.
Rana gave her first concert aged around five and her first concerto performance at nine. ‘But it was something totally natural,’ she insists. ‘I only started to understand what I was doing at 13 or 14!’ Gales of laughter. ‘at’s when you realise it’s not so easy to go on stage and perform, because before that you have no idea. ‘I always enjoyed it,’ she adds. ‘I remember the first time I played in front of a large audience: I was 12, playing a Mozart concerto in Germany. It was a 4,000-seat hall, it was sold out,
Democratic approach
travel somewhere else, but I was lucky that I could stay at home with my parents and have a grounded life as well
and when I saw the hall I was, like, “Oh, this is really cool!” But it was the longest half hour of my mother’s life.’
en there were the competitions. Rather than dismissing competitions as a necessary evil, or one of the other usual platitudes, Rana points to one major advantage of entering the profession this way. ‘Competitions are the most democratic way to build your professional life,’ she declares. ‘It’s not the only way, but for someone like me, who didn’t know important people and didn’t know how to get professional concerts, the only way was just to apply for some competitions.’ Her first big competition was the Montreal International Competition in 2011, when she was all of 18 – and she won it. More importantly, she says,
– I think it’shigh veryschool, important. I went a scientific and until I to was 18 I had a normal existence, except that I was doing some concerts and competitions. After high school I moved to Germany to study with Arie Vardi, another great teacher and a very inspiring person.’ She continues to consult both Lupo and Vardi as her mentors in chief.
Rana loves learning onpianist the onelike hand from a fabulous concert Lupo and on the other hand from a Renaissance man of vast culture like Vardi. But there is one more essential teacher, she says: the stage itself. ‘I notice that I could study a score forever, but as soon as I perform it on stage I understand something I would never have known if I only studied it
she caught the Jean-Philippe attention of the eminent French pianist Collard, who was on the jury. ‘He helped me very much,’ she says. ‘He helped me meet the person who is my manager now and he provided me with some concerts. Sometimes you win a competition and nothing happens. And sometimes you just meet one person who likes you ▲ and can change your life.’
It’s hard to believe that Rana is only 22, so analytical is her thinking and so mature her approach to the piano and the music she performs upon it
sc ssi al C re nr a W /t a gga tS e rai M © s o t o hp l A
in my practice studio.’ Having said that, she adds that instead of trying to perform as much repertoire as possible, she prefers to stick to music with which she feels entirely comfortable. ‘at’s why I only bring one recital programme on a tour.’
11• Pianist 87
INTERVIEW After Montreal, Rana says, she began to understand her vocation a bit better. ‘I knew I wanted to be a pianist, but I had no idea what being a pianist really means,’ she says. ‘It’s something completely different from what I had thought and I just started to experience this new life. I was already very satisfied with that, but I wanted an upgrade! So I decided that as I was young, I had time and I would be fine in any case, but I didn’t want to grow up and regret having made a wrong choice.’ erefore she applied for both the Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels and the Van Cliburn
BEATRICE RANA ON… PROKOFIEV’S PIANO CONCERTO NO 2 Emotionally, this concerto can be very uncomfortable. We usually listen to No 1 or No 3, but rarely No 2 – and it is another world. It starts from nowhere. You can barely hear the sounds, and then builds such a climax that it brings about an apocalyptic ending of the movement. The cadenza is marked ‘colossale’ – you need a huge amount of drama, because this is a word I’ve never seen in any other piece of music. At the same time, there are two sides to the same thing. The largest is a demonstration to the public; the more profound is
Competition Fort Worth, – but they werein taking place at Texas the same time [find out more about the world of competitions in the article on page 67]. Rana chose the Cliburn. ‘at was a life-changing experience because it’s such a well-known competition, there are so many people watching it, that really it was the oxygen I needed.’ e entire contest was live-streamed on the internet, a medium that can sometimes offer too much oxygen, and Rana was astonished by some of the reactions to her performances. ‘I noticed I got popular because I have this finger – all my fingers are normal except this one.’ She holds up one thumb, which looks as if she must have shut it in a door. Sure enough, that’s what happened. ‘I was two years old and it was totally broken, so it grew much less,’ she says. ‘I remember reading some comments during the competition: these guys were ‘I’m also very happy to be going writing, “Oh God, this pianist looks like back to Bach,’ she adds. ‘It’s best to avoid Bach in competitions – that’s she has an infection in the finger,” or, very stupid, perhaps, but still, you “No, she’s too anxious because of the
the inner feeling in this music. In Prokofiev, the heart of the work lies in the lyricism, the wonderful melodies. I really feel the heart of this concerto is in the lullaby of the fourth movement. This concerto was inspired by a tragedy, the suicide of one of Prokofiev’s best friends. He was shocked. And he was my age. I can understand very well the reaction of someone of my age to such an event. When people get older perhaps they are more resigned, more accepting of the tragedy of life, but for someone of my age it’s the first time you see something like this. Dealing with the suicide of one of your best friends is something life-changing. And that’s what you hear in the music: something that revolutionises your way of listening to things. But the real heart of the tragedy is that moment when all the hysteria has gone, all the madness, everything has gone and you’re just left with your loneliness. That’s what I feel in this concerto. There’s that colossal sadness – and then there’s just the sadness of the tragedy. That’s why I find this concerto amazing and that’s why I wanted to record it.’
‘It’s best to avoid Bach in competitions – you would be totally killed by the jury – but Bach is my first love and now I can play his music in public again!’ competition.” Oh my God, is this finger of mine a national issue? at’s the exposure you get when you do such competitions. It’s good, because you get known by these people. But I’d never do another one. It’s too stressful!’ She won’t need to, anyway. is season she has debuts all over the world, including in London with the London Philharmonic in late November and at
can’t expose yourself to be totally killed by the jury! But Bach is my first love; now I am allowed to play it in public and I’m really looking forward to that.’ Do some people underestimate what she is capable of physically as a pianist simply because she is a young, slender woman? ‘Of course,’ she admits, reluctantly. “I don’t like
the Wigmore Hall on 30 December, Schumann chamber music project within a the Modigliani Quartet. ere is also her first trip to Australia, recitals and concertos around Europe and her debut shot in Rachmaninov’s Concerto No 3. And she is overjoyed at having become one of BBC Radio 3’s New Generation Artists – which means we will be hearing a great deal more of her on these shores.
to thinkthink about that,itbecause as soon as you about you accept that it exists, this difference, and I don’t want to accept that. I just want to pretend that it doesn’t exist. But I also think that no one person is the same as another – and the difference that lies between people is also that plus that makes you unique. So there are two sides to everything.’ 12• Pianist 87
Being young, too, has advantages and disadvantages: ‘e advantage is that you have so much energy and you can learn everything very fast. On the other hand, when you are young, who are you to say something to these great conductors when you work with them? I didn’t have that experience with Maestro Pappano, but with some others I have found this situation. At the same time, music is something that should cancel all the differences between people and bring us to the same level. ‘I always learn something from every experience, but sometimes it’s not so easy,’ Rana acknowledges. ‘Sometimes you really need to have nerves of steel and just go for it.’ But her ready smile is never far away. ‘It’s an exciting life!’ ■
Beatrice Rana performs Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No 2 with the London Philharmonic Orchestra under Susanna Mälkki on 27 Nov the Royal Festival Hall, London, and at Schumann’s piano quartet and quintet with the Modigliani Quartet on 30 Dec at the Wigmore Hall. Details at www.southbankcentre.co.uk and at www.wigmore-hall.org.uk. Her debut disc, with Tchaikovsky’s Concerto No 1 and Prokofiev’s Concerto No 2, is out 27 Nov (Warner Classics 0825646009091). For details, go to www.beatriceranapiano.com.
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HOW TO
Your inner metronome FINGERS ON THE PULSE If rhythmic clarity is the lifeblood of music, pulse management is its very heartbeat, says pianist and teacher Mark Tanner who shares his ideas for going beyond the metronome he metronome gets a bad press. Some fear
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it, others loathe it, but few of us make efficient use of it. Once, when working on a cruise ship somewhere in the Caribbean, I sneaked behind stage into a dimly lit, airless room in the hope of squeezing in a little practice ahead of a recital I was giving later that day. An electronic metronome was noisily chirruping its beat, against which a cabaret pianist was rehearsing a well-known band number, equally loudly, but at a startlingly different speed. I was staggered by the futility of the exercise, though evidently it had become something of a daily ritual. Strangely enough, the pianist’s actual playing was rather competent. I watched and listened in awe as he eventually came to a halt, smiled and left me to it. Te acquisition of a reliable inner pulse is indispensable for musicians. Unlike other instrumentalists, who from the earliest conceivable moment in their learning are encouraged to follow a corporate beat, perhaps aided by a conductor, pianists all too easily lapse into a sloppy approach with regard to pulse. Along with less well-honed sight-reading and listening skills, they may slip unwittingly into a kind of parallel universe that will take considerable effort to put straight in later years. Te situation is not helped if rubato is exaggerated or misapplied; curiously, piano music is often considered capable of tolerating greater flexibility than music written for other instruments. Te question is surely not whether we can opt out of cultivating a strongly anchored pulse, but how best to go about it. In the late 16th and early 17th centuries Galilei Loulié firstGalileo hatched theirand ideasEtienne for a prototype metronome with various pendulum-motored machines, though in neither case was any sound emitted. Conceivably, prior to its official invention (by Winkel, in 1814, patented by Maelzel, in 1815), a more relaxed view of tempo prevailed among instrumentalists, a view reinforced
by CPE Bach’s lengthy discussion of ‘the theory of affects’ in the mid 18th
Mark Tanner is a pianist, composer and writer. His
century. It seems fair to assume that as ensembles steadily grew over the course of the 19th and 20th centuries, so did the requirement for a more concrete, unified beat. Te knitting together of a complex piano concerto by, say, Prokofiev, demands an extremely finessed awareness of what is going on around the soloist at any given moment, so that all freedoms are calculated well in advance. Essentially, pulse management is just another facet of aural abilities, to be able to divide up the passing of time into precise increments, as if guided by a hand from beyond. Most of us know whether we have a reliable sense of pulse, just as we are aware of having a naturally secure ball-awareness for sport, but what can we do to strengthen this skill? I will offer one or two thoughts you can try for yourself, the first of which is best done at the dinner table or somewhere else away from the piano. ake your watch off, establish a pulse of 60 BPM and tap it out aloud for your friends to latch onto. Instruct them to close their eyes and count up to
PhD tackled the piano music of Franz Liszt. He adjudicates festivals and competitions all over the British Isles. His work for ABRSM is extensive, and he has chalked up 25 tours to five continents. In 2015 he is touring South Africa, New York and China, while in 2016 he will be visiting Japan, Korea, China and USA. Mark is contributing to ABRSM’s Teaching Notes book for the upcoming 2017-18 piano syllabus.
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FINDING AND USING YOUR INNER PULSE Used sensibly, the humble metronome can help you to fix an erratic pulse in a piece of music and home in on the optimum pace. It can also help you to make sense of speed relationships when practising music in sections. Subdividing the prevailing beat mentally into smaller increments will reduce the risk of hurrying. Rubato cannot contribute valuably to piano playing until a firmly anchored pulse has been achieved; only then can you be sure you are altering the pulse for musical or expressive purposes.
To an extent, counting sidestep the need for the a metronome. Countingout outloud loudmay provides a means to alter pace and keep track of where you are within the music. Take most composers’ metronome markings with a pinch of salt! Decisions may have been made away from the piano, or else altered by an editor at some later stage. While metronome markings offer pianists a useful starting point for building a performance, they should not be taken too literally. 14• Pianist 87
a random number, say 17, starting at a point clearly indicated by you. On the 17th count you all clap, eyes still closed; in theory you should coincide immaculately, assuming each of you retained the same pulse in each of your heads. If you now vary the initial speed (put your watch back on and simply feed yourself a new, faster or slower pulse) the group ought still to be able to clap in unison at the critical moment, though you will doubtless soon discover that the slower the given pulse, the harder it is to retain it precisely. For this reason, pianists rarely become slower when playing. More frequently, the gap between each mental beat gradually narrows – in other words, we inch faster – and over the space of 17 counts we can effectively shave off a couple of beats! An excellent remedy for this is to subdivide the music’s main beats into smaller increments, so that minims become four quaver counts, or even (for music such as Mozart sonata slow movements) eight semiquavers. Te opening to Beethoven’s ‘Pathétique’ would be a splendid example of the need to break(or down beat into semiquavers eventhe demisemiquavers), if only to aid the initial learning process. Interestingly, the converse can work equally well, too – Chopin’s FantaisieImpromptu can benefit from a one-in-abar count, i.e. one count per 16 semiquavers, and when it is really flying along you could actually count one beat ▲ per two bars! What should happen, over
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MASTERCLASS time, is an imperceptible tightening-up of pulse management, so that ultimately pianists feel they have a dependably anchored pulse and can switch attention to other important musical matters. Anecdotal evidence suggests that Beethoven remained sceptical about the value of the metronome, once stating vituperatively ‘No more metronome! Anyone who can feel the music right does not need it, and for anyone who can’t, nothing is of any use.’. Perhaps he had a point, and yet he did include a metronome marking in one sonata, the ‘Hammerklavier’, three years after the metronome become
Ultimately, the metronome needs to give way to instinct, so that ‘pulse equals impulse’. It goes without saying that listening intently is vital when it comes to using a metronome, just as watching the conductor is important when playing in a larger ensemble. I remember one exasperated conductor taking his shirt off during a rehearsal just to prove that nobody was faintly engaged with what he was attempting to indicate with his baton. If we are capable of ignoring a loud ‘tick’, let alone a bare-chested conductor, what hope is there of following a reliable inner pulse when playing?
adopted into wider usage. e trouble is that the very concept of keeping time turns out to be more slippery than we might imagine. I’m reminded of the story of the piano soloist who was berated by the conductor during a concerto rehearsal, ‘you are not playing in time!’ e pianist responded, sheepishly, ‘but maestro, I am.’ ‘No, you are not playing in my time’. Pianists who play too rigidly are swiftly castigated for being ‘metronomic’, while those who take liberties with the pulse are tutted at for not being able to keep their playing steady. So can the metronome bring about anything other than a nervous tick? Session pianists, répétiteurs and ballet class accompanists make abundant use of it, while in many West End shows and cruise cabaret bands the so-called ‘click-track’ is worryingly on the increase, whereby pre-recorded music is mixed in with live playing to give the impression of a more convincing stage band. ese days metronomes can come equipped with special ‘swing’ modes, semiquaver-dotted-quaver settings and any number of novelty sounds too, such as barking dogs and quacking duck. For such things to be more than mere quackery there needs to be a serious purpose, and I would contend that one of the main advantages is the ability to gauge (and then write into the score) the precise speed we wish to take a piece during the various stages of learning and performing it. As a student, I religiously marked in my optimum speeds for sections of pieces I was tackling, and I still pay heed to them today when revisiting them, especially with regard to chamber
Although tempo management is quite different from rhythmic playing per se, a well-established tempo undoubtedly provides a solid framework for playing evenly and with a keen sense of time; in particular I have found syncopated rhythms really benefit from a wellcultivated pulse. For the off-beat sf accents to spring to life convincingly in the development section of Beethoven’s Sonata in F minor opus 2 no 1 there must first be a rock-solid minim pulse. Counting out loud is invaluable in this regard; the word ‘and’ serves a myriad purposes, especially when subdividing the beat or starting music with an anacrusis, where it is often a good idea to imagine the music has already started a couple of full bars earlier. By counting silently in the head you will be sure to impose a sensible tempo and avoid wandering indecisively into the performance. Experiment by filling in shorter sub-beats with extended syllables, for example ‘one, two-oo, three and four’. One benefit of this is that you can pause if need be on certain beats/sub-beats if you are still struggling to find some of the notes, so that you nevertheless remain aware of how the various time-values fit within the bar. For music abounding in pauses, changes of time-signature or shifts in tempo, sturdy pulse management is absolutely imperative. In some cases I actually count a prejudged number of beats for a fermata (for example, a paused minim might become a seven-quaver count instead of four, maintaining the same pulse). When music abruptly changes gear, for example from 3/4 to 9/8 , we really need to be starting the process of dividing the beat into threes prior to the event itself in order to ‘paper over
pieces, sticking to thecritical. agreed pace is where perhaps particularly Some assiduous learners pencil in the metronome speeds of their favourite pianists to see if they can get somewhere close to an ideal tempo. Just as we may benefit from a running partner when jogging, to help us maintain a pace, the metronome can be invaluable in reining us in or pushing us on when needed.
the crack’that convincingly. For tempo changes seem completely random or unrelated to each other, try manufacturing a relationship between the two tempos. You might, for example, imagine that the crotchet pulse of tempo one is equal to the triplet quaver pulse of tempo two. If rhythmic clarity is the lifeblood of piano music, pulse management is
Liberty taking
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STEADY ON Mark Tanner’s advice for using your newly found inner pulse in 3 of this issue’s Scores
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Haydn Minuet in G[Scores page 29]: While the waltz was the most popular dance form in the 19th century, the minuet was its 18th-century precursor. This charming minuet calls for a l ight touch and gentle sense of momentum. The advisor y metronome marking here is crotchet = 120. Taken much faster, it will lo se its ‘galant’ appearance; any slower and it will in all probability sound rather static. Rather few of the included markings are Haydn’s in this edition; happily, this leaves the slate relatively clean for players to assemble a tastefully articulated account.
Scarlatti in G[Scores page 49]: the brief RH is given mostSonata of the technical challenges in Although this elegant, sonata, I would advise playing the LH on its own a few times before fixing an optimal tempo. A gentle emphasis on each of the minims will help you to articulate each bar as a ‘sigh’, and on the modern instrument we would do well to keep our playing as light and airy as possible. The triplet figures that predominate ought not to sound in the least bit panicky or tense, for this is music to dance to – albeit mentally, not physically. A metronome choice of crotchet = 100-120 will dignify the music amply, though doubtless one could find harpsichordists (and of course pianists) eager to zip along rather more crisply. [The Pianist score marking is crotchet = 150-170.]
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Scarborough Fair[Scores page 53]: Derry Bertenshaw’s enterprising arrangement of this modern-day classic places the melody first in the LH. The composer’s suggested initial tempo of crotchet = 120 works well, as does the more relaxed restatement of the tune at bar 48, marked ‘molto meno mosso’ (crotchet = 80). That said, always be guided by what feels comfortable under the fingers. Aim to draw out the melody with the utmost sensitivity throughout. Consider carefully how best to dispatch the harp-like semiquaver groups so as not to submerge the line’s natural ebb and flow, though do enjoy the gradual build-up in intensity and clever changes of key, both of which keep the music moving forwards interestingly.
its very heartbeat. Presumably the word ‘pulse’ in this context derives from the underlying notion of a motor, or human pulse indeed, and in my experience insufficient attention is placed on honing the skill of tempo control during playing. Less experienced players often fail to make the distinction between how busy a piece sounds with its underlying pulse, thus confusing the two. So, for example, the second page of Brahms’s Waltz in A flat opus 39 no 15 may unwittingly become suddenly faster, when in reality it simply becomes briefly populated by groups of sixes. If you own a metronome, it might warrant dusting off occasionally, if only to confirm you are retaining the speeds you hoped you/your teaching had fixed upon. I will Ileave you previously with an insightful comment once read on a festival adjudicator’s hurriedly scribbled form: ‘a moment with a metronome might prove invaluable when rehearsing this set of variations’. ■ In the next issue Mark Tanner discusses coordination between the hands, and also between the hands and feet.
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HOW TO
Improve your moves
BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS If big jumps from one area of the keyboard to another cause you anxiety, teacher and performer Graham Fitch has some strategies and techniques for building your condence ig leaps across the keyboard can be scary. Because we worry we could miss the note or chord we are aiming for,
Graham Fitch is a pianist, teacher,
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we tend to respond by bracing ourselves for the jump. Tis causes our muscles to tighten, and instead of helping, it actually sabotages us. ension is the enemy of fine piano playing. If we are in any way stiff or tight, our ability to move freely and efficiently around the keyboard is compromised, producing uncoordinated and inaccurate results. In my previous article in this series on dealing with the problem of tension in Pianist No 86, I looked at how to develop forearm rotation and suggested some situations (other than the obvious trills, tremolos and Alberti patterns) where we might call upon the forearm to assist the fingers in carrying out their duties. In this article I will discuss how you can also use forearm rotation to make leaps feel easier. In addition, I will show you some powerful ways to practise that are guaranteed to make any leap feel more secure. A leap or jump involves two things: the note(s) we are jumping from, and the note(s) we are jumping to. o ensure you land correctly, the take-off has to be good. It is really important that the fingers involved in playing the notes just before the leap are firm enough to propel the arm freely across the keyboard as you jump. We use the keys in much the same way as a diver launches himself off the diving board – in any fast leap there needs to be an element of spring and thrust involved in the release. With this in mind, let’s explore how the rotary movements work in this example, the second subject from the first movement of Beethoven’s ‘Pathétique’ Sonata opus 13: 1
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writer and adjudicator. He gives masterclasses and workshops on piano playing internationally, and is in high demand as a private teacher in London. A regular tutor at the Summer School for Pianists in Walsall, Graham is also a principal tutor for the Piano Teachers’ Course EPTA (UK). Graham writes a popular piano blog, practisingthepiano.com.
whatever if you keep loose and free. Te next jump (from the treble D down to the bass B flat) is somewhat bigger. Because you land on the thumb, the movement will again be a pronation (a thumb swing to the left). (See my video demonstration on the Pianist website for a step-by-step guide.) A student recently brought Mendelssohn’s Variations sérieuses opus 54 to a lesson. She was struggling with accuracy in the sixth variation:
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Te secret here is to make sure that the release of one chord takes you very quickly to the surface of the next chord, the finger tips need to be fully alive here. Practise feeling the keys before you play, insisting on pinpoint accuracy. Slow practice using fast motions is the first stage, remembering one main rule: only allow yourself to play the new chord if you managed to get to the key surfaces quickly and accurately (you need to spend a moment on the surface of the keys before you play the new position). If you did not
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Teremains RH hasrock to jump back andcan’t forthtake from bass to treble registers while the pulse steady – you any extra time over the sudden arm shifts. Te first jump takes us from bass G flat (fourth finger) to treble B flat (thumb), an interval of a tenth. o manage this jump with a rotation, untwist the forearm (to the right) as the fourth finger propels itself from the G flat. During the journey across the keyboard allow the thumb to swing up into the air a little as a result of the forearm rotation; when you land on the B flat, the thumb swings back in the other direction as it lands in the key, towards the body (a movement called pronation). Te release, the flight and the landing form one smooth, connected motion and it should be no effort
arrive accurately, go back previous chord until you find your new position without any tracetoofthe fumbling. o build in another layer of skill with passages like this, you can play just the top notes in the chord stream, and then just the bottom notes. Build up in layers, hands separately as well as together – play the top two notes, then go back an play the chord without the thumbs, and so on. Exhaust all the possibilities. Be sure that the fingering you use when you deconstruct the passage is the same you will use when you play the complete passage with all the notes. An example of the five-stage process for building up the right hand, using the Variations sérieuses passage, appears at the top of the next column.
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MASTERCLASS 5
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We use the keys in much the same way as a diver launches himself off the diving board – fast leaps need
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Some years ago I experienced an out-of-body moment in the middle of a performance of Chopin’s Sonata in B flat minor opus 35. I had reached the Scherzo, at the spot just before the tranquil middle section where both hands are involved in large and quite treacherous jumps:
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in your mind’s eye first (this is exactly what golfers do before making a shot, swinging the club only after they have imagined very clearly where they want the ball to end up). When you are ready, in your own good time, use an ultra-fast (yet free and loose) motion of the arms to move like lightning to the surface of the keys of the next chord. Do not play it yet! Before playing, check to see that you arrived directly and dead centre of the keys, that no finger is in the cracks between the keys and no finger is hanging over the edge of a black key.
