Blog
I’ve been writing this blog since 2009, but there still seem to be plenty of interesting topics to mull over. You can subscribe (it’s free) to follow the blog by email – each new post will pop into your inbox.
‘Search for a way to make it natural’
The other day I was listening to a pianist playing the fearsome second movement of the César Franch Sonata for violin and piano. The piano part is highly virtuosic and, apart from anything else, a very good proof of the fact that these big piano parts are not...
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Music and longevity
I go to quite a lot of concerts given by amateur musicians - partly because there's a big amateur music scene in the city where I live, and partly because I often have friends and neighbours playing in the concerts. Of course my particular interest is piano. It dawned...
Women of older generations
By chance, two different people have spoken to me recently about their late mothers, who experienced difficulties in following their chosen career when they were young. One of those women was born in the 1920s, the other in the 1930s. One was a doctor, the other a...
I am a published photographer!
The Guardian weekend magazine has a page, 'Your Pictures', where they ask for photo contributions on a given theme. For today, the theme was 'produce'. I sent in a photo of our favourite Egyptian geese, whom we've been feeding for years on visits to Richmond Park....
My Mozart on ‘Summer CD Review’ this Sat
This Saturday, BBC Radio 3's 'Summer CD Review' has selected my Mozart piano and violin sonatas e-album, made with violinist Erich Höbarth, as one of their summer recommendations. You can see Saturday's playlist for the programme here. The recordings were made live at...
The piano on which John Lennon recorded…
Sad news this week that Steinway Pianos is to be sold to a private equity company. What does this mean for pianists? On the face of it, nothing; it's just a change of owner for the firm. But a friend writes from New York that the Steinway showroom on Manhattan's 57th...
Glasto musings
Listened to Sir Mick Jagger being interviewed about his upcoming Glastonbury appearance by John Humphrys on the Today programme this morning. John asked Mick what had changed about rock music since he started his career. Mick's reply ranged over things like lyrics,...
Selling books in Tokyo
Noriko Ogawa, who translated my book 'Out of Silence' into Japanese, has been giving concerts in Japan, from where she sent me this photo of our lovely Japanese editor from the publishing firm Shunjusha. Fumiko-san, our editor, had brought some copies of the Japanese...
Sunday’s Wigmore
I'm really looking forward to Sunday's concert at Wigmore Hall with Erich Höbarth. It's the second in our pair of concerts this season featuring duo sonatas by Mozart for piano and violin. What a treat it has been to be so closely involved with this music - and this...
Prussia Cove fundraising concerts
I have had a lovely day playing chamber music with two fine musicians I met last year at Prussia Cove during the IMS 'open chamber music seminar' - Bogdan Bozovic and Anita Leuzinger. They flew in specially from Switzerland. Together with Erich Höbarth we're doing a...
Soaking up music like a sponge
I'm almost at the end of a longish period of learning the notes of a batch of works I'll be playing over the summer in different concerts and festivals. The large pile of music on the side of my piano has loomed fearsomely over me for a while, but is now starting to...
The value of your instrument
Feeling slightly disturbed by large advert in today's Guardian: 'Do you know the value of your instrument?' it asks, above a photo of 'A Fine French Violin by JB Vuillaume'. It goes on, 'The last 20 years have seen a huge price increase in the value of musical...
Letter in today’s Guardian
In today's Guardian I have a letter on the subject of political lobbying, which is headline news in the UK at the moment. The letter was cut before being published, and I felt that part of my specific point had been lost, so in case anyone would like to read the full...
The Rite at 50
Yes, yes, I know that today is the 100th anniversary of the celebrated premiere of Stravinsky's Rite of Spring. But this is my husband Bob's recollection of the 50th anniversary in 1963. Bob was in the Upper Circle of the Royal Albert Hall with a group of students...
Classics Unwrapped on BBC Radio Scotland tonight
Tonight, Tuesday May 28, between 9pm and 9.15pm, BBC Radio Scotland's 'Classics Unwrapped' is playing a track from my new e-album with Erich Höbarth of Mozart piano and violin sonatas. It's the first track on the recording, the 'Allegro con Spirito' from the D major...