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Gentle piano music to brighten the day

Ground yourself in this century-spanning journey of piano music, from late-Romantic elegance to shimmering contemporary tones.

Relax and witness the metamorphosis of piano music unfurl across 25 decades of delicate solo pieces. Here the refined touch of late-Romantic voices like Mel Bonis and Felipe Pedrell dissolves into the luminous passages of Fiona Brice and Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch. Expect blissed-out wonder from Harold Budd and the experimental textures of Sarah Davachi. Curated especially to summon calm and focus.

Produced by Áine Devaney.
A Reduced Listening production for BBC Sounds MM.

To listen on most smart speakers, just say: 'Ask BBC Sounds to play Piano Focus'.

2 hours

On radio

Sat 24 Jan 202612:00
BBC Radio 3 Unwind

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Music Played

  • Felipe Pedrell

    Primer Nocturno, op. 53

    Performer: Ana Benavides.
    • Piano Inédito Español Del Siglo XIX, Vol. III - 2008-09-01.
    • IndigoBoom.

  • Maria Corley

    Waltz for Miles

    Performer: Maria Corley.
    • Soulscapes - Piano Music By African American Women.
    • Albany Records.

  • William Alwyn

    Haze of Noon: Adagio Molto Tranquillo

    Performer: Ashley Wass.
    • Piano Music • 1.
    • Naxos.

  • Ottorino Respighi

    6 Pezzi, P. 44: No. 3. Notturno

    Performer: Konstantin Scherbakov.
    • Respighi: Piano Music.
    • Toccata.

  • François Rossignol

    Retour à la Source

    Performer: François Rossignol.
    • Une Nuit à Piopolis.

  • 페르난두 배수아

    19:54

    Performer: 페르난두 배수아.
    • PIANO IMPROVISATIONS II.

  • Cyril Scott

    Danse Negre, Op. 58/5: 5th (For One Piano)

    Performer: Leslie De’Ath. Performer: Anya Alexeyev.
    • Cyril Scott: Complete Piano Music, Vol. 5 (Lotus Land).
    • Dutton Epoch.

  • Harold Budd

    Juno

    Performer: Harold Budd.
    • The Pavilion Of Dreams.
    • Obscure.

  • Mel Bonis

    Prélude, Op. 51

    Performer: Jean-Michel Serres.
    • Mel Bonis: Morceaux de piano - Tome 4.
    • Apfel Café Music.

  • Maurice Ravel

    Gaspard de la nuit, M. 55: II. Le Gibet

    Performer: Ivo Pogorelich.
    • Gaspard De La Nuit / Piano Sonata · Klaviersonate No.6.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

  • Jürg Frey

    Extended Circular Music No. 2

    Performer: Tamriko Kordzaia.
    • Jürg: Chamber Music.
    • Musiques Suisses.

  • Sophia Subbayya Vastek

    In Our Softening

    Performer: Sophia Subbayya Vastek.
    • In Our Softening.
    • Soft Music (8).

  • Sir Stephen Hough

    Niccolo's Waltz

    Performer: Sir Stephen Hough.
    • Stephen Hough's Dream Album: Piano Bonbons.
    • Hyperion.

  • Haron Aumaj

    Lotuseter

    Performer: Haron Aumaj.
    • Wandelaar.
    • Queeste.

  • Emilie Levienaise Farrouch

    Separation

    Performer: Emilie Levienaise Farrouch.
    • Only You.
    • 130701.

  • Christine Ott

    Lunes Orientales

    Performer: Christine Ott.
    • Éclats (Piano Works).
    • Gizeh Records.

  • Takuro Kikuchi

    Improvisation in E flat major No.1

    Performer: Takuro Kikuchi.
    • Pianoforte.
    • Hanon Records.

  • Flaer

    Forever Never

    Performer: Flaer.
    • Preludes.
    • Odda Recordings.

  • Alexander Scriabin

    Deux Poemes, Op. 32, No. 1 in F sharp major: Andante cantabile

    Performer: Alexander Gadjiev.
    • Deux Poemes, Op. 32, No. 1 in F sharp major: Andante cantabile.

  • Aaron Breeze

    Sostenuto

    Performer: Aaron Breeze.
    • Pause for Reflection.

  • Delphine Dora

    Obsessions

    Performer: Delphine Dora.
    • A Stream Of Consciousness.
    • Siren Wire Editions.

  • Félicia Atkinson

    Blue

    Performer: Félicia Atkinson.
    • Promenades.

  • Shin Suzuma

    Always

    Performer: Shin Suzuma.
    • Always.

  • Dylan John Sparkes

    Wholeness

    Performer: Dylan John Sparkes.
    • Acension.

  • Quentin Sirjacq

    Memory 6

    Performer: Quentin Sirjacq.
    • Piano Memories.
    • Schole.

Broadcasts

  • Thu 20 Nov 202512:00
    BBC Radio 3 Unwind
  • Sat 24 Jan 202612:00
    BBC Radio 3 Unwind