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to have an element of spring and thrust involved in the release What you are after is a spot-on millimetre-accurate measurement of the distance involved both across the keyboard and within the hand. If you were 100 per cent accurate, and you got there fast, then go ahead and play the chord. If you weren’t, go back until you have refined the measurement. Remember – you are not allowed to play the new hand position unless you covered it perfectly! Proceed like this from chord to chord. Step 2: Springboarding
Here we start with the hands on the surface of the keys of the first chord. When we are ready, we use these keys as a springboard to the next chord by pushing off and landing. Feel this as one motion, and do not prepare the new position. Make sure that when you move, your arms are loose and free. On landing, freeze! e golden rule is to hold onto whatever you landed on, whether this is the correct chord, nearly right or a fistful of clangers. If it was not quite right, your instinct will be to make the necessary corrections immediately – but resist this. e point here is to discover precisely how far off your measurement was so you can learn from it. Perhaps you overshot, or the span between the second finger and the thumb wasn’t quite wide enough, or you misjudged the angle of the hand on landing? Before you go back and repeat the jump spend a moment visualising it again first. When you are able to land totally accurately, release the chord to key surface and now use this as your springboard to the next position. (See my video demonstration for a step-by-step guide to quick cover and springboarding.) To keep jumps accurate, review these two steps in your practice room from time to time. It is excellent to practise jumps with your eyes closed too – this will be uncomfortable at first but accuracy will increase over time. ■
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As I was playing, I suddenly had the distracting thought: ‘Did I turn the stove off before leaving the house?’ For a second or two I removed the focus of my concentration away from what I was playing in order to retrace my last steps that afternoon, trying to reassure myself that I had indeed dealt with the appliance appropriately. All this happened while I continued to play perfectly normally, and nobody would have known what was going on in my head. Looking back on this surreal experience, I remember being surprised by how my hands were flying across the keyboard all by themselves while my conscious mind was dealing with this unrelated matter. is didn’t all happen by magic, however. I had built in the precise measurements into my daily practice and refined them over time until they were second nature and completely automatic. I will now share with you a very thorough process for mastering this yourself, using the jump measuring I’ll describe.them You can apply these techniques to any but I tools will demonstrate using the Chopin Sonata example above. Repeat these two technical steps daily until you reach the automatic pilot stage, and return to them from time to time thereafter to keep the measurements in pristine condition. Step 1: Quick cover
Play the first chord in the sequence, or the note(s) you are jumping from, and hold it (we are not concerned with tempo or rhythm here). Prepare yourself to move to the next chord by first visualising it. See it very clearly
In the next issue Graham talks about how to manage stretches and avoid injury.
WATCH GRAHAM ONLINE
Don’t miss Graham Fitch’ s video lessons, which you’ll findon the Pianist website at www.pianistmagazine.com. Graham demonstrates everything that he discusses on these pages – and more. His current lessons are filmed at Steinway Hall, London, on a ModelD concert grand. There’ s nothing like watching the expert!
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JUNE 19–25, 2016 Fort Worth, Texas USA For outstanding, non-professional pianists age 35 and older
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HOW TO
As JanetNewmanreminds us inherles s ononpage22,Griegwas devotedtothemus ic ofhis nativeNorway,andthis piece,fromthefirs tvolumeofhis LyricPieces fors olo piano,is as ettingofaNorwegianfolks ong. Playingtips:There’s areal‘mazurka’feeltothis piece.Onecanal mos thearmoments ofthefamous Chopinmazurkas .Wes ugges tpractis inghands s eparately.T heRHhas alotofwork todofora s tart:itmus ts ingandbephras edbeautifully,withthegrace notes beinglightbutals os oundinglikepartofthemelody.Phras es s houldberounded C on m ot o
offnicelytoo,andthereis ampleroomfor s ubtlerubatohereandthere.Wes ugges t ‘blind’practis ingfortheLH(tryingnott olookatthe keyboard)–there’s abitof jumpingaroundandthehandneeds toknowwhereit’s going.[ReadGrahamFitch’ s articleonleaps ins idethis is s ue.] Pedaltips :Seethemarkings onthes core.JanetNewmanhas beenverys pecificin herpedallings ugges tions .Youwills eethatalotofpedalis needed. Re a dJa ne tNe wma n’sle sso no nthispie c e o npa ge 22.
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GRIEG Popular Melody, No 5 from Lyric Pieces op 12 15
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How do you bring real interest to this reective piece? Know where to breathe, resist accenting in the wrong places and vary your tone, explains teacher and performer Janet Newma n Ability rating Info Key: F sharp minor empo: Con moto Style: Romantic miniature
Intermediate
Will improve your 3Sense
of phrasing 3 Voicing in both hands 3Producing varyingcolours/tone
Te left hand (LH) requires secure and reliable tone in the accompanying chords for the main theme. But these chords are secondary in importance to the cantabile melody line. Practise the LH alone and resist making any accents, especially in the final third beat. Accenting the third beat happens when you are thinking too far in advance, often because you are concerned about getting to the first beat accurately and on time. Without deliberately doing it, you may find that the upbeat is becoming louder in anticipation of the potentially problematic leap. o counter this tendency, practise only moving from the third beat to the first, even doubling the leap (move the first-beat chord down another octave) to make it harder. When you return the first beat to its proper register, it should feel easier to reach on time. Tink that the first beat needs to be ‘placed’ rather than ‘hit’ – and the idea of sinking into it should also help with producing consistently warm and effective tone. Also try working on the LH alone plus the pedal to establish coordination between the hand and foot. Te action of the foot on the pedal should mirror the movement of the hand; don’t allow any percussive effects!
Tere are so many beautiful pieces in the entire collection of Grieg’s Lyric Pieces that it is hard to choose just one. Tere are some 66 compositions overall, which were srcinally published in ten volumes, and cover the span of much of Grieg’s life. Grieg did for the folk music of Norway what Sibelius did for the folk music of Finland. So much of Grieg’s music was inspired and influenced by his native land. Te Lyric Pieces are often simple yet musically quite mature. Tis quality is encapsulated in this little piece. If you want to listen to a very authentic recording, try the 2002 recording by Leif Ove Andsnes, played on Grieg’s own Steinway. Andsnes’s playing will certainly inspire you to try to learn other pieces from the collection. [Pianist has published several Lyric Pieces ; most recently ‘Elfin Dance’, Lyric Piece op 12 no 4, in issue 83.] In playing this piece before writing about it, I found that the tempo I preferred was a slightly slower one than the ‘con moto’ suggests. Te reflective, rather pensive quality within the music was revealed more convincingly when there was a greater spaciousness in the speed. Tink somewhere around crotchet = 100. Obviously, there is plenty of rubato within the music, so sticking rigidly to the tempo would be a mistake. Just let the music unfold with a sense of ease. Looking at the structure of the piece, you’ll see that Grieg essentially has two ideas running throughout. Te main theme in F sharp minor appears three times, with the second idea (bars 9-16 and bars 25-32) sandwiched in between. Tis makes the piece an ideal one to memorise as the building blocks of the music are so clearly defined. Of course, such repetition could lead to a colourless performance unless you apply nuanced dynamics and sensitive rubato. So when you are learning the work, right from the start, try to decide where the highs and
that a really quiet, hushed tone would lows within the phrases are. Singing the melodic line is a good way to feel the help to convey sensitively. natural duration of the phrase – it helps to know where to let the phrases ‘breathe’. Dynamically speaking, vary the tone at the return of the first theme in bar 20.
Janet Newman is Head of Keyboard at the Royal Grammar School in Guildford. In addition to her teaching, she is in demand as a freelance pianist and is an examiner for the ABRSM.
Make a contrast with how you played it at the opening. A bolder colour would add a more assertive edge to the phrase, and by keeping this return more strictly in tempo, you show a different mood within the music. Grieg does not help the pianist with many dynamics, so it really is up to you to characterise as you feel fit, but it will need thought and
Learning Tip Keep the LH quite close to the keys for added security in the accompaniment. Don’t let the hand move up and down above the keys, as this cause bumpiness.
experimentation so that you discover what lies under the notes as well as what feels musically right for you.
Once the second idea in bar 9 is reached, make sure that you take the dotted minim (F ) in the LH thumb. Tis will really help you to play this successfully. Do the same with all the successive dotted minims so that the right hand (RH) can have sufficient flexibility to allow the theme to move with a lovely elasticity and shape. Te tone needs to intensify here as well. Tis is suggested by the fact that this is the highest point in the music so far,
In bar 24, allow the direction ‘morendo’ (dying away) plenty of time to speak. Tat’s so that the reappearance of the second idea in bar 25 can take on an even more poignant quality. Another way to colour this phrase differently from the first time might be to project the LH thumb part more firmly; this gives the listener (and player) another strand to listen to and enjoy. It also has its own character, which adds texture as well as an emotional impact to the music. Learning to voice different lines is an incredibly important technique to practise; melody is never exclusively in the top part of the RH as there can be many other strands to tease out that have just as much importance as the top line. If you find it hard to bring the thumb out (or any part for that matter), practise it in isolation until you have a better awareness of it and then
so therewhich is a feeling thatsome this iswarm a natural climax demands and persuasive tone colour. I would suggest keeping the dynamic at quite a strong level until around bar 13, when the music begins to recede in intensity. Start a decrescendo to piano and by the time you arrive at the imperfect cadence in bar 16, the music feels to me to have lost an inner certainty, a feeling
re-introduce it into the overall phrase. All that is left to do is to take all the time you want in the final four-bar phrase. Show that the music has finally reached the end by making the ritardando beautifully graded and managed; let the dynamic fall to a hushed whisper, almost like a memory of what has already passed. ■
22• Pianist 87
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5• Pianist 77
play
HOW TO
RACHMANINOV Elégie op 3 no 1 Rachmaninov had big hands, but if you don’t, you can still master one of his most hauntingly gorgeous works by following the guidance of concert pianist and teacher Lucy Parham Info Key: E flat minor empo: Moderato Style: Romantic
Ability rating Advanced Will improve your 3Large 3
stretches
Leaps
3Balance
Rachmaninov was one of the last great composer-pianists. He was often shunned for being a true Romantic and not being forward-thinking, but his music has stood the test of time. Before Rachmaninov was exiled from his native Russia in 1917, he had already completed a substantial amount of piano music. Elégie comes from Morceaux de fantaisie opus 3, a set of five pieces dating from 1892 that also includes the famous C sharp minor Prelude. Like the subsequent set of six pieces opus 10, the opus 3 set was clearly influenced by Chopin, a composer whom Rachmaninov admired greatly. A real sense of pathos runs through this hauntingly beautiful piece. Pathos is an emotion that we find at the heart of most of Rachmaninov’s compositions. He never really recovered from having to leave his homeland, and consequently much of his music is filled with a sense of longing. However, a performer should avoid confusing this pathos with sentimentality or a false sense of over-romanticism, which is all too easy to fall into when you play this lush and beautiful music. When you begin to read through the Elégie you will immediately notice the parallels between it and Chopin’s Nocturnes. Tis is particularly apparent in the left hand (LH), over which the right hand (RH) sings the most glorious melody. As with Chopin’s Nocturnes, it is very important to master the LH first. Along with learning the climax (bars 63-82), my top tip is to learn the LH alone first. You can even try singing the RH over the top of your LH playing!
in e st n r A n e v S ©
Lucy Parham’s Word/Play Coffee Concert Series at Kings Place, London, starts on 6 Dec with a celebrity gala, ‘Lucy Parham and Friends’. Lucy’s recording of Strauss’ melodrama for solo piano and narrator, Enoch Arden, with actor Henry Goodman, is newly released on the Deux-Elles label. For full dates and details, please visit www.lucyparham.com
see the benefits of dividing it between two hands if you have a smaller hand span. Te choices for the smaller hand are either to take the top note (B ) in the right hand with a third finger, or you
much quieter. A real sense of balance is needed. Personally, I would think about putting the fifth LH semiquaver of bar 4 (A ) into the RH with a thumb. Observe the notes in the melody where
can take the first three notes in the LH and the subsequent two in the RH (E and B ) with a thumb and third finger respectively. Even if you choose to play all of this in the LH as written, as the piece progresses you will find that there are still many notes that are easier to pop into the RH. I will point some of these out, but many will be obvious to you – and everyone is, of course, different.
Rachmaninov writes an accent over the note – this is for extra weight and should not be forced. Crescendo
I want to talk a little about the tempo of the Elégie . If you listen to Rachmaninov’s own recording, you will notice that he takes his marking of Moderato very seriously. If you listen to a lot of other recordings, you will hear that some people play this piece extremely slowly. In my view, I think playing slowly is a mistake, as the line needs to continue and flow throughout. It is not marked Lento. A sense of direction is required at all times. echnically speaking, your LH should wrap around the keys like a glove in this piece. Te fingertips need to be a bit flatter, and although the opening marking is pp you still need to have a level of projection. Tis requires the fingertips to really sink into the bottom of the key bed. Note how when the melody in bar 3 enters, the first note in the RH is weighted with an accent and it is also mf. Immediately Rachmaninov is requiring you to project the tone of the melody while keeping the LH
Learning Tip Learn the LH first on its own, and once learned, try singing the RH part over it.
through bar 6 and subsequently tail off from bar 8 to bar 9. Bar 9 is a beautiful interrupted cadence and requires a special colour. It is followed by an echo at bar 10. ry to ensure that the RH triplets here are smooth and not lumpy! Tere is a second statement of the main theme at bar 11. Tis time it is a little more embellished, but keep a sense of improvisation and do not make it too ‘square’. Tis phrase is heading towards bar 15, where we have the first climax of the piece. In these bars it is important that you also use the LH to help you, because the crescendo cannot be reached alone just with the RH. At bar 18 try to grade the sound in a perfect diminuendo into the relative major of G flat major. Resist any urge to slow the tempo down, as the line must continue. At bars 17, 19, 21 and 23, it is possible to take the first three (LH) notes in the LH and the subsequent five notes in the RH. Or, of course you can play it exactly as it is written. Te marking ‘con affeto’ at bar 22 means ‘with affection’ and requires a more lyrical and persuasive tone. ry to make these phrases longer – at least in four-bar phrases, and not a long sequence of two-bar phrases. Te line is you26. are Iheading thecrucial climaxand at bar suggest towards that you practise the LH alone through this climactic phrase, as there are quite a lot of leaps in the LH and you need to be exactly sure where you are going. Notice the inner line in the LH from bars 26-30; the fifth quaver is another melodic line in itself. Lean into these notes and make sure they really speak.
Te large hand span required to play the LH in this piece can be problematic for many pianists. We know Rachmaninov had a huge hand span, so he obviously had no trouble playing this. Luckily for those not so gifted, there are many ways to divide the LH. I would play it in one hand as printed in the Pianist score, but I can 24• Pianist 87
TR ACK 12
ISS ’T M M’S DONPARHA LUCY N SHSISO I ECE LOE T GPE NP A4 2
SergeiRACHMANINOV(1873-1943)
ADVANCED
Elé g ie , No 1 fromMorceaux de fantaisie op3
Fromyouthinartis tocraticRus s iatofleeingtherevolution,fromuneas yperches in Europeancapitals tohis las tdays inBeverlyHills ,SergeiRachmaninovledalifethat was nothing if not dramatic. The Elégie is an early work (1892) from the great pianis t-compos er, the firs tof the five Morceaux de fantaisie. It’s worth s eeking out therecordingofthepiano rollof thecompos erhims elfplayingthis piece.
Playingand pedaltips: Forthos eplayers withhands on thes mallers ide, theLH is goingto bechallenginghere. Luckily, as LucyParhams ays inherles s ononpage 24,youcandividetheLHlinebetweenthehands .This is aheartbreakinglygorgeous pieceto play, s o it’s worththehardwork . Re a dLuc yPa rha m’sste p-by-ste ple sso no nthispie c e o npa ge 24.
Mod er a t o
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Keep up the tone and the tension when you arrive at bars 33-34. Continue with this to the end of the phrase at bar 40. I must also mention the semiquavers in the RH (in sixths) in the bar 34. Tese can be tricky and I would suggest breaking them down top to lower. Tis means you play the F followed by the A then
Over the next few bars it is extremely important to focus on getting over the bar line. Te RH needs to have a beautiful overlapping cantabile (right to the bottom of the key). Project as if you were playing to the back of the concert hall. When you arrive at bar 63, drop the tone right down to pp. Tis is
the G followed by the B etc. ry to keep the hand supple here, as a static wrist will make the passage difficult.
now a long sweep up to the climax, and you have many bars in which to make your crescendo. Here is another place where I would advise learning the LH alone, so that you can play it with your eyes closed. Tere are a few nasty leaps here in the LH too, so it is worth spending a lot of time on. At bar 70 the LH is also as important as the RH. Make sure the subsequent RH crotchets in bar 71 are really accented, not in a violent way but in a projected and strong way. Note the accents on the left hand E bass note in bar 72 and bar 75.
Your main challenge when you arrive at the central section marked ‘piu vivo’ is to decide how much you should move on the tempo. I believe it is important to know what tempo you would like to play the climax of the piece (i.e. around bars 64-70). Of course, you want this to sound grand and maestoso, and not rushed – therefore, if you start the ‘piu vivo’ too quickly you will not have anything left!
Notice the dynamic markings here. Te LH is mf and the RH is pp. Knowing this gives you a great insight into the balance required between the two hands. A note for the memory is
Tis climax is long and persistent. and therefore it is vital you keep the tone at bar 73 right through to bar 82. Te following bar is almost like a little cadenza. ake your time and lift the pedal slowly so that the rests are fully audible. Te last two notes should melt into the return of the theme at bar 84. Tese next couple of lines are a direct repeat of bars 33 to 40. But, at bar 90 the chord changes to the most sublime ppp cord. ry to make a very special colour here and voice your top finger in that traditional Russian manner, focusing on the top finger’s weight. Some of the accompanying LH notes are best shared between the hands. For instance, you may want to take the fifth and sixth quavers of bar 95 in the RH. Notice the mf marking in this bar too. See how the melody climbs between bars 99 and 101 and then the top of the phrase at bar 104 into bar 105. Again, try to forget that there are bar lines and sweep over at the bar. Te climax at bar 105 needs a very strong bass and the RH should
the and bar 52. difference When youbetween reach barbar 5246 you want to ease back a little into bar 53. Tis is just a gentle and short rit. And then, out of this beautiful G flat major gentleness comes a top B in the RH marked mezzo forte. Tis note needs to ring with a real clarity. It is the first time we have had a melody note in the RH in this section.
almost be ‘torn’ out of the piano. At bar 105 you’ll see that the very top notes are B , E , B , and so on. Tese need to ring like bells; something that Rachmaninov was obsessed with his entire life. Te Elégie ends with a declamatory phrase that is powerful and creates the perfect sense of finality. ■
Te RH can be technically quite tricky at this point. Again, I would recommend the practice of ‘breaking down’ from the upper to lower part of the RH. Tis means you will play E followed by B , then D followed by G , and so on. You might also tr y playing the top part alone (5-4-5-4) followed by the lower part (2-1-2-1). You can build this up by adding this over the LH one part at a time. In the LH melody Rachmaninov employs a beautiful rising sixth. Tis needs to be very expressive and played with real depth into the bottom of the key. Make sure that you know your LH well because your focus will ultimately need to be deployed on to your RH. See if you can play that LH melody with your eyes shut!
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Pianist 87 December 2015-January 2016
Scores
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Contents 28
BRUNNER Andante in F op 487 no 38
29
HAYDN Minuet in G Hob.IX:3 no 2
30
GURLITT Little Flowers op 205 no 4
32
BEETHOVEN Rondo from Sonatina in F Anh.5 no 2
Our videos include: Tim Steinand John Maulhave
made some 30 plus lessons for Pianist, all devoted to the basics of learning the piano. Perfect for the beginner pianist! Tim’s most recent lessons have been on slurs, rhythm and using the thumb. Past video lessons include the basics of chord playing, sight-reading, fingering for beginners, how to sit, geography of the keyboard and more. ese beginner-level lessons are demonstrated on a Roland.
36
GRIEG Lyric Piece op 12 no 5
38
COBB Star Dust
42 45
KEYBOARD CLASS Minor scales
49
HELLER Waltz op 97 no 1
50
BACH Prelude in G BWV 860, Well-Tempered ClavierBook 1
Graham Fitchgives
his lessons for the more intermediate/ advanced player. ere are over 20 of his masterclasses on the Pianist channel, and more continue to be added. Graham’s subjects include pedalling, chords, passagework, arpeggios, ornaments, voicing and different touches. Graham’s lessons come directly from Steinway Hall, London, where he demonstrates on a Model D concert grand.
TCHAIKOVSKY Mazurka op 39 no 10
52
SCARLATTI Sonata in G L83 (K431)
53
TRAD. ARR. BERTENSHAW Scarborough Fair
59
RACHMANINOV Elégie op 3 no 1
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Christian Traugott BRUNNER (1792-1874)
TRACK 1
BEGINNER
Andante in F op 487 no 38 German organist, composer, choral director andeacher t Christian Traugott Brunner first two bars there’s a semibreve (whole note) in the LH, which needs to be held down wrote over 500 works, including many short pedagogical keyboard pieces such as this. (ditto bars 5-6 ). In the second part of the piece, you will need to play a calm and even Playing tips: This is a good exercise in learning how to hold down a bass note Alberti bass. Pedal is not necessary. (Note that our pianist does not play the repeats.) throughout a bar while playing other notes in the same hand at the same time. In the Take a look at the technical tips within the score. Start out calmly and quietly.
Key of F major (B flat in the key signature).
An da nt e
The melody is in th e RH. Try to make it sing and follow the phrase markings.
Notice the hairpin crescendo and diminuendo below.
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Count in the pulse before you begin to play.Two bars is ample . 2
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Hold the LH semibreve F throughout the duration of t he bar. The minim C will also need to be held for the last two beats.
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Raise the hand for the crotchet rests .
Tail off the LH nicely, but try not to slow down.
Notice how the dynamic marking at bar 5 is now ‘mp’ and not ‘p’. Aim to be slightly louder this time around, building up to the forte at bar 7. 4
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A short development begins here, going up to the end of bar 12. Make it expressive. Bars 11 and 12 are almost a repeat of bars 9 and 10, but a tone lower, as if answering t he previous bars. 9
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Lower the dynamic suddenly to ‘p’ again.
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The double bar line with the double dots mean go back to the beginning and repeat.
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The LH t akes on an Alberti bass pattern. Aim to keep the notes even, with a slight accent on the first beat of the bar. Keep the thumbs light! Make a very slight ritardando (slowing down) here .
Prepare yourself for the crescendo that is needed towards the end by not starting too loud. 13
Repeat bar 9 to the end.
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1 3
Joseph HAYDN (1732-1809)
TRACK 2
BEGINNER
Minuet in G, No 2 from 12 Minuets Hob. IX:3 The Classical era composer Joseph Haydn wrote many large-scale works such as symphonies, oratorios, operas and music for military band. This Minuet, which dates from 1763-7, is thought to be an arrangement from a work for military band! Playing tips: Remember to keep to strict minuet time. The LH should be very even and precise. The RH has the melody all the way through. The piece is divided Key of G major (F sharp in key signature).
into two 8-bar sections, both of which are repeated. As you will see on the score, it’s mainly forte throughout, with the occasional mf and p. The tempo is a suggested crotchet = 120, but it sounds equally convincing a bit faster (up to crotchet = 140). Even though it’s not marked, make a slight ritardando at the end. Take a look at the technical tips within the score.
The melody is in the RH, and it needs a detached quality, though you will still need to think in four-bar phrases. Make sure that the dotted minim in the first bar is strong enough to sound throughout the whole bar.The minims, too, should be almost as st rong.
= c.120 5
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Suddenly lower the dynamic to piano.
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The LH acts as the accompaniment and should be entirely even in tempo and touch.The notes should also be detached (not legato), so lift the finger just before you str ike the next note .
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A word about the dynamics:You will notice the markings are mainly forte. Hence, the sound has to be firm and forthright. Try not to stab at the keys, though, and definitely avoid bashing!
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Go back and repeat the first 8 bars .
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Take note of the ‘cresc.’ marking above. Star t off softly so that you have ample time to increase t he dynamic.
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Tail off the first section nicely, making a slight diminuendo to the bottom note.
The second repeated section begins at bar 9. When you play it the second time, start off softer – either mf or mp’ – so it will sound like an echo. 5
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When playing this section for the last time , you can slow down very slightly in the last two bars in order to create a convincing ending. Make a quick crescendo up to the E.
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29• Pianist 87
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Cornelius GURLITT (1820-1901)
TRACK 3
Little Flowers op 5 3 1
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BEGINNER/ INTERMEDIATE
205 no 4
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31• Pianist 87
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Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
TRACK 4
INTERMEDIATE
Rondo from Sonatina in F Anh.5 no 2 This lively rondo by Beethoven comes with a caveat: he may no t have written it! The two Sonatinas Anh.5, which each have two movements, were published after Beethoven’s name after his death. They are a pleasure to play, whether srcinal or not. Playing tips: There is certainly a lot to get one’s teeth into in this piece. Notice all the articulation markings (staccato, slurs, phrasing, arpeggiated chords, the occasional turn etc.). We’ve suggested some finger substitutions (e.g. bars 2 and 4
Al le g ro
3
5
5
= 116
5
2
5
4
3
4
2 1
5
3
5
4
1
in the RH dotted crotchets), which should allow for a more seamless movement of the fingers. The first section should sound sunny and forthright, with a playfulness to it. The middle section, which starts at bar 37, is sweeter and more aria-like. Bars 91 and 92 (marked piano) should come as a surprise, being answered by the last two bars, which are forte. All in all, a cheeky ending to this delightful piece. Pedal tips: No pedal required.
2
2
2
5
3
3
2
1
4
3
3
5
4
2
3 212
5
2
2 1
5
1
1
3
2 1
1 2
1 3
1 2
1 2
2
1 2 3 5
5
10
1
4
4
5
4
1 2
15
2
2
2
1
1
2 5
1
3
2
2 4
3
1 4
1
2 4
32• Pianist 87
3
1 5
2 5
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
TRACK 4
INTERMEDIATE
Rondo from Sonatina in F Anh.5 no 2 3
20
1
1
5
2 2
5
3
1
2
1
1
2
cresc.
