Author name: Mark Ainley

Historical piano recording expert.

Piano

Artur Pizarro: “I Really Wanted to Go Bechstein Rather Than Steinway Because of the Characteristics of the Sound of the Piano. I Wanted Something a Little Bit More Refined and With More Ties to a European Piano Sound, an Old German Piano Tradition Rather Than a More Modern, Homogenized Standard Sound”

In this interview, Portuguese pianist Artur Pizarro discusses his project of recording the complete Beethoven Concertos on two Bechstein pianos during the COVID-19 pandemic. The project began in 2019 when he was invited by Julia Jones, the conductor of the Wuppertal Symphony Orchestra, to perform Beethoven’s Fourth Concerto in Germany. Impressed with the orchestra’s work, Pizarro suggested that they record the entire set of Beethoven’s concertos. However, due to the pandemic, the project had to be delayed until 2021. Pizarro discusses the logistical difficulties of rehearsing and recording during the pandemic, selecting the appropriate pianos, and how they managed to finance the project. Despite the challenges, Pizarro expresses satisfaction with the recordings’ outcome.

Artur Pizarro: “I Really Wanted to Go Bechstein Rather Than Steinway Because of the Characteristics of the Sound of the Piano. I Wanted Something a Little Bit More Refined and With More Ties to a European Piano Sound, an Old German Piano Tradition Rather Than a More Modern, Homogenized Standard Sound” Open »

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