BBC Radio Podcasts from Radio 3's Piano A to Z

Z for Zany

Z for Zany, an affectionate look at the role of the piano in comedy.

Y for Yellow River

The Yellow River Piano Concerto led to the popularity of the piano in China.

X for X-treme

The piano attracts more that its fair share of people wanting to see how far it can go.

W for Workshops

What goes into the making of a piano? How do the pianos of today differ from the past.

V for Virtuoso

Virtuoso is a term applied to many of the world's top pianists of today.

U for Upright

We celebrate the upright piano.

T for Tuning

Tuning is a highly nuanced art, affecting the tone and colour of an instrument.

S for Sustain

Until the Romantic era the sustain pedal was considered a special effect.

R for Repetiteur

Répétiteurs are so much more than just pianists.

Q for Queues

Which great pianists would be worth queuing for?

P for Page Turner

Page turning is fraught with difficulties, for both pianist and turner

O for Orchestra

How do you practice a concerto without an orchestra?

N for Novels

The piano has played a starring role in some the nation's best loved novels.

M for Movies

Explore the role of the piano in movies.

L for Left Hand

The right hand may be the belle of the ball but the left hand is no dowdy Cinderella.

K for Keys

There are sad keys and glad keys; F sharp minor is turbulent and C major is sunny.

J for Jazz

Since Scott Joplin and Jelly Roll Morton the piano has been the instrument of Jazz.

I for Improvisation

Sit down at the keyboard and simply make music up on the spur of the moment.

H for Hiring

Often when a concert pianist steps onto the stage to perform, they play a hired piano

G for Glenn Gould

Glenn Gould was a Canadian pianist who became one of the best-known of the 20th century.

F for Fingers

Fingers need practice, and practice makes perfect.

E for Encores

There's an art to choosing and performing an encore, even for the world's top pianists.

D for Duets

The piano is rare in that it's an instrument that can be played by two people.

C for Competitions

Competitions are a vital part of many classical pianists' careers.

B for Boogie-Woogie

This is an energetic and rhythmic style of piano playing that originated in the States.

A for Action

The action, or hammer mechanism, is the defining development in the history of the piano.