1 3
2 5
3 1
24
5 3
1
5 2
4
1
2
1
1
2
4
2
1
3 1
3
dim.
4
28
1
3
1
3
1
5
4
4
1
1
2
2
3
33
2
5
3 1
1 2
37
2
2 5
5
2 4
3
2
3
1
3
4
4 2
2
1
1
cresc.
3
2
2
4
5
33• Pianist 87
1
3
1
2
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
TRACK 4
INTERMEDIATE
Rondo from Sonatina in F Anh.5 no 2
42
3
3
3
3
4
dim.
4
47
5
3
5
4
3
3
1
5
1
1 4
3
2
5
52
5
1
5
5
4
1
3
4
5
1
dim.
3
5
57
3
4 1
2
3 3
2
3
2
5
2 4
3
62
2 14
poco marcato
3
3
3
5
4
2
4 2
4
3
1
5
4
2
1
cresc.
3
5
4
253
34• Pianist 87
1
2
5
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
TRACK 4
INTERMEDIATE
Rondo from Sonatina in F Anh.5 no 2 3
67
2
ad libitum
2
1
3
cresc.
1
1
1 1
73 3
2 3 5
a tempo
3
3
3
5
1
1
dim.
241
5
78
4
4
4
1
2
3
2
1
1
1
1 2
1 3
1 2
3
4
1
1 2
83
5
1 1
1
1 4 2
89
4
2
2
2
1
1
2 5
1
5 1
3
2 4
1 3
1 2
2 5 35• Pianist 87
4 2
1 3
5 2 1
4
ISS ’T M AN’S DONNEWM JANET SONE S IS PIEC LE ON THGE 22
TRACK 5
Edvard GRIEG (1843-1907)
INTERMEDIATE
Popular Melody, No 5 from Lyric Pieces op 12
PA
As Janet Newman reminds us in her lesson on page 22, Grieg was devoted to the music of his native Norway, and this piece, from the first volume of his Lyric Piecesfor solo piano, is a setting of a Norwegian folk song. Playing tips: There’s a real ‘mazurka’ feel to this piece. Onecan almost hear moments of the famous Chopin mazurkas. We suggest practising hands separately. The RH has a lot of work to do for a start: it must sing and be phrased beautifully, with the grace notes being light but also sounding like partof the melody. Phrases should be rounded
Con moto
off nicely too, and there is ample room for subtle rubato here and there. We suggest ‘blind’ practising for the LH (trying not to look at the keyboard) – there’s a bit of jumping around and the hand needs to know where it’s going. [Read Graham Fitch’s article on leaps inside this issue.] Pedal tips: See the markings on the score. Janet Newman has been very specific in her pedalling suggestions. You will see that a lot of pedal is needed. Read Janet Newman’s lesson on this piece on page 22.
= 120
1
2 1
4
3
2
2
3 2
4
2
4
3
3
5
2
1
2
3
3
1
1
4
1 2 5
1 5
3
5
5
5
5
1 5
5
4
1 5
5 4 2 1
3
3
2
3
1 5
2 3
2
3
1
2
3
4
4 1
2
4 1
3
2
3 2
1
2
1
4
10 3
2 3
2
2
1
3
1
2 3
3
21
2
4
3 5
5 3 1
4
1 5
2
4 2 1
2 4
2 5
1 4
2 3
3
2
1
2
4
2 4
3 5
2 3
2
1
2
1
2
2
2 2 4
15
5
1 3 5
2 4
3 5
2 4
1 3 4
3
2
1 2
3
3 5
2
3
2 4
3 1
2
1
2
1 3 5
1
2
1 5
36• Pianist 87
1 3 5
3
5
4
2
1 5
3 2
4
3
3
4
5
Elena COBB
TRACK 6
INTERMEDIATE
Star Dust Note from the composer: The hypnotic melody of my piece Star Dust came to me during a house renovation to block the unwanted noise of the wall being smashed to pieces by the enthusiastic builder! Composer’s playing tips: When playing through the score, you will quickly realise that the LH arpeggiossit comfortably under the fingers, with patterns repeated many times, offering endless possibilities for changes in articulations and musical expression. The only slightly challenging couple of bars in this piece are found in the middle section (bars 31-32). Take those out of context and practise slowly.
Warm-up work on the hands will be needed in order to prepare yourself for playing the RH octaves from bar 33 onwards. Here you will also need to think of bringing out the RH fifth finger (the melody line). Pedal tips: In order to bring even greater contrast in dynamics and although it is not marked in detail in the score, I recommend playing Star Dust using both pedals. Apply una corda (soft, left pedal) towards the end of the piece around bars 52-55 and use the sustaining pedal (right pedal) during the rest of the music to compliment changes in the harmonies. More about Elena Cobb at www.elenacobb.com.
= 58 1
con ped.
4
1 3
cresc.
8
1
1
2
1
11
38• Pianist 87
4
4
TRACK 6
Elena COBB
INTERMEDIATE
Star Dust
14
5
17
20
23
1 2
4
26
cresc.
39• Pianist 87
4
Elena COBB
TRACK 6
INTERMEDIATE
Star Dust
29 4
2
32 1
4
1
3
4
34
36
39
dim.
40• Pianist 87
1
1
TRACK 6
Elena COBB Star Dust
42
45
48
51
dim.
53
41• Pianist 87
INTERMEDIATE
Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIK OVSKY (1840-1893)
TRACK 7
INTERMEDIATE
Mazurka, No 10 from Album for the Young op 39 17
3 1
5
3
2
5
2 5 1
1 3
1
2 5
21
4
3 5 5
5
cresc.
1 2
25
2 1
3
5
28
5 2
31
43• Pianist 87
4 1 4 1
Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIK OVSKY (1840-1893)
TRACK 7
INTERMEDIATE
Mazurka, No 10 from Album for the Young op 39 34
3 1 2
3
38
42
46
50 2
smorz.
44• Pianist 87
3
HANS-GÜNTER HEUMANN
AZE R TY
BEGINNERS zerty XXXX (XXXXX)
KEYBOARD CLASS LESSON 15: MINOR SCALES
On these four pages, Pianist covers the most basic stages of learning the piano through a series of lessons by Hans-Günter Heumann. Lesson No 15 talks about minor scales (natural, harmonic and melodic), focusing in on the A minor scale.
A minor scales • Every major scale has a related, or relative minor scale sharing the same key signature. • The minor tonality is determined by a minor third(= 3 halftone steps) above the key note. For example, if the key note is A, the minor third = C. The minor third sounds dark, melancholic, and sad.
• The minor scale begins on step VI of the major scale. • There are three types of minor scales: melodic.
natural, harmonic and
Natural A minor scale • The natural minor scale consists of the same
A Minor Triad/Chord
notes as the relative major scale.
• In the natural minor scale, the halftone steps (‘H’) occur between steps II & III, and V & VI, as shown on the keyboard below (‘W’ = who le tone).
The minor triador minor chord consists of the 1st (key note), 3rd (third) and 5th notes (fifth) of the minor scale.
45• Pianist 87
PLAGE
HANS-GÜNTER HEUMANN
KEYBOARD CLASS
E R TY Exercise for the naturalA AZ minor scale XXXX (XXXXX)
PLAGE
zerty
A
du faux texte Bella terra et mari civiliaexternaque toto in orbe terrarum saepe gessi, victorque omnib us veniam petentibus civibus peperci. Externas gentes, quibus tuto ignosci potuit, conservare quam excidere malui. Millia civium Romanorum sub sacramento meo fuerunt circiter quingenta. Ex quibus deduxi innias coloaut remisi in municipia sua stipendis emeritis millia aliquanto ura pl quam trecenta, et iis omnibus agros adsignavi aut pecuniam pro praemiis militiae dedi. Naves cepi sescentas praeter eas, si quae minores quam triremes fuerunt.Bella terra et mari civilia externaque toto in orbe terrarum saepe gessi, victorque omnibus veniam petentibus civibus peperci. Externas gentes, quibus tut o ignosci potuit, conservare quam excidere malui. Millia civium Romanorum sub sacramento meo fuerunt circiter quingenta. Ex quibus deduxi in colonias aut remisi in municipia sua stipendis emerit is millia aliquanto plura quam trecenta, et iis omnibus agros adsignavi aut pecuniam pro praemi is militiae dedi. Naves cepi sescentas praeter eas , si quae minores quam triremes fuerunt.Bellaterra et mari civilia externaque tot.
Technical Tip A quick way of finding the relative minor key The quickest way to find the relative minor is by going down three halftone steps from the key note of the major scale. Am = A minor
46• Pianist 87
HANS-GÜNTER HEUMANN
AZ Harmonic A minor scale
KEYBOARD CLASS
E R TY XXXX (XXXXX)
zerty
• The difference between the natural minor scale and the harmonic minor scale is that step VII of the harmonic scale is raised by half a tone. This rise must always be indicated by an accidental preceding the note. • The harmonic minor scale is used more often than the natural minor, which is probably due to the raised seventh step – the leading note. It leads, by semitone (half step), to the eighth note (the key note), in a similar way to the maior scale. This leading note is of great importance in the minor cadence, hence the name harmonic minor scale. • An unusual skip of 3 half tones (1½ tones) now appears between steps VI and VII, which is a difficult interval to sing.
Melodic A minor scale • In a melodic minor scale the interval of 1½ tones is avoided. If you wish to keep the halftone step between steps VII and VIII (the leading note), it is possible to raise step VI by half a tone. • In the melodic minor scale, therefore, steps VI and VII are raised by half a tone, giving the second half of the scale a maior character. They become ‘natural’ again when descending, and thus the natural minor reappears.
47• Pianist 87
PLAGE
HANS-GÜNTER HEUMANN
KEYBOARD CLASS
AZE R TY
PLAGE
Exercise for the harmonic and A minor scale XXXXmelodic (XXXXX) zerty
A
du faux texte Bella terra et mari civiliaexternaque toto in orbe terrarum saepe gessi, victorque omnib us veniam petentibus civibus peperci. Externas gentes, quibus tuto ignosci potuit, conservare quam excidere malui. Millia civium Romanorum sub sacramento meo fuerunt circiter quingenta. Ex quibus deduxi innias coloaut remisi in municipia sua stipendis emeritis millia aliquanto ura pl quam trecenta, et iis omnibus agros adsignavi aut pecuniam pro praemiis militiae dedi. Naves cepi sescentas praeter eas, si quae minores quam triremes fuerunt.Bella terra et mari civilia externaque toto in orbe terrarum saepe gessi, victorque omnibus veniam petentibus civibus peperci. Externas gentes, quibus tut o ignosci potuit, conservare quam excidere malui. Millia civium Romanorum sub sacramento meo fuerunt circiter quingenta. Ex quibus deduxi in colonias aut remisi in municipia sua stipendis emerit is millia aliquanto plura quam trecenta, et iis omnibus agros adsignavi aut pecuniam pro praemi is militiae dedi. Naves cepi sescentas praeter eas , si quae minores quam triremes fuerunt.Bellaterra et mari civilia externaque tot.
Hans-Günter Heumann continues his beginner series in the next issue. To find out more about Heumann, go to www.schott-music.com
48• Pianist 87
Stephen HELLER (1813-1888)
TRACK 8
BEGINNER/ INTERMEDIATE
Waltz op 97 no 1
French composer, critic, pianist and teacher Stephen Heller wrote 160 works for the an ‘alpine’ quality as well. Try to think of a loving lullaby when it starts out: the first piano, many for his students in Paris, where he settled in 1838. Heller was a friend of bar should be extremely legato, then the second bar needs the two last crotchets to be Schumann and Berlioz,and admired Beethoven’s music. detached. At bar 9, start out softly and build up gradually. End softly with a little Playing tips: This might look easy to play, but one needs to have a delicate and ritardando. Make sure to adhere to all the markings: the accents, the staccatos, the sensitive touch, making sure that the melody remains calm and even, but also expressive slurs, the crescendos and diminuendos etc. and beautifully phrased. There is something very Schumanesque about the work, with Pedal tips: See the score. We suggest pedal down on beatone and off on beat two.
Moderato, commodo
= 120
3
4
3
1
5
2
4
5 3
3 1
4 2
2
1
1
sim.
5
3
4
3
1
5
5 3
9
4
4 2
3 2
1
2
3 2
5
3
4 2
5
2
5 2 1
3 1
5 1
1
4 2
5
1
2
4 2
3 2
3 1
2 1
3 2
1
sim.
13
1
rit.
1 2
3
1 5
2
4
49• Pianist 87
5 3 1
Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
TRACK 9
INTERMEDIATE
Prelude in G BWV 860 from The Well-Tempered Clavier Book I Each of the two volumes of The Well-Tempered Claviercontains 24 pairs of preludes and fugues; this prelude comes from the first volume, which Bach wrote in 1722. To find out more about Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier, see the article in Pianist No 79 (‘A Well-Tempered Challenge’). Playing tips: This prelude is gratifying to learn and perform. Your fingertips need to be really strong, each finger having a sense of independence. Notice how it’s mainly forte throughout. Slow practice is vital, even using a metronome, building Presto
up the tempo over time. (Read Mark Tanner’s article on the use of the metronome inside this issue.) Even when practising slowly, make sure to play in the way that you would when at full speed (i.e. same dynamics, phrasing, shaping etc). Note: Our pianist Chenyin plays this extremely fast, which is not uncommon. We have suggested a presto speed, but allegro is also fine. It’s worth listening to several versions of this prelude to see which tempo you wish to take. Pedal tips: Pedal is not required.
= 170-180
4
5 4 2 1
2
5
5
1 2
4
5
2
1
3 1
4
2 1 5 12 4 1 3
4
2
1
1
5 1
4
5
7
1
1
2
1
5
2
2
1
5
5
3
2
3
1
1
1
2
1
1
2
50• Pianist 87
4
5
1
5
5
2
2
1
2
Domenico SCARLATTI (1685-1757)
TRACK 10
INTERMEDIATE
Sonata in G L83 (K431) Born in Naples into a famous family ofmusicians, Scarlatti wrote some 555keyboard sonatas. Some were published in his lifetime, but most appeared after his death. Playing tips: Like the Bach prelude on page 50, this is a great exercise for strong finger articulation. Every note matters – and they should always be of an even touch. Make the ending nice and strong, with a very slight ritardando. We suggest that you practise the RH in different rhythms, which helps in making the notes as even as possible. At bar 9, start softly and with more of a lyrical feel, building up to bar 13.
Al le g ro
= 150-170 1 5
5
You can arpeggiate the chords on the last line. There are some awkward moments – the trickiest being the RH fingering in the penultimate bar. Practise the RH on its own here, very slowly, making sure that your hand remai ns close to the keyboard. Some performers play this piece allegro (as we have suggested), but others will want to try for more of a presto. See which speed you prefer. Pedal tips: Very little pedal is needed. Our pianist Chenyin Li suggests short dabs of pedal on the minims only (see pedal markings).
1
3
5
3
2
3
2
4
2
5
1
1
5
1
3
1
1
2
1
3
2
3
L.H.
5
4
5
5
2
4
1
3
2
3
4
2 3
1
2
3
1
1 2 L.H.
1
2
32
2
1 2 4
3
3
3
1 43 2 1
1
13
3
2
3
5
9
5
1
4
3
4
5 2
52• Pianist 87
1
1 3
4
1
2
1
3
5
3
3
1
5
TRACK 11
TRADITIONAL arr. Derry BERTENSHAW Scarborough Fair
Shropshire-based Derry Bertenshaw is the winner of the first Pianist composer competition for this arrangement ofScarborough Fair. We hope you enjoy playing this colourful and inventive arrangement as much as we enjoyed choosing it. Composer’s playing tips: This is a romantic arrangement of the well-known folk song and should flow without feeling hurried. The opening RH semiquavers need to gently float over the LH so the melody can be clearly heard while remainingpiano. Bars 27-35, where the melody is set against itself in canon, are technically the most challenging. Try to bring out the melody without disturbing the delicate texture of
Flowing and gentle
INTERMEDIATE/ ADVANCED
this passage. There is a swift change of mood in bars 35-38 so you need to make a good crescendo, then enjoy the romantic sweep of bars 39-45. From the end of bar 44 a steep diminuendo from fortissimo to a whisper leads to Molto meno mosso. Take your time here and savour the ‘scrunch’ of the jazz-inspired harmonies. At the end of the piece play the final chord as quietly as possible so it disappears in the wash of harmonics and overtones. Pedal tips: The composer has been quite specific. All pedall ing is on the score. Read the article on our composing competition on page 72.
= 120
=
sempre legato e sostenuto
3
=
6
53• Pianist 87
TRACK 11
TRADITIONAL arr. Derry BERTENSHAW Scarborough Fair
9
12
14 =
17 =
54• Pianist 87
INTERMEDIATE/ ADVANCED
TRACK 11
TRADITIONAL arr. Derry BERTENSHAW Scarborough Fair
INTERMEDIATE/ ADVANCED
19
22
dim.
25
=
senza rit.
sempre delicato
27
=
sempre
55• Pianist 87
TRACK 11
TRADITIONAL arr. Derry BERTENSHAW Scarborough Fair
INTERMEDIATE/ ADVANCED
29
31
33 =
=
35
56• Pianist 87
TRACK 11
TRADITIONAL arr. Derry BERTENSHAW Scarborough Fair
INTERMEDIATE/ ADVANCED
=
37
molto cresc.
=
=
40
=
cresc.
43
molto dim. e molto rall. 45
57• Pianist 87
TRADITIONAL arr. Derry BERTENSHAW
TRACK 11
INTERMEDIATE/ ADVANCED
Scarborough Fair Molto meno mosso
= 80
espress.
48
rall. -
-
-
-
-
-
-
non arp.
Tempo primo
= 120
53
semplice
56
lunga rall. -
59
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
in free time
laissez vibrer
58• Pianist 87
TRACK 12
ISSS ’T M M’ RHA DON Y PA LUC E PIEC S I TH ON PAGE
L ES
Sergei RACHMANINOV (1873-1943)
SON
ADVANCED
Elégie, No 1 from Morceaux de fantaisie op 3
24
From youth in artistocratic Russia to fleeing the revolution, from uneasy perches in Playing and pedal tips: For those players with hands on the smaller side, the LH European capitals to his last days in Beverly Hills, Sergei Rachmaninov led a life that is going to be challenging here. Luckily, as Lucy Parham says in her lesson on page was not hing if not drama tic. The Elégie is an early work (1892) from the great 24, you can divide the LH line between the hands. This is a heartbreakingly gorgeous pianist-composer, the first of the five Morceaux de fantaisie. It’s worth seeking out piece to play, so it’s worth the hard work. the recording of the piano roll of the composer himself playing this piece. Read Lucy Parham’s step-by-step lesson on this piece on page 24.
Moderato
5
2
1
2
1
2
5
1 5
5
cresc. dim.
9
59• Pianist 87
TRACK 12
Sergei RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) Elégie, No 1 from Morceaux de fantaisie op 3
13
cresc.
dim.
17
21
con affetto
cresc.
25
60• Pianist 87
ADVANCED
Sergei RACHMANINOV (1873-1943)
TRACK 12
Elégie, No 1 from Morceaux de fantaisie op 3 29
dim.
33
rit.
37
41
Più vivo
61• Pianist 87
ADVANCED
Sergei RACHMANINOV (1873-1943)
TRACK 12
ADVANCED
Elégie, No 1 from Morceaux de fantaisie op 3
45
rit.
49
a tempo 53
L. H.
57
62• Pianist 87
R. H.
Sergei RACHMANINOV (1873-1943)
TRACK 12
Elégie, No 1 from Morceaux de fantaisie op 3
61
cresc.
65
cresc.
appassionato 69
73
63• Pianist 87
ADVANCED
Sergei RACHMANINOV (1873-1943)
TRACK 12
Elégie, No 1 from Morceaux de fantaisie op 3
77
81
84
Tempo I
88
64• Pianist 87
ADVANCED
TRACK 12
Sergei RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) Elégie, No 1 from Morceaux de fantaisie op 3
92
96
100
cresc.
104
R.H. L.H.
65• Pianist 87
ADVANCED
5• Pianist 77
PIANI
ST AT WORK
‘Every day is a new day’ Michael Roll, the first winner of the Leeds Competition, talks John Evans about milestones in his career and celebrating his 70th birthday with a Wigmore Hall recital in January
to
hen Michael Roll walks on to the stage at the Wigmore Hall in January to celebrate his 70th
t r e b o R y r a M ©
them beauty and dramatic intensity, and think about their harmonic logic.’ Michael recalls that the teacher-pupil relationship was occasionally strained. ‘Pedagogues like Fanny can be quite fearsome and insistent when it comes
year with a recital of Beethoven, Schubert and Brahms, it’s likely he will cast an affectionate glance in the direction of one member of the audience in particular – his wife, Juliana. Nothing unusual in that, you might think, except that Michael, the first winner of the the Leeds International Piano Competition in 1963, would be the first to admit that without the support of the woman he first met at his US debut in 1974, he might not be making that short walk to the piano. ‘e turning point in my life was meeting Juliana in New York,’ he says. ‘She is a concert pianist, too, and when she came to London to perform a few months later, our romancestarted. We’ve been together ever since.’ Michael credits his wife with many things, not least helping him to be the pianist he is today: less stressed, more confident and more secure. ‘She has made a huge difference to me as a person and as a musician,’ he says. ‘She was a virtuoso player who saw I had issues with my playing. She helped me enormously, getting me to work in a committed way on things that bothered me, and helping to give me confidence when I didn’t have it. ‘In 1975, the year after we met, I was booked to perform Mozart K503 [Piano Concerto No 25] with Erich Leinsdorf in London. Juliana sat me down and we worked at some of the passages in a way I never had before. It involved extreme observation of the hands and when I eventually performed the piece, I had never felt so secure.’ To understand the significance of his remarks you have to wind back several years to another long and important relationship in Michael’s life – that with his piano teacher, Dame Fanny Waterman. Michael was Dame Fanny’s pupil from the age of six to 17. At the age of 17, Michael won the Leeds, the competition his teacher had jointly founded two years before, but that wasn’t his first triumph. When he was just 12, he won a competition to play the Schumann Piano Concerto with the National Youth Orchestra [NYO] conducted by Malcolm Sargent at the Royal Festival Hall, London, and at 14 he played Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No 3 at
W
to playing alater piece waywere they’d likethan you the to. odd Naturally, on,the there more moments of rebellion from me. Sixteen years is an awfully long time to be with one teacher. A student must move on but some teachers are better at letting go than others. Fanny wasn’t overly keen to relinquish the reins, but she did eventually.’ But not before Michael bagged the Leeds in a victory that to this day he still feels the need to defend. ‘I was Leeds born and bred, and those people who wished to be uncharitable later on homed in on that,’ he says. ‘Even recently, I read on the Internet about my winning the Leeds, and Fanny being my teacher was raised again. at certainly never came into it and, in any case, many years later I heard that a large majority of the jury had voted for me. I was just an easy target.’
Manchester’ s FreeJohn TradeBarbirolli. Hall with the Hallé Orchestra under ‘Fanny was a great teacher,’ says Michael. ‘She was good at engaging a young person’s musical interest through their imagination. Also, she would often repeat the sentence that I first heard ring out from Dame Ruth Railton (the founder of the NYO): “I want you to remember, every note is tune.” at’s something that is forgotten these days. It means don’t just play notes for the sake of it. Give
on to Dame music Fanny college but to study. with help from mostlyInstead, on his own, he threw himself into the serious business of learning repertoire. e engagements had been coming thick and fast but the 17-year-old just didn’t know enough music. It was the start of a steep learning curve that involved committing new concertos to memory in a matter of weeks before performing them, and which lasted until he was 22, when, he says, he experienced something of a personal crisis.
