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Radio 3's Piano A to Z Episodes

  1. Z for Zany

    Z for Zany, an affectionate look at the role of the piano in comedy.

  2. Y for Yellow River

    The Yellow River Piano Concerto led to the popularity of the piano in China.

  3. X for X-treme

    The piano attracts more that its fair share of people wanting to see how far it can go.

  4. W for Workshops

    What goes into the making of a piano? How do the pianos of today differ from the past.

  5. V for Virtuoso

    Virtuoso is a term applied to many of the world's top pianists of today.

  6. U for Upright

    We celebrate the upright piano.

  7. T for Tuning

    Tuning is a highly nuanced art, affecting the tone and colour of an instrument.

  8. S for Sustain

    Until the Romantic era the sustain pedal was considered a special effect.

  9. R for Repetiteur

    RΓ©pΓ©titeurs are so much more than just pianists.

  10. Q for Queues

    Which great pianists would be worth queuing for?

  11. P for Page Turner

    Page turning is fraught with difficulties, for both pianist and turner

  12. O for Orchestra

    How do you practice a concerto without an orchestra?

  13. N for Novels

    The piano has played a starring role in some the nation's best loved novels.

  14. M for Movies

    Explore the role of the piano in movies.

  15. L for Left Hand

    The right hand may be the belle of the ball but the left hand is no dowdy Cinderella.

  16. K for Keys

    There are sad keys and glad keys; F sharp minor is turbulent and C major is sunny.

  17. J for Jazz

    Since Scott Joplin and Jelly Roll Morton the piano has been the instrument of Jazz.

  18. I for Improvisation

    Sit down at the keyboard and simply make music up on the spur of the moment.

  19. H for Hiring

    Often when a concert pianist steps onto the stage to perform, they play a hired piano

  20. G for Glenn Gould

    Glenn Gould was a Canadian pianist who became one of the best-known of the 20th century.

  21. F for Fingers

    Fingers need practice, and practice makes perfect.

  22. E for Encores

    There's an art to choosing and performing an encore, even for the world's top pianists.

  23. D for Duets

    The piano is rare in that it's an instrument that can be played by two people.

  24. C for Competitions

    Competitions are a vital part of many classical pianists' careers.

  25. B for Boogie-Woogie

    This is an energetic and rhythmic style of piano playing that originated in the States.

  26. A for Action

    The action, or hammer mechanism, is the defining development in the history of the piano.