FMQ - piano music Articles

Ingeborg Hymander, pioneer of piano pedagogy

Ingeborg Hymander, pioneer of piano pedagogy

Ingeborg Hymander, pioneer of piano pedagogy

Pianists today may not be familiar with Ingeborg Hymander, let alone her importance to the development of the art of the piano in Finland. They should, though. Who was this authority in piano pedagogy who was highly esteemed in her lifetime and whose influence can be felt in Finland and further afield even to this day?

Annikka Konttori-Gustafsson, Matti Huttunen

January 24, 2025

A cross-section of Finnish contemporary piano

A cross-section of Finnish contemporary piano

A cross-section of Finnish contemporary piano

Pianist Ville Hautakangas has brought together a cast of composers of different ages, whose musical backgrounds and starting points highlight the full richness of contemporary music.

Auli Särkiö-Pitkänen

November 3, 2023

Sonic shavings from the workbench

Sonic shavings from the workbench

Sonic shavings from the workbench

"Janne Mertanen lets the music speak for itself, though also taking the few virtuosic challenges in his stride."

Martin Anderson

November 30, 2021

De-marginalising repertoire, one disc at a time

De-marginalising repertoire, one disc at a time

De-marginalising repertoire, one disc at a time

"There are gems to be discovered in this repertoire, disdained by contemporaries and marginalised by history."

Kare Eskola

November 30, 2021

The Majesty of the Miniature

The Majesty of the Miniature

The Majesty of the Miniature

"Sibelius’ piano output is full of one gem after another; and they usually hold together as collections, too: he assembled his miniatures with care and an ear to tonal progressions and variety of expression."

Martin Anderson

May 6, 2021

The freelancer musicians' pandemic - Culture corona crisis continues

The freelancer musicians' pandemic - Culture corona crisis continues

The freelancer musicians' pandemic - Culture corona crisis continues

The Covid-19 pandemic has been a boom time for freelancers, according to Forbes. But not for freelance musicians.

Andrew Mellor

February 12, 2021

A thriving piano alliance

A thriving piano alliance

A thriving piano alliance

"The collaboration flourishes beautifully, with the two pianos almost becoming one through spectacular voicings."

Jan-Erik Holmberg

November 5, 2020

On my music and beyond: The Chrome Plated Megaphone of Destiny

On my music and beyond: The Chrome Plated Megaphone of Destiny

On my music and beyond: The Chrome Plated Megaphone of Destiny

“During the previous year of my studies in Utrecht I had added theory of music and composition to my curriculum. I knew I wanted to be a performer, but the traditional jazz piano wasn’t where my heart was. I had studied Clare Fischer’s harmonic concepts, which seemed to open windows towards the contemporary classical sounds I had heard in Donaueschingen,” writes composer and pianist Sid Hille. This column is part of the series where composers and other music makers write about their music.

Sid Hille

August 6, 2020

Turriago’s retrospective solo journey

Turriago’s retrospective solo journey

Turriago’s retrospective solo journey

"Turriago plays energetically, and his booklet texts are disarmingly straightforward. [- -] The newest works – Da Lontano…, Somber, and the virtuoso etude Jitters – are the strongest ones, making one look forward to more."

Anna Pulkkis

June 4, 2020

Instruments that play between the notes

Instruments that play between the notes

Instruments that play between the notes

Microtonal classical music comes across as a nerdy pastime operating in the margins between "real notes," and with good reason. An experimental microtonal instrument is typically encircled by a close-knit community of musicians and composers who are unable to evangelise their discoveries because of difficulties in playing technique or other challenges. However, in recent years so many microtonal instruments have been developed and adopted in Finland that the colourful world between the notes is finally opening up to wider audiences.

Kare Eskola

December 19, 2019

The beginnings of greatness?

The beginnings of greatness?

The beginnings of greatness?

"Kuula can create a powerful sense of atmosphere – I won’t fall back on the cliché of 'brooding northern forests', but you know what I mean – with remarkably few notes, and this fondness for heroic understatement suggests that he might have made a most impressive symphonist."

