Pianist

For the passionate players, or early beginners, Pianist magazine will teach you the art of piano playing through professional advice, sheet music and lessons for all levels. Your piano playing journey starts here with the magazine that doubles as an entertaining read and the ultimate interactive piano teacher. Read, learn and play the piano with Pianist magazine every issue. Improve your piano playing and perfect your tone with 40 pages of specially selected sheet music. Whether it’s reading fascinating industry articles or putting your fingers to work with beautiful sheet music, you’ll be playing like an expert in no time with a digital subscription to Pianist magazine!

Friends old and new

Pianist

Your chance to HAVE YOUR SAY • EMAIL: editor@pianistmagazine.com WRITE TO: The Editor, Pianist, Warners Group Publications, The Maltings, West St, Bourne, PE10 9PH. Letters may be edited.

What makes a winner? • As the Pianist 2025 Composing Competition kicks off, judge Matt Ash offers up some sound advice for those on the verge of putting pen to manuscript paper: You could be the lucky winner of a Kawai piano!

Inner threads • Saskia Giorgini brings an outstanding sensitivity to the spiritual and imaginative worlds of Liszt and Debussy. She tells Peter Quantrill why they mean so much to her

FAST BUT NOT FURIOUS PRACTISING WITH SPEED • Slow practice has its big advantages of course – but not always: Mark Tanner shows you how to embrace your vivaces and prestos right from the very start of learning a piece

FANCY FOOTWORK POINTERS FOR ARTISTIC PEDALLING • The correct use of the damper pedal is a study for life, said Chopin to his students. Graham Fitch hones in on some subtle techniques that will help get your feet and brain working in harmony

THE SCORES • Pianist 139 • Read the lessons • Play the scores

THEODOR OESTEN THE ECHO, NO 14 FROM MAY FLOWERS OP 61 • Enjoy practising the echo effect in this nostalgic piece by a neglected German Romantic composer who has plenty to say, says Melanie Spanswick

HELLER PRELUDE IN C SHARP MINOR OP 81 NO 10 • This dark, dramatic Prelude is full of finely traced scales and expressive melodies – with plenty of contrast to challenge the intermediate-level pianist, says Gareth Owen

GABRIEL FAURÉ NOCTURNE NO 8 IN D FLAT MAJOR • On the 100-year anniversary of the death of one of France’s most pioneering composers, Clare Hammond chooses his rhapsodic Eighth Nocturne as an entry into the mysterious sound-world that links the end of Romanticism with the beginnings of the modern era

António FRAGOSO (1897-1918) • Aria

Melanie SPANSWICK • Eastern Promise

Christian Gottlob NEEFE (1748-1798) • Minuet in F

Theodor OESTEN (1813-1870)3 • The Echo, No 14 from May Flowers Op 61

Franz SCHUBERT (1797-1828) • Ländler D378 No 4

Marie JAËLL (1846-1925) • Berger et bergère

Isabel MORRISON • Comme vous voulez (Improvisation pour Antoine)

Friedrich BURGMÜLLER (1806-1874) • La chevaleresque Op 100 No 25

Fanny HENSEL (1805-1847) • Schluss

Stephen HELLER (1814-1888) • Prelude Op 81 No 10

Ferruccio BUSONI (1866-1924) • Prelude Op 37 No 8

Sergei RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) arr. Alexander SILOTI (1863-1945) • Polka Italienne

Domenico SCARLATTI (1685-1757) • Sonata in E K531

Modest MUSSORGSKY (1839-1881) • Rêverie

Gabriel FAURÉ (1845-1924) • Nocturne No 8 in D flat

PIANO TEACHER HELP DESK Reversing Roles • Asking your student to take on the role as tutor (and you as student...) can achieve remarkable results for the both of you, as Kathryn Page explains

STATE OF PLAY • When we pay conscious attention...