Last night I gave a talk about Women and the Piano at the gorgeous Toppings Bookshop in Edinburgh. (Photo of me signing books before the talk.)
The room was full and there were some expert questions from the audience. It felt like being at a little book festival.
I now have five reviews of my new book – all good, I’m happy to say. You can read them by clicking here.
Today's Scotsman magazine (20 April 2024) has an article by music critic David Kettle about my book Women and the Piano. As the...
Yesterday I signed a few books at the big Waterstones in Princes Street. For anyone outside the UK, Waterstones is a popular...
The April 2024 issue of BBC Music magazine carries a short but sweet review of my book Women and the Piano. As the text is too...
How exciting for you !
Congratulations on a really wonderful book which I am just starting to read – I am very interested in reading about Marie Jaël as I read a book about her by Catherine Guichard some time ago! We were at your Wigmore Hall recital the other day on the book launch, as it was also my birthday and I cannot think of a better way to have spent it. Thank you for your exquisite playing – I loved the programme and I don’t know how you narrowed it down to those pieces but they worked beautifully as a historical progression. My favourite was probably Amy Beach’s Dreaming from her Op 15 but we also loved the piano sonata allegro by Marianne Martinez and Maria Szymanowska’s Caprice which was a delight to listen to if not probably fiendish to execute ? Those flourishes !!!! You did that effortlessly but of course that’s the smokescreen of expertise. It was lovely. You signed the book for my son but A levels are preoccupying him and I get to read it first!
Please please record that programme if you get the chance. The record company should jump at the opportunity – those composers pieces should be more widely known and considered – it was very moving and joyful to hear their work and we in the audience knew there was something really special in the air that afternoon listening to you perform. I look forward to the day when gender doesn’t matter and the music is what is heard for its own sake.
Kind Regards
Orla
Thank you so much, Orla, that is a really lovely comment. Made my day!
It was a brilliant concert at Wigmore Hall and lovely the way you gave a short description of the composer before playing each piece. For me, your encore Automne, op35 no.2 by Cecil Chaminade, which both my grandmother and aunt played, made the occasion, special.
I just finished your book, a fascinating read and thought provoking. I loved the way you included jazz and your chapter on “Where are we now?” highlighting the imbalances that must still exist today. I too would love to see a CD (or two) materialise from your researches.
Thank you very much, Andrew, I’m so pleased you enjoyed the book as well as the Wigmore Hall concert.