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beethovenpianoimage1smallTo Wigmore Hall on Friday evening, at the invitation of music publisher Barenreiter, to celebrate the recent publication of a new three-volume edition of the complete Beethoven Piano Sonatas, edited by renowned Beethoven expert Jonathan del Mar.

Prior to the pre-concert talk, I had lunch with an old pal from university. We hadn’t seen each other for about 30 years, and had only recently reconnected thanks to Facebook. Our lunch conversation was a mixture of catching up and reminiscing about a very happy (and, to be honest, fairly well-behaved) three years at Exeter University in the mid-1980s, a time when there were no tuition fees, when gaining a degree still held a fair amount of cachet, and when it was relatively easy to find a job on graduation. Talking about music, we recalled the songs and bands which had been so meaningful to us at that time – Talking Heads, The Communards, The Smiths, Prefab Sprout, The Beastie Boys….. I almost had to “reset” when I walked through the gilded doors into the plush crimson-and-gold foyer of the Wigmore Hall.

2020 is Beethoven’s year, and however you may rail against it, protest that he’s getting far too much attention, demand more diversity in concerts programmes etc etc, you can’t escape the Old Radical and his music (and maybe there’s an undergraduate thesis to be written on whether Beethoven was the original Beastie Boy!). There’s a good reason for this, in my opinion, and that’s because in addition to this being the 250th anniversary of his birth, his music is absolutely bloody marvellous! He is “great” – and that was amply demonstrated in Jonathan Biss’ performance, the third concert in his odyssey through the complete Beethoven piano sonatas at London’s Wigmore Hall.

The compulsion to play and record this music, combined with, more often than not, a fair degree of reverence, is very much alive and well – and each generation brings a fresh crop of pianists willing to rise to the challenge; Biss’ cycle at the Wigmore comes hot on the heels of those of Igor Levit and Llyr Williams – and all three pianists have released recordings of the complete sonatas (Biss’ final instalment is due soon from Orchid Classics). This music enjoys an elevated stature which goes far beyond the notes on the score, and despite some relaxation in the rituals and etiquette of classical concerts, the 32 piano sonatas are still regularly presented in an atmosphere of awed reverence. This was palpable when I and my concert companion entered the sacred shoebox of the Wigmore auditorium (as my companion commented, hearing Beethoven is like an anticipating a grand meal, with steak as the main component!). Any pianist who takes on the colossal challenge of the piano sonatas enjoys special respect: not only is this music physically and psychologically demanding, but the hand of history, tradition and expectation weighs heavily upon their shoulders.

intense, immersive, impassioned, hugely demanding and hugely enriching

Jonathan Biss, pianist

Friday’s concert was prefaced by a special event hosted by Barenreiter in which Jonathan del Mar talked engagingly about the process of producing another edition of the complete piano sonatas when so many already exist. He outlined the obvious prerequisites for the “ideal” edition:

  • It consults all surviving sources, to ensure “all the right notes” are included
  • It provides a commentary for musicians which is open and transparent
  • It delights the musician’s eye in its clear design and spacious layout, with “as good as possible” page turns.

Del Mar’s research revealed some interesting and entertaining “mishaps” in previous editions; for example, a hole in the paper being mistaken for a staccato marking or essential details being lost in the conservation and cleaning up of manuscripts. His interesting commentary was illuminated by musical demonstrations on the piano.

Jonathan Biss is a “thinking pianist” with an acute intellectual curiosity, as evidenced by his writings on Beethoven, and other composers, and his online course on the Sonatas. It was therefore a surprise to encounter a performer who appeared anything but a stuffy academic. Here was vivid expression, vitality and flamboyance; no standing back from the music as if in modest reverence but rather a deep dive into its every nook and cranny to winkle out and reveal details afresh.

