Classical and Jazz: Latest News > July 21
A FASCINATING recital illustrating the development of the fortepiano from the 18th to late-19th century is being given by Viviana Sofronitsky, a great exponent of the fortepiano, at Wigmore Hall on Tuesday. She’ll play on five new fortepianos made in the Czech studio of master-craftsman Paul McNaulty.
The fortepianos are highest quality modern copies of the Stein and Walter instruments used by CPE Bach and Mozart; the Graf by Beethoven and Schubert; and the Pleyel and Boisselot by Chopin and Liszt.
Their music was composed to be played on the respective fortepianos of their time, not the powerful modern pianoforte. One of the key differences between the two instruments is that notes played on the modern piano tend to be sustained for longer than on the Classical-era fortepiano.
In this way, notes played in accompaniment lines stay louder for longer on the piano than on the fortepiano, covering up subsequent melodic lines written by Classical-era composers.
• The honed-down, hard-core traditional Cajun music of south-west Louisiana is being brought to Cecil Sharp House tomorrow (Friday) by the Savoy Family Cajun Band in what promises to be an exciting concert.
Old Cajun tunes have been revived and returned to life by the Savoys: Marc on accordian and Ann singer/guitarist and their sons, fiddler Joel and piano/accordian player Wilson.
The Savoy Family Cajun Band hasn’t played in London for 15 years so their Cecil Sharp appearance is a very special event for Cajun music-lovers.
Published: 21 July, 2011
by SEBASTIAN TAYLOR