‘Here was I, this young person who had embarked on a career and already performed with Giulini in London at the age of 19,’ he says. ‘I was coping with new works and a lot of travelling, and I was under real pressure. I knew I had to learn things, and that I had technical and musical weaknesses. I needed to experience something new.’ What does a young man do in such a condition, but go to Paris. Michael arrived in the spring of 1968, in the teeth of the student riots. He planned to take conducting lessons, and also piano lessons with Yvonne Loriod, wife of the composer Olivier Messiaen. ose three months of lessons, strikes and demonstrations worked their magic. Michael Musical motivation Perhaps doubters should have looked more closely came home a changed man. ‘I returned refreshed, at Michael’s other musical achievements, as well as with a new sense of who I might be,’ he says. ‘It was his background, for clues to a promising musician an awakening, and a freeing of certain shackles.’ A few years later he met and fell in love with with a will to succeed. Michael is the son of Austrian Jews who fled the Juliana, heralding the next stage in his personal and professional journey. Nazis in the nick of time.His father, a doctor, had Today, with his 70th birthday approaching, been in hiding and managed to take one of the last Michael looks back on his 53 years as a concert trains out of Vienna in 1938, arriving inthe UK pianist with a mixture of astonishment and pride, with just 17s 6d [about £50 in modern terms]. He was interned for a year on the Isle of Man. Michael’s particularly so because, he says, he believes he developed later in life. mother followed soon after and found work as a ‘Yes, I got a good push winning the Leeds but domestic help in a grand house in Leeds. e couple were eventually reunited and set up home in the city. there was no Internet then, and TV wasn’t Michael was born after the war, in 1946. At the interested, so while I was flavour of the month for a brief time, it soon passed and I was left to quietly age of four he was tapping a spoon in time to get on building my career,’ he says. music, and singing in tune to the radio. His early Michael has played with many of the world’s musical promise was encouraged by his parents (his father had studied singing in Vienna), but not greatest conductors and musicians, but of them all, overly so. It was assumed Michael would follow his Benjamin Britten made the deepest impression. eir association began when Michael played the father into the medical profession. In fact, he had composer’sNotturno at the Leeds, and lasted until already secured a place at Leeds medical school Britten’s death in 1976. ‘I played through his when he won the Leeds Competition. ‘I called the dean and told him that instead I was concerto with him in his garden six months before going to be a concert pianist,’ he says. ‘He told me he died,’ he says. ‘It was that hot summer. e wasps were all over the cream tea, and his nurse was I’d made the right choice.’ Remarkably, after his victory, Michael didn’t go there. He was one of the greatest musicians I have
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ever met. Heand wasaawonderful fantastic pianist: lyrical, clear and refined, conductor, never mind composer. at afternoon is one of my greatest memories of the past 50 years. ‘But I don’t spend much time looking back. Every day is a new day. e only thing I can do is give everything to it that I’ve got.’ ■
Michael Roll appears at Wigmore Hall on 7 Jan 2016. Visit www.wigmore-hall.org.uk for more details.
COMPETITIONS
2013 Van Cliburn winners, l-r: Sean Chen (USA), crystal award; Beatrice Rana (Italy), silver; Vadym Kholodenko (Ukraine), gold
Winners’ Circle
Piano competitions are anxiety-inducing and physically stressful, so why do so many young players put themselves through it every year?Inge Kjemtrup investigates
F
or ambitious young concert pianists on the international piano competition circuit, 2015 turned out to be a perfect storm: the three-, four- and five-year competition cycles lined up, meaning the Tchaikovsky, Santander, Leeds, Chopin, Long ibaud Crespin and Hamamatsu competitions all fell in the same year. You can’t help but sympathise with the dilemma of these young pianists – which competition to enter? And do they even need to enter? Winning a major prize can change a concert pianist’s life overnight and be the fast track to an international career. Even a second or third prize can help. As Beatrice Rana, whose Van Cliburn silver medal helped launch her career, says in this issue’s cover interview, ‘someone like me, who didn’t know important people and didn’t know how to get professional concerts, the only way was just to apply for some competitions.’ If competitions are life-changing for young players, they can also have a huge impact on everything surrounding the event – organisers, teachers, parents, jurors, press, audience, piano manufacturers, and even the city where the event takes place (Fort Worth, Texas, I’m looking at you). But let’s look first at the young pianists themselves. Much like thoroughbred race horses, competitive pianists are an elite and highly trained group, and their competitive years are limited. Ages 20 to 30 are the peak years, when pianists possess a high level of technical facility, have some musical experiences beyond the hothouse environment of the practice room and the teacher’s studio, and have a fierce desire to get a full diary of engagements.
2015 Chopin Compet ition winner Seong-Jin Cho
‘At some stage you have to be pushed into the spotlight, and the right kind of people must hear you and know your name, which must be at the forefront of their mind when they are thinking, “Who shall I engage for my concert series next year?”’ says Australian-British pianist Jayson Gillham. Gillham speaks from experience, having reached the finals of the Leeds, Van Cliburn and Chopin competitions, and won first prize in the most recent Montreal International Music Competition. For Gillham, there are a host of reasons to compete. ‘Repertoire has remained perhaps the most important factor in my decision to enter a competition, together with the kind of exposure the competition might be able to bring – big venues with large audiences, radio/TV/online broadcast, and potential performance engagements for finalists,’ he says. ‘Other questions to ask are, is it a good orchestra and conductor, and does the jury seem to be well-balanced and representative of many different styles and schools of playing? ere are of course also monetary factors – will the competition pay for my airfare and accommodation, and is the prize money decent and fairly distributed among the finalists?’ ese days, many competitions have come to realise that young players need guidance as well as cash, which is why there’s a growing trend for offering career advancement and extensive performance opportunities as part of a prize. Some younger players have even been able to avoid the competition treadmill and build their careers after winning auditions for such career-development awards as the BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists scheme, and the Young Concert Artists (in New York) and Young ▲ Concert Artists Trust awards (in London).
Ana Tsybuleva triump hed at the 2015 Leeds 68• Pianist 87
Winner Da niil Trif onov at the 2011 Rubinstein
The Pros Some of the top international competitions for concert pianists GINA BACHAUER COMPETITION
Based in Salt Lake City, Utah, the Gina Bachauer foundation presents many different piano competitions, all on a four-year rotating schedule. www.bachauer.com INTERNATIONAL CHOPIN COMPETITION
e oldest of the international competitions, founded in 1927, the Chopin Competition takes place in Warsaw every five years; most recently in October 2015. www.chopincompetition2015.com CLEVELAND INTERNATIONAL PIANO COMPETITION
e next instalment of this American which boasts some impressive prizes, is July-August 2016.competition, www.clevelandpiano.org QUEEN ELISABETH COMPETITION
Seventy-five years old, the Queen Elisabeth Competition, named for the Belgian queen who launched it, switches between violin, voice and piano. e next piano competition is in 2016. www.cmireb.be ETTLINGEN INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION FOR YOUNG PIANISTS
is German competition, which focuses on the youngest players, counts Lang Lang and Boris Giltburg among its past victors. www.pianocompetition.org GENEVA INTERNATIONAL MUSIC COMPETITION
Founded in 1939, the Swiss competition rotates among piano, flute, clarinet, cello, viola, string quartet, voice and percussion; the last piano competition was in 2014. www.concoursgeneve.ch INTERNATIONAL EDVARD GRIEG COMPETITION
Started in 2000, this annual competition takes place at the Grieg Museum Troldhaugen in Bergen. griegcompetition.com HAMAMATSU INTERNATIONAL PIANO COMPETITION
is Japanese competition began in 1991 to celebrate the city of Hamamatsu’s 80th year, and has been held every three years since, with the latest this December. www.hipic.jp LEEDS INTERNATIONAL PIANO COMPETITION
Founded in 1963 by Dame Fanny Waterman and Marion orpe; it takes place in Leeds every three years, most recently in 2015. leedspiano.com LONG THIBAUD CRESPIN COMPETITION
Dating back to 1943, this competition, formerly called the Marguerite Long Competition, hosts pianists every three years (or so); the latest edition just concluded in October. www.long-thibaud-crespin.org ARTHUR RUBINSTE IN IN TERNATIONAL PIANO MAST ER COMPETITION
e legendary pianist gave his name to this Tel Aviv-based competition, which launched in 1974. Competitions take place every three years, with the next edition in 2017. www.arims.org.il INTERNATIONAL TCHAIKOVSKY COMPETITION
e first competition in Moscow in 1958 was famously won by the American pianist Van Cliburn. Takes place every four years; the 2015 edition saw violin and piano competitions in Moscow with voice and cello in St Petersburg. www.tchaikovskycompetition.com VAN CLIB URN COM PETIT ION
Started in 1962 by the proud citizens of Fort Worth, home town of the Tchaikovsky Competition winner Van Cliburn, this famous competition takes place every four years; the next is in 2017. www.cliburn.org
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Can a pianist enjoy a major career without winning a prize at a major competition? Yes, but it is rare, with Evgeny Kissin and Leif Ove Andes being two of the notable exceptions. Even many of today’s biggest names once had to prove their mettle in these keyboard contests: Lang Lang won the influential Ettlingen, while Martha Argerich and Radu Lupu, won, respectively, the Geneva and the Chopin, and the Van Cliburn and the Leeds – Lupu already had the Van Cliburn victory under his belt when he entered the Leeds. He’s not the only top prize-winner pianist to enter the competitive fray again, perhaps to bolster a career or to raise one’s playing standard ever higher. Boris Giltburg won the Santander in 2002, yet even as his career was building, he entered the Rubinstein in 2011 (taking second and the audience prize) and the Queen Elisabeth in 2013 (winning first). e truth is, even the most gifted pianists don’t usually win the first major competition they enter. It may be that preparation, musicality and stamina must come together for a player to be perfectly positioned to take the top prize. As Pianist Editor Erica Worth notes, ‘Martha Argerich gave
The Amateurs 5 of the top competitions for amateurs BOSTON INTERNATIONAL PIANO COMPETITION
Presented by the Boston Piano Amateurs Association this biennial competition just had its eighth edition in June. www.bostonpianoamateurs.org ,
CHICAGO AMATEUR PIANO COMPETITION
‘Inspiring outstanding amateurs from around the world to continue their quest for piano mastery,’ is this competition’s slogan, and you can witness it for yourself at the next edition of this competition in August 2016. www.chicagopianoamateurs.org CLIBURN INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR PIANO
Daniil top points at theready.’ Chopin Competition in 2010, but he came inTrifonov third – maybe he wasn’t Trifonov was ready in 2011, theonly year he took the first place at both the Rubinstein and the Tchaikovsky. Perhaps putting yourself through your paces develops more than just your technical and musical abilities. As Gillham comments, competitions ‘are absolutely wonderful for developing stage confidence, because if you can go out on the stage of the Warsaw Philharmonic Hall in front of half a dozen television cameras, Martha Argerich and a dozen other jury members and acquit yourself well, then everything else becomes much easier.’
COMPETITION Start your practising now, because the seventh annual Van Cliburn Amateur Competition, an offshoot of the professional competition, takes place in June 2016. www.cliburn.org
The jury’s out
THE INTERNATIONAL FRYDERYK CHOPIN COMPETITION
e composition of a jury, those ultimate decision-makers, is always a point of fascination: what should be the mix of teachers, concert pianists, other musicians, musicologists, critics and knowledgeable listeners? e addition of a very famous name or two can attract an audience, who will spend half of the time craning their necks to try to see the expressions of the jurors as something exciting happens on stage. (‘What did Argerich think of that ?) en there’s the judging: these days most competitions at least pay lip service to the idea of transparency, unlike the bad old days when dealmaking and back-scratching (‘if you support my pupil in this round, I’ll support yours in the next’) were more routine in the jury room. Of course the decisions of a jury will always inspire controversy, sometimes within the jury itself. In 1980 Argerich stormed off the Chopin Competition jury in protest when Ivo Pogorelich was voted out of the third round. Pogorelich became instantly famous for not winning a competition. In her recent biography, Leeds co-founder Dame Fanny Waterman relates her experience as a juror at the Tchaikovsky in 1986, when she and the most of the jury chose Barry Douglas as the outright first prize-winner. e chair was unhappy with this decision, Dame Fanny recalls, ‘saying that he was worried that if Barry Douglas played the Tchaikovsky around the world it would be bad for the reputation of the Russians. He proposed a re-vote... I was outraged. I banged the table with my shoe and declared that I was under the impression that we were a democratic jury, and once a vote had been taken, there should be no second vote.’ Dame Fanny got her way, and Douglas won the gold medal. e drama onstage and speculation about the jury grabs much attention at a competition, but behind the scenes, there’s another unspoken contest going on among the piano manufacturers, all keen to see their instruments in the winner’s circle. For years, Steinway & Sons was the piano of choice
FOR AMATEUR PIANISTS
Dmitry Masleev took thetop prize at this year’s Tchaikovsky Competition
INTERNATIONAL PIANO COMPETITION FOR OUTSTANDING AMATEURS
Get in your application, and you too could be part of this annual joyful celebration of amateur pianism in Paris. www.pianoamateurs.com
e third edition of this triennial competition, which was organised by the Chopin Society of Warsaw, took place in September 2015; next one is in 2018. www.konkurs.amator.chopin.pl
for many competitions, and is still the exclusive provider for several. But these days many competitions allow the candidates to choose among several makes. At the 2015 Chopin, with a choice of Fazioli, Kawai, Steinway and Yamaha, the ten finalists split their favours evenly between Steinway and Yamaha. At the 2014 Rubinstein, five out of the six finalists chose Fazioli. e publicity that emanates from a first prize-winner choosing a particular model can be invaluable: at the 2010 Chopin, winner Yulianna Avdeeva played on a Yamaha CFX grand, much to the delight of Yamaha. What does a competition offer an audience? e opportunity to hear great piano playing, yes, but also the chance to be part of a community of music lovers. Erica Worth attended this year’s Chopin Competition and was struck by the focused listening of the audience: ‘It was quiet as anything in the hall.’ Perhaps the reverence was accounted for by the fact that at every stage the only repertoire is the music of Chopin, including the finals where competitors had just two concertos to choose from; nine of the ten picked the popular First Concerto. Yet Worth found this competition to be fully engaging. ‘It made you immerse yourself in Chopin and made me realise that there are so many different ways of playing his music.’ In the past, a newspaper or magazine report by someone on the scene like Worth or, more rarely, a televised broadcast, were the main conduits for fans to became acquainted with a competition. Today you can follow the entire event in detail online. All stages of the Chopin Competition, for example, were streamed live online, interspersed with interviews from jury members, piano pedagogues and informed observers – this year including Worth. e particular pleasure of following a competition online is that you can pick your favourites from the flock of hopefuls unfurling their wings in the preliminary rounds and then watch as they soar into full flight at the finals – or the ground at a competitions semi-final. has endured over time: to offer a ecrash coretomission of piano chance for young players to be heard. As Gillham puts it, tongue partially in cheek, competitions are ‘a bunch of young musicians saying, “Hey, here I am – listen to me! I don’t necessarily need to win, I just want to play and I want to be heard. If it please the powers that be, I would very much like to be able to perform great music and for that to be valued enough that I could support myself doing what I believe is good work that makes a difference in the world by making it more beautiful and healing peoples’ hearts. I would really love it if you could stop for a moment and listen!”’ ■
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COMPETITIONS
A perfect arrangement The entries for the first Pianist
composing competition exceeded the expectations of Editor Erica Wort h, who explains how it all came about. Plus, an interview with the winner
T
he idea of holding a Pianist composing competition had been in the back of my mind for a while. Since the earliest days of the magazine, readers had been sending me their srcinal compositions with hopes of publication, while other readers told me they’d love to have an excuse to put pen to paper. But it wasn’t until we featured an article on the art of arranging in our December-January issue (No 81) that it all began to come together. After I’d put that issue to bed, I decided that we’d finally launch a composing competition. My first step was to approach two colleagues from the music industry – Nigel Scaife, ABRSM Syllabus Director, and James Pearson, house pianist at London jazz venue Ronnie Scott’s – to ask if they’d be interested in sharing the judging duties with me. No persuasion was required: they loved the idea and the competition was born.
After that, it was plain sailing. e focus would be on arrangements. I wanted the competition criteria to be Scarborough as simple as possible: Anyone of any age Fair, the and any nationality could enter (as long winning as they were not professional composers); arrangement, the work had to be for solo piano; it could be any style; it could be simple or appears difficult; it had to be based on an on page 53 existing piece of music (again, any style), and it couldn’t be longer than 64 bars. e prize? e winning piece would be published in Pianist and professionally recorded for the Pianist CD. We launched the competition at the end of January, with a deadline of 4 May. And then we waited. Top: Deputy Editor Inge Imagine how thrilled I was on 5 May Kjemtrup, Editor Erica when I counted up 87 entries! ere Worth and ABRSM’s Nigel was such variety, too – from simple Scaife reviewing entries arrangements of a Schubert waltz and of Dido’s Lament to elaborate takes on Below: The winning score; jazz standards, national anthems, recordingScarborough Fair at Christmas carols, the Beatles, Frank the Royal College of Music; Sinatra, Latin tangos and traditional Chenyin Li playing the pieceairs. Some entries had really inventive
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titles as well: there was Jazz Elise , Chanson Pathétique (based on Tchaikovsky’s Sixth Symphony slow movement), Unintended for piano and underbirds are Go. The judging begins
Copies of each entry were sent out to the judges. We played through every piece from beginning to end. We knew from the outset that we would need to allow plenty of time to consider each entry carefully – after all, the composers had put in a lot of time and effort, and we couldn’t shortchange them. Two weeks later, we compared notes, narrowing the entries down to about 25. en, at the end of May, we met for a full day, joined by Pianist Deputy Editor Inge Kjemtrup, and played through the shortlisted works (sometimes several times), making detailed notes as we went. ere was hardly time for a coffee break, but it was exhilarating – such a lot of talent and imagination laid out in front of us.
There was hardly time for a coffee break on the final judging day, but it was exhilarating – such a lot of talent and imagination laid out in front of us! What were we looking for? Inspiration and individuality more than anything else. ‘We were after something that was well-crafted, with a strong melodic identity and a secure harmonic framework,’ explains Nigel. ‘It didn’t
a Keith Jarrett-esque way that leaves the listener revelling in the sonority and brings us back to those open fifths with a recollection of the opening. ere is a variety of texture and sonority, and as in the music of composers such as Vaughan
matter whether it was written using notation software or was hand-written, but the presentation needed to be clear. We were looking for srcinality and for the voice of the arranger to be present in some way. ere is a grey area between transcription and arrangement, of course, and we leaned towards the latter in terms of the arranger bringing their own personality and creativity to the task.’ By the end of a very long day, we were unanimous in our choice of the prizewinning piece: a rhapsodic arrangement of Scarborough Fair by Derry Bertenshaw, an organist and choirmaster at his local parish church in Shropshire. Nigel tells us why this piece wowed the judges: ‘Derry’sScarborough Fair arrangement has a wonderful fluidity about it and is very pianistic. e wistfulness of the folk tune is captured through the atmospheric use of open fourths and fifths, which characterise the melody, and particularly through the use of modality. e tune itself is in the Dorian mode, which gives it that ‘olde English’ flavour. A sense of momentum and melodic impetus is provided through the subtle modulations. It is beautifully structured, with the climax coming at what seems to be the ‘golden moment’ (i.e. roughly two-thirds of the way through). I love the way it fades out at the end in a pianistic haze of colour, in
Williams and Delius, the such use ofasscrunchy modal harmony in places bar 17 give it a sense of rural landscape, and longing for a lost era of country life. ere’s also some lovely counterpoint in this colourful and inventive arrangement. It’s a pleasure to play!’ Another endorsement came from Chenyin Li, who recorded Derry’s arrangement for our covermount CD. Chenyin said she really enjoyed learning it and admired how Derry was very specific with what he wanted. Watching Chenyin record Derry’s piece at the Royal College of Music recording studios was a special moment for everyone involved. The very nearlies
With 87 entries, picking just one piece wasn’t easy. Mention must be made of three pieces that could be called the ‘runners-up’. Philip Cork’s compact and accessible Someday My Prince Will Come has wonderful syncopations, while Helen Drewery’s Around the World in Eighty Days has endearing old-world charm and brought a smile to our faces. Judith Ward’s She Moved rough the Fair evokes a wonderfully moody atmosphere within its interesting 6/4 time signature. Other pieces that particularly impressed the judges were Telmo D Salvidar’s sentimental Amazing Grace ; Peter Johnston’s barnstorming Por una Cabeza (that Carlos Gardel classic is such a great tune); Alistair Lyle’s sweet Daisy Bell with its inventive fugue; Emma Crisp’s God Save the Queen, which has some terrific harmonic changes; Robert Paxman’s atmospheric e Lark in the Clear Air ; Martin Johnson’s Swing low, sweet chariot – a challenge with five flats, but with many gorgeous moments; Jenny Walker’sand Blow the Wind Southerly , graceful inventive; and Marco De Boni’s moving When I am Laid to Rest. A big thank-you to everyone who entered. If I didn’t mention your name, please don’t be discouraged. In 2016 we aim to run another composing competition, featuring srcinal works this time. So watch this space! ■ 73• Pianist 87
Q&A with winner Derry Bertenshaw Tell us about yourself and the piano. I was 10 when I started the piano. I never went to a music school. I started by having free county council lessons on the violin at my local primary school. At around the same time my parents noticed I was beginning to muck around on the piano, so my mother, an amateur pianist, started to teach me. As soon as I could read music I was composing. I was totally self-taught. I never had harmony or composition lessons. I learned by listening to records and borrowing scores of music from the local library. I just loved composing when I was younger. Within three years of beginning to learn music, I had composed five piano sonatas and two violin sonatas. I’m not saying they are great works of art, but it taught me a lot just to compose them. Was this arrangement something you’d had in your head before the competition? Not at all. The way it came about was quite odd. I was on my way to my local music shop, Salop Sheet Music, and I popped into WH Smith to pick up my copy of Pianist. When I opened the magazine and saw the competition, I wondered what piece I should arrange. Immediately Scarborough Fair
came into my head (I’ve loved the melody for ages). In the 15 or 20 minutes it took me to walk to the music shop, I had already arranged the first page in my head! Was it easy to compose? It took me a few evenings to complete and to get absolutely right. I basically wrote a piece that I’d like to play myself. We noticed how beautifully you wrote it out, all by hand. I am used to hand-writing music! I write everything like that. I don’t use a software program. All I have is my upright piano, manuscript paper, a pen, pencil and a rubber. That’s it. I don’t need anything else. Did entering the competition teach you anything? Yes, definitely. At heart, I’m an old-fashioned Romantic composer. Winning this has gi ven me the confidence to carry on writing the music I love. For me, the heart of music is poetry and expression, not some theory or principle or system. It’s been the realisation of a dream to have this piece published and performed by a professional pianist. Any other compositions that you’ve written that are close to your heart? Yes, there is another that’s special to my wife and me: Remembrance, written for violin and piano. I composed it for the Shrewsbury branch of the Royal British Legion, in remembrance of those who died in World War I and subsequent conflicts. It would be great to be published and professionally recorded, and I’d be delighted to hear from anyone who is i nterested!
MAKERS
The Sound of
BERLIN Why did Japanese digital piano maker Casio decide to launch its adventurous new hybrid piano in Berlin? Erica Wort h takes a trip to the German capital to find out
t’s early September, and I’m in a large room on the top floor of Berlin’s sleek Stilwerk design centre, awaiting the unveiling of Casio’s newest digital piano. e room is full of journalists, piano dealers, Casio representatives from all over Europe and an impressive line-up of Casio executives. Kazuhiro Kashio, Casio’s President & Chief Operating Offi cer, a busy man whom I’d imagine only attends the most important of Casio events worldwide, is here, joined at the top table by two high-ranking executives – Hiroshi Nakamura and Hitoshi Ando. Everyone in this room is ready to discover what the Casio Celviano Grand Hybrid is all about. So why Berlin? By way of answer, here’s one name I have yet to mention: Karl Schulze, CEO of Bechstein, who is also sitting at the top table. And this is where the story comes together: Casio has developed its Celviano Grand Hybrid in collaboration with the Berlin-based piano manufacturer C. Bechstein. Exactly 35 years
I Right: the new GP-500BP Above: Celviano Grand Hybrid ambassador Benjamin Grosvenor and scenes from the launch
launch are the GP-500BP (retailing at £2,999) and the GP-300BK (£1,999). ‘For the past 30 years we’ve wanted to penetrate the piano market,’ says Casio’s Hiroshi Nakamura of this new hybrid. ‘We want to create more music-lovers: our goal is to help people to enjoy and play music. is is a totally new digital piano that will bring a new edge to the piano market. We want people to feel more pleasure when they play, to feel that they are playing a grand piano in their own home. is is a goal that people would say is impossible. We want the perfect combination of acoustic and digital.’ Bechstein’s Karl Schulze speaks of his excitement about the collaboration
after the launch of its first electronic keyboard, the groundbreaking Casiotone 201, Casio seems to be in the role of the pioneer once again, this time combining its electronics savvy with the traditions of one of the top old-school German piano makers, Bechstein. e first two models of the new Celviano Grand Hybrid presented at the Berlin 74• Pianist 87
between the Japanese electronics giant and the venerated German maker: ‘is is absolutely new! Sixteen months ago, some people from the Casio team came to Berlin and introduced their idea of building a much higher quality line of digital pianos. Casio knows a lot about how to build a perfect electronic product – they know how to build electronic musical instruments. So we worked together. is is the first step – and it has to be step by step. e second step is that Casio is willing to continue this partnership, to develop more and better products.’ A look inside
What can a player expect from these new, higher-quality digital pianos? Having played an acoustic grand most of my life, I find that as I learn about
the new Celviano Grand Hybrid, there are two features that stand out for me: that the instrument includes the action of a grand and the sound(s) of a grand. To the action first. e Natural Grand Hammer Action Keyboard was co-developed using Bechstein’s acoustic mechanics and Casio’s digital expertise. It includes precision-made wooden keys sourced from the same high-grade Austrian Spruce as used for C. Bechstein grand pianos, incorporating real hammers that follow the same path of motion as in a concert grand, even allowing for faster note repetition than on many an acoustic. We are told that the grand piano action on the new Celviano requires no maintenance, but when I ask Schulze about this later, he says that the action might require a bit of maintenance – possibly three to five years down the line, depending on how much it has been played, and that it would only take a small adjustment of an hour or so from a technician. Schulze points out that everything is still a work in progress, and that Casio and Bechstein are working together in continuing to develop the action to the next level of standards. en to the ‘grand’ sound, of which the new Celviano boasts three, named after three important piano-making European cities. ere’s the Berlin Grand (described by Casio as having ‘a balanced, elegant sound, ideal for playing Impressionist music’), the Hamburg Grand (‘A brilliant, rich sound. Loved by pianists for its wide range of expression’) and the Vienna
grand piano sound such as smooth dynamics between loud and soft, lid adjustment and even that pedal sound of the felt as the damper lifts away from the strings. Six speakers have also been carefully positioned in order to faithfully emulate the grand piano as it disperses the sound from above and below the soundboard. e instruments have lots of other intriguing features: ere’s the Scene Feature (on the GP-500BP only), which consists of 15 pre-set types of different composers such as Chopin and Liszt, as well as music genres such as jazz and easy listening – pre-sets that combine the best optimal tones, reverberations and effects for the type of piece being played. en there’s the Hall Simulator, which provides the experience of performing in a special venue such as church or concert hall. You can also try Concert Play, which allows you to play along with a ‘live’ orchestra, or you can chose from an array of tones (35 on the GP-500BP and 26 on the GP-300BK) and more. (e features for both models are described in greater depth in the Digital Piano Guide that appears with this issue of Pianist .)
