Stinsford church, near Dorchester in Dorset, just a short distance from Thomas Hardy’s birthplace at Upper Bockhampton, and the place where his heart is buried, provided the perfect setting for A Beautiful Thread, a new words and music concert concept from the ever-inventive Orchestra of the Swan (OOTS). Produced to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the publication of Far From the Madding Crowd, A Beautiful Thread (a quote from that novel) weaves the words of Thomas Hardy – as dramatic as any of his novels – from his and others’ memoirs, his letters, poetry and prose – with atmospheric music composed or arranged by David Le Page, leader and artistic director of OOTS, and performed by a small ensemble of musicians from the orchestra.
Stinsford Church
Anton Lesser (Game of Thrones, Wolf Hall, Endeavour) and young actress Lucia Bonbright (who could have walked straight out of one of Hardy’s novels with her fresh face, jaunty curls and sky-blue dress) read the words, including excerpts from Far From the Madding Crowd, Tess of the d’Urbervilles, and Jude the Obscure, bringing Hardy’s life, work and world vividly to life.
I confess I’ve not ready much of Hardy’s writing, but I’ve really enjoyed film versions of some of his novels. And perhaps the move to Dorset (in 2018) and a greater sense of connection to the places and landscapes he knew, loved and included in his novels, piqued my interest in his writing, especially when hearing it read out loud by Anton Lesser. Indeed, there is a wonderful cadence to his writing, almost musical, and hearing his words spoken in the heart of “Hardy County” (as the Dorset Tourist Board likes to portray it!) was particularly special.
David Le Page writes haunting, atmospheric music. There are drones and loops, shimmering, wistful melodies, often with a folk inflection, hints of birdsong or the wind rustling the trees on ‘Egdon Heath’ (the primary setting for Hardy’s novel The Return of the Native). His arrangements of traditional folk melodies and carols (Apple Tree Wassail, See Amid) are earthy, textural, foot-tappingly rhythmic, with careful attention paid to individual instruments (Diane Clark on flute/piccolo, Miloš Milivojević on accordion, and Glenda Allaway on harp, to name but a few of these fine musicians).
But perhaps the most arresting aspect of this heartfelt, poignant, witty and fascinating performance was the way the music was so subtly interposed between the words, weaving in and out, sometimes softly, sometimes more robustly, but always sensitively paced, complementing, illustrating and enhancing the words. The overall effect was of a continuous narrative of Hardy’s life and work. A fine tribute to Thomas Hardy, his words, his world – and to Dorset.
Go and see if it you can!
Anton Lesser says: ‘Words and Music is a kind of unique genre, neither pure reading, nor acting, but with an immediacy that comes from the huge emotional impact the music has upon the words, and vice versa, and the interplay we as actors enjoy with the musicians on-stage. Quite simply, it’s the most enjoyable thing I’ve ever done!’
A Beautiful Thread is currently on tour – find out more here
When the first notes of Chopin sound through the concert hall there is a happy sign of recognition. All over the world men and women know his music. They love it. They are moved by it. When I play Chopin I know I speak directly to the hearts of people.
Arthur Rubinstein
Virtuosic, imaginative, and emotionally profound, Chopin’s music offers pianists a wealth of expressivity, requiring a combination of superior technique, which always serves the music (rather than as an end in itself), refined touch, a beautiful cantabile (singing) tone, highly nuanced dynamic shading, supple phrasing and rubato, and an appreciation of the interior architecture of this multi-layered music. Chopin is also symbolic of Poland, the country of his birth, whose musical idioms are evident in almost all his music, most obviously, the Mazurkas and Polonaises.
When asked, the great Chopin player Arthur Rubinstein could not explain why Chopin’s music spoke to him, but like the music of J.S. Bach (which Chopin greatly admired and studied), it expresses universal humanity which, combined with a certain vulnerability, speaks to so many of us, and on many different levels.
An unrivalled authority and one of the greatest interpreters of the music of Chopin, Rubinstein brought great dignity and refinement to the music, avoided unnecessary mannerisms and sentimentality, and revealed the structural logic of Chopin’s writing. His playing is memorable for its elegant vocal phrasing, beauty of tone, and natural yet sophisticated shaping.
Arthur Rubinstein Plays Chopin’s Polonaise in A Flat Major, Op.53
“A master of the keyboard” (Harold C Schonberg), Dinu Lipatti was the pupil of an older Chopin master, Alfred Cortot.
Lipatti’s immaculate performances of the waltzes, in particular, are spontaneous, light and nimble, lyrical and suitably dancing, with subtle rubato and great charm.