The programme offered an overview of Beethoven’s creative life, with sonatas from all three periods of his compositional output (No. 1 in F , No. 10 in G, No. 18 in E-flat, No. 24 in F-sharp and No. 30 in E), and the first half in particular suggested an exuberant lust for life on the part of the composer, the performer reflecting this with sparkly, febrile runs and dizzying tempi. A tiny memory lapse in the first sonata was handled with bravura (and gave hope to aspirational amateurs, a reminder that this pianist is also human!). The final sonata in the triptych, nicknamed ‘The Hunt’, was a rollicking romp, its barely-reined-in energy given only a brief respite in the elegant Menuetto. In the finale, horses and hounds were fully unleashed and galloped around the keyboard in a vigorous, earthy tarantella. Edge-of-the-seat playing for audience, Biss electrified his performance with the sense that this music could run out of control at any moment (except that it wasn’t going to because this pianist clearly understands the paradox “through discipline comes freedom”) lending a special frisson to the performance. I turned to my companion at the end of the first half and found he was equally open-jawed at what we had just experienced.

There’s something seductive about this process of really going to your limit with this music

– Jonathan Biss

And here’s the thing: live music, done this way, truly is an experience. Not a polite recreation of what’s exactly on the page, a solemn ceremony of reverence, of fidelity and and “authenticity” (whatever the f*ck that actually means!) and honouring the composer’s “intentions”, but a thrillingly personal, witty, eccentric, captivating and unpredictable account of music which this pianist clearly adores. It’s not to everyone’s taste and it’s the kind of playing that will probably irritate the keepers of the sacred flame, but I loved it because it made me feel energised, fully alive.

The second half further confirmed this (and any performer who causes me to spontaneously cry during the Op 109 is clearly “doin’ it right”). A sensitive, but never saccharine Op 78, dedicated to Therese, and then the transcendence that is the Op 109, No false sentiment here – from the lyrical opening movement through the rambunctious middle movement, and finally the gorgeous, seductive theme and variations which open and close with a prayer, this was beautiful, thoughtful and vivid playing.

Companion and I retired to a noisy pub down the road from the Wigmore for post-concert conversation and more wine, neither of us truly able to put into words what we had just experienced. My only comment then was that this is music which can “take anything a performer throws at it”. And therein, for me at least, lies its greatness.

Really, Music is above all other things a language, and since no one used that language more daringly than Beethoven the more of it you speak, the more of it you feel, the more you will find in his Music.
– Jonathan Biss

Jonathan Biss’ Beethoven cycle continues at Wigmore Hall on 20 April (with a talk by Biss on 19 April). Further details.

My concert companion writes: Biss at Wigmore

Meet the Artist interview with Jonathan Biss

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Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in music?

JOO: I was in love with music from the moment I was born. At least, according to my parents. I loved all kinds of music. As a baby, I couldn’t stop listening to music and used to drive my parents crazy listening over and over to the same thing. When I was able to walk, I used to stop in my tracks when walking past a music store. So immovable was I, that my parents had no choice but to ask the shopkeeper if they could keep an eye on me while they went ahead and did their shopping. In those days, people trusted strangers to look after their kids! I was super happy just staying for hours listening to whatever was playing in the store. I started piano lessons at age eight, and two years later, by fluke, I entered the Yehudi Menuhin School. From that point on, there was never any doubt in my mind that I wanted to become a musician.

IGUDESMAN: I started to play the violin before I was born. Or so it seemed. I was born in St Petersburg – back then it was called Leningrad. And before that Petrograd. And before that Hetrograd, Metrograd, Sexograd, Retorgrad and Rome. But that was a long time ago. I come from a very musical family. My mother played the piano, my father the violin, my grandmother the cello, my uncle the oboe, my sister the banjo, my cousin the ukulele and his wife the didgeridoo. So it was kind of inevitable I would go into music. Shortly after my birth, I said to my parents: “Mummy daddy, I think maybe one day some time when I am older, I might perhaps want to learn to play the violin, maybe.” I was immediately locked in a room and tied to a music stand with a violin taped to my neck. Every time I started to practice, the dog started to howl. After a while my dad screamed: “Damn it, can’t you play something that the dog DOESN’T know?”

Who or what have been the most important influences on your musical life and career?

JOO:Too many of them to list here. But from the musicians of the past:
Yehudi Menuhin. Glenn Gould. Leonard Bernstein.

