Pianist

Pianist magazine is adored internationally by those who love to play the piano. From Bach to Billy Joel, the magazine offers a wide range of music styles to learn from, as you don’t just read it – you play it too! With every issue, you’ll find 40 pages of selected sheet music (suitable for players of all levels) accompanied by specially recorded sound files. The sound files act as the perfect learning tool, so you can listen to a piece of music before you learn it. All you need to do is click on the ‘sound’ icon and turn the Scores pages with a light swipe of your finger. With Pianist magazine you can expect nothing less than the very best when it comes to playing the instrument you love. You’ll have everything you need to play like an expert, including notes on technique, pedalling and interpretation, sheet music reviews, Q&As, teaching tips, in-depth ‘How to Play’ masterclasses, readers’ letters, piano news, interviews with top concert pianists and so much more! And guess what? If you opt for the digital issue, you get FREE EXTRA Scores! From the basics of scale playing to the difficult stretches and fast runs, Pianist magazine is your top piano playing guide – giving you the confidence and expertise you need to play like a pro!

I want to be in America

WIN! • MARC-ANDRÉ HAMELIN’S LATEST HYPERION RELEASE OF WILLIAM BOLCOM’S COMPLETE RAGS

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.

LET THE RAG TIMES ROLL • Alkan, Bolcom, Crumb (and probably Zemlinsky): Marc-André Hamelin has the alphabet of piano music under his fingers. Erica Worth is mesmerised by his latest enture into ragtime

An American Dream VAN CLIBURN • In 1958 a young pianist from Texas emerged from relative obscurity to become a household name. Stuart Isacoff tells the remarkable story ofVan Cliburn’s trajectory to fame

LAUNCHING A COMPETITION

IMPROVE YOUR MOVES FREEDOM IN STRETCHES • A stretched-out hand position when playing wide intervals can cause unnecessary tension: Mark Tanner has a mighty handful of solutions for a more relaxed approach

POETRY IN MOTION CREATIVE SCALE PRACTICE • Follow Graham Fitch’s advice for practising scales – and you’ll begin to realise how much you enjoy playing them

THE SCORES • Pianist 126 • Read the lessons • Play the scores

CHADWICK SISTEMPY’S STORY, FROM 10 LITTLE TUNES FOR 10 LITTLE FRIENDS • The right balance of syncopation and staccato will work wonders on this little number, says Melanie Spanswick

GOTTSCHALK O MA CHARMANTE, ÉPARGNEZ-MOI! CAPRICE OP 44 • While others wrote soul-searching music, Louis Moreau Gottschalk knocked out one flashy piece after the next. This Caprice is a little easier to tame, says Nils Franke

BEACH A HERMITTHRUSH AT EVE OP 92 NO 1 • Amy Beach’s paean to this expressively vocal bird will need to swoop, soar and sing sweetly in the most magical way. Lucy Parham shows you how

HANS-GÜNTER HEUMANN BEGINNERS KEYBOARD CLASS • LESSON 53: SCALE WARM-UP EXERCISES

Mark GODDARD • Lonesome Landscape

Melanie SPANSWICK • Louisiana Blues

Alexander REINAGLE (1756-1809) • 24 Short and Easy Pieces for Keyboard Op 1 No 16

George W CHADWICK (1854-1931) • Sis Tempy’s Story

Wilson G SMITH (1856-1929) • Wayside Flowers Op 103 No 3

George GERSHWIN (1898-1937) • Impromptu in Two Keys

Ethelbert NEVIN (1862-1901) • Ophelia from Water Scenes Op 13 No 2

Louis Moreau GOTTSCHALK (1829-1869) • O Ma Charmante, Épargnez-moi! Caprice Op 44

Edward MACDOWELL (1860-1908) • The Brook from Four Little Poems Op 32 No 2

Scott JOPLIN...