“It’s very inner music and very deep,” Maria João Pires has said of Chopin. For her, he is “the deep poet of music”. That depth is really evident in Pires’ playing of the Nocturnes: intimate, refined and passionate, her interpretations eschew drawing room night-time sentimentality and capture all the drama and emotional intensity of these much-loved pieces.
Described by one critic as “the greatest Chopin player to have emerged from Italy since the Second World War”, Maurizio Pollini’s association with Chopin goes right back to the beginning of his professional career when he won the Chopin Competition in Warsaw when he was just 18. His unsentimental, cultivated interpretations are notable for their clarity of expression, perfectly judged poetry, and close attention to the bel canto melodic lines which make Chopin’s music so immediately appealing.
Alfred Cortot is one of the most celebrated Chopin interpreters, combining flawless technique with a deep appreciation of the structure, voicing, and textures of Chopin’s music. His recordings are acclaimed to this day, and his detailed, annotated editions of Chopin’s music remain highly prized among pianists and teachers.
Hailed by her mentor Arthur Rubinstein as “a born Chopin interpreter”, Polish-Canadian pianist Janina Fialkowska captures the soul of Chopin, in particular in her performances of the Mazurkas, works which reveal Chopin’s patriotism and innermost sentiments towards his homeland. Fialkowska is sensitive to both the humble, peasant origins of the Mazurka and Chopin’s elevation of the genre into concert pieces. She really captures the poetry, poignancy, and whimsical emotions of these Polish folk dances, and her rubato is perfectly judged, especially important in these pieces where suppleness of pace lends greater emphasis to the emotional depth of the music.
FROM SHADOWS TO LIGHT: MUSICAL JOURNEYS IN CONFLICT & PEACE
Hertfordshire Festival of Music 2025, 7th to 14th June
The Hertfordshire Festival of Music (HFoM) is proud to announce the programme for its ninth annual festival, running from 7th to 14th June 2025. Under the theme From Shadows to Light: Musical Journeys in Conflict & Peace, the festival explores how music serves as a medium to document personal and collective struggles while also illuminating paths towards renewal.
The 2025 festival builds towards HFoM’s milestone tenth anniversary in 2026, which will be celebrated under the banner Made in Herts, marking a decade of cultural contribution. This year’s programme is designed to pay heed to heritage, strengthen community bonds, and pave the way for future creative enrichment.
The festival opens on 7th June with a performance by prize-winning young ensemble Brompton String Quartet, performing music by Beethoven and Haydn at Hertford’s historic Friends Meeting House, a building almost certainly visited by Haydn during his time in Hertingfordbury in 1791.
On the opening evening, From Shadows We Rise: The Music of Reflection and Renewal, at All Saints’ Church in Hertford, commemorates the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. It will feature the Hertfordshire Festival Community Concert Band, led by Chris McGinity, and the Hertford Chamber Choir, led by Manvinder Rattan. A local school choir will participate in the world premiere of From Shadows Hope Shall Rise, a piece specially written for the occasion by composer and Festival Artistic Director James Francis Brown, alongside other popular works linked to the wartime era, including music by John Williams, Eric Coates, William Walton, and Karl Jenkins.
The festival programme includes a variety of events beyond traditional concerts. A special Festival church service at All Saints’ Church will pair a young organ scholar with handbells. Stepping outside, a guided tour will explore Hertford’s wartime history, with an invitation to wear period costume. The popular Soundbites recital series at All Saints’ Church will feature music that blends past and present, including the world premiere of a new work by Lloyd Moore, Schumann’s Fantasiestucke op 73, and Brahms’ Viola Sonata in E♭ major, Op. 120, performed by Sarah-Jane Bradley (viola) and James Francis Brown (piano).
Central to the festival are its community initiatives. Songs of Friendship and Adventure: Making Music Together Across Generations is a project engaging primary school children to explore wartime songs through intergenerational storytelling, reflection, and school concerts, with some performances traveling to local care homes to bridge generational divides. The Music in Mind programme, now in its fifth year, delivers live music sessions to residents living with dementia, their carers, and families in local care homes, demonstrating music’s enduring power to soothe, uplift, and connect.
Thoughtful reflections on shared history are also key. An illustrated talk, Hertfordshire During the War: The Evacuee Story, will gather multiple generations to recount and reflect on wartime evacuation experiences. A corresponding event, The Evacuee Story II, will be a 1940s-inspired jazz concert given by the Chris Eldred Trio, highlighting music as a form of solace during adversity.
Art historian Barry Dodge will present an illustrated talk on war artist Paul Nash at St Andrew’s Church, examining his work alongside an original composition by James Francis Brown inspired by three of Nash’s paintings.