All my teachers from Peter Norris, Seta Tanyel, Nina Svetlanova to teachers that I only had few a lessons with but gave me lifetimes of inspiration and knowledge such as Richard Goode, Oleg Maisenberg, and Ferenc Rados. My composition teachers Simon Parkin, Malcolm Singer, Nils Vigeland, and my English and Drama teacher, Kevin Jones. Kevin was a huge influence on what I do with my duo Igudesman & Joo, and when Aleksey and I recently wrote a book together about creativity, we asked Kevin Jones to write the “Afterword”. It was clear to us from the start that Kevin should have the final word about creativity.
Then, I must add people such as Monty Python, Spike Jones, Chaplin, Oscar Wilde, Ionesco as other major influences. And don’t get me started on the composers…

IGUDESMAN: For me it is basically the same as Hyung-ki. I should also include Prokofiev, who was my favourite composer when I was young. In fact as a composer I have often been compared to Prokofiev. Okay, to be fair, I was the one who made the comparison. Frank Zappawas also a strong influence as well as Queen and Pink Floyd. And from the violinists, I would have to say that my biggest idol was Gidon Kremer who we had the great pleasure and honour of working with for a few years earlier in our career. In fact, it felt quite sardonically satisfying to give Gidon a violin lesson on stage in a show we did together! Also, I do have to mention my oldest and besides Hyung-ki, my best friend Julian Rachlin who I grew up next to and who is now not only one of the greatest violinists and viola players alive, but also a brilliant conductor.

What have been the greatest challenges of your career so far?

JOO: To refresh the minds of some people in the world of classical music.

IGUDESMAN: There are daily challenges literally daily. For example having to do this interview, while I have to finish writing a harp concerto for Magdalena Hoffmann, the wonderful harp player of the Bavarian Symphony Orchestra, who has been pestering me about receiving the part for weeks! But seriously, I am actually extremely thankful for having the ability to give interviews and having people interested in all the madness that we do as individuals and together.

Of which performances are you most proud?

JOO: Playing at the Hollywood Bowl- but not because of what you might think. It’s certainly not the history nor the prestige of the place, in fact, I never had any idea what the Hollywood Bowl was. My only reference to this place was a video I had of “Monty Python at the Hollywood Bowl” which I watched several times. The fact that the Pythons had performed there made this place the Holy Grail for me so being on that same stage as my Gods of comedy, with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, meant more to me than anyone could imagine.

IGUDESMAN: I have to say, it may even have been our last performance at the RFH in London with the LPO. Not just because of the special venue but the audience.We had almost the entire Yehudi Menuhin School come to it, the school we studied in. And then our dear friends Sir Roger Moore and Terry Jones, who have meanwhile both sadly passed away.

Which particular works do you think you play best?

JOO:“Narcissus” by E. Gocomplex.

IGUDESMAN: I have to admit, that I have become an expert at interpreting my own music. That may sound like a bit of a joke but it really is not. I am very lucky to have published a multitude of works for violin, 2 violins, piano and violin, as well as chamber music and orchestral works on Universal Edition. And although I may be the composer of those works, I still have to discover them. I truly believe that often as a composer one has no idea of how to interpret ones own works. But after some years of playing them in concert, I believe I have cracked some of them. Although I absolutely love discovering young talent playing my music on YouTube.

How do you make your repertoire choices from season to season?

JOO: Consult a crystal ball and try to foresee what I might want to be playing in 2 years time. Jokes aside, I’m very lucky that I am able to conjure up different types of programs, and my interests are so diverse, that almost everything works at anytime. I also love playing the same thing over and over again as one can get deeper into the piece, and I love the process and challenge to make a piece you’ve played so often make it sound like the first time you’re playing it.

IGUDESMAN: Together as Igudesman & Joo, we are very blessed to be able to chose our own repertoire. People (mostly) trust in our choice and programming. So we tend to give show titles with the description and maybe a few videos of some of the piece we will probably play, but the rest is up to us. Often we would decide Orchestra programs only a month or so ahead, while we are preparing parts. And when we have duo shows, we can even decide on the day. This is a great luxury that most people who perform in the classical music world do not get and we are extremely thankful for it. It gives us a way greater spontaneity. We have talked about this problem with many friends and colleagues. How on earth are we supposed to know if we feel like playing the Beethoven Spring Sonata in two and a half years time?

