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In an homage to Joseph Cornel's “Celestial Navigation”, Kolesnikov conceived his own musical constellation with great insight.

Mitsuko Uchida feels closest to the music of Schubert. She makes the strongest of cases for the eight Impromptus, long regarded almost as trifles, which in their tragic weight and sense of loneliness embody the age of Coronavirus.

The Russian pianist's nuanced approach bears most fruit in Schubert and Grieg, less so in Beethoven and Ravel.

Murray Perahia’s deeply rewarding recital featured Beethoven’s monolithic Hammerklavier piano sonata, prefaced by works of Bach and Schubert.

In an unusual setting in Baden, the fine pianist Emanuel Ax coupled his exploration of demanding technique with a keen expressive focus, making an unparalleled musical experience.

An evening of contrasts at Wigmore Hall, with the Uzbek pianist tender in Schubert, but too loud in Mussorgsky. 

Pianist Steven Osborne delights a packed Dunbar Parish Church in a recital of Schubert and Rachmaninov. 

An impressive debut at the Turner Sims from this young Italian pianist brings new insights to Schubert, Scriabin and Ravel in compelling performances. 

Marc-André Hamelin plays Schubert, and premieres two works never before heard at Carnegie Hall: his own Barcarolle, and a Medtner sonata composed a century ago.

Rudolf Buchbinder is a name now synonymous with classical piano interpretation. He has over 100 recordings in his discography, and his recent series of complete Beethoven sonatas the world over has given him an authority of nearly biblical proportions.

In the relatively recent past, Russian pianist Nikolai Lugansky has featured impressively as an RSNO guest in concertos by two of his countrymen (Rachmaninov and Prokofiev). I was therefore very much looking forward to hearing him in the more intimate, less gladiatorial setting of an Edinburgh International Festival morning Queen’s Hall recital.

Any solo recital from Radu Lupu comes with the baggage of a cult, and this Carnegie Hall concert was no exception. Lavish praise from the weeklies aside, there really is something to the aura that surrounds this exquisite pianist. He has a unique sound, seeming to breathe with the concert hall's very air.

Imagine, for a moment, that you're an 18th century German or French baron deciding what you're going to do with your evening. You might do worse, perhaps, than to invite a couple of dozen friends to your well-appointed sitting room, and bring in one of the great musicians of the day to talk to you about his favourite music and play it to you.