Andreas Staier Fortepiano Recital Presented by Liszt Academy

In March 1979, only a decade after the initial experiments, the first fortepiano recital was arranged in the Liszt Academy. The concert ruffled feathers among the cognoscenti and generated diametrically opposing opinions from the critics. Strange, given that what had happened was nothing more than Malcolm Bilson playing an instrument well known by composers of the late 18th, early 19th century yet unheard by a 20th century Budapest audience, and in a concept unusual for us at that time that took full account of historical sources.

Nearly 40 years later, ahead of the Liszt Academy appearance of Andreas Staier, perhaps there is no longer need to prove that the fortepiano (an early hammer piano) differs from today’s concert piano in the same important characteristics as from the harpsichord, even though the method of sounding is in principle identical. Thus its revival was not the extension of the search for curiosities to later works but rather an inspiring, productive experiment, which won a place in mainstream concert life with its more transparent and lighter sound than that of the modern piano.