Pavel Kolesnikov on the Goldberg Variations“Like climbing an infinite stairway, one step at a time.” —Pavel Kolesnikov, working on Bach’s Goldberg Variations. Jeal, Erica, “Pavel Kolesnikov, the pianist making ‘a palace of sound built by your own imagination’”, The Guardian, 9 September 2021, https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/sep/09/pavel-kolesnikov-the-pianist-making-a-palace-of-sound-built-by-your-own-imagination, accessed 11 September 2021.
In the Sight of the Angels I will Sing your Praises – Psalm 137 (138)Title: In the Sight of the Angels I will Sing your Praises Text: Psalm 137 (138): 1-5, 7-8. R. v.1 Composer: Greg Smith Instrumentation: SATB and piano (unison verses) Product medium: PDF Score and part Sample:
Many an Orpheus and Arions make up a BachJohann Matthias Gesner was a colleague of Johann Sebastian Bach at St. Thomas’ School, Leipzig. He later worked on a commentary of the Roman author Quintilian (c. 35-100 A. D.). He included a comparison of Bach with the Classical lyre player: All these (outstanding achievements) … you would reckon trivial could you rise from the dead and […]
The career of a musician compared to other artsThe career of a musician out to be — it is, actually, and in many ways — different from the careers of artists in other fields of art. All comparisons of the other arts with music are necessarily somewhat superficial. The art of music needs, essentially, not much contact with social groups, or concern with […]
Half a sonataSergei Prokofiev was once asked to give a piano recital. He declined, offering this explanation: “It would cost me half a sonata.” Source: Samuel, Prokofiev
Through the Long NightTitle: Through the Long Night Composer: Greg SmithText: Edward Carpenter Instrumentation: TTBBProduct medium: PDF score
Schumann on Chopin’s styleChopin can hardly write anything now but that we feel like calling out in the seventh or eighth measure, “It is by him!” – Robert Schumann, 1838 P. Kildea, Chopin’s Piano, London, Allen Lane, 2018, p. 43.
Reincken on Bach’s playingThe famous organist Reincken heard Bach play. Bach improvised for half an hour on the hymn “By the Waters of Babylon”. Reincken said: “I thought such art was dead, but I see it still lives in you.” Siblin, Eric (2009) The Cello Suites. Crows Nest: Allen and Unwin, p. 58.