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Giovanni Sgambati ‘The Raphael of the Piano’ (1841 - 1914)

Giovanni Sgambati ‘The Raphael of the Piano’ (1841 - 1914)

Similarities and influences with Liszt: In 1871, Giovanni Sgambati wrote of his relationship with Franz Liszt ‘we became very close.’ So, as Liszt had many talented pupils, I was interested to look more closely at their relationship and to explore the reasons why, of all his students, Sgambati should have been…

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Halfdan Kjerulf (1815 - 1868)

Halfdan Kjerulf (1815 - 1868)

Halfdan Kjerulf was the composer who inspired me to become involved in the world of research. In 1999, I had come across his piano pieces in a volume of my grand-mother's piano music and instantly was engaged by its quality, so much that I felt I needed to discover more…

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James P Mathews (1828 – 1901)

James P Mathews (1828 – 1901)

James Mathews was an amateur flute player who has enjoyed some degree of notoriety as the owner of a remarkable gold flute named Chrysoston (greek: golden-mouthed*). Mathews (or Matthews) was a very accomplished flautist and highly popular with audiences in the Midlands of England, during the latter part of the…

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