Posts – Page 2 – The Piano Files

Wilhelm Backhaus 95 Years Ago: The January 1928 Recordings

by Mark Ainley / Feature / Recordings / No Comments / March 26, 2023

German pianist Wilhelm Backhaus had one of the longest recording careers of any pianist, spanning an incredible 61 years from the first flat discs using acoustic amplification (cone-shaped horns amplifying the sound rather than microphones)

Byron Janis at 95

by Mark Ainley / Feature / Recordings / No Comments / March 24, 2023

American pianist Byron Janis is celebrating his 95th birthday. An influential artist bridging the first half of the 20th century through the second half, Mr. Janis has had a long and distinguished international career as

Bella Davidovich: The Philips Legacy

by Mark Ainley / Feature / Recordings / 2 Comments / February 16, 2023

While I was preparing the notes for Gina Bachauer’s Mercury recordings for Eloquence, the label provided me with another commission for an artist I was less familiar with: Bella Davidovich, whom I of course knew

Bruce Hungerford at 100

by Mark Ainley / Feature / Recordings / No Comments / January 26, 2023

Far too many great pianists did not have the international careers warranted by their talent or died tragically young – and sadly, several fit both of these sad circumstances. One such artist was Australian-born pianist

Alexander Sienkiewicz’s World Premiere Scriabin Recordings

by Mark Ainley / Feature / Recordings / 2 Comments / December 29, 2022

Every composition recorded has its first recording, and it can be fascinating to explore early accounts of some of the repertoire that has since become mainstream, particularly when the music was set down when it

Henri Gil-Marchex at 130

by Mark Ainley / Feature / Recordings / No Comments / December 16, 2022

Not all pianists of distinction left behind significant recorded legacies, which can adversely impact the degree to which their importance is recognized today. One such artist was the French musician Henri Gil-Marchex, a fascinating individual

Remembering Monique de La Bruchollerie

by Mark Ainley / Feature / Recordings / 1 Comment / December 15, 2022

December 15, 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the death of French pianist Monique de La Bruchollerie, who passed away in Paris at the age of 57 on December 15, 1972. I remember very clearly when

Gina Bachauer: The Mercury Masters

by Mark Ainley / Feature / Recordings / No Comments / December 8, 2022

I was delighted to be commissioned to write the notes for the Eloquence label’s fantastic historical release of Gina Bachauer’s fabled Mercury recordings. Here is an extended version of the notes that I submitted for

Noel Mewton-Wood at 100

by Mark Ainley / Feature / Recordings / 3 Comments / November 20, 2022

Had fate decided otherwise, the many young pianists who died in the 1950s would have been the headliners of their generation. As it stands, these artists continue to command attention, albeit largely with their tragic

Behind The Microphone: Anthony Griffith

by Mark Ainley / Feature / Recordings / No Comments / October 20, 2022

Producer Walter Legge (standing) and Anthony Griffith With all the focus we can give the great musicians who left us recorded examples of their artistry, it is easy to overlook those working behind the scenes. While

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