A friend of mine has been musing on this question: How many other professionals are subjected to continual public assessment the way musicians are? For a long time, musicians have put up with being publicly reviewed because good reviews can bring them quickly to the attention of ‘movers and shakers’ around the world. At least, […]

The October issue of the venerable Gramophone magazine has a review of my new book. I reproduce some of it here as the magazine is behind a paywall. The reviewer, Jeremy Nicholas, has quibbles about my choice of pieces, wondering why I included this and not that, but he goes on to say: ‘If one […]

A review of my book has popped up on Pianodao, a website devoted to the piano, pianists and piano education. You can read the whole review by clicking here. For now, some excerpts: ‘Before the last rays of summer settle into the colours of autumn, let me tell you about this wonderful book, my summer […]

My book The Piano – a History in 100 Pieces has just been reviewed by ArtMuseLondon. Some excerpts: ‘…This book is not simply a chronology of the piano, not by any means; but rather a detailed exploration of some of the greatest music composed for the instrument as well as lesser-known gems, written from the […]

There’s a review by Gulliver Ralston of my new book in the August 2021 issue of Literary Review. As part of it is behind a paywall, some excerpts: ‘…Completed just as lockdown began in the UK last March, these short essays open worlds of sound and history, illuminating familiar and forgotten works with succinct vignettes. […]