Grand (‘Noted its soft impressive low range. Great forfor both and vigorous playing with its warm tone’). e Berlin Grand sound was created closely with C. Bechstein, while the Hamburg and Vienna were developed in house, with Casio’s expertise. Both the GP-500BP and GP-300BK feature a Grand Acoustic System designed to convey every aspect of the
put across, requiring playing, varied dynamics, and light crammed full of quick repeated notes, but Grosvenor succeeds admirably. After he’s performed (with, he tells me later, the Celviano set to ‘Berlin Grand’ sound), he talks to the audience: ‘is has real authentic piano action. It feels weighty under the keys. I think that playing this Ravel piece demonstrates its abilities.’
In expert hands
Back to Berlin, and it’s time for what we’ve been waiting for: a demonstration of the flagship GP-500BP by British concert pianist Benjamin Grosvenor, who is Celviano Grand Hybrid’s ambassador. He plays an impressive Toccata from Ravel’s Le tombeau de Couperin. It certainly is a tricky piece to
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Grosvenor continues, ‘From an early age I have played on digital pianos. My mother is a piano teacher, and she’d be using the grand piano while I’d have to use the digital. I’d come down to my concert grand and feel like the time had been wasted. So, for me, the real action on this instrument is a big selling point, and it’s easy to maintain. It’s
‘You can have the lid fully open, which adds more bass resonance to the sound. You can adjust the touch to make it heavier or lighter. It feels like a real piano under the fingers’ -Benjamin Grosvenor good for young students because of lot them own terrible uprights.’ What does Grosvenor think of all the other buttons and functions? ‘I haven’t explored the other sounds and functions yet. I have been focusing on how it feels compared to a real piano. You can have the lid fully open, which adds more bass resonance to the sound. You can adjust the touch to make it heavier or lighter. It feels like a real piano under the fingers. going Grand to haveHybrid one at is home.’ If the I’m Celviano good enough for Benjamin Grosvenor, it might well be good enough for the rest of us. Time to find out? ■ For more about the Celviano Grand Hybrid, go to www.grandhybrid.co.uk and also look at our Digital Piano Guide, which comes free with this issue.
Yamaha CF4
Signature Edition
Piano size 191cm
Specially Selected and Signed by Maria João Pires One of the inest musicians of her generation, Maria João Pires continues to transix audiences with the spotless integrity, eloquence, and vitality of her art. Working together with Yamaha, Maria has selected a limited number of handcrafted CF4 pianos that meet her exacting standards. Each instrument bears her signature and is accompanied by a framed certiicate of authenticity. Additionally, and with every signed Yamaha CF4 purchased, Yamaha will award a £1000 scholarship to help support the next generation of young pianists - a passion shared by both Maria and Yamaha.
Available in the UK exclusively at Yamaha Music London 152-160 Wardour Street London W1F 8YA
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MAKERS
This year’s
piano round-up From glamorous grands to feature-packed digitals, from a Maria João Pires signature model to elegant uprights, your keyboard buying options are many and varied this holiday season. Gez Kahan looks
at some top choices
W
hat better excuse do you need to splash out on a new piano than the gift-giving holiday season that comes around at the end of every year? You might want to add a new keyboard to your collection or give one to a special musician in your life. For this round-up, we’ve assembled a selection of grands, uprights and digitals to suit every pocket and every home, from a cramped student flat to a spacious palace. Inevitably we don’t have room to fit in all the models we’d have liked to feature. Nonetheless, this round-up will give you an idea of what’s available and what you should expect to pay. (All prices are recommended UK retail including VAT and – unless specified – are for standard models in a black finish.) So, without further ado...
GRANDS We’ll start at the swanky end of the marketplace, with Fazioli. Producing handcrafted grands in Italy since 1981, Fazioli is (in piano terms) a relatively new brand, but it carved out for itself an immediate reputation for technical excellence and high-quality workmanship. ere are bigger models, but the UK distributor, Jaques Samuel, recommends the Fazioli Model F2124, a 7ft (212cm) option. Listing at £79,500, the Model F212 has an its ‘excellent balance between the bass and treble and wide dynamic range,’ which makes it ‘particularly well suited for home use’. While this instrument is comfortable in a teaching studio or a fairly substantial living room, it should also be powerful enough for a medium-sized concert hall. At a similar size, the August Förster 215 Concert Grand 2 comes from a long-established make that has been hand-building its instruments in Löbau, in the far east of Germany since the middle of the 19th century. According to Peregrine Pianos (the brand’s UK co-distributor along with Forsyth), this 7ft 2in (215cm) model ‘represents an instrument to transcend all others… priced for the dilettante, most appreciated by the professionals at just £39,790’. If black’s not your thing, you can also get it in a shiny bright white finish at £43,540.
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Should a seven-footer not fit your planned piano space, Forsyths advises you look at another German-made piano, the 5ft 6in (169cm) Schimmel C169T 7, for its ‘flexible sound offering great clarity without harshness’. Prices, the distributor says, are already significantly lower than they were last year, plus Schimmel is offering ‘a bonus of up to £1,000 on your part exchange on top of our valuation of your existing instrument’. In standard format it costs £24,500, with Art Case finishes also available. Staying with German makers, but going for compactness, UK distributor Intermusic offers the 5ft 3in Bechstein B1603, citing its ‘powerful sound… precise touch and rich, colourful voicing’. Your choice of finishes includes high-gloss black (£29,600) and white (£35,600), and there’s a selection of special veneers and cabinet styles (POA). If the size fits, but the price doesn’t, the Ritmüller R9 (£7,999; 5ft 3in/ 131cm) might be what your after. Although the Ritmüller brand srcinated in Germany back in 1795, these days its pianos are made in China by the Pearl River company to a Swiss design (by Lothar omma). e result, Intermusic says, is piano with a mellow European tone and classically inspired cabinet and music rest, but at an affordable price. Now for some entry-level pianos, each a 5ft (153cm) baby grand. e new Kawai GL-106 (£8,750) replaces the GM-10 and incorporates some of the company’s high-end features, such as the Millennium III action with ABS Carbon and the extended key length (introduced in the GX-series), which offer ‘greater responsiveness and control of playing a larger instru ment’.
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Teseller. Yamaha GB1 contrast, not a new but a long-term solid Along with, by ‘many of theisfeatures thatmodel, make Yamaha grand pianos the choice of pianists the world over: the depth of tone, precision of touch, stability and reliability’ it is available in either black (£8,519) or white (£9,542). Silent Piano versions (add £3,470) are also available. Finally, for this section, we come to an instrument that definitely doesn’t carry an entry-level price tag, but is, says its manufacturer, suitable for ‘pianist, piano player or even non piano player’. Te Steinway Spirio player system1 is a factory-fit option to the Model O (£77,150 inc. Spirio) or Model B (£91,850 inc. Spirio). It’s meant, says Steinway, ‘to be a central part of the user’s life, to be played any time that one might listen to music, such as relaxing with family or entertaining. One can enjoy listening to piano music any time – when playing oneself or when making use of the player system.’ Te USP, when it comes to using it as a player piano, is the library of ▲ performances from Steinway artists, only available for playback using Spirio.
Yamaha’s Maria João Pires CF4 Signature Edition grand This new limited edition signature model, priced at £53,894, is based on the company’s 6ft 3in (191cm) CF4 handcrafted grand pianos personally selected and signed on the frame by Maria João Pires, one of Yamaha’s Global Artists. Incorporated in the launch of the piano is a pan-European initiative to bolster music education: each sale will trigger scholarships to organisations in the European country of sale, aimed at i nspiring and supporting the next generation of pianists. Each instrument will also be accompanied by a special certificate of authenticity. The standard CF4, developed from Yamaha’s flagship CFX concert grand piano and sharing many of its tonal characteristics, can be auditioned at most major Yamaha piano dealerships. The Maria João Pires signature models, however, will only be available through a limited number of dealerships throughout Europe – UK-based readers can try it out at Yamaha Music London’s historic Piano Hall in Wardour Street. See the Yamaha website listed on page 82. 79• Pianist 87
MAKERS
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UPRIGHTS Maybe even a baby grand is too large. Or maybe you’ll be aware that, pound for pound, you can often get more tone for you money from an upright. In which case, Jaques Samuel Pianos advocates the GrotrianSteinweg Concertino10 (£23,899; 132cm/51in tall). e company was started by Heinrich Steinweg 18 years before he moved from Germany to America and anglicised his name, and is known simply as Grotrian in the US to avoid any danger of confusion between it and Steinway. ere’s plenty of competition from German rivals, though. Blüthner, for instance, makes a range of uprights, in traditional and more contemporary designs. e Blüthner Model D8 (£14,509; 116cm/45.7in) is on the more modern side, with features such as name, pedals and toes in polished chrome and a fall board opening at the front to make a full-length music stand. Along similar lines is the Bechstein B112 Modern Chrome Art (£11,990, or available with the Vario silent system for an extra £2,390; 112cm/45in). Described by its UK distributor, Intermusic, as ‘a German art masterpiece’ it is designed to accompany modern high-end living room furniture. For those with more traditional tastes, or looking for a slightly taller model, there’s the C. Bechstein Classic 118 at £14,490 (118cm/46.5in). Meanwhile, Peregrine Pianos points to the Schimmel K122E (‘K’ stands for Konzert series, while ‘E’ is for the elegance of its swish curved legs) as ‘the ultimate little black number, priced at just £13,360’ but notes that it’s also available in snowy gloss white at £14,290 (122cm/48in). All the above are certifiably German-made German pianos, according to the standards laid down by the German association of piano manufacturers, and priced to reflect that. Europe-made or partly Europe-made German pianos (where the manufacturers take advantage of lower labour costs outside der Vaterland) come into a separate category, and tend to be a tad more affordable than the instruments made entirely in Germany.
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Bechstein’s W. Hoffmann brand is an example, and has a new line of uprights designated as its Professional series using high-quality materials and incorporating design features such as reinforced back frame and hammerheads specially designed to enhance clarity. London retailer Markson Pianos recommends the W. Hoffmann P120 15 (£8,800; 120cm/47.2in), housed in a contemporary and sleek cabinet with chrome fittings and silver-coloured frame. C. Bechstein’s Vario silent system is available as an optional extra. Another that falls into the same category, put forward by Forsyth, is the Wilhelm-Schimme l W114T14, which it describes as ‘a superb entry into Schimmel quality at a great price’, going on to explain that, ‘based on Schimmel’s classic series C116 that sells for over £8,500, this instrument shares many of its components and characteristics for only £5,600.’ e W114T (114cm/45in) is available with either traditional or slimline modern case for the same price. And then there’s the third category: German pianos not made in Europe and thus taking advantage of even more attractive labour costs. Markson champions the Zimmermann Z12212 at (£4,990; 122cm/ 45in), designed by C. Bechstein and assembled using German tradition and part specifications in China, then shipped to the Bechstein factory for voicing and final preparation. Germany isn’t the only source of upright pianos, however. Petrof is a venerable Czech company, family-owned (save for a spell as a nationalised industry under communism) since 1864, and manufactured entirely in Hradec Králové. Jaques Samuel, its UK distributor, recommends the Petrof 131 M113 (£10,250; 131cm/51.6in) from the company’s master-built upright piano series as being ‘suited not only to home or music school use, but performance as well’. And while we’re still in Europe, how about England? Cavendish Pianos are hand-made in Yorkshire, with its top of the range being the Cavendish Chatsworth9 at £9,995 (124cm/48.8in). Interestingly, the panelled top-board of the Chatsworth is not simply cosmetic but acts as a sound resonator, its thin panels aiding projection. Uniquely the manufacturer usedluxurious solid walnut wood for Chatsworth case to give the piano ahas warm, character; it isthe available in satinfinish walnut or mahogany. And so to the Far East, and the world’s largest piano manufacturer, Pearl River, located in Ghangzhou, China. Intermusic, the UK distributor, suggests two options: the Kayserburg UH12311 (£4,499 in ebony with chrome fittings, £4,999 in mahogany) from its premium Lothar omma-designed range and the Pearl River EU131 concert upright (£3,899; 131cm/51.6in) – the ‘EU’ denoting its warm, ▲ ‘European’ tonal characteristics.
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MAKERS DIGITALS Japan may be the heartland of digital piano manufacture, but the Germans are coming. Not content with making its traditional grands and uprights, Blüthner also makes digital pianos, including the Blüthner e-Klavier 3 16 (£3,200). German-built, it has a classic upright piano style case with a fully integrated piano soundboard, supplemented by its integral 4-speaker system and class D amplification. Bluetooth connectivity, LCD display and a facility for transferring audio files from phones, tablets and computers mean, the company says, ‘As well as an outstanding digital piano it becomes a new home hi-fi system.’ More German influence comes with the Casio Celviano Grand Hybrid GP-500BP17 (£2,999), the flagship of a is collaboration between Casio and C. model Bechstein. has precision-made wooden keys, sourced from the same Austrian Spruce as used for C. Bechstein grand pianos, with the action co-developed using Bechstein’s acoustic mechanics and Casio’s digital expertise. Sounds include three grands (Bechstein, naturally, being one) with a variety of effect settings to mimic the acoustics of different venues, along with other digital voices. Additional features include Concert Play (play along to 15 pre-set orchestral performances) and Scene Setting (pre-set or custom-selected adjustments to match the style of different composers). [See article on this new model on page 74.] Also combining the traditional with the technological, the Kawai K300 ATX2 19 (£6,750 black/chrome, £6,950 white/brass) takes the K300 acoustic upright and adds acoustic muting and digital audio for silent (headphone) playing. In silent mode, the player can use the inbuilt Virtual Technician software to adjust practically any element of the piano sample. On the purely digital front, the new Korg B-121 (c£450 or c£520 with 3-pedal unit) is intended for the beginner, but nonetheless it has fairly advanced sonic technology, with a rounded body designed to give the user the feeling of the sound enfolding around them while playing. Getting very technical, Korg explains that it uses MFB (Motional Feedback) technology, a speaker servo system that controls the movement of the speaker cone for an undistorted, natural, and rich low-frequency range. ere’s more, but perhaps a trip to your local music shop will make more sense than just reading about this technology. Also aimed at beginners is the Roland F-2020 (£449). Again, though, the technology, derived from Roland’s high-end pianos, is sophisticated. Learners will appreciate its compatibility with Roland’s free apps for Apple iOS devices, such as Air Performer (a play-along app) or Piano Partner to help develop listening and reading skills. We sign off with the admirably named Yamaha P-4518 (£352 or £444 with optional stand), aimed at piano students for a full size, weighted keyboard in a lightlooking and portable case. e basic sound is sampled from a Yamaha grand, but there are several other sounds, plus the option to blend two (eg piano and strings). USB connectivity allows use with PCs and iOS devices. ■ Take a look at our 32-page Digital Piano Guide, free with this issue, for more in-depth surveys of digital models from all the makers.
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21 MEET THE MAKERS Bechsteinwww.bechstein.co.uk | www.bechstein.com Blüthner www.bluthner.co.uk | www.bluthnerpiano.com Casio www.casio.co.uk | www.casio.com Cavendish www.cavendishpianos.com Fazioli www.jspianos.com | www.fazioli.com August Försterwww.peregrines-pianos.com |
www.forsyths.co.uk (Manchester) | www.august-foerster.de Grotrian-Steinwegwww.jspianos.com | www.grotrian.de W. Hoffmannwww.marksonpianos.com | www.bechstein.com Kawai www.kawai.de | www.kawaius.com Kayserburg www.intermusic.com Korg www.korg.com Pearl Riverwww.intermusic.c om | www.pearlriverusa.com Petrof www.jspianos.com | www.petrof.com Ritmüller www.intermusic.com | www.ritmullerusa.com Roland www.roland.co.uk | www.roland.com Schimmelwww.forsyths.co.uk (Manchester) |
www.peregrines-pianos.com (London) | www.schimmel-piano.de Steinway Spiriowww.steinwayspirio.com Yamahawww.uk.yamaha.com | www.usa.yamaha.com Zimmermann www.marksonpianos.com 82• Pianist 87
K-500 Made In Japan To Inspire & Support The Highest Musical Ambitions Also Available With AnyTime X2 Hybrid Piano System
Visit www.kawai.co.uk for details
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@KawaiPianosUK
CD REVIEW
e music box Just in time for holiday gift-giving, Marius Dawn rounds up the best new box set releases, with tempting collections from Horowitz, Michelangeli, Wild and more
▲
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CD REVIEW
is new box set presents us with the opportunity to hear the complete recitals as Horowitz performed them – starting with the Yale University recital from 1966 that has never before been available to the general public. Listening to a complete unedited recital, warts and all, one wonders why a few errors would made it necessary for the producers to splice together two wildly different performances. To
I doubt there’s a piano lover around who does not own at least some of her recordings from this box – either in the srcinal LP release or on CD – but many tracks on this box set have been hard to obtain, such as the Bach sonatas and the duo recordings she made for Philips. Sufficient reason, then, to invest in this monument of a true living legend.
DINORAH VARSI Legacy GENIUN ClassicsGEN 15353 (35 discs, 5 DVDs) It is sad as to how quickly concert pianists can vanish from the memory. I doubt even hard-core piano lovers reading these pages will remember Dinorah Varsi, who was born in Uruguay and lived her life in Germany. She gave many concerts and had a busy time in the recording studio – this beautifully presented box does not feature all of her output. Some of her chamber music recordings are missing, and so are many of her live concerts, even if those presented here from various German festivals are the jewels in the crown. e lavishly illustrated book in the big LP-size format gives details about Varsi’s concert career MARTHA ARGERICH and her sincere interest in teaching the younger The Complete Recordings on Deutsche Grammophon generation of pianists. It reveals little of her 00289 479 4647 private life and we only get a faint idea of the Deutsche Grammophon (48 discs) struggle she went through having to change her When the very young Martha Argerich entered technique at a late stage and coping with doubts the Deutsche Grammophon (DG) recording about a performing career. Most important are the studio for the first time in July 1960, she told the studio performances that reveal a pianist with a producer, ‘I will play through the pieces three colossal technique, a big strong piano tone and a times, then you select the best version.’ at was firm grip of the musical structure in everything the beginning of a long relationship with the she played. Her interaction with the orchestras is yellow label that resulted in nearly 50 releases that never domineering and she always pays close attention to the score, never letting idiosyncrasies one imagines were also produced in this fuss-free manner. DG recently released a CD set with live get in the way. She avoids sentimentality and recordings of Argerich and friends at the Verbier prefers generally faster tempos, the slower Chopin Festival from 2007 (Editor’s Choice, issue 86), études being a good example; however she is no and it seems likely we can expect many more DG racehorse, and one can hear she is not interested recordings from her in the future. in flashy, empty virtuosity in the faster études. On some of the DVDs we can follow Varsi’s Argerich has, of course, recorded for others, and masterclasses in which she is generous and helpful her many releases on EMI (now Warner Classics) are also worth seeking out. However, undoubtedly to the young students, always giving srcinal ideas the most successful releases are included in this about touch, voicing and how to produce the box set. e rare solo recordings are here, as are best tone on the piano. As a document of a pianist the concerto recordings with Claudio Abbado who undoubtedly influenced a whole generation – which are by far the best she ever did. e of German pianists, this box is invaluable, and sonata recordings with violinist Gidon Kremer are it should also be strongly considered for purchase by those who are interested in the lesser-known models of musical intensity, while cellist Mischa masters of the keyboard. Maisky never had a better partner.
hear whole concert, as Horowitz intended, is a far the better musical experience. A perfect example is his Chicago 1975 recital, which features Schumann’sCarnaval (discarded by the srcinal producers) and includes that typical Horowitz electricity and a multitude of tonal colours. ankfully we now have all these unedited recitals (bar the Carnegie Hall recitals, which were released separately in a huge box), beautifully packaged into slipcases of two discs per recital – with a detailed booklet in big LP size containing loads of pictures, articles and even a list of the demands Horowitz made to concert halls. Never an easy man to please, he would demand fresh fish and bottled water, but what he gave back as a pianistic genius was worth all the trouble.
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EARL WILD The Complete RCA Album Collection Sony Classical88875030742 (5 discs) is Earl Wild box set contains simply the best performances of Gershwin works for piano and orchestra, still unsurpassed to this day. Wild was also a champion of neglected Romantic piano works, and his recording of the Paderewski and Scharwenka concertos still beats modern digital
versions of recordings today’s barnstorming e few Wild madeyoungsters. for RCA are here collected with their srcinal striking LP covers, made into the much smaller CD size. e licensed Reader’s Digest recordings RCA brought out at the same time are sadly not in this box, but Liszt’s First Concerto with conductor Kostelanetz is here, in transparent transfer, and it will surely knock you off your feet. No lover of this American icon can be without this finely produced CD set. STEPHEN KOVACEVICH e Complete Philips Recordings Decca 478 8662 (25 discs) It was immediately after 20-year-old Stephen Bishop (as Kovacevich was called then) brought a Wigmore Hall audience into a trance with a performance of the Diabelli Variations, that the Dutch label Philips signed him up for a string of recordings, with that formidable Diabelli as its first release. en followed some 25 releases before Philips and Kovacevich parted company. With Brendel on the Philips label to do their Beethoven, Brahms and Mozart, it seemed there was no place for Kovacevich. Yet as well as that famous Diabelli, the Kovacevich-Philips partnership, revealed in this substantial new box set, produced a handful of Beethoven sonatas that were instant trailblazers at the time of release, and today are still marvels of secure musicality, stylish playing and a fresh direct approach. e three Bartók concertos contain a controlled frenzy which is almost intoxicating, and if there are other versions of the Beethoven and Brahms concertos to prefer, it might be due to the overly restrained approach of conductor Colin Davis. I would have welcomed even more of the Mozart concertos, featuring Kovacevich’s own cadenzas, and which are lively and a pure joy to listen to. It’s great to have these early recordings finely remastered and presented with good booklet notes. May this box set find many admirers!
40 Piazzolla Tangos for Piano 40 tangos by the revolutionary tango musician and composer Astor Piazzolla, arranged for solo piano These crowd-pleasing tangos borrow from classical, jazz, and Latin traditions Suitable for pianists of intermediate to advanced standard
40 Piazzolla Tangos for Piano 979-0-051-24678-6 £ 14.99
The collection includes Piazzolla’s most famous tangos, Libertango and Oblivio
www.boosey.com
Teaching and Learning with Bärenreiter Piano Urtext Editions BACH BA 10848 Goldberg Variations,
with fingering BA 5191 Well-Tempered Clavier I BA 5192 Well-Tempered Clavier II
MENDELSSOHN BARTHOLDY BA 9069 Song s without Words
MOZART BEETHOVEN BA 10851 Grande Sonate pathétique BA 10852 Appassionata Sonata
BA 4861 Piano Sonatas I BA 4862 Piano Sonatas II
MUSSORGSKY BA 9621
BRAHMS
You can download Mozart’s music.
BA 9630 Piano Pieces op. 118 BA 9607 Variations and Fugue on
You can’t download his genius!
BA 8767 Children's Corner BA 8769 Suite bergamasque
a Theme by Handel op. 24
DEBUSSY
LISZT BA 9650 Sonata in B minor
Bärenreiter Urtext Your next performance is worth it.