Do you have a favourite concert venue to perform in and why?

JOO: I’ve only performed there once, but I think it’s the most beautiful concert hall in the world – the Palau de la Musicà Catalana in Barcelona. In a way, I wish I hadn’t been playing so that I could have taken in the full experience of being a listener. I can’t wait to return there, either as a performer or as an audience member.

IGUDESMAN: I may have to chose the Vienna Konzerthaus, Vienna being the city we are based. It’s basically in our backyard. And it takes literally 4 minutes for me to cycle from my home to the Konzerthaus Vienna. Which is also a little dangerous, since at times when my concert is at 19:30, at 19:20 I may still be in the shower!

Who are your favourite musicians?

JOO: Most of them are dead! But from those alive today, I’m a big fan of Ebene Quartet, Barbara Hannigan, Tord Gustavsen, Leszek Mozdzer, Stefano Bollani, Gilles Apap.

I had a piano trio for seven years with Rafal Zambrzycki-Payne and Thomas Carroll, and they were some of the best seven years of my life.
I have also been really lucky to have shared the stage making music with special musicians such as Joshua Bell, Renaud Capuçon, Michael Collins, Martin Fröst, Janine Jansen, Gidon Kremer, Dame Felicity Lott, Viktoria Mullova, Lawrence Power, Julian Rachlin, Radovan Vlatkovic, Yuja Wang, the Belcea Quartet and members from the Alban Berg, Artis, and Ebène String Quartets, and many more!- and every one of those collaborations and performances are among my most treasured musical experiences.

IGUDESMAN: I think Hyung-ki has pretty much named a lot of my favourite musicians! From the dead ones, I would have to add Frank Zappa, Glenn Gould and Freddie Mercury fo sure.

What is your most memorable concert experience?

JOO: Playing as soloist in Beethoven’s 4th Piano Concerto with Yehudi Menuhin conducting the Warsaw Sinfonia. It was his 80th Birthday Concert at the Barbican Hall, and after having had gone through a few rough years, where I even contemplated giving up music, this concert reminded me why I could never have a life without music.

IGUDESMAN: Perhaps it was our Carnegie Hall debut where we had Joshua Bell and then Billy Joel join us on stage for pieces. Strangely enough it did not feel scary but arm and welcoming to play on that legendary stage!

As a musician, what is your definition of success?

JOO: Being able to understand what the music means. And then, if you’re lucky, and work hard, at some lucky points, you are able to transport that meaning.

IGUDEMAN: Being able to do what you want to do. Play the repertoire you want, with who you want. Write the music you want to write. And above all, live the life you want to live, always full of love and creativity.

What do you consider to be the most important ideas and concepts to impart to aspiring musicians?

JOO: Be yourself. Everyone else is taken.

IGUDESMAN: Every musician is like an own company. And I don’t mean that in a pragmatic way. It means one has to be creative on many fronts. One has to love the music, live the music. But also one has to understand how to communicate with people, how to market oneself, how to promote yourself as a “product”. And to find out what your USP is – your unique selling point. Trust me, we all have one! To be a musical entrepreneur is the way forward for everyone.That is also why I am a co-founder of the online platform “Music Traveler”, where one can find rooms to play, practice or record online anywhere in the world. We started in Vienna where we have over 100 venues, but are coming to the UK soon. This enables professionals as well as amateurs to have a space to play anytime anywhere. And we are very lucky to be supported by great artists like Yuja Wang, John Malkovich, Billy Joel and Hans Zimmer who even invested in Music Traveler! Both Hyung-ki and I are actively promoting the wonderful platform which improves the world of music.

Where would you like to be in 10 years’ time?

JOO: On a tennis court giving a teenager a tough time on the tennis court.

Other than that, working with youthful orchestras and musicians.
And continuing to explore and being creative with my long-standing collaborator and partner-in-crime, Aleksey Igudesman.