A ‘relaxed rehearsal’ at All Saints’ Church will give people an opportunity to see musicians at work and offer a glimpse of the creative processes involved. The festival will culminate in a chamber orchestra concert featuring Benjamin Britten’s Serenade for Tenor, Horn, and Strings, a work written in the wartime year of 1943, performed by young tenor Guy Elliott and horn player Chloe Harrison, highlighting the festival’s commitment to nurturing future artists.
The Hertfordshire Festival of Music is fundamentally a community endeavour, created to bring people together, educate, and foster meaningful dialogue. Every element – from performances and educational projects to outreach and talks – is part of a larger conversation linking shared history with the promise of a more engaged future.
An annual summer event dedicated to celebrating musical heritage, fostering community engagement, and promoting creative enrichment in Hertford and Hertfordshire, HFoM is the vision of conductor Tom Hammond and composer James Francis Brown, and is registered as a charity supported by a board of Trustees and a team of volunteers.
Since its founding in 2016, HFoM has grown rapidly from a small weekend event to one of the UK’s major summer music festivals, featuring international artists and ensembles alongside innovative outreach and educational projects, all based in and around the attractive historic county town of Hertford. HFoM has presented concerts that have inspired extraordinary audience responses to artists such as Tasmin Little CBE, Dame Emma Kirkby, Sir Stephen Hough, Steven Isserlis CBE, Ben Goldscheider, the Carducci Quartet, Emma Johnson MBE, Jack Hancher, the Galliard Ensemble, Chloe Hanslip, ZRI and The Prince Consort.
HFoM receives no Arts Council funding and is fortunate to receive support from a number of charitable trusts and foundations, county, district and town councils, local businesses and other organisations. A ‘Deer Friends’ Scheme allows individuals to play an important role in supporting the Festival and furthering its scope and potential. The Festival offers affordable ticket prices, several free events, concessions for those under 24 in full-time education, free tickets for the under 8s and a complementary ticket for a carer accompanying those patrons with access needs.
HFoM exists to celebrate and nurture exceptional music-making, featuring some of the world’s finest performers. The Festival also supports professional and young musicians from Hertfordshire, presents fascinating music by living composers and devises major, innovative projects for education and participation. Hertford is just over twenty miles from central London, easy to get to by rail and road, but nestled in the beautiful countryside of the Lea Valley. Most concerts take place within a ten-minute stroll of the town’s centre, which boasts excellent restaurants, many independent shops, and pleasant accommodation.
The Festival celebrates its tenth anniversary in 2026.
It’s funny how some random experiences can teach us important lessons in life. On an Air France flight across the Atlantic recently, I clapped on a new set of Bose wireless headphones and within minutes a stewardess was squeezing my shoulder. I looked up and saw her mouth flapping – but she made no sound. All I could hear was Rachmaninoff’s Concerto No. 3 that I was playing through my headphones. It took me a few seconds to regain my composure. No, I didn’t need any more café, I told her. Back to the music, I was experiencing the true meaning of “active listening”.
The sharp trebles and thunderous basses of quality headphones create a private world of pure music. Was I listening? Of course. One can hardly avoid listening to the Arkady Volodos performance of this brilliant concerto.
Best of all, on headphones nobody yells at me, ”Turn it down, for God’s sake!”
And yet ironically, the advent of listening through high-tech recording systems has in some ways been harmful, not helpful, to the modern world of serious music. We have removed much of music from the intimacy of live salon style performances and created the sterile experience of playing a CD or downloading tracks from the Internet. Just 60 or 70 years ago it was only the live performance that brought audiences to the music and the player. Everybody got involved, everybody listened. Now that is largely gone, as concert venues sell us the super-stars such as Volodos, Yevgeny Kissin, Yuja Wang, and possibly Khatia Buniatishvili. The second tier players attract mainly aging retirees, some of them asleep by the end of the first movement.
“We seem to have mastered the art of hearing without listening.” Christy Thomas, Yale Center for Teaching and Learning. “Active learning is a frequent topic of discussion in pedagogical circles today, but the notion of active listening is rarely addressed—if at all.”
But now, waking up and learning to listen may turn out to be the saving grace of the classical tradition. The salon style in various forms can help, and it seems to be in vogue again. Both solo and ensemble players are happy to play in private homes with only 50 or so seats.
Natasha Cherny, New York-based artist manager and producer, tells me her salons in past years “were infinitely more satisfying from every perspective”. Her recital-goers were encouraged to mingle before and after the program “always including protracted conversations with the artist”. And former Juilliard professor David Dubal, pianist, pedagogue and accomplished painter, has been running his series of ‘Piano Evenings’ in New York for 30 years. His aim is to bring “the glories of the piano repertoire, in an intimate setting, dedicated to the art of listening”. He calls it “a site for collective learning through the exchange between teacher and student, performer and listener”.
