That excellent music critic David Mellor, has compiled a list of his top 10 classical CDs of 2006. I thought it would be worthwhile taking a look at them:

1. La Clemenza Di Tito, the Mozart opera, is favoured in two recordings, both excellent : the first by Sir Charles Mackerras, the other by Rene Jacobs.

2. Also by Mozart and conducted by Mackerras is the recital Tutto Mozart.

3. Best reissue is (again) Mozart’s Complete Piano Concertos by Murray Perahia.

4. Best instrumental is Stephen Hough’s Spanish Album, which is “a real connoisseur’s choice”.

5. Best Concerto is Vivaldi’s Violin Concertos, which presents five that have never been heard before, played by violinist, Giuliano Carmignola.

6. Best historical is Jascha Heifetz’s 1930’s recording of the Sibelius concerto, conducted Sir Thomas Beecham.

7. Best orchestral is Richard Strauss’s Alpine Symphony with Polish maestro Anthony Wit.

8. Best chamber is Martha Argerich And Friends with music from the 2005 Lugano Festival, including two Rachmaninov masterpieces.

9. A special award goes to label Lyrita, pioneers of off-the-beaten-track recordings of British music.

10. CD of the Year goes to the 1955 Bayreuth Ring, issued for the first time in four sets by Testament, and originally recorded by Decca.

A splendid top 10 indeed.

The piano is one of my favorite instruments. I can listen to classical piano all day, from Schubert impromptus to Beethoven sonatas. Here Charles Kassotis takes us briefly through the history of the piano:

Many people do not realize that the piano is a stringed instrument. Because the strings are hidden away inside of the piano, and out of sight, it is not generally realized that strings are used to create the sounds of the piano. Because of its stringed quality, the forerunners to the piano include such instruments as the dulcimer (which was played by hitting stretched strings of different lengths with a hammer). But all of it began in the annals of prehistory, when humans noticed that a stretched animal-gut string created different sounds depending on length and tautness.

Keyed instruments that resembled some sort of a keyboard first appeared in the middle of the 12th Century. It was called the monochord. Eventually, enough keyed strings developed into the clavichord. This instrument was unique, in that having keyed strings better facilitated the ability to strike more than one string at a time. This meant that it was possible to produce two sounds, or notes, at once. It until a couple of centuries later, in the 14th Century, that metal wires were used in place of strings for many instruments, including the keyboard instruments.

The harpsichord came into being before the piano did (sometime in the 14th Century). It was based more on the old instrument called the psaltery. A psaltery was a simply instrument where the strings were placed in a box and then plucked with the finger, or with an instrument called a plectra. When the keys of a harpsichord were struck, a plectra pulled on the sting, plucking it. However, the harpsichord was incapable of creating changes in volume.

It is unclear exactly when a truly hammered keyboard instrument appeared. There are letters indicating that an instrument that could play both loud and soft was available in 1598, but historians are unsure as to whether this was a hammered piano, or a cleverly rigged harpsichord. In any case, most historians agree that what can actually be called the “pianoforte” did not make an appearance until 1709. This instrument was capable of a wide range of artistic expression.

The name piano is a derivative of the term pianoforte. “Piano” is a term that means “soft,” and “forte” is one that means “loud” or “strong.” The name given the piano originally is quite descriptive. It basically means “soft-loud” and describes the feat of being able to play a keyboard instrument with varying degrees of volume. Originally, there was little interest in the pianoforte. However, as an article written about the new keyboard invention was translated into different languages made its way across the European continent, makers of clavichords and harpsichords began also to make pianos.

As the piano evolved, it began to take different forms, including upright grand (1739), upright (1800), and different styles of grands and uprights, including those that expanded to include more octaves. While the keyboard arrangement has not changed much since the 14th Century, keyboard instruments have expanded to include more than one sounding board, and several octaves.

John Foulds, the composer, is not much known in England, his home country, or indeed, anywhere else. He died of cholera at the age of 58 in India in 1939. His main interest was Indian music, for which he had developed an obsession.

On this new CD on Warner Classics, the main work is an extended three-movement piano concerto with the peculiar title: Dynamic Tryptich for Piano and Orchestra. Three supporting pieces are, a tone poem, April-England, Song of Ram Dass, and Keltic Lament.

David Mellor recommends the CD “with real enthusiasm” and says of the main work: “[It’s] of real substance, brilliantly despatched by Peter Donohoe … it’s a fine piece that would be great as a novelty at the Proms.”

Amazon.com has yet to list it, but you can buy it from Amazon.co.uk. Check out the price.

I do not play the piano. I wish, in many ways, that I did. I bailed out on piano lessons when I was about 12, much to my mother and grandmother’s dismay. Had I know about neoclassical music then, and been so entranced by the beautiful sounds I am so lucky to hear and then write about, I might have stuck with it. I know if I had, I would have needed very good piano lessons. I know I would have needed Quiescence Music.

I was introduced to this site not long ago. I have been very excited to show it to all of you because it is unique. The Web site offers piano lessons, yes online piano lessons, to teach the unique style that is the signature of new age or neoclassical music.

Because of my interest in this site, I was able to meet its owner and the teacher of Quiescence Music, Edward Weiss. Weiss is a composer and musician and teaches his students the techniques that make this style of music so enchanting. He says,

Here is everything you need to know to learn
the art of New Age piano playing! Quiescence Music’s easy step-by-step audio-based piano lessons make learning a breeze! No previous experience is necessary or required!

Weiss assured me that no prior experience is necessary. Of course, you will need access to a computer and a piano, but the rest is something you can learn. If you have some basic piano playing skills, so much the better.

There is a free sample lesson provided. It is called, “Reflections in Water,” and it will teach you to “to use open position chords along with broken chord technique to create a calm, reflective atmosphere.” What Weiss is teaching is improvisation but that word doesn’t mean what you think it does. I like what he has to say about it:

Many students wonder why they have problems improvising. When I explain to them that the problem is not with technique but attitude, they look at me surprised. After all, aren’t they willing to learn? Of course! But they must first shun the “creative genius” persona and be willing to let go and let the music tell them where it wants to go.

I like that idea. I think it opens up music rather than creates a set of rules that “must” be followed or else some great music god in the sky will rain all over you. Music should come from the heart and the soul - Weiss works to teach you how to allow that process to occur.

The lessons provided at this site are strictly for the piano but when I asked Weiss if the method could translate over to other instruments (thinking of my violin and my new endeavor to play it), he said that the philosophy applies to any instrument, although his lessons are directed solely to piano.

Give it a try. The prices are more than reasonable and who knows? You could be the next Chuck Brown or Jeff Bjork.

Oh, and before I forget - signing up now gets you a free copy of the text, “New Age Piano Made Easy.” Classes are ongoing and a free workbook is provided but this text is just one more reason to sign up. I just may consider it… Now if I can just get my piano from Seattle to Nebraska - and that’s a whole other story!

Quiescence Music