Martin Anderson

December 12, 2019

Treasures revealed

Treasures revealed

Treasures revealed

"Risto-Matti Marin’s recital of unknown Finnish Romantic piano music is a triumph. The works he has chosen all arouse surprised respect – who knew? – and he plays them with unhesitating conviction."

Martin Anderson

December 12, 2019

Elusive and Exquisite

Elusive and Exquisite

Elusive and Exquisite

"Jean Dubé’s virtues here are that he gives the music time to speak and that he reproduces its textures with commendable clarity, to which the recorded sound does full justice."

Martin Anderson

May 10, 2019

The virtuoso pianist's choice

The virtuoso pianist's choice

The virtuoso pianist's choice

"Pianist Risto-Matti Marin has formed a meaningful musical whole out of five works, all recorded for the first time, by four contemporary composers living in Finland."

Anna Pulkkis

December 5, 2018

Rautavaara and the cello

Rautavaara and the cello

Rautavaara and the cello

"Tetzlaff’s and Süssman’s vision of Rautavaara's music is lucid and profound, never overly sentimental but always highly expressive."

Anna Pulkkis

May 25, 2018

Coherent kaleidoscopes

Coherent kaleidoscopes

Coherent kaleidoscopes

Ives’s Concord Sonata often requires its performer to despatch inhuman quantities of notes at superhuman speed, but Ahonen scoops them up like a kid building sandcastles, with no loss of clarity or of dynamic or rhythmic control.

Martin Anderson

November 16, 2017

Romantic tones with Impressionist leanings

Romantic tones with Impressionist leanings

Romantic tones with Impressionist leanings

Selim Palmgren was congratulated after the premiere of his Piano Concerto No. 5 (1942) by a personage no less than Sibelius himself, and listening to Alba’s new release of Palmgren’s complete piano concertos it is easy to understand why.

Mats Liljeroos

November 16, 2017

The many shades of noise

The many shades of noise

The many shades of noise

“Somehow there has to be something new, and somehow the composer has to challenge himself. But employing completely new means of expression or playing around with the concept of art are not in themselves necessary for creating meaningful art.” So says composer Lauri Kilpiö, whose new piano concerto Shades of Light traces a broad arc from tradition to the present day, acknowledging both Beethoven and the aesthetics of noise.

Anna Pulkkis

November 2, 2017

Insightful and intense Liszt and Schubert

Insightful and intense Liszt and Schubert

Insightful and intense Liszt and Schubert

Marin’s performance points up the intricate voice-leading and ensures that everything is heard, lucid and emotionally vivid. Indeed, emotional flow might be described as the scarlet thread of this entire album.

Mats Liljeroos

May 17, 2017

Sibelius’s piano works by Mertanen

Sibelius’s piano works by Mertanen

Sibelius’s piano works by Mertanen

"Janne Mertanen is a reliable guide to this unfailingly attractive and sometimes moving repertoire: his rhythms are precise and his textures clear."

Martin Anderson

August 12, 2015

Music competitions – why?

Music competitions – why?

Music competitions – why?

Pianist and piano teacher Matti Raekallio reflects in the FMQ issue 2/2012 on the International Maj Lind Piano Competition 2012, held in Helsinki, where he will be a jury member.

Matti Raekallio

December 6, 2012

Young Beethoven champion, Antti Siirala

Young Beethoven champion, Antti Siirala

Young Beethoven champion, Antti Siirala

Flying home from Vienna in June 1997, Antti Siirala had more than the usual collection of souvenirs in his hand luggage: the promise of a Bösendorfer grand piano! This was one of the rewards for winning the tenth International Beethoven Piano Competition, in addition to a money prize and a string of concert fixtures.

Ainomaija Pennanen

January 12, 1998

Selim Palmgren – A Finnish cosmopolite

Selim Palmgren – A Finnish cosmopolite

Selim Palmgren – A Finnish cosmopolite

The composer Selim Palmgren walked a tightrope between national and international trends in music. He was part of the Finnish national music movement but tried to combine this with a more international outlook.

Kimmo Korhonen

January 8, 1985