Susan Tomes

Susan Tomes is a concert pianist and writer. Renowned both as a soloist and as the pianist of Domus and the Florestan Trio, she is the author of numerous works including Beyond the Notes, Sleeping in Temples and Speaking the Piano.

Now, she joins us to discuss her new book The Piano: A History in 100 Pieces. The book is a fascinating history of this astonishingly versatile instrument which for more than two hundred years has brought solo and collaborative music into homes and concert halls.

Charting the development of the piano from the late eighteenth century to the present day, Tomes takes the reader on a personal journey through 100 pieces including solo works, chamber music, concertos, and jazz. Her choices include composers such as Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Robert Schumann, Tchaikovsky, Debussy, Gershwin, and Philip Glass. She also considers oft-neglected women composers and players including Fanny Mendelssohn, Maria Szymanowska, Clara Schumann, and Amy Beach.