Reaching the end of the concerto-ranking journey (I won't be doing the Baroque), I think my biggest takeaway is a huge surge in appreciation for Mozart. His piano concertos are just a really incredible body of work. I also applied a more analytical eye to Beethoven concertos that I had grown up loving but hadn't... Continue Reading →
About this time last year I was finishing up a multi-week exploration of the greatest piano sonatas from each period from Classical to contemporary. This topic may not be as cosmically significant as the Spider Nebula (pictured above), but I think it's worth discussing in the piano community. I always meant to create a landing... Continue Reading →
When you hear the name Muzio Clementi, what comes to mind? Those six charming little sonatinas that have been and will be played by young pianists for perpetuity? Gradus ad Parnassum? Introduction to the Art of Playing the Pianoforte? Unfortunately, Clementi’s legacy as a pedagogue has completely overshadowed his other, considerable contributions to the art... Continue Reading →
I’ve always enjoyed making lists ranking my favorites in various categories. In my early years of classical listening, it was a nice way to review what I had encountered and see if my view of certain pieces had changed. But when making those lists, I never had to justify the reasons for my choices. So... Continue Reading →
Hal Leonard Classical Piano Blog 