MUSINGS


THE ART OF PIANO PLAYING AS HUMAN DEVELOPMENT: A SOULFUL PATH THROUGH BREATH, WILL AND IMAGINATION
The journey of piano playing, whether in youth or later stages, is far more than the acquisition of technical ability or the faithful...

Walter
Mar 214 min read


ARTURO BENEDETTI MICHELANGELI: THE PRIEST OF SOUND AND SILENCE(1)
Some pianists are admired, studied, and analysed. They are discussed in terms of technique, expression, and style. But Michelangeli? He...

Walter
Mar 173 min read


KONSTANTIN KRIMMEL AND AMMIEL BUSHAKEVITZ AT WIGMORE HALL: A PARAGON OF LIEDER INTERPRETATION
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baUThSI0xwA The art of Lieder performance demands a synthesis of profound textual insight and consummate...

Walter
Mar 123 min read


NOW I KNOW....
When I was young, just tall enough to reach the keyboard, I played boldly, convinced I knew, I used to say: I know, I know, I know... It was the beginning; it was spring, And when I turned eighteen, I said: I know, this time, I truly know! I had studied the scores and creations, Analyzed the voices, the harmonies, the phrasing… I had conquered technique, unravelled counterpoint, I had my convictions, my sound, And I thought: This is it. This is mastery. Then life unfolded, an

Walter
Mar 72 min read


GREATNESS DOESN'T SHOUT: THE SECRET OF GREAT PIANISTS.
In the modern age, where self-promotion and public validation often precede substance, the actual artist remains a paradox. The most...

Walter
Feb 144 min read


MURRAY PERAHIA'S CHOPIN ETUDES: A SONIC REVELATION!
Murray Perahia’s Chopin Études: A Sonic Revelation

Walter
Feb 44 min read


RESISTING CONFORMITY | EMBRACING SOUNDSCAPES
Sitting at the piano in the stillness of early morning or late evening is profoundly sacred. The world is either yet to awaken or settling i

Walter
Jan 303 min read


THE NATURE OF THE PIANIST
Like any human being, the pianist is a complex, multifaceted entity. The mind is a labyrinthine application of our senses, and the pianist's

Walter
Jan 144 min read


THE MUSICIAN'S OATH
"The Musician's Oath" delves into musicians' profound commitment to their craft, exploring the dedication, passion, and ethical responsibili

Walter
Jan 141 min read


ARCADI VOLODOS: SCHUBERT'S EMOTIONAL LANDSCAPE,FROM SONATA TO MINIATURES
Sonata in A Major D.959 From the first measures of the Allegro , Volodos establishes himself not as a performer in the conventional sense...

Walter
Dec 26, 20243 min read


THE DANGERS OF FORCING YOUNG CHILDREN TO STUDY OVERLY COMPLICATED PIANO REPERTOIRE
Piano study can potentially enrich a child’s development when approached thoughtfully, however, when young children are pressured to study .

Walter
Dec 16, 20244 min read


THOMAS SCHWAN'S WELL-TEMPERED CLAVIER: A NEW BENCHMARK
Thomas Schwan’s live interpretation of both Books I and II stands as a resounding success—an achievement of extraordinary technical mastery, intellectual clarity, and spiritual depth. This monumental live recording has been released under his own label, Con Anima , and is now available on CD . The album can be purchased directly through his website: website: https://www.thomasschwan.com/bach-well-tempered-clavier-schwan-cd For those who wish to listen online, both performanc

Walter
Dec 15, 20243 min read


PIANO PEDAGOGY AND MORALITY: REFLECTIONS OF A PIANO TEACHER.
As a piano teacher, my primary task is to nurture technical skills, artistic expression, and my students' moral and emotional growth....

Walter
Dec 4, 20244 min read


BEYOND VIRTUOSITY: MAESTRO ANDSNES' MEDITATIVE RACHMANINOV
Leif Ove Andsnes' traversal of Rachmaninov's four piano concertos reveals a synthesis of mastery and imagination rarely encountered in...

Walter
Nov 13, 20244 min read


THE I CHING AS A MIRROR OF INNER GROWTH
In my ongoing journey with the I Ching, I have discovered a genuinely singular source of wisdom that serves less as a mere oracle and...

Walter
Nov 10, 20242 min read


MAPPING THE LONG FLEXORS
To localize the long flexors through kinesthetic awareness, you’ll want to isolate and feel the specific muscles involved in finger...

Walter
Nov 8, 20242 min read


MIND OVER MATTER: THE POWER OF MENTAL PRACTICE FOR PIANISTS
Mental preparation is the transformative force that connects technical insights with expressive depth. As an advanced pianist, you're...

Walter
Nov 8, 20243 min read


IN PURSUIT OF PURITY: HONORING THE INTEGRITY OF CHOPIN'S 2ND PIANO CONCERTO
It is with a mixture of incredulity and dismay that I observe the recent trend of pianists, in a display of misguided self-importance,...

Walter
Oct 31, 20242 min read


BAODING BALLS: HAND FITNESS AND HEALING FOR PIANISTS.
FOR MICHEL A pianist's hands are not just tools but the vessels through which music is transmitted to the listener. Each finger stroke...

Walter
Oct 11, 20244 min read


FERRUCCIO BUSONI: INTELLECTUAL AND PIANISTIC GENIUS
Ferruccio Busoni was a prominent figure in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, showcasing a rare combination of intellect,...

Walter
Oct 3, 20245 min read


(2)UNDERSTANDING INJURIES IN PIANISTS: PRACTICAL STRATEGIES TO ELIMINATE PAIN
Pain can have emotional roots, such as stress, anger, frustration, or perfectionism, which musicians commonly experience. To address...

Walter
Oct 2, 20245 min read


(1) UNDERSTANDING INJURIES IN PIANISTS: A MIND-BODY PERSPECTIVE WITH INSIGHTS FROM TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE
Understanding Injuries and Tendonitis in Pianists: A Mind-Body Perspective with Insights from Traditional Chinese Medicine

Walter
Oct 2, 20243 min read


MICHELANGELI'S UNMATCHED RENDERING OF THE BACH-BUSONI CHACONNE
In 1893, Ferruccio Busoni accomplished something remarkable. He transcribed Johann Sebastian Bach's Chaconne from the Partita No. 2 for...

Walter
Sep 24, 20245 min read


THE PEDAGOGICAL VALUE OF BELA BARTOK'S MIKROKOSMOS VOL. I-VI (PART I)
Béla Bartók, a towering figure in 20th-century music, left an enduring legacy through his groundbreaking compositions and pedagogical...

Walter
Jul 28, 20242 min read
