International Piano – Spring 2024

International Piano is going back to its roots as it returns to a quarterly publication. As always, we will continue to explore the best of the world of the piano – its repertoire and performers – with extensive coverage of new releases and historic pianists, lively comment and reviews, educational advice, rare sheet music and more. Also, from this issue on, subscribers will now have three different ways to read the magazine: the print edition, the digital edition, and right here on our website. Find out more at: magsubscriptions.com/music-international-piano

The cover of the Spring issue features the Russian pianist Nikolai Lugansky, who has recorded an outstanding album of Wagner transcriptions. International Piano’s editor Tim Parry talks to him about his deep love of Wagner and making his own spectacular arrangements of scenes from Götterdämmerung.

In other features this month, Mark Ainley explores the legacy of Carl Friedberg, a fascinating pianist who studied with Clara Schumann, and Bryce Morrison considers the artistry of Dame Myra Hess, best known for her wartime performances at the National Gallery.

Kenneth Hamilton begins a thoughtful and entertaining new column for IP by asking whether pianists play new music to the same standard as they do old. Farhan Malik continues his series on great Russian pianists with an absorbing overview of the life and work of Samuil Feinberg, while the young British pianist Tyler Hay introduces his new album of nocturnes by John Field.

This issue’s Repertoire Guide sees Charles Timbrell lead us through the recorded history of Schumann’s Faschingsswanck aus Wein. As always, there is more. Murray McLachlan introduces a new series of articles exploring different facets of piano technique, aimed at pianists of all levels, beginning with a practical guide to playing octaves.

Jeremy Nicholas talks to Tiffany Poon about her new album of Schumann, and also introduces a piece of rare sheet music: Ignaz Friedman’s ‘concert arrangement’ of Field’s Nocturne No 5.

Our reviews coverage is more extensive than ever, with detailed reviews of new releases from, among others, Beatrice Rana, Marc-André Hamelin, Martin James Bartlett and William Youn, as well as live reviews of concerts ranging from London to Boston.

Finally, this issue’s ‘Music of my Life’ features Zlata Chochieva, who presents a personal list of the five recordings she couldn’t be without.