Pedalling Chopin’s B minor Prelude
Chopin's 24 Préludes, op. 28 were composed at a difficult time in the composer's life. It was the winter of 1838-9, and Chopin and his lover George Sand had decided…
The Practice Tools Workshop
This past Saturday, I embarked on a brand new venture – an interactive workshop on The Practice Tools, using technology to maximum advantage. Sponsored by Casio Music UK, we hired…
On Technical Exercises
In the nineteenth century there was a widespread belief that hours a day spent practising finger exercises would lead to mastery of the instrument, and many method books were published,…
Pedal in Bach: Yes or No?
The subject of pedal in the music of Bach always arouses keen debate. Ought pianists to steer clear of it and control everything by the fingers, or is it possible…