Pictures at an Exhibition
SCHUBERT BA 9647 Moments Musicaux D 780 BA 9648 Impromptus D 899, D 935
SKRJABIN Complete Piano Sonatas BA 9616 – Sonatas I BA 9617 – Sonatas II
s no edition Ur tex t pia For more our Piano Music t i s i v ask for d an 2014/2015 om r.c catalogue w w w.ba
erenrei
te
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BOOKS MARKED WITH AN * ARE AV AILABLE AT THE PIANIST DIGITAL ST ORE http://pianistm.ag/digitalshop
REVIEW
SHEET MUSIC
Michael McMillan’s round-up this issue includes an easy-to-follow improvising book, Klezmer piano solos, Piazzolla tangos and new editions of Schubert standards PIANO BY EAR* Lucinda Mackworth-Young Faber Music ISBN: 978-0-57153902-4
ere are many books that address the piano topicsmethod of playing by ear and improvising, but they do so all too briefly, treating them as mere footnotes to the main proceedings. is spiral-bound, 130-page, book was written for ‘everyone who wants to be able to play without music books’, and focuses entirely on developing this valuable skillset. e book can be used by both complete beginners (with the aid of a teacher) and by those who can already read music. Mackworth-Young’s approach is systematic and easy to follow, and I’d encourage teachers who have shied away from this area to explore this book, as it lends itself well to the lesson environment. Given plenty of determination and time, students using this book will be helped to play by ear successfully and improvise with more confidence. Highly recommended! SCHUBERT* Sonata in C min D958; in A D959; in B flat D960 Bärenreiter BA10869 (ISMN: 979-0-006-52108-1); BA10861 (-52107-4); BA10860 (-54353-3)
e New Schubert Edition, edited by the International Schubert Society and published by Bärenreiter, comprises over 80 volumes. e volume of Schubert’s last three sonatas (BA5537) appeared in 1996 and affordable, softcover versions of the individual sonatas were published about a decade ago (BA5632-5634). ese three books are the latest in this evolutionary chain: the same musical text but with more radiant
ARGENTINIAN TANGO & GO YOUR OWN WAY FOLK TUNES FOR PIANO; Hans-Günter KLEZMER Heumann PIANO Schott COLLECTION
ISBN: 978-3-79574487-8
Schott ISBN: 978-1-84761364-6 (Argentinian); 343-1 (Klezmer)
ese volumes are the latest solo piano two additions to Schott’s World Music series, which currently includes a book of Brazilian music (reviewed in Pianist No 81), and four volumes covering the British Isles (reviewed in issue 80). Both books have been edited and arranged by Julian Rowlands, a bandoneonist, and contain 20-odd pieces that are mostly two pages long and between Grade 3 and 6 in difficulty. e majority of the pieces will be unfamiliar to most readers, but they are all easy to appreciate, and the arrangements lie well under the fingers. An informative, eight-page historical summary of the music completes the Klezmer volume, and introductory notes to each piece are provided in the Argentinian book. e accompanying CD has demonstration performances of all the pieces by Rowlands. JS BACH
Hans-Günter Heumann is a well-known German pedagogue [he also writes the current Pianist Keyboard Class] and is author of the excellent Classical Piano Method. is is his third album of srcinal piano solos, which contains what the composer describes as ‘12 very emotional New Age piano pieces’. Titles such as ‘Life is a Journey’, ‘Deep Confidence and No Doubt’, and ‘Listen To Your Inner Voice’ reflect the spirit of the music. e pieces are all well written for students around Grade 4-6 (a span of at least an octave would be handy) with much repetition that encourages swift learning – just as well, since all but three of the 12 pieces are six pages long. Readers that enjoy music by composers such as Einaudi, Hellbach and Gow will find these pieces to their taste. A CD of demo tracks is included. BEETHOVEN*
covers, clarity out for inventions HN 1064.)and As 15 wellsinfonias, as printing practicalsuperior page turns andofa engraving, more the 15 spacious presentation than Henle. seven of the pieces are printed here in ey all also have seven pages of ornamented versions found in copies historical and performance practice by Bach’s students, giving a wonderful information and critical commentaries. insight into the traditions of the time. ese are scholarly and desirable With a brief preface and detailed editions and an automatic choice if commentary, this fantastic volume is you like your music free from also available in a cloth-bound, editorial fingering and pedalling. hardback cover version (HN590).
Impromptus D899, D935 & Moments musicaux D780; Three Piano Pieces D946, Two Fragments D916B/C Wiener Urtext UT50297 (D899 etc); UT50298 (D946 etc)
Wiener Urtext’spieces, previous editions of these Schubert edited by Paul Badura-Skoda, first appeared 40 years ago. In these new editions, Badura-Skoda’s fingering are carried over, though not as many as before. Ulrich Leisinger edited both these splendid volumes, and they include five pages’ worth of notes on interpretation by Robert Levin. e musical engraving has been upgraded, making it easier to read, and the music has been spaced out a bit more – the eight impromptus, for example, now take up four more pages altogether. e ree Piano Pieces D946, which were previously in the same volume as the Impromptus and Moments musicaux, is now in a separate volume alongside two fragmentary works. ese have been completed by Levin, whose additions amount to roughly half the length of the pieces. PIAZZOLLA
Sonata in E flat op 27 no 1; in C sharp minor op 27 no 2 ‘Moonlight’ Bärenreiter BA10853 (ISMN: 979-0006-55799-8)
40 Piazzolla Tangos for Piano Boosey & Hawkes ISMN: 979-0-05124678-6
Bärenreiter intends to publish the complete Beethoven piano sonatas, and judging by the three volumes they have prepared so far – op 13 ‘Pathétique’, op 57 ‘Appassionata’, and these two op 27 sonatas – we are in luck. is edition, prepared by Jonathan del Mar, differs from all others in subtle ways. No editorial fingering is included (a significant plus or minus point, depending on your preference). Wedges and
is volume is a composite of two previous Piazzolla books that Boosey & Hawkes published in 2006 (Vuelvo al sur) and 2009 (El Viaje), containing all those works, and 15 others. e previously published material appears here in the same arrangements (by Hywel Davies), though the music is spread out more, and the 15 other works are reprinted from the catalogues of Editions Universelles, Edizioni Musicali and
Inventions and Sinfonias Henle HN 589 (ISMN: 979-02018-0589-4)
is new edition of Bach’s famous works replaces Henle’s Steglich/ eopold edition of the 1970s. ere are small cosmetic changes, such as in the layout of the music and uncircled bar numbers. Fingering suggestions come this time from Michael Schneidt ‘with the modern piano in mind… and to ensure playability using all the fingers’, e.g. including the thumb on black keys. (If you’d rather not have the fingering, look
SCHUBERT
staccatos-under-slurs (like Edizioni include two of Henle, Wiener Urtextare andprinted ABRSM), Piazzolla’sCurci; most these famous tangos, rather than staccatos and staccatosLibertango and Oblivion. Difficulty under-slurs (Alfred, Peters). Practical stretches from Grade 4 to 8, and the page turns, an eight-pageintroduction selection of works encompasses a on the works’ history and performance wide range of moods and styles to practices, and a commentary suit anyone interested in exploring pointing out differences between this composer’s tango music. In this edition and others complete a short, this is the best single volume very impressive package indeed. of Piazzolla’s piano music available.
88 • •Pianis 87 88 Pianistt 83
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DIGITAL PIANO
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Pianist Editor’s note www.pianistmagazine.com PUBLISHER Warners Group Publications plc Director: Stephen Warner Publisher: Janet Davison EDITORIAL 6 Warrington Crescent, London, W9 1EL, UK Tel: +44 (0)20 7266 0760
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W
elcome to Pianist magazine’s Digital Piano Guide 2016! Over the years, Pianist readers have often asked me for advice as to what digital piano they should purchase. Some readers are buying for a child in the family, some are buying a first instrument for themselves, and others already have a digital piano and want to upgrade. So I spoke with the top digital piano manufacturers and asked them to supply me with in-depth information on their most sought-after models – asking them all for awide range of products, too, that would cater to the above needs. Here is the result: a 32-page Guide of digital pianos for all tastes and budgets, and for thebeginner through to the advanced player. Perfect for the gift-giving holiday season that’s just around the corner, I might add. To spice things up a little, two of my most trusted contributors – Lucy Parham and Gez Kahan – have given some of the pianos a proper drive.here You’ll find theirabout words wisdom throughout thetest Guide, and there, a of particular model. It’s interesting to have two completely different types of players giving their views: Lucy is a concert pianist who is accustomed to playing onan acoustic concert grand, whereas Gez plays rock ‘n’ roll and already knows all about the ins and outs of digital pianos. I’m sure you’ll find this Guide of benef it. Should you have any comments, I’d be glad to hear from you, so feel free torop d me a line
[email protected].
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ERICA WORTH, E DITOR
CONTENTS PAGE 4
BLÜTHNER
PAGE 20
ROLAND
PAGE 8
CASIO
PAGE 2 5
YAMAHA
PAGE 14
KAWAI
Disclaimer: The prices stated are UK Recommended Retail Price at time of publication. Specifications and prices are subject to change without notice.
www.bluthner.co.uk
he Blüthner e-Klavier series has been developed and designed in Leipzig, Germany by the piano makers of the Julius Blüthner Pianofortefabrik GmbH. Guided by the philosophy of Authentic Acoustic Behavior, these instruments step closer to the character of a true acoustic instrument than ever before. As the highlight of the Blüthner digital piano series, the e-Klavier 3 boasts an elegant case style with a built-in acoustic soundboard, as well as an impressive high-end speaker system, Bluetooth connectivity and ‘is is authentic a more advanced operating
T e-Klavier 3 £3,200 (Black High Gloss)
KEY POINTS:
• Features LCD display with Quick Selection buttons for simple navigation • 4 Speaker system with new Class D Digital Amp by Blüthner • Includes Bluetooth connectivity for PC-Laptop, Smartphones and Tablets • Ivory Feel Keyboard with graded hammer action • Features string and damper resonance simulations • New Sounds + Effects: Reverb, Chorus, Phaser, Tremolo
e-Klavier 2 £2,840 (Black High Gloss)
KEY POINTS: • 4 Speaker system with new Class D Digital Amp by Blüthner • Includes Bluetooth connectivity for PC-Laptop, Smartphones and Tablets • Ivory Feel Keyboard with graded hammer action • Features string and damper resonance simulations • New Sounds + Effects: Reverb, Chorus, Phaser, Tremolo • Made In Leipzig / Germany
4
DIGITAL PIANO GUIDE
concept. Fitted with Quickto a piano’s Selection buttons and an touch, and there LCD display, the e-Klavier 3 offers intuitive access to a are some great wide range of features and sounds. I liked the middle functions. pedal. I also liked the ‘simple’ The Ivory Feel Keyboard with a graded hammer action look of it, adding to the and synthetic ivory key authentic feel. One is not tops provides a responsive interface to explore the thrown by lots of function featured Blüthner Model 1 buttons either.’ concert grand piano sound. The 4-speaker system features a class D amplifier, providing a premium sound experience. The e-Klavier 3 is also capable of transferring audio files from your smartphone, PC laptop or tablet device via Bluetooth, allowing you to enjoy your music library in high quality sound. Thus, the e-Klavier 3 is not only a versatile digital piano, but is also your new home Hi-Fi system. he e-Klavier 2 is the modernstyle digital piano by Blüthner. The sophisticated case design is combined with the finest quality components: a wooden keyboard, acoustic soundboard, high-end digital amplification and a 100-Watt speaker system which elevate the e-Klavier 2 to the class of the premium keyboard instrument. USB to PC, MIDI, stereo inputs and outputs and 2 headphone jacks are also built in. With the optional Bluetooth module, the e-Klavier 2 is easily converted into a multimedia piano. Wirelessly transfer audio files from your smartphone or tablet to your e-Klavier and enjoy your music library in hi-fi sound. The e-Klavier 2: the designer piano with the definitive home entertainment factor.
T
D I G I TAL
PRO-88 Full connectivity for home and stage: Stereo Line In/Out, Volume Pedal, Sustain, Simulated Damper Resonance, USB, MIDI In/Out/Thru MADE IN GERMANY
The Golden Tone is now a digital
experience. e - K lavier 3 Authentic Acoustic Behavior® rendering acoustic-type behaviour in the digital domain 4-Zone weighted Blüthner Ivory Feel Keyboard PC-Laptop, Smart and iPhone connectivity via Bluetooth MADE IN GERMANY
www.eklavier.com
Bluthner Piano Centre, Ltd. 6 Baker Street, Portman Square, LONDON Tel: +44 (0)20 7753 0533 www.bluethner.co.uk
MADE IN GERMANY
www.bluthner.co.uk
e-Klavier 1 £1,930 (Black satin)
KEY POINTS: • Blüthner Grand Touch keyboard with 4 zones, Graded Hammers and Escapement • String and Damper resonance • Sounds includehonky-tonk, concert grand, upright, string orchestra, Nylon guitar • Effects include Tremolo • New Blüthner 2 x 50 Watt amplifier • Made In Leipzig/Germany
T
he e-Klavier 1 offers beginners as well as professional pianists the highest level of playing comfort. The Blüthner Grand Touch action with built-in escapement is weighted in 4 zones for a natural feel, enabling one to explore every nuance of the Blüthner Model One concert grand voice. The Blüthner Direct Control Interface (DCI) operating concept provides quick access through a simple 9-button panel. All functions and sound selections are at your fingertips, including the metronome, fine tuning, transposition, recording and keyboard touch-weight adjustments. The audio system of the e-Klavier 1 is unique in its class. Developed with the latest digital technology, the e-Klavier 1 features 2 x 50 watt amplifiers and a set of 6” broadband speakers that deliver a rich, acoustical sound. The e-Klavier 1: the all-around digital piano with fine acoustic sound.
W Pro-88 £1,110 (extra £125 with stand,
optional)
KEY POINTS: • Robust case with real wooden side panels • 2 x 30 Watt Class-D amplifier, 2 x 5” speakers • Weighted Blüthner Ivory-Feel keyboard • Includes the most important connections for both home and the stage • Includes connectivity for PCs, Smartphones und iPhones/ iPads • Made in Leipzig/Germany
6
DIGITAL PIANO GUIDE
ith the PRO-88, Blüthner has succeeded in integrating cutting-edge technology and superior sound in a portable keyboard. It can be transported comfortably and is equipped for both stage and in-home use with optimal features and functionality. Developed and designed by the Julius Blüthner Pianofortefabrik, every e-Klavier instrument is built by hand in the Blüthner factory in Leipzig, Germany. The piano sound has been meticulously modelled from ‘is is made for the Blüthner concert grand the stage! With Model 1. Real wood side external outputs panels are available in various colors. The upper frame is and a nice broad constructed of a durable flat top for putting a second powder-coated metal casing. The powerful 5” full-range keyboard on or laying speakers are specially out any parts that are too designed by Blüthner and big for the standard-sized driven by the 2 x 30 watt amplifiers for impressive, music rack.’ crystal-clear sound. The 4-zone weighted keyboard is optimally implemented with the Blüthner Ivory Feel action. The connection panel has been optimized for the stage, offering everything a professional keyboardist needs to play live. Connections including stereo line in/out, optional pedals, USB connectivity and MIDI In/Out/Thru already belong to the standard e-Klavier line-up. In addition the Pro-88 provides extra connections for smartphone, PC, laptop and tablets. Despite the use of the highest quality materials, the PRO-88 weighs in at fewer than 20 kg (42 lbs), making the PRO88 one of the lightest portable pianos with a build in speaker system.
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T
he CELVIANO Grand Hybrid is born. A unique collaboration between C. Bechstein and Casio.
The GP-500BP is the result of painstaking research by Casio into traditional piano craftsmanship and the application of all its expertise in digital technology to produce perfection in ‘sound’ and ‘touch’. A sound and touch that breathes new life into your playing.
‘A professional
The AiR Grand Sound Source reproduces the distinctive
GP-500BP £2,999
KEY POINTS: • 3 World Famous Grand Piano Sounds from Berlin, Hamburg and Vienna • Grand Hammer Action Keyboard provides truly accurate grand piano action • High-grade Austrian Spruce Wood Keys as used in C. Bechstein grand piano keys • Grand Acoustic System provides 6 speakers to create a true grand piano soundfield • Concert Play, Hall Simulator and Scene Setting enable play with a symphony orchestra, within a legendary venue, in the style of famous composers • Black Polish Finish stylishly completes a piano of wonderful craftsmanship
appeal of three pianos that have been adored throughout the ages. • Berlin Grand provides balanced, elegant sound with a clearly defined shape. A clarity of sound and tone for melodies that are graceful and richly coloured. Ideal for playing impressionistic music.
could definitely use this – it has a convincing action. I enjoyed playing the opening of the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto on it! I’d have it as a second piano.’
• Hamburg Grand delivers brilliantly rich, resonant sound full of dynamism and power. A sound loved by many pianists for its breadth of expression. Well suited to a wide range of playing styles and genres. • Vienna Grand allows an impressive low range particularly suited to exquisite, softly played pieces. A richly expressive yet profoundly tranquil sound. The ideal instrument for classical music. The revolutionary new Natural Grand Hammer Action keyboard is made with full-length, wooden keys and delivers authenticity from the first touch. • Its new mechanism incorporates real hammers that follow the same path of motion as in a concert grand piano. When the lid is lifted, you can see the hammers in motion through a clear panel as you play. This new action allows faster note repetition than any acoustic, while maintaining a true piano touch. • Precision-made wooden keys, manufactured from the same Highgrade Austrian Spruce used for C. Bechstein grand piano keys, provide distinguished touch and responsiveness. Further enhancements made possible by Celviano Grand Hybrid technology include Concert Play, Hall Simulator and Scene Setting, enabling play with a symphony orchestra, within a legendary venue, and in the style of famous composers. www.grandhybrid.co.uk
8
DIGITAL PIANO GUIDE
www.casio.co.uk/music
T
he GP-300BK offers the CELVIANO Grand Hybrid in a stylish Black Satin Finish. This highly accomplished piano, part of a unique collaboration between C. Bechstein and Casio provides traditional piano craftsmanship and the application of digital technology to produce perfection in ‘sound’ and ‘touch’. The AiR Grand Sound Source reproduces the distinctive appeal of three pianos that have been adored throughout the ages. The Berlin Grand sound was developed in collaboration with C. Bechstein, based on the masterpiece that is the D282. • Berlin Grand provides balanced, elegant sound with a defined shape. • Hamburg Grand delivers brilliantly rich, resonant sound full of dynamism and power. • Vienna Grand allows an impressive low range particularly suited to exquisite, softly played pieces. The revolutionary new Natural Grand Hammer Action keyboard is made with full-length, wooden keys. • Its new mechanism incorporates real hammers that follow the same path of motion as in a concert grand piano with hammers that players can see in motion and a new action that allows faster note repetition than any acoustic. • Precision-made wooden keys, manufactured from the same Highgrade Austrian Spruce used for C. Bechstein grand piano keys, provide distinguished touch andresponsiveness.
GP-300BK £1,999
KEY POINTS: • 3 World Famous Grand Piano Sounds from Berlin, Hamburg and Vienna • Grand Hammer Action Keyboard • High-grade Austrian Spruce Wood Keys as used in C. Bechstein grand piano keys • Grand Acoustic Soundfield • Concert Play and Hall Simulator • Black Satin Finish
The GP-300BK includes further enhancements made possible by Celviano Grand Hybrid technology including Concert Play and Hall Simulator.
T
he AP-700BK offers 3 World Famous Grand Piano Sounds from Berlin, Hamburg and Vienna - courtesy of a unique collaboration between C. Bechstein and Casio to produce perfection in ‘sound’ – and is available in a stylish Black Satin Finish. The AP-700BK adopts the same AiR Grand Sound Source as the GP500BP and GP-300BK models. The Berlin Grand sound was developed in collaboration with C. Bechstein, based on the masterpiece that is the D282. • Berlin Grand provides balanced, elegant sound with a defined shape. • Hamburg Grand delivers brilliantly rich, resonant sound full of dynamism and power. • Vienna Grand allows an impressive low range particularly suited to exquisite, softly played pieces. The unique Tri-Sensor Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard II delivers acoustic piano timing, exceptional key response and feel alongside Ebony and Ivory replicated keys. A host of performance features include an open-lid function, 26 tones, string and damper resonance, hammer response, 256-note polyphony and key-off simulator. The AP-700BK includes further enhancements including Concert Play and its built-in library of fifteen classical pieces enabling play with a symphony orchestra, and Hall Simulator providing the option of performing as if within a legendary venue.
AP-700BK £1,499
KEY POINTS: • 3 World Famous Grand Piano Sounds from Berlin, Hamburg and Vienna • Tri-Sensor Scaled Hammer Action II Keyboard • Concert Play and Hall Simulator • String Resonance (four levels) and Damper Resonance (four levels) • Open-Lid Function and Simulator (four levels) • Hammer Response (four levels) and Key-Off Simulator DIGITAL PIANO GUIDE 9
www.casio.co.uk/music
AP-460BK £999
KEY POINTS: • AiR Multi-Dimensional Morphing Sound Source provide rich, resonating tones for truly authentic piano acoustics • Tri-Sensor Scaled Hammer Action II Keyboard provides acoustic piano timing and exceptional key response and feel • Concert Play and Hall Simulator enable play with a symphony orchestra and within a legendary venue • String Resonance (four levels) and Damper Resonance (four levels) • Open-Lid Function and Simulator (four levels) • Hammer Response (four levels) and Key-Off Simulator
he AP-460BK will satisfy the most demanding player and incorporates the new ‘Concert Play’ built-in library of ten classical pieces to play along with an orchestra. The unique Tri-Sensor Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard II along with MultiDimensional Morphing AiR Sound Source provide rich, resonating tones for truly authentic piano acoustics timing, exceptional key response
T
and feel alongside the ebony and ivory replicated keys. A host of performance features include ‘A great starter the open-lid function with 4 levels, 18 high-quality tones, piano with a good string and damper resonance, variety of touches. hammer response, 256It should make any note polyphony and key-off beginner excited to start their simulator. The AP-460BK includes piano journey.’ Concert Play and its built-in library of ten classical pieces enabling play with a symphony orchestra, and Hall Simulator providing the option of performing as if within a legendary venue. Extended features perfectly suited to teaching and learning include: Digital Effects including Reverb, Chorus, Brilliance and DSP. Electric, String Piano and two Grand Piano sounds. USB and line OUT (L/ MONO, R), Lesson Feature and Duet Mode. Available in a stylish Black Matt Finish.
AP-260BK £799
KEY POINTS: • AiR Multi-Dimensional Morphing Sound Source provide rich, resonating tones for authentic piano acoustics • Tri-Sensor Scaled Hammer Action II Keyboard provides acoustic piano timing and exceptional key response • Concert Play enabling play with a symphony orchestra • String Resonance (four levels) and Damper Resonance (four levels) • Open-Lid Function and Simulator (four levels) • Hammer Response (four levels) and Key-Off Simulator
10
DIGITAL PIANO GUIDE
he AP-260BK is the entry model to the Celviano range and provides unparalleled appeal for new pianists. The Tri-Sensor Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard II and AiR Multi-Dimensional Morphing Sound Source provide unrivalled technological advances that deliver exceptional key response and feel, along with the rich tonal resonance embodied
T
within acoustic piano sound. A host of features include, ebony and ivory replicated keys, 18 high-quality tones, damper resonance, hammer response and key-off simulator. The AP-260BK includes further enhancements including Concert Play and its built-in library of ten classical pieces enabling play with a symphony orchestra. Extended features include: Digital Effects including Reverb, Chorus, Brilliance and DSP. Electric, String Piano and two Grand Piano sounds, USB interface and Duet Mode. Available in a stylish Black Matt Finish.
www.casio.co.uk/music
he flagship Privia PX-860BK offers outstanding performance combined with Privia style and compact design, and incorporates the new ‘Concert Play’ built-in library of ten classical pieces to play along with an orchestra. The outstanding Tri-Sensor Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard II and AiR Multi-Dimensional Morphing Sound Source ensure the highest
PX-860BK
levels of performance. A host of features include ebony and ivory touch keys, open-lid function with 4 levels, 18 high-quality tones, string and damper resonance, hammer ‘Great starter piano, for response, 256-note all the family, with plenty polyphony and keyoff simulator. of good grand piano (and The PX-860BK other) sounds.’ includes Concert Play and its builtin library of ten classical pieces enabling play with a symphony orchestra, and Hall Simulator providing the option of performing as if within a legendary venue. The PX-860BK is available in a stylish Black Matt Finish.
