Piano 40 - Impulse

Piano 40 was formed in 1999 - although originally known as the London Piano Quartet until 2002 - with the main objective of extending interest in this neglected medium of 8 hands at 2 pianos. Apart from the works written by Smetana, Moscheles and Moszkowski, Piano 40 has managed to extend the repertoire by having no fewer than 23 composers write original works especially for this unusual grouping. Piano 40's concerts therefore include only works written for 8 hands at 2 pianos and not transcriptions.

To date, Piano 40 has given 8 sold-out concerts at London's South Bank as well as appearances at the Dulwich Festival, Oxford International Piano Festival, EPTA International Conference in Budapest and at the EPTA London Conference held at Trinity College of Music.

Plans include further South Bank concerts as well as concerts in Ireland, USA, Italy, Norway, Portugal and Spain.

Forthcoming Concerts

Piano 40's next London concert is at St. John's, Smith Square on Wednesday June 9th 2010.

The programme for the concert includes works by Smetana and Moscheles together with works written especially for Piano 40 by James Wilson, Janet Beat, Edmund Jolliffe and the works by Cecilia MacDowall and Andrew Peggie as on the CD. (See below).

On October 28th 2010, Piano 40 will be performing in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The programme includes Moscheles Grand Duo and John Paynter's "Breakthrough" written especially for Piano 40.

Repertoire

Smetana - Rondo
Smetana - Sonata in one movement
Moscheles - Grand Duo
Moszkowski - Valse Brillante

These established works are complemented by original works written especially and exclusively for Piano 40 to perform. Among the composers who have written for Piano 40 are Brian Chapple, Charles Camilleri, Rory Boyle, Andrew Peggie, Cecilia McDowall, Janet Beat, James Wilson, Vivienne Olive, Sebastian Forbes, John Paynter and many others.

All programmes are given with informal spoken introductions and a detailed educational programme is available, moulded to each programme, audience and venue.

Recording
A first CD is available from the address below including works by Chapple, Camilleri, Boyle, Peggie, Paynter, McDowall and Richard Nye - all works which have proved very popular with Piano 40's London audiences.
Click here to listen to an extract from Octo-Paganini by Andrew Peggie performed by Piano 40 on their new CD.
Buy the Piano 40 CD at tutti

Reviews

"Hugely entertaining - a nice selection of works played with zest and obvious enjoyment." - Review of Piano40's CD in www.music-web-international.com, August 2009

"Piano 40's concerts are inventive, relaxed and very entertaining." - Musical Opinion, London, November 2004

"Piano 40 proved themselves to be in full control of the complexities of the Moscheles Grand Duo, voicing the parts with impressive clarity and bringing the whole to a rhythmically vibrant and exciting end." - Musical Opinion, London, November 2004

"Those of us lucky enough to be in the audience for Piano 40's concert were given a pianistic treat of rare quality." Sunday Times, Malta, September 2004