Pianissimo

The piano, or, to use its full name, pianoforte, earned its name because it can be played both quietly (piano) and loudly (forte). Lately there seems to be a trend toward the quiet side. Maybe the trend can be traced back to Erik Satie's gentle Gymnopedies of 1888, but suddenly there are a number of young composer/pianists exploring a relaxed and alert sensibility in their music. David Garland presents an hour pianissimo pianos, featuring recent recordings by Takeo Toyama, Ólafur Arnalds, Nils Frahm, Hauschka, and Peter Broderick, as well as classic recordings by Thelonious Monk, Bill Evans, Paul Bley, and others.