Simulator enable play with a symphony orchestra and within a legendary venue • String Resonance (four levels) and Damper Resonance (four levels) • Open-Lid Function and Simulator (four levels) • Hammer Response (four levels) and Key-Off Simulator • Privia slim and stylish design
T
he Privia PX-360M digital piano takes your piano performances to new heights. Powered by Casio´s AiR sound source, the PX-360M will reignite the joy you feel when playing your favourite music. More than just a piano, the PX-360M will help you realise your inspiration through its 5.3 inch Colour LCD touch panel, hundreds of tone and rhythm options, along with powerful performance and production tools, all packaged in an amazingly easy to use and portable instrument. The ebony and ivory touch keys, outstanding Tri-Sensor Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard II and AiR Multi-Dimensional Morphing
T
£999
KEY POINTS: • AiR Multi-Dimensional Morphing Sound Source • Tri-Sensor Scaled Hammer Action II Keyboard • Concert Play and Hall
PX-360M £799
KEY POINTS: • AiR Multi-Dimensional Morphing Sound Source • Tri-Sensor Scaled Hammer Action II Keyboard • String Resonance (four levels) and Damper Resonance (four levels) • Hammer Response (four levels) and Key-Off Simulator
• 550 High-Quality Tones and Sound Source highest levels of performance deliver acoustic piano ensure timing, the exceptional key response and feel.and A host of Auto accompaniment with performance features include 128-note polyphony, 550 high-quality 200 Rhythms. tones, string resonance, damper resonance, hammer and touch • 5.3 inch Colour LCD touch response, key-off simulator. panel and weighs only 11.9kg Extended features include: Digital Effects including Reverb, Chorus, Bri lliance and DSP . Audio record function, two headphone ports, two pedal ports. USB interface and flash memory port, Line In (L/Mono,R), Line Out (L/Mono,R), MIDI (In/Out), Duet Mode, Layer/Split and Auto accompaniment with 200 rhythms. The PX-360M weighs in at a very portable 11.9kg.
DIGITAL PIANO GUIDE 11
www.casio.co.uk/music MODEL
DESCRIPTION
RRP
MINI KEYBOARDS
SA-46 SA-76 SA-78
39.99 59.99 59.99
5 Drumpads, Piano / Organ switch button, Green 5 Drumpads, Piano / Organ switch button, Orange 5 Drumpads, Piano / Organ switch button, Pink
STANDARD KEYBOARD
CTK-240 CTK-1300
49 Full Size Keys, 100 Sounds, 100 Rhythms and Auto Accompaniment, 50 Songs, LCD, Lesson Function,Headphone Socket 79.99 61 Full Size Keys, 100Sounds, 100Rhythms and Auto Accompaniment, 100Songs, LCD, Lesson Function, Headphone Socket, Silver 99.99 CTK-3400SK Touch Response, LCD, USB, Colour coded panel, Song Record feature, Registration Memory, dual and split voice. CTK-4400
179.99 229.99
Touch Response, Sampling, Audio-in,LCD, USB connection, 32x Registration memory, Hall Effect DSP, 6-Track Memory
HIGH END KEYBOARD
CTK-6200 CTK-7200 WK-7600
Touch Response, Song Sequencer, 32 Channel Mixer, SDHC Card Slot, Pitch Band Wheel 299.99 Touch Response, Song/ Pattern Sequencer,32 Channel Mixer , Drawbar,SDHC Card Slot, PitchBand Wheel, Audio Record 399.99 Touch Response, Song Sequencer, 32 Channel Mixer, SDHC Card Slot, Pitch Band Wheel 499.99
KEYLIGHTING KEYBOARD
LK-130
149.99
Key Lighting Feature 3 Step Lesson, Microphone Input
DIGITAL PIAN O
CDP-130
88 Note Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard, 10 AHL Sounds, Digital Effects(Hall, Reverb, Chorus) USB Socket, New Speaker System
479.99
PRIVIA DIGITAL PIANO
PX-160
3D AiR Sound Source, Tri-Sensor 2 Keyboard Action, Duet Mode, DSP, Damper Pedal,
599.99
PX-350M PX-360M
3D AiR Sound Source, Tri-Sensor 2 Keyboard Action, Accompaniment Patterns, Duet Mode, DSP, Pitch Bend Wheel 3D AiR Sound Source, Tri-Sensor2 Keyboard Action, Colour Touch Screen, MIDI and Audio Record, New Rhythms & Accomp Patterns 3D AiR Sound Source, New & EP / Organ samples, 4 zone MIDI control, Hex Layer poly synth voices, Drum loops, sequencer 3D AiR Sound Source, Tri-Sensor 2 Keyboard Action, Duet Mode, New Concert Play Feature, 3 Pedals, Compact Design 3D AiR Sound Source, Tri-Sensor 2 Keyboard Action, New Concert Play Feature, Hall Simulator DSP, Opening Lid, Piano Lid Sim
699.99
PX-5S PX-760 PX-860
799.99 999.99 799.99 999.99
CELVIANO DIGITAL PIANO
AP-250 AP-260 AP-460 AP-650M AP-700
3D AiR Sound Source, Tri-Sensor 2 Keyboard Action, Duet Mode, New Concert Play Feature, 3 Pedals, 3D AiR Sound Source, Tri-Sensor 2 Keyboard Action, Duet Mode, New Concert Play Feature, 3 Pedals, 3D AiR Sound Source, Tri-Sensor 2 Keyboard Action, New Concert Play Feature, Hall Simulator DSP, Opening Lid, Piano Lid Sim 3D AiR Sound Source, Tri-Sensor 2 Keyboard Action, Opening Lid, Grand Piano Simulator, Accomp Patterns, 3 Pedals New 3D AIR Grand Sound Source, Collaboration with C. Bechstein, Powerful Speaker System, Audio Record and USB Terminal
799.99 799.99 999.99 1,299.99 1,499.99
CELVIANO GRAND HYBRID PIANO
GP-300 GP-500
New 3D AIR Grand Sound Source & Natural Grand Hammer Action, C. Bechsteinlink, Grand Acoustic Speaker System New 3D AIR Grand Sound Source & Natural Grand Hammer Action, C. Bechstein link, Scene Setting, Quality Black Polish Cabinet
1,999.99 2,999.99
ACCESSORIES
AD-5MLE AC-Adaptor (9.0 Volts) for CTK 3000, 4000 AD-E95100LE AC-Adaptor (9.5Volts) for SA46, CTK240, 1100, 2200, 3200, 4200 and LK1 20, XW-P1, G1 AD-A12150LWAC-Adaptor (12.0 Volts) for CTK6000, 6200, 700 0, 7200, WK7500, 7600, CDP120, 220, PX130, 135, 150, 330, 350, 730, CS-44P CS-67P SP-3 SP-20 SP-33
735, 750, AP220 and AP250 Optional Piano Stand for CDP-100 / CDP-120 / CDP-200 and CDP-220 Optional Piano Stand for PX-130 / PX-135 / PX-150 / PX-330BK / PX-350MBK / PX3BK / PX-360 / PX-560 Sustain Pedal (Flat Type) Sustain Pedal (Piano Type) 3 Pedal Unit for PX-150 / PX-350MBK (when used with CS-67BKC5 stand)
12 DIGITAL PIANO GUIDE
9.99 9.99 18.99 99.99 99.99 12.99 34.99 49.99
Introducing CELVIANO Grand Hybrid. DEVELOPED IN COLLABORATION WITH
grandhybrid.co.uk
www.kawai.co.uk
T CA-97 £2,900
KEY POINTS: • Ideal for advanced players • Inspiring for developing pianists who are challenged by the realistic touch and tone • Latest ‘Grand Feel II’ action with full wooden keys • 88-key samples of the Shigeru Kawai SK-5, SK-EX, and Kawai EX grand pianos • Unique soundboard speaker system for authentic sound projection • 5-year parts and labour warranty
CS-7
he CA97 is the flagship of the latest Concert Artist series with touch and tone that make it as close as possible to the feeling of playing an acoustic grand piano. The premium samples of the Shigeru Kawai SK-EX and Kawai EX pianos found on the CA17 are joined by a sample of the Shigeru Kawai SK-5 chamber grand, and the characteristics of each are enhanced by the unique soundboard speaker system. Each of these piano sounds is a full 88-key sample using Kawai’s Harmonic Imaging XL technology, which recreates the expressive and dynamic range of the sampled pianos. Precise control of these tonal capabilities is made particularly rewarding courtesy of the Grand Feel II action. The use of full wooden keys is particularly crucial to the authenticity ‘e speakers were of the playing experience, enhanced further by the use great. I liked playing of balance pins providing the the Rachmaninov same pivot point and seemotion as on a grand Piano Concerto No saw piano. Also taken directly 2 luxurious theme on the SK from Kawai’s 88 years of setting, and I loved the bass.’ experience in making acoustic pianos is the incorporation of graded counterweights in each key, making it a pleasure to play softly with control, but also giving a rewarding feeling of substance when playing fortissimo. These features combine to make the CA-97 ideal for advanced players who need the convenience of a digital, whilst also providing huge inspiration to beginning, intermediate, and returning players.
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• Suitable for advanced pianists seeking a digital piano in polished ebony • Triple-sensor key detection (also on CA-Series) for optimum responsiveness • 60 sounds covering a range
he Classic Series presents Kawai’s digital piano technology in black polished cases, combining a rewarding playing experience with the elegance of an acoustic instrument. The Ivory Feel keys add to this impression, and gently absorb moisture to aid playing control. The Grand Feel action found in the CS7 incorporates full wooden keys with central balance pins, which replicate the pivot length of the keys on a Kawai RX-Series grand. Consequently,
of pianos, organs, electric pianos, strings, basses and pads • Virtual Technician feature for comprehensive personalisation of touch and tone • USB recording offering a choice of MP3 and WAV file formats • 5-year parts and labour warranty
the CS7 provides an authentic experience, encouraging the technical development neededplaying to effectively control and manipulate the capabilities of an acoustic grand piano. The 88-key piano sample is the other half of this crucial equation, with Harmonic Imaging XL technology and careful positioning of the speakers heightening the realism of the instrument, and recreating the vast expressive potential of the Kawai EX concert grand. The CS7 is therefore a great choice for a range of players, from those in the early stages who want to be inspired by their instrument, to more advanced players who don’t want to feel limited. For those wishing to capitalise on these abilities further there is a flagship CS-10 model which adds the unique soundboard speaker system also found on the CA-97.
£2,549
KEY POINTS:
14
DIGITAL PIANO GUIDE
www.kawai.co.uk
mbracing many of the long-established principles associated with an acoustic piano, the CA17’s highly regarded RM3 Grand II keyboard action combines realistic materials, motion, and mechanism to recreate the exceptional touch of the finest concert grand pianos. All 88 black and white keys are crafted from long pieces of wood, and pivot smoothly on a central balance pin with the same ‘seesaw’ motion as an
CA-17
acoustic piano key. The weight of the keyboard is graded from bass to treble, with additional characteristics such as let-off simulation and counterweights further enhancing touch realism. The sounds of two world-class concert grands are included on the CA17 – the warmtoned Shigeru Kawai SK-EX, and the brighter sound of the Kawai EX – and the HI-XL technology means that not only is each key sampled individually, but at a wide range of dynamic levels from pianissimo to fortissimo. The result is that when you play at different dynamic levels instead of it sounding like you have merely adjusted the volume, the tone changes just as on an acoustic grand. The CA17 also includes a useful selection of non-acoustic piano sounds, ranging from electric pianos and drawbar or church organs, to strings, human choirs, and synth pads, adding greater variety to musical performances.
• replicates Grand Feelthe pedal system individual weighting of Kawai EX Concert grand piano pedals • Four Hands mode splits the piano into two identical 44key pianos • High fidelity speaker system with spatial capability • 5-year parts and labour warranty
E
ore features of the CN25 are retained in the CN35, including the Responsive Hammer III action and 88-key Kawai EX concert grand piano sample. Additional functionality widens creative scope. The CN35 benefits from a more extensive range of sounds, offering 324 voices and 12 drum kits, and adds a USB recording function, for writing files to an external pen drive. This gives you the choice between smaller MP3 files for easily sharing your work, or WAV files for optimum sound ‘I loved the choir! quality. If you enjoy a range of time signatures you’ll And the virtual also find the additional 7/8, technician – where 9/8 and 12/8 options offered the CN35’s metronome I was able to change by very useful for helping you a tone. I particularly liked the stay in time. Both models are compatible with Kawai’s Virtual Technician iPad ‘Mellow Grand tone!’ app which offers control over various aspects of the piano’s performance, but a wider range of parameters can be adjusted on the CN35, affording the more experienced player extensive personalisation including voicing, tuning, touch curves, and resonances. Greater connectivity further adds to the flexibility of the CN35, with a Line In making it possible to play external sound sources such as backing tracks through the piano’s speaker system, and USB (To Host) providing added compatibility with modern soundcards. The more powerful speaker system makes the CN35 a better candidate for larger rooms and public spaces.
£1,600
KEY POINTS: • The most affordable digital piano with full wooden-key action • 88-key samples of 2 flagship Kawai concert grands
C
CN-35 £1,380
KEY POINTS: • Ideal family piano with features to aid creativity • Comprehensive personalisation using Virtual Technician • Built-in lesson functions to inspire learning • Superior 4-way speaker system • Grand Feel pedal system replicates the individual weightings of Kawai EX Concert grand piano pedals • 5-year parts and labour warranty DIGITAL PIANO GUIDE 15
www.kawai.co.uk
CN-25 £1,130
KEY POINTS: • Ideal for serious players on a budget and as an inspiring instrument for the whole family • Ergonomic control layout with easy access to everyday functions • Ivory Touch key surfaces replicate the tactile feeling of playing an acoustic grand piano • 19 sounds including a choice of acoustic and electric pianos, organs, strings, and pads • 20 watt per channel stereo speaker system • 5-year parts and labour warranty
T
he focus of the CN25 is a high level of performance as a piano, and the features are carefully focused to fulfil this aim and to make that capability as accessible as possible. The CN25 boasts a variety of features suitable for different playing abilities, including an 88-key stereo sample of the Kawai EX concert grand. The convenient lesson function allows aspiring pianists to learn piano with classical etudes and songs from the popular Alfred course books or Beyer, Czerny and Burgmüller, while Concert Magic encourages even non-players to enjoy making music by simply tapping the keyboard with a steady, rhythmical beat. The weight of the keyboard is appropriately graded to mirror the heavier bass hammers and lighter treble hammers of an acoustic piano, while let-off simulation recreates the subtle ‘notch’ sensation felt when softly playing the keys of a grand piano. These important characteristics, and the Grand Feel pedals, allow discerning pianists to practise their expanding repertoire with confidence, and ensure that there are no unpleasant surprises when called upon to perform using the finest acoustic grand pianos. The new Vocal Assist function is notable, as it provides speech output to make finding the various features approachable for all users. awai’s newES8 boasts a powerful combination of flexibility and
portability. It is ideal usethe in apremium wide range of environments, making it possible tofor enjoy piano samples from the CA-Series models in a neatly packaged instrument which doesn’t require the services of a road crew for transportation. Whether playing in a band or jazz trio, accompanying a choir or soloist, or performing ES8 solo, the control offered by the Responsive Hammer III action s( hared £1,299 (Optional HM-4 stand with the CN-series) makes £135 and F-301 3-pedal unit £115) the ES8 a pleasure to play. ‘Tere’s a huge A recent update to Kawai’s amount of adjustKEY POINTS: Virtual Technician iPad app ability, great sound now means that it can be • For players of all abilities, used to personalise many including advanced players and I really liked the parameters of the ES8’s • Ergonomic layout, with sound system. It doesn’t look performance.The ability intuitive controls and a clear to manually switch the LCD display so traditional assome. It’s the
K
• Ivory Touchthe keyfeeling surfaces, replicating of acoustic grand piano keys • USB recording: MP3 files for easy sharing, or lossless WAV files for highest sound quality • 15 watt per channel stereo speaker system • 5-year parts and labour warranty
16
DIGITAL PIANO GUIDE
internal and nearest thing to a home pro off addsspeakers flexibility,onfurther enhanced by comprehensive stage piano that I know.’ connectivity including MIDI and USB connections which allow you to control external hardware and software sound sources easily. For those times when the piano is in use at home, there is an optional HM4 Design kit which includes a colour-matched stand and upgraded acrylic music desk, so there is no need to put up with an industrial looking X-frame stand. An upgraded F-301 3-pedal unit is also available to use in conjunction with the stand, but a single pedal with half-damper functionality is included with the ES-8 as standard.
www.kawai.co.uk
T
he ES100 is the entry product in the Kawai digital piano range and offers simple quality at an affordable price. As you would expect from a fully-fledged piano manufacturer, the focus is on providing the best touch and tone possible at the price, and in these respects the ES100 can rival some more expensive pianos. In spite of its price, this piano still benefits from 88-key sampling and a graded hammer-action keyboard, making it a great option for beginners and those looking for a second instrument for portable use or private after-hours practice. ‘An entry-level option with The internal speakers provide good sounds and touch, and good sound for just the right size for the smaller spaces and can be switched back of a car or a bedroom.’ off if connecting to external amplification. At just 15kg it can be easily moved between and around venues, and for those wishing to use it mostly in one location an optional dedicated HML-1 stand and F-350 triple pedal board are available. The high 192-note maximum polyphony is unusual on an instrument of this price and type, and the ability to cope with complex textures further consolidates the ES100 as a serious proposition for those with limited budget and space. The additional sounds focus on high quality essentials including a range of alternative pianos, Eps, organs, harpsichord, vibraphone and basses and the 3 song internal recorder is a useful tool for storing new composition ideas or listening back to your own playing.
K
awai MP-Series stage pianos have achieved legendary status for combining top-class sound and action with flexible connectivity, logical controls, and tough reliability. The MP-11 is the latest flagship model in this line, and is used in the most demanding performance and recording environments by artists including Grammy Award-winning producer Trevor Horn. The MP11 is a no-compromise instrument for stage and studio, benefitting from a full wooden-key Grand Feel action and a range of high quality piano sounds, including the Kawai EX concert grand as well as categories for concert, pop, and jazz playing. Upright pianos are covered as well as grands, and there is an excellent selection of vintage EP sounds, amp simulations, strings, pads, and basses to support your creativity. The capacity for storing over 200 set-ups is indispensable for busy musicians who plan ahead and the MIDI OUT is another powerful tool, offering four independent zones for integration into a stage or studio rig. Line input connectivity and assignable faders make using your cherished old sound modules easy. No matter what the musical style or performance circumstances, the MP11 offers the player full flexibility and control, safe in the knowledge that it will respond to widening musical creativity without strain. That is why Kawai refer to it as ‘The Performer’s Stage Piano’.
ES-100 £599 (Optional HML-1 Stand
£115 and F-350 3-pedal unit £75)
KEY POINTS: • For beginners and those needing a back-up piano • Approachable for young players and technophobes • Graded hammer-action keyboard • Available in black or white finishes • 7 watt per channel stereo speaker system • 5-year parts and labour warranty
MP-11 £1,949
KEY POINTS: • Perfect for busy musicians who need a flexible, high quality digital instrument • The only stage piano with full wooden-key action • Real-time control perfect for demanding environments • Compatibility with a full range of stage and studio set-ups • A sound for every situation, including a wide range of acoustic and electric pianos • 5-year parts and labour warranty
DIGITAL PIANO GUIDE 17
www.kawai.co.uk MODEL
COLOUR
DESCRIPTION
RRP
ENTRY LEVELPR = Premium Rosewood / SB = Satin Black / S W = Satin White
KDP-90
PR
CL - 36
SB/SW
Advanced Hammer Action IV-F’, 88-key ‘Harmonic Imaging’, Kawai EX sample, ‘Grand Feel’ pedals, 192 max. polyphony, Lesson functions Responsive Hammer’ action, Ivory Touch, 88-key ‘Progressive Harmonic Imaging’, Kawai EX sample, 96 max. polyphony,
£799.00 £819.00
MID-RANGE PIANOSPR = Premium Rosewood / SB = Satin Black / SW = Satin White
CN-25
PR/SB/SW
CN-35
PR/SB/SW
‘Responsive Hammer III’ action, Ivory Touch, 88-key ‘Progressive Harmonic Imaging’, Kawai EX sample, ‘Grand Feel’ pedals, 192 max. polyphony £1,130.00 ‘Responsive Hammer III’ action, Ivory Touch, 88-key ‘Progressive Harmonic Imaging’, Kawai EX sample, ‘Grand Feel’ pedals, 256 max. polyphony, MP3/WAV recording £1,380.00
CONCERT ARTIST PIANOSPR = Premium Rosewood / SB = Satin Black / SW = Satin White
CA-17
PR/SB/SW
CA-67
PR/SB/SW
CA-97
PR/SB/SW
Wooden key ‘RM3 Grand II’ action, Ivory Touch, 88-key ‘Harmonic Imaging XL’, Shigeru Kawai & Kawai grand samples (SK-EX, EX), ‘Grand Feel’ pedals Wooden key ‘Grand Feel II’ action, Ivory Touch, 88-Key ‘Harmonic Imaging XL’, Shigeru Kawai & Kawai grand samples (SK-EX, SK-5, EX) , ‘Grand Feel’ pedals Wooden key ‘Grand Feel II’ action, Ivory Touch, Soundboard speaker, 88-Key ‘Harmonic Imaging XL’, Shigeru Kawai & Kawai grand samples (SK-EX, SK-5, EX), ‘Grand Feel’ pedals
£1,600.00 £2,100.00 £2,900.00
CLASSIC SERIES PIANOSEP - Ebony Polished
CS-4 EP
‘
CS-7
EP
CS-10
EP
Responsive Hammer II’ action, Ivory Touch, 88-key ‘Progressive Harmonic Imaging’, Kawai EX sample, ‘Grand Feel’ pedals, 192 max. polyphony Wooden key ‘Grand Feel’ action, Ivory Touch, 88-key ‘Harmonic Imaging XL’, Kawai EX sample, ‘Grand Feel’ pedals, 256 max. polyphony Wooden key ‘Grand Feel’ action, Ivory Touch, Soundboard speaker, 88-Key ‘Harmonic Imaging XL’, Kawai EX sample, ‘Grand Feel’ pedals, 256 max. polyphony
£1,549.00 £2,549.00 £3,549.00
PORTABLE PIANOS BB = Black Metallic / WW = White Metallic / B = Black / W = White
ES-100
B/W
HML-1 Stand B/W F-350 Pedals B/W ES-8 BB/WW HM-4 Stand BB/WW F-301 Pedals BB/WW
Advanced Hammer Action IV-F’, 88-key ‘Harmonic Imaging’, Kawai EX sample, 192 max. polyphony, Sustain pedal included., Only 15kg Optional dedicated stand for ES-100, ensures stability and correct height, and enables use of optional F-350 pedals Optional 3-pedal system for ES-100 (requires HML-1 stand) ‘Responsive Hammer III’ action, 88-key ‘Harmonic Imaging XL’, Shigeru Kawai & Kawai samples (SK-EX, SK-5, EX), 256 max. polyphony, MP3/WAV recording, Sustain pedal included. Optional dedicated stand for ES-8, ensures stability and correct height, and enables use of optional F-301 pedals Optional ‘Grand Feel’ 3-pedal system for ES-8 (requires HM-4 stand)
£599.00 £115.00 £75.00 £1,299.00 £135.00 £115.00
STAGE & STUDIO PIANOSBB = Black Metallic - N.B. Stage Pianos Require External Amplification & Speakers
MP-7
BB
MP-11
BB
The Performer’s Stage Piano, ‘Responsive Hammer II’ action, ‘Harmonic Imaging XL’, 256 sounds + 256 set-ups, 256 m ax. polyphony, F-10H sustain pedal included. The Pianist’s Stage Piano, Wooden key ‘Grand Feel’ action, ‘Harmonic Imaging SL’, 40 sounds + 40 set-ups, 256 max. polyphony, F-30 triple pedal included.