IGUDESMAN: I would love to explore the genre of making movies and documentaries more. I have already directed the Mockumentary “Noseland” featuring Roger Moore and John Malkovich, besides many music videos. There are numerous film ideas, especially linked to music and musicians that I want to produce, direct and enable. My pet peeve is seeing musicians being portrayed by actors who can not play the instrument. I certainly want to change that. So I plan to live in Los Angeles for a time, which may well be in 10 years. And a couple of Oscars would be quite nice. Our friend Vangelis likes to use his as a paper weight, so I would like at least two to prop up my books.

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

JOO: No idea. But when everything is flowing and you only see and feel kindness everywhere, that’s a pretty happy state to experience.

IGUDESMAN: Happiness is not a constant. It is a temporary feeling of pleasure and contentment which has to be earned on a daily base. One can not chase it. It comes to you. And mostly when you are being true to yourself and maintain constant creativity in your life. With creativity even interviews can be enjoyable!

What is your most treasured possession?

JOO: I’m trying to get rid of possessions.

IGUDESMAN: My friendships and relationships in my life. Even though the people do not belong to me, my friendships and relationships do, as long as I nurture and cultivate them.

What is your present state of mind?

JOO: Thinking about what the next question is going to be…

IGUDESMAN: Excitement about our next performance in London on the 4th of March at the Royal Festival Hall. Having Erran Baron Cohen, the brother of Sasha [creator of Ali G and Borat] and composer of the Borat soundtrack will be super exciting. And to do the rather insane show “Clash of the Soloist” in London is something that is literally on my mind now, since I am about to rehearse it with Hyung-ki and Thomas Carroll, our dear friend and great musician, who will conduct the performance with the LPO at the RFH!

On Wednesday 4 March the London Philharmonic Orchestra play it for laughs with comedic duo Igudesman & Joo.

The pair are masters of the art of mashing up classical music masterpieces with their own unique twist.

They join the orchestra for an evening of creativity, madness and hilarity with their two acclaimed shows Clash of the Soloists and Big Nightmare Music.

More information

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Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in music?

My first clarinet teacher, Frank Holdsworth who was Principal Clarinet with the Bournemouth Sinfonietta was my mentor from the beginning and he continued to give good advice even when I became a Principal player myself in the Philharmonia Orchestra. As a child I liked the way music could make me feel and I seemed to be good at it too so I really had no doubts that it was the right path for me.

Who or what have been the most important influences on your musical life and career?

All the great musicians you meet along the way have an effect on developing your own musicianship and I have been fortunate enough to play with most of the world’s great musicians.

What have been the greatest challenges of your career so far?

Getting a job, keeping it, making it work with family life and making enough money.

Which performances/recordings are you most proud of?

I recorded the Mozart Concerto and solo directed it, Stravinsky’s Ebony Concerto with Robert Craft and Chris Gunning’s concerto too. Orchestrally I like my playing in VW’s Norfolk Rhapsody with Philharmonia/Slatkin but usually I can’t stand listening to myself play.

Which particular works do you think you perform best?

Those that reflect the human condition

How do you make your repertoire choices from season to season?

Other people tend to do that

Do you have a favourite concert venue to perform in and why?

The Suntory Hall in Tokyo and the Philharmonie in Berlin are both good examples of modern concert halls and the Musikverein in Vienna has the classic shoebox shape so loved by musicians.

What is your most memorable concert experience?

Pavarotti in Hyde Park. Princess Diana was there in the pouring rain and we were recorded for Decca. It was part of my trial period for the Philharmonia so I felt a lot of pressure especially as I had a big solo to play from Tosca.

As a musician, what is your definition of success?

Feeling that I’ve done the music justice

What do you consider to be the most important ideas and concepts to impart to aspiring musicians?

Leave ego behind as much as possible and serve the music.

Where would you like to be in 10 years’ time?

In the sunshine

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

A great meal with fine wine with my family

What is your most treasured possession?

My Grandmother’s biscuit tin

What is your present state of mind?

