A quite extraordinary artist who I often hear in the beautiful church in Bedford Park of St Michael’s and All Angels
He lives opposite and like Liszt frequents the church ( and the Tabard opposite !) as a fervent believer and quite regularly is seen serving at Mass. Not only serving but also adding a musical offering of his quite unique scholarship and pianistic mastery . Two or three times a year he can be heard in repertoire that one will probably have never heard in concert before!
His next concert will be on the 19 December as his Christmas offering – a feast fit for celebration indeed .
I heard this concert just a month ago and I am glad to include my thoughts here. I am even more grateful to Dr Mather and his team for allowing Mark to play the same programme in their beautiful church on Ealing Golf Course , St Mary’s Perivale .Their superb recording facilities allow this recital to be recorded and heard world wide .It is an important document that should be shared more widely and not only a humble offering to our Lord.
Described by International Piano Magazine as “one of the most gifted pianists of his generation”, Mark Viner is steadily gaining a reputation as one of Britain’s leading concert pianists; his unique blend of individual artistry combined with his bold exploration of the byways of the piano literature garnering international renown. He began playing at the age of 11 before being awarded a scholarship two years later to enter the Purcell School of Music where he studied with Tessa Nicholson for the next five years. Another scholarship took him to the Royal College of Music where he studied with the late Niel Immelman for the next six years, graduating with first class honours in a Bachelor of Music degree in 2011 and a distinction in Master of Performance 2013; the same year which afforded him the honour to perform before HM the King.
After winning 1st prize at the Alkan-Zimmerman International Piano Competition in Athens, Greece in 2012, his career has brought him across much of Europe as well as North and South America. While festival invitations include appearances the Raritäten der Klaviermusik, Husum in Germany, the Cheltenham Music Festival and Harrogate Music Festival in the United Kingdom and the Festival Chopiniana in Argentina, radio broadcasts include recitals and interviews aired on Deutschlandfunk together with frequent appearances on BBC Radio 3. His acclaimed Wigmore Hall début recital in 2018 confirmed his reputation as one of today’s indisputable torchbearers of the Romantic Revival.
He is particularly renowned for his CD recordings on the Piano Classics label which include music by Alkan, Blumenfeld, Chaminade, Liszt and Thalberg, all of which have garnered exceptional international critical acclaim. His most important project to date is a survey of the complete piano music of Alkan: the first of its kind and which is expected to run to some 18 CDs in length. Aside from a busy schedule of concerts and teaching, he is also a published composer and writer and his advocacy for the music of Alkan led to his election as Chairman the Alkan Society 2014.
ChristopherAxworthy-MusicCommentary 