What is it about the Goldberg Variations which gives them such an enduring appeal? Two new recordings have been released in as many months, by two leading pianists of the 21st-century, yet each quite different in their approach. Maybe it

British pianist Stephen Hough thinks it is, and he makes a persuasive case for it in an article for The Guardian, reminding us that coronavirus has forced us to rethink how we organise and attend concerts. Those who decry the

In part a memoir, ‘Note for Note’ is a Pilgrim’s Progress for the amateur pianist – indeed, any amateur musician – and in it the author charts the pleasures and the pitfalls, the breakthroughs and “lightbulb moments” as well as

We missed our audiences in the year of pandemic and when they returned, they were sparser than usual due to social distancing. But they are coming back to the concert halls and opera houses, their appetite for live music apparently

Many musicians or students start learning a piece that inspired them when they heard it at a concert or on the radio. Some famous pieces have been recorded hundreds of times, and with streaming services and YouTube out there for

It is always a distinct pleasure to learn of a new release by the celebrated vocal ensemble I Fagiolini. In a substantial number of CDs and short films the ensemble has deliciously probed the frequently quirky imagination of artists and

Soon after the first UK lockdown began in March 2020, videos began appearing online of people playing their pianos in their homes. Often these home performances – more playing for oneself than for others – were prefaced by an apology

Given the context of 2020, many composers and artists have regretted not having created more; having been given the gift of time and not making the most of it. While there are many reasons for a lack of creative result,