Semi mental

Michael Whight performs with The Lisney Trio in Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time at the Purcell Room at London’s Southbank Centre on Monday 9 March. The programme also includes Beethoven’s ‘Archduke’ Trio. Further information and tickets

Michael Whight has a varied career as an orchestral player, soloist, chamber musician, recording engineer and producer, conductor and teacher.

A former Principal Clarinetist with the Philharmonia Orchestra and Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, he has also played guest Principal with all the London orchestras as well as the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of Europe and Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra. Conductors he has worked with include Giulini, Maazel, Abbado, Levine, Ashkenazy, Sawallich, Sinopoli, Salonen, Sanderling, Svetlanov, and Harnoncourt.

Alongside some 200 orchestral recordings are Stravinsky’s Ebony Concerto with Robert Craft and the Philharmonia Orchestra, the concerto by Christopher Gunning ( of Poirot fame) and the Mozart Concerto which he directed from the basset clarinet with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. This was voted ‘the top of current offerings’ by International Record Review. He also collaborated with John Adams in performances of his concerto Gnarly Buttons in San Francisco conducted by Kent Nagano. As a session player he has appeared on the soundtracks for films such as Lord of the Rings and the Harry Potter Series and can regularly be heard on TV series such as Father Brown and Granchester. Michael is also the clarinetist on the theme tune for Coronation Street.

In chamber music Michael has worked with Gidon Kremer and friends, the Lindsay Quartet, the Medici String Quartet, the Schidlof String Quartet, the Razumovsky Ensemble, the Nash Ensemble, Robert Cohen and Barry Douglas as well as recording the complete chamber music of Richard Strauss with London Winds for Hyperion and with the Wind Soloists of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe for Teldec.

Michael was the first British winner of the International Clarinet Congress Competition and won the woodwind prize at the Royal Overseas League. He was invited by Valery Gergiev to play in the World Orchestra for Peace. As a conductor he has given concerts with Northern Sinfonia, and the Royal Philharmonic and Pohang Symphony Orchestras.

Michael also has a growing career as a recording engineer and producer. He has recorded and produced for the Naxos and Toccata Classics labels and mixed a soundtrack for BFI/Miramax, in conjunction with the Library of Congress. Michael has also produced two soundtracks for wildlife films, one for Austrian TV/Schlamberger and the other for Netflix/Silverback Productions. This year will see the launch of his own recording label, Marlie.

Michael is Professor of Clarinet at Trinity Laban in London

michaelwhight.com

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From healthy technique to natural artistry

Not so long ago a book as comprehensive and user-friendly as this would not be possible. It would require essential supplementary materials – DVDs and CDs – to cover all the ground. But with ease of access to the internet and smart phone technology at one’s fingertips, The Complete Pianist is exactly what it says it is: a comprehensive, generous guide to playing and teaching the piano, and one of the most significant volumes on piano technique to appear in recent decades. The benefit of technology means that pianists, whether professional or amateur, teachers and students can access some 300 video demonstrations via QR codes within the text, all of which have been recorded by Penelope Roskell herself to demonstrate a specific exercise, aspect of technique or musical point described in the pages of the book.

The Complete Pianist is the result of a lifetime of piano playing, teaching and research, and in it Penelope Roskell, renowned pedagogue and concert pianist, aims to help pianists of all levels improve their playing from the very earliest stages of learning a piece, through all the technical challenges and interpretative decisions to finding inspiration in the act of performance itself. Throughout, there is a strong emphasis on healthy technique and playing without tension, and Penelope continually reiterates that technique should serve the music, that it is a means to enable the player, whatever their level of expertise, to play with expression, vibrant colour and confidence.

Penelope Roskell’s approach to technique grew out of personal experience. As young pianist she experienced unpleasant physical symptoms while practising Liszt’s second piano concerto, and found that physical tension adversely affected her sound. She set out on a lifelong mission to develop a healthier approach to piano playing, drawing on yoga, Alexander Technique, Tai Chi and Feldenkrais, an understanding of anatomy, and her own research, often trying out exercises and techniques with her students to establish what worked or was most beneficial, both to the physical body of the pianist and the production of expressive sound.