£1,349.00 £1,949.00
VIRTUAL PIANO CONTROLLER BB = Black Metallic - N.B. Virtual Piano Controller Requiring External Sound Source/Amplification/Speakers
VPC-1
BB
Wooden key RM3 Grand II’ action, F-30 Triple pedal included., Approved virtual piano touch curves, VPC Editor, USB and MIDI connectivity
18 DIGITAL PIANO GUIDE
£1,199.00
The Concert Grand Experience In The Comfort Of Your Home
Finest Shigeru K awai Grand Piano Sound+ + SK-EX on CA17, SK-EX and SK-5 on CA67 and CA97
Full Wooden-Key Graded Hammer Action* *‘RM3 Grand II’ on CA17, ‘Grand Feel II’ on CA67 and CA97
Visit www.kawai.co.uk to view the range and to fnd your local dealer
/KawaiUK
www.roland.co.uk
he new LX-17 is a luxurious upright piano for the connoisseur, with the rich sound and graceful appearance of an acoustic, along with a multitude of advantages only possible with a digital piano. The LX-17 uses Roland’s groundbreaking SuperNATURAL Piano Modeling technology to recreate, rather than replay, the sound. This unique modeling process spans the entire sound creation process of a typical piano including the combination of notes played, their resonance and the way in which the piano’s many elements interact with each other. The result is a rich, complex sound - complete with overtones - that actually changes in response to the way you play;
T LX-17 £3,549
KEY POINTS: • Flagship SuperNATURAL Piano Modeling technology • Acclaimed multi-dimensional Acoustic Projection speaker system • New wooden and moulded material hybrid action • Innovative 3D headphone ambience effect • Bluetooth connectivity for smartphone devices • Two premium finishes
HP605 £1,799
KEY POINTS: • Flagship SuperNATURAL Piano Modeling technology • Acclaimed multi-dimensional Acoustic Projection speaker system • New wooden and moulded material hybrid action • Innovative 3D headphone ambience effect • Bluetooth connectivity for smartphone devices • Four premium finishes
20
DIGITAL PIANO GUIDE
something impossible to achieve when a piano uses samples. The playing experience is further enhanced with the new PHA-50 keyboard which blends wood and moulded material for great feel and durability. The LX-17 connects via Bluetooth® technology to your smartphone or tablet so you can hear your music-making apps or online piano lessons through the piano’s powerful eight-speaker sound system. And even though it’s compact, the classically-styled LX-17 is our tallest upright piano and
‘I felt I was sitting at an authentic goodsized upright piano. It looks like one too. e touch and sound is really realistic (concert piano setting is great). Impressive.’
it’ll definitely make a big impact in your home especially with a choice of finishes including polished ebony and polished white. he new HP605 is the flagship model in our range of HP series classically-styled home pianos. The HP605 uses the latest version of our SuperNATURAL piano modelling technology to bring world-class piano performance into your home. The six speaker multi-channel sound system will envelop you
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with warm,grand authentic of anthe acoustic pianotones and the new PHA-50 keyboard an authentic grand piano touch that combines the natural appearance and feel of wood with the durability of modern materials. The HP605 connects via Bluetooth® technology to your smartphone or tablet so you can hear your music-making apps or online piano lessons through the onboard speaker system – your kids will love it too as it makes learning piano fun. And even though it’s compact, the classically-styled HP605 will definitely make a big impact in your home especially with a choice of finishes including polished ebony, contemporary rosewood, and contemporary black or white.
www.roland.co.uk
he F-140R is a digital piano built for modern life. With a contemporary, compact design perfect for smaller apartments, it’s also packed with useful technology from the leader in digital piano innovation. First, you’ll experience an authentic, expressive piano tone that’s
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nothing short of remarkable for such a compact and affordable instrument. The built-in stereo speakers project rich, full sound, while the Headphones 3D Ambience effect completely immerses you in your performance during private practice. Onboard rhythm accompaniments make playing even more fun, giving you control of a backing band that automatically follows the chords you play. The F-140R can help improve your playing and composition ‘A really good with onboard recording starter piano with too, and Bluetooth® connectivity a realistic touch.’ for using with music score apps. Whether you order your music scores from an online store like Sheet Music Direct, or you prefer a more advanced
F-140R £719
KEY POINTS: • Roland’s industry leading piano technologies in a stylish, affordable instrument for compact living places • Extensive collection of 316 sounds • 72 onboard rhythm accompaniments • USB for connecting to your computer • Bluetooth connectivity for smartphone devices • Contemporary black or white finishes
approach, the F-140R fits around the way you like to play. Using iOS apps like PiaScore gives free access to over 70,000 classical music scores - and by pressing the piano’s pedal you can even turn the pages of the score on your iPad/iPhone screen.
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f you are looking for the first piano for you or your child, the Roland F-20 is the perfect choice. Though it comes at an entry level price, the F-20 delivers sound, features and performance directly inherited from Roland’s high-end pianos. With its compact size and built-in stereo speaker system, the instrument fits nicely into any home environment and is easy to move from room to room. The stylish wood cabinet comes in a choice of Contemporary Black or Simulated Dark Walnut finishes, so you can select the perfect colour to compliment your living space. In addition, free Roland piano apps allow you to use your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with the F-20, providing a great way to motivate kids with play-along songs and enjoyable interactive features.
F-20 £449
KEY POINTS: • The perfect choice for a first piano • Extensive collection of 35 sounds • 32 onboard rhythm accompaniments • Play along to your audio files (.wav) • Apple iPhone & iPad connectivity • Contemporary black or dark walnut finishes
DIGITAL PIANO GUIDE 21
www.roland.co.uk MODEL
COLOUR
DESCRIPTION
RRP
CB = CONTEMPORARY BLACK / DW = DARK WALNUT / WH = WHITE / RW = ROSEWOOD / BK = BLACK / CR = CONTEMPORARY ROSEWOOD / CB = CONTEMPORARY BLACK / PE = POLISHED EBONY / PW = POLISHED WHITE / BW = BROWN WALNUT F20
CB/DW
F140R *NEW*CB/WH
RP401R
CB/RW
Entry level portable piano with optional stand. Connect wirelessly to education apps to encourage practice.
495.00
Contemporary and compact design with SuperNATURAL® sound engine, features ®Bluetooth technology for wireless connections to sheet music apps.
795.00
Home piano ideal for beginners, SuperNATURAL® sound engine, connect via wireless dongle to education apps.
969.00
FP50
BK/WH
Portable and affordable digital piano with inbuilt speakers for home and live use.
1,035.00
HP504
CB/RW
SuperNATURAL® Piano, PHA-4 Premium Keyboard with escapement and Ivory Feel, 3D Headphone ambience. 10 year Warranty.
1,375.00
The ideal digital piano with inbuilt acoustic projection speakers for home and live use.
1,429.00
FP80
BK/WH
HP603 *NEW*CB/CR/WH
HP605 *NEW*CB/CR/WH
HP605 *NEW* PE
Revolutionary SuperNATURAL® Modelling sound engine, ®Bluetooth technology with new hybrid wooden keyboard action. 10 year Warranty.
1,595.00
Revolutionary SuperNATURAL® Modelling sound engine, ®Bluetooth technology with new hybrid wooden action. 6 speakers/acoustic projection. 10 year Warranty.
1,979.00
Revolutionary SuperNATURAL® Modelling sound engine, ®Bluetooth technology with new hybrid wooden action. 6 speakers/acoustic projection. 10 year Warranty.
2,365.00
DP90-E
CB
Stylish compact ‘sideboard-style’ piano with SuperNATURAL sound and PHA-4 action.
1,705.00
HPi-50-E
RW
SuperNATURAL® piano, high-resolution (1280 x 800) colour LCD with interactive DigiScore training programs.
2,089.00
Stylish compact ‘sideboard-style’ piano with SuperNATURAL® sound and PHA-4 action.
2,255.00
DP90S-E
PE/PW
LX-7 *NEW* BW/CB
Upright piano style. Revolutionary SuperNATURAL® Modelling sound engine, ®Bluetooth technology with new hybrid wooden keyboard action. 6 speakers/acoustic projection. 10 year Warranty 2,749.00
LX-7 *NEW* PE
Upright piano style. Revolutionary SuperNATURAL® Modelling sound engine, ®Bluetooth technology with new hybrid wooden keyboard action. 6 speakers/acoustic projection. 10 year Warranty 3,189.00
LX-17 *NEW* PE/PW
Flagship, upright piano style. Revolutionary SuperNATURAL® Modelling sound engine, ®Bluetooth technology with new hybrid wooden keyboard action. 8 speakers/acoustic projection 10 year Warranty. 3,905.00
RG-3F
PE
Digital mini-grand piano with SuperNATURAL® piano engine and PHA III keyboard.
V-Piano Grand PE
22 DIGITAL PIANO GUIDE
Next-generation V-Piano in a luxurious grand piano cabinet.
6,819.00 14,299.00
New LX/HP
A TIMELESS CLASSIC WITH A MODERN TWIST Our new LX/HP pianos continue our tradition of creating luxurious home pianos for all types of player, blending advanced technology and authentic playing feel with classic, sophisticated design.
www.roland.co.uk/lx-hp
uk.yamaha.com
he P-45 is the most affordable model in the new P-series range with a compact and portable design which makes it perfect for use on the road and in the home. The 88-key Graded Hammer Standard keyboard with matte finish black keys ensures superb playability and there are 10 stereo sampled voices with 64note polyphony (max) and reverb/preset chorus effects. In Dual mode, two voices can be combined for further
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P-45 Shown with optional stand (£92) £352
KEY POINTS:
• Graded Hammer Standard (GHS) keyboard • AWM Stereo Sampled sounds • 10 voices versatility while the Duo function enables the keyboard to be split • Reverb and Chorus/Effect into two identical zones allowing the student to follow and copy the teacher’s hands easily, ideal for tuition sessions. There are easy tuning • Integrated library with 10 demo songs and 10 piano and transpose functions, great for accompanying singers and other songs instruments, and a USB-to-host port for connecting to computers and • USB-to-host connection for iOS devices. The built-in stereo speaker system delivers a high-quality computers and other devices sound and Yamaha’s Intelligent Acoustic control ensures that the piano
maintains a full, rich sound at any volume level. An optional stand is also available, giving the instrument a stylish appearance in any room.
he P-115 delivers great sound and premium piano performance in the home and on the road. The smooth Graded Hammer Standard action
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with matte black key tops creates a feel that’s both comfortable and familiar for any pianist. There are 14 voices together with reverb and chorus effects. 192 note polyphony and damper resonance ensures that the most complex pieces can be played with utmost realism. There are 14 dynamic rhythms and 10 Pianist accompaniment styles which are ideal for both performance and practice. The keyboard can be played in Split or Dual mode where two sounds can be layered together while the Duo function enables the It’s a starter keyboard to be divided into piano, but it’s got two identical zones, allowing everything you need the student to follow and copy the teacher’s hands
P-115 £508 Shown
with optional stand (£92) and pedal unit (£54)
KEY POINTS: • Graded Hammer Standard (GHS) keyboard • 14 voices • 14 rhythms and 10 pianist styles • Two-track recording • USB-to-host connection • Free Piano Controller App for your iPhone/iPad (additional connecting cable required)
easily. On stage, the auxiliary for aprice.’ starter piano at a very easy outputs can connect directly to a PA or audio system to deliver pristine sound to the speakers. There are easy tuning and transpose functions, perfect for accompanying singers and other instruments, plus a USB-to-host connection which allows you to take full advantage of the sequencing and recording power of a PC. There’s even an app for your iOS device to give intuitive, touch-screen control over your piano sounds and settings.The P-115 is available in black or white finishes with optional extras including a sturdy matching stand and high-quality pedal unit. DIGITAL PIANO GUIDE25
uk.yamaha.com
he YDP-162 is the top model in Yamaha’s Arius range of budget digital pianos. However, budget does not mean compromise, because all of the Arius pianos still have a great sound, high quality keyboards and stylish cabinets ina choice of finishes. Perfect for beginners and experienced ‘A step up from the players alike, the ARIUS range provides true piano tone and P-115, with more touch starting at a suggested functionally and on a retail price of just £624 for the YDP-142. proper stand. Perfect
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YDP-162 £780-1,014 KEY POINTS: • Graded Hammer (GH) keyboard with Synthetic ivory key tops • 10 Voices • Digital Reverb and Damper Resonance • Two-track performance recording • Integrated music library with 10 demonstration and 50 piano pieces • 2 x 20 Watt Amplifier
The YDP-162 starts from for beginners and those on a £780 and features Yamaha’s budget.’ Graded Hammer keyboard reproducing the experience of an acoustic instrument where the lower keys have a slightly heavier feel than the higher ones. The keys are finished in synthetic ivory key tops, perfect for both practice and performance. The Pure CF Sound Engine delivers remarkably authentic sound and natural expressiveness which ensures an incredible playing experience. 128 note polyphony allows you to perform complex passages of music even when layering sounds together (e.g. piano and orchestral strings) using the Dual Voice feature. Damper Resonance samples provide the rich and evolving tones produced by pedalling. Furthermore, the USB TO HOST port enables the transfer of information between the ARIUS and a suitably-equipped computer. There are four colour options available (Light Cherry, Rosewood, Black Walnut and Polished Black). he CLP-535 is part of the award-winning Clavinova CLP-500 series and features the contrasting sounds of two of the world’s finest concert grands – Yamaha CFX and Bösendorfer Imperial. Every Clavinova in the range from the CLP-525 at around £1000 to the top-of-the-range CLP-585, which recently won a prestigious Red Dot Design award, has a number of key features which are essential for both the student and the more advanced pianist; 256-note polyphony ensures that the most complex pieces can be performed. A threepedal configuration is also standard featuring Damper with half-pedal, soft and sostenuto. The sound is incredibly realistic, with String and Damper Resonance. ‘It has a depth Dual voice mode allows two voices to
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CLP-535 £1,310-1,606
KEY POINTS:
• GH3X action with Synthetic Ivory key tops and Escapement • CFX and Bösendorfer Imperial samples • 34 voices • 16 track recording and USB audio recording/playback • 50 Songs plus 303 Lessons • Digital Effects 26
DIGITAL PIANO GUIDE
and very European sound. I liked the heavy touch. Good for getting your repeated notes working!’
be combined, such as piano and strings. Two headphone sockets allow two players (e.g. student and teacher) to play and listen simultaneously, while a USB to host port allows connection to computers and other devices. From the CLP-535 upwards, a USB storage device can be connected to save performances in both MIDI and audio format and there’s an optional adaptor available to connect the instrument to your W-Fi network. Available in Black Walnut, Mahogany, Rosewood, White, White Ash and Black Polished finishes.
uk.yamaha.com
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f you’ve always wanted the appearance of a grand piano in your home, the CLP-565GP Clavinova could be your ideal instrument. Measuring just 1430mm wide x 1147mm deep x 932mm high, it’s certainly not as big as its acoustic counterpart; however, the perfectly proportioned design really does create the elegance of a grand in a choice of Polished Black or Polished White finishes. It feels and sounds superb too with the samples of a Yamaha CFX and Bösendorfer Imperial grand at its heart. These contrasting piano voices give the player the choice of two of the world’s finest instruments in one room- a virtual performance exp erience that is very difficult (and expensive!) to find in the real world. There’s a wide selection of additional instruments to choose from and a Dual voice mode allows two voices to be combined across the keyboard, such as piano and strings. The sound is incredibly realistic, with String and Damper Resonance reproducing the broad, deep sound field of an acoustic piano and the reaction between the strings. Two headphone sockets allow two players to play and listen simultaneously, while a USB to host port offers connection to computers and other devices. A USB storage device can be connected to save performances in both MIDI and audio format and there’s an optional Wi-Fi adaptor available.
CLP-565GP £3,118-3,546 KEY POINTS: • GH3X action with Synthetic Ivory key tops and Escapement • CFX and Bösendorfer Imperial samples • 34 voices • 16 track recording and USB audio recording/playback • 50 Songs plus 303 Lessons • Compact Grand Piano style cabinet
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he NU1 is Yamaha’s hybrid upright digital piano, combining their know-how of acoustic piano manufacturing withinnovative technology from the company’s digital instruments and audio systems. Thanks to having this huge breadth of knowledge and technical ability within the same company, Yamaha has created a digital piano that is often mistaken for an acoustic instrument. Featuring a specialised Yamaha upright piano action with natural wood keys, it certainly delivers a truly authentic playing experience.The piano sound is sampled from Yamaha’s CFX full concert ‘I enjoyed the touch grand and there are five superb sounds to choose very much, and NU-1 from including rich Electric £3,586-3,898 particularly the Pianos and an exquisite Harpsichord. The audio ‘mellow’setting.’ KEY POINTS: system also plays a big part • Specialised Yamaha Upright in the impressive sound of Piano Action the NU1, with a (40W + 40W) x 2 amplifier delivering a great sound at • Yamaha CFX concert grand any volume level. sound Naturally, the NU1 never requires tuning and has a range of • 5 voices connectivity options including two headphone sockets, audio in/out, MIDI and USB. It comes equipped with a USB audio recorder that allows • Digital Reverb you to record your playing onto a USB memory device in very high • Upright Design available in quality, for use as a tool to monitor your progress or to transfer to an Polished Black and Polished Brilliant white finishes audio player. By popular demand, Yamaha has just released a Polished Brilliant • Soft-close keyboard cover White version alongside the traditional Polished Black. DIGITAL PIANO GUIDE 27
uk.yamaha.com
N3 £12,468
KEY POINTS: • Specialised Grand Piano Action • Spatial Acoustic Sampling • Spatial Acoustic Speaker System • Soundboard Resonator • Tactile Response System • Contemporary Grand Piano Design
CVP-705 £3,586-3,898
KEY POINTS: • NWX action with Synthetic Ivory key tops and Escapement • CFX and Bösendorfer Imperial samples • Hundreds of additional Instruments sounds • Piano Room – choose your piano and virtual performance location • 16 track recording and USB audio recording/playback • Built-in music score display and tuition features
28
DIGITAL PIANO GUIDE
he AvantGrand N3 is Yamaha’s flagship digital piano, combining the company’s very best digital and acoustic piano technology. It features a special Yamaha grand piano action with a non-contact key sensor that has no effect on the movement of the keys, affording excellent recognition of the player’s pressure on the keyboard, timing, and the other delicate nuances that affect musical expression. The wood construction of
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the keyboard mirrors that of the grand piano and features a unique material developed by Yamaha, with a texture superbly close to that of natural ivory. Together with a variety of piano sounds, this instrument features samples of the actual vibrations from within the soundboard of the instrument. In addition to the four-channel multi-speakers, the N3 has a flat-panel ‘Soundboard Resonator’ allowing a more subtle reproduction of the build-up of sound felt by pianists when playing a grand piano. The Tactile Response System even recreates the natural vibrations felt by the pianist when playing an acoustic instrument. The system can be turned on and off, and the vibration set to one of three levels. The N3 looks as good as it sounds with a unique design reflecting a modern twist on a traditional grand piano design. As a result, the N3 looks stunning both in the home and on stage.
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he CVP range of Yamaha Clavinovas offer a unique, added dimension to playing the piano. Firstly, it’s important to note that a CVP Clavinova can be played exactly as you would a “traditional” piano and its extra capabilities can even be “locked away” so that you can focus on the pure piano. However, the additional technology found in a CVP has the power to captivate, educate and inspire pianists of all abilities to do even more including performing with virtual “live” musicians who instinctively follow your lead. A large screen is at the heart of the instrument, giving you complete control over everything from the type of piano, its location and even the position of the lid! CVP Clavinovas are also renowned for introducing the joy of the piano to non-players, especially children and those who used to play and now want to rekindle their interest. Tuition features such as an on-screen music score display and discreet guide lights above each key are powerful tools which really help the learning process – there’s even a Karaoke feature and Vocal Harmony for budding singer-songwriters – perfect for entertaining musical evenings around the piano. The CVP-705 sits in the middle of the CVP range which starts at around £2000 for the CVP-701 and culminates in the stunning CVP-709 Grand, available in both Polished Black and Polished White from around £8900.
NEW CLP & CVP
Two of the world’s nest grands...
...in a universe of music Inside every Yamaha CLP and CVP Clavinova you’ll nd the stunning sound of two of the world’s nest grand pianos, the Bösendorfer Imperial and the Yamaha CFX. With a truly natural response that captures every nuance of your performance, Clavinovas deliver the authentic sound and feel of their acoustic counterparts. Experience Clavinova today at a Yamaha dealer or visit uk.yamaha.com to nd out more.
*Models shown are the CVP-709GP PE andCLP-585PE. Specications vary across the range. Not all features mentioned are found on all models.
uk.yamaha.com MODEL
COLOUR
DESCRIPTION
SRP
COMPACT PORTABLE PIANOS Colour B = Black / WH = White
P-45
B
• GHS action • 10 Voices • Reverb • Intelligent Acoustic Control • Dual Mode • Duo Mode
P-115
B/WH
• GHS action • 14 voices • 14 rhythms • 10 Pianist Styles • 2-track recorder • Dual Mode
P-255
B /WH
• Graded Hammer action with synthetic ivory key tops • 24 Voices • 10 rhythms
£352.00
• USB-To-Host
£508.00
• Duo Mode • Split mode • 2 track recording and USB audio recording
£1,092.00
Colour B = Black Walnut / C = Cherry / PE = Black Polished/ R = Rosewood/ WH = White/ WA = White Ash ARIUS DIGITAL PIANOS YDP-142
B/C/R
• Graded Hammer Standard (GHS) Keyboard • 10 Voices • Pure CF Sound Engine • 2 track Recorder
YDP-S52
B/WH
• Graded Hammer (GH) Keyboard with Synthetic Ivory Keytops • 10 Voices • Pure CF Sound Engine
YDP-162
B/C/R/PE
• Graded Hammer (GH) Keyboard with Synthetic Ivory Keytops • 10 Voices • 2 track recorder
• Controller App • Pure CF Sound Engine YDP-V240 R
• GHS Keyboard • 504 Voices • 160 Styles • 5 + 1 Track Recorder • 20W x 2
£624.00 £780.00 from £780.00 £1,282.00
B = Black Walnut / C = Cherry / M = Mahogany / PE = Black Polished / R = Rosewood / WH = White / W A = White Ash CLAVINOVA CLASSIC CLP-525
B/R/WH/PE
• GH3 action with Synthetic Ivory key tops • Yamaha CFIIIS grand piano sample • 10 voices
CLP-535
B/R/M/WA/
• GH3X action with Synthetic Ivory key tops and Escapement • CFX and BösendorferImperial
CLP-545
B/R/M/WA/
CLP-575
B/R/WH/PE
• NWX action with Linear Graded Hammers • GP Response pedal • CFX and
CLP-585
B/PE
• NWX action with Linear Graded Hammers and Counterweights • GP Response pedal
• 2 track recording • Reverb WH/PE WH/PE
samples • 34 voices
from £1310.00
• NWX action with Synthetic Ivory key tops and Escapement • CFX and Bösendorfer Imperial samples • 34 voices • 20 rhythms Bösendorfer Imperial samples • 48 voices + 480 XG voices
CLP-565GP PE/WH
from £1014.00
from £1714.00 from £2128.00 from £2963.00
• GH3X action with Synthetic Ivory key tops and Escapement • CFX and Bösendorfer Imperial samples • 34 voices
from £3118.00
Colour PE = Polished Black / PO = Polished Orange / PR = Polished Red MODUS DESIGN DIGITAL PIANOS Modus F02 PE/ PO/ PR
• NW (NaturalWood) action with synthetic ivorykeytops • 10 voices x 2 variations • 1 trackand USB audio recording •45W x 2
£3,656.00
NU1 & AVANTGRAND HYBRID PIANOS Colour PE = Black Polished / PBW = Polished Brilliant White
NU1
PE/PBW
• SpecializedUprightPiano Action • CFX-Sampling• 5 voices • 1 track recording & USB Audio Recording from £3586
N1
PE
• SpecializedGrand Piano action • Spatial Acoustic Sampling • 5 voices
N2
PE
• Specialized Grand Piano action • Tactile Response system • 4 channel Multi-Sampling • 5 voices
N3
PE
• Specialized Grand Piano action • Tactile Response system • 4 channel Multi-Sampling • 5 voices
£5,224.00 £8,960.00 £12,468.00
Colour B = Black / WH = White COMPACT VERSATILE PIANOS DGX-650
B/WH
GHS action • 543 Voices • 195 Styles • Music Database • One Touch Setting • 6 track recording and USB audio recording
£623.00
CLAVINOV A VERSATILE PIAN OS Colour B = Black / PE = Black Polished / PWH = White Polished
CVP-701
B/PE
• GH3X action • Yamaha CFX and BösendorferImperial samples • VRM• 777 + 480 XG voices
CVP-705
B/PE
• NWX action • Yamaha CFX and BösendorferImperial samples • VRM• 984 + 480 XG voices
CVP-709
B/PE/PWH
• NWX action• Yamaha CFX and BösendorferImperial samples • VRM• 1270 + 480 XG voices
• 310 backing styles • 470 backing styles • 600 styles including audio styles CVP-709GP PE/PWH
from £2 027.00 from £3586.00 from £5840.00
• NWX action • Yamaha CFX and BösendorferImperial samples • VRM• 1270 + 480 XG voices • 600 styles with audio styles
30 DIGITAL PIANO GUIDE
from £8882.00
www.reidys.com 01254 265212
[email protected] 1 Nab Lane, Blackburn, BB2 1LN
NEW
CVP 700 SERIES
Two of the worlds finest grand pianos. Discover the Yamaha CFX and the Bosendorfer Imperial in the all new CVP 700 series. ALL CLAVINOVAS COME WITH FREE hEADPHONES & mATCHING STOOL NEW finish
CVP 701 1879
FROM £
CLP 525 939
CVP 705 3329
WHITE £
FROM £
CVP 709GP FROM £8239
CVP 709 FROM £
CLP-525 FROM £939 clp-535 FROM £1219 CLP-545 FROM £1589 FROM £1899 CLP-575 FROM £2749 CLP-585
5419
aLL PIANOS AVAILABLE ON 0% FINANCE * & INCLUDE FREE HOME INSTALL ATIOn † NEW
LX/HP
FEATURING BLUETOOTH TECHNOLOGY
New Generation Digital Piano - The Ultimate Sound Experience.
LX-7 2499
HP603 £1449
FROM £
LX-17 £3549
HP605 1799
FROM £
*Credit subject to status, on selected items. 0% APR finance based on 10% d eposit and 12 monthly payments. † To mainland England & Wales addresses. See website for details. E&OE.
DEVELOPED IN COLLABORATION WITH
THE PERFECT COMBINATION OF INNOVATION AND TRADITION The Celviano Grand Hybrid offers three of the world’s most renowned piano sounds and its depth of touch while experiencing an authentic grand piano action make this instrument a fantastic learning tool for aspiring pianists as well as an ideal practice instrument for professional pianists. Benjamin Grosvenor CASIO BRAND AMBASSADOR
grandhybrid.co.uk