Indeed, recorded music, no matter how perfect, misses the point. “We kind of caused the problem,” admits Andrew Scheps, an American recording engineer, by making it too easy to hear the notes while missing the intimate experience that players, especially solo pianists, want and need.
Pianists in this overcrowded field find that much of their recorded music ends up in background. An Italian pianist friend tells me the world of recordings has never been such a waste. “There are too many CDs. We can never get noticed.” Too often, a fine piano talent merely exists for his or her background noise. In Bordeaux, for example, the main underground car park offers Chopin Nocturnes murmuring along with honking horns and shouts from angry French drivers, hardly a perfect venue. The artist remains mercifully anonymous. Worse, nobody is listening to Chopin.
A comprehensive treatment of regaining that connection is explored in the book Music: The Art of Listening by Jean Ferris, a former music history and appreciation professor at Arizona State University. “Listening to classical music is itself an art,” she writes, “and good listening is an active, creative experience.”
The personal experience is further investigated in a recent documentary of a similar name, “The Art of Listening”, available free on YouTube:
There are perhaps two kinds of pianist, those that just hammer the clavier louder and faster and those like Volodos who listen intently to themselves as they brush the keyboard with their fingertips. In this recording, Volodos playing Rachmaninoff was all ears, and so was I:
Working as a critic, I am pleased to find more and more attention to listening skills, a mini-movement on an international scale. Indeed, learning to listen is perhaps the best hope for rescuing classical music from the dustbin of history. Statistics are at an all-time low, ranking rock and hip-hop, rap, electronic dance music (EDM), country and jazz comfortably ahead. Classical occupies only about 4 percent of this world. Could it be true that there is nowhere to go but up?
Many others in the realm of classical music have joined the movement. Julian Blackmore, a British composer and sound designer, takes a professional interest in absorbing and processing music in the brain. He calls it “active listening” and says it leads to a far deeper understanding and appreciation of complex compositions.
Being prepared makes all the difference. “As woo-woo as this sounds, it’s a unique and priceless kind of satisfaction that money can’t buy,” he adds.
The online ‘Piano Encyclopedia’ promises that as you immerse yourself, “an ordinary auditory experience becomes a profound connection – a kind of bond. Each note played has purpose and intention. By being fully engaging with the music, it speaks to your very soul.”
Learning to listen can provide this profound satisfaction, for example, in impressionist music. Creating color rather than line might seem elusive but through “active listening” this rich artistry can be appreciated.
Help is increasingly available. A wide choice of advice, courses and instructional videos from experts flood the internet today. My favorite for beginners is a talk about how to take in what you are hearing: “How to Listen to Classical Music: Sonata Form”, accessible through this link:
And French musicologist Jean-Jacques Griot has marketed his “Ecoute Classique” (Listen to Classical) Zoom sessions effectively to internet users throughout the francophone world. He tells me he now has some 3,500 paying customers eager to follow his lessons for learning. He does not try to make it easy. “”It takes time because learning classical music is a progressive process of assimilation,” he writes in his book Ecoute la musique classique – it can be learned”.
The late philosopher Rudolf Steiner wrote that music is the only art form that flows from the spiritual world, not from the material world as in architecture, painting, ballet, sculpture. If you step back and listen a great player such as Volodos, Yevgeny Kissin or the late Glenn Gould, you might agree with Steiner that music plays to your inner sense of well-being, as he wrote in his essays, compiled and published as The Inner Nature of Music: The Experience of Tone.
To take listening to classical music seriously is to find solace, reduce stress in your life and even improve your memory. Personally and for all these reasons, my life is filled with classical music, live and recorded. The sad opposite is also true: the latest fad fades away in seconds. When you listen to Rachmaninoff in the hands of Volodos you carry it in your head forever.
Michael Johnson is a music critic and writer with a particular interest in piano. He has worked as a reporter and editor in New York, Moscow, Paris and London over his journalism career. He covered European technology for Business Week for five years, and served nine years as chief editor of International Management magazine and was chief editor of the French technology weekly 01 Informatique. He also spent four years as Moscow correspondent of The Associated Press. He has been a regular contributor to International Piano magazine, and is the author of five books. Michael Johnson is based in Bordeaux, France. Besides English and French he is also fluent in Russian. He is co-editor with Frances Wilson of Lifting the Lid: Interviews with Concert Pianists.
The Cross-Eyed Pianist is free to access and ad-free, and takes many hours every month to research, write, and maintain.
If you find joy and value in what I do, please consider making a donation to support the continuance of the site
The Cross-Eyed Pianist 