Anyone who has studied with Penelope Roskell will be familiar with her technical and musical exercises, such as Empty Sleeves or The Hot Air Balloon and Parachute Touch, which aim to balance and relax the body or simplify and explain the physical movements required to create a particular sound or effect on the piano. Such descriptive, easily understood exercises can be particularly appealing to young people or early students who may find visual cues more helpful than verbal explanations. In addition, many of the exercises which Penelope advocates are based on the naturally flowing bodily movements we use in everyday life, thus making them relevant and more easily put into practice at the piano. The Complete Pianist contains 250 exercises, newly-devised by the author.

This comprehensive book covers all aspects of piano technique including posture, finger touch and tone production, chords, octaves, rotation, and lateral movements. There are also sections on mental preparation, effective practice, sight reading, memorisation, phrasing, rhythm, articulation, sound production, pedalling, injury prevention and understanding and managing performance anxiety.

The emphasis on preventing and managing injury is particularly important: until fairly recently, musicians’ health and wellbeing were rarely discussed and hardly touched upon in their teaching and training. Injury was regarded as a taboo subject, not to be mentioned for fear of revealing a weakness that may lead to loss of work, and musicians tended not to seek specialist help for health issues such as RSI or tendonitis. As the UK’s foremost piano teacher specialising in pianists’ injuries, and Piano Advisor for the British Association for Performing Arts Medicine ((BAPAM), Penelope Roskell offers highly informed, but straightforward and pragmatic advice for pianists of all ages and levels to encourage healthy technique. The Complete Pianist includes sections on injury recovery, rehabilitation and prevention, developing hand and finger strength, and hypermobility (double-jointedness) and specific issues relating to this for the pianist. In addition, section 22 (The Inspired Pianist) debunks many of the myths and obstacles of piano playing and performance, and offers intelligent suggestions to encourage motivation, set realistic goals and build confidence to maintain one’s interest in and enthusiasm for the piano. There is also a lengthy section on understanding anxiety, a significant issue for many pianists, professional and amateur. Once again, Penelope offers sensible, sympathetic advice – from understanding the physiology of anxiety and the effects of the release of adrenaline to dealing with perfectionism and negative thinking.

In addition to the many videos throughout the book, which range from simple piano pieces to concert repertoire, there are detailed appendices on anatomy and a glossary of terms which occur in the text.

In sum, The Complete Pianist is a remarkable achievement, a comprehensive manual for pianists and teachers, packed with invaluable accumulated wisdom and intelligent advice, and excellent supporting materials. Penelope Roskell simplifies the craft and art of piano playing, without ever devaluing musical ability, talent and artistry, and provides pianists with the tools to practice and work independently, yet with the sense of a supportive, sympathetic teacher always at one’s side, encouraging one to continually develop one’s artistic skill.

Highly recommended

The Complete Pianist is published by Edition Peters UK and retails at £44.95

A postscript….

I took private lessons with Penelope Roskell for six years from 2008, a few years after I had returned to playing the piano seriously after an absence of some 20 years. I went to her initially with a hand injury – tenosynovitis which had developed as a result of attempting to play the octave passages in Schubert’s first Klavierstück, D946, too quickly, too loudly and with poor technique. In the space of 6 months, she had transformed my technique, filling in the gaps which were missing from my piano studies as a teenager, and built my confidence to such an extent that I felt able to attempt a professional performance diploma, which I passed with distinction in 2011 (I subsequently took my licentiate diploma just 14 months later, with Penelope’s encouragement, also achieving a pass with Distinction).

Returning to the piano as an adult was not easy, but Penelope’s intelligent, sympathetic and respectful approach made a huge difference, not only to my own playing but also to my fledgling teaching career. She was always generous with her advice and suggestions, urging me to try her exercises with my own students and report back to her. Her weekend piano courses were stimulating events and through them I discovered new repertoire and met other pianists, a number of whom have become close friends.

Her new book is a comprehensive and inspiring distillation of her experience and wisdom.

(Frances Wilson, The Cross-Eyed Pianist)

peneloperoskell.co.uk

Meet the Artist interview with Penelope Roskell