Some beautiful things in the Schumann Fantasy played with his microscopic precision, untainted by tradition but played with great musical integrity and true unadorned love for this masterpiece.

Schumann dedicated the Fantasy to Liszt and it was his humble offering to create funds for the statue dedicated to the master of Bonn:Ludwig van Beethoven .

But it was the moment that Mark Viner unleashed Liszt on an unsuspecting audience that sparks started to fly.

Scintillating piano playing of such colour and at times breathtaking excitement.

He ignited the piano as his idol Liszt must have done.

He also convinced us of his faith as he comuned with his maker in such an immediate and heartrending fashion.

Seven CD’s already to his honour of the extraordinary unknown virtuosi of which Franz Liszt was the King.

Alkan,Thalberg

Chaminade……….. and Blumenfeld on its way.

Hats off to this great english virtuoso who is taking us back in history like Raymond Lewenthal or Ronald Smith before him.Glorious times when the virtuoso pianist composer was idolised in the fashionable salons of the day like the pop stars of today.

I have written many times about this quite unique musical figure and here are a few of my thoughts as his career blossoms as he shares his scholarship and extraordinary playing with an ever more growing public worldwide.