Bach F#m Fugue – which version do you prefer – with or without rubato?
Rhythmic flexibility causes much debate among Classical musicians. Personally, I prefer some rhythmic nuance and find metronomic playing tiring…
Bach sounds like morning sunshine
This Bach Prelude & Fugue in D major from bk 2 of the 48 is full of vigour and optimism.
Chopin’s mastery of bittersweet was extraordinary
Chopin’s Waltz in A minor op. 34 no. 2 is full of melancholy but there’s a warmth that provides solace.
Hear how I stretch the groove in Rachmaninov’s Prelude in D op. 23 no. 4
I love music to make sense and a strong groove is the foundation of musical storytelling. In Romantic music that uses tempo rubato, this means the groove must stretch but not break.
Mozart Fantasia in Cm K475 on Pianoteq’s NY Steinway D
This extraordinary piece is full of drama, incident and a whole range of feelings.
The powerful and flexible groove of Schubert’s Impromptu in G-flat
Without going very deep into the compositional structure of this lovely piece, in this video I describe how the groove or metre forms into sections to generate a lovely sense of story in Schubert’s Impromptu in G-flat.
Chopin’s Nocturne op 27 no 2 played with soul on Pianoteq’s NY Steinway
In this performance, I allow my sense of rhythmic flow and natural storytelling to shape the music.
The Prelude & Fugue in F minor from Bk 2 of the 48 by Bach
The sweet tones of a Bechstein bring out the luminous intricacy of this gorgeous Prelude and Fugue by Bach so well.
The 2nd movement of Sonata K310 on this instrument from Mozart’s time
The 2nd movement of Mozart’s Sonata in A minor K310 contrasts intricate lyrical music with a dark dramatic development section. Hear how this late 18th Century fortepiano handles these contrasts in a very different way from the modern piano.
Experience the dynamic and exciting tone of this beautiful historic piano – Pianoteq’s Dohnai 1795
In this video I play the 1st movement of the wonderful Mozart K310 sonata in A minor, full of Sturm und Drang, with its driving rhythmic figures and contrasting dynamics. The 1795 Dohnai piano from Pianoteq’s Kremsegg collection gives even more drama and energy to this exciting, powerful piece.