The 26th Festival Rarities of piano music

will be held on 18th-25th of August 2012

In the north of Germany, near the Danish border in the North Frisian district capital of Husum, is a piano festival held every year since 1987. It is dedicated solely to the most seldom-played works of the piano repertoire. The “Rarities of Piano Music” Festival has quickly made its way from insider’s tip to a renowned festival among the connaisseurs and exercises a nearly magical draw on those who attend.

New: The festival book!

“Beyond the mainstream”

The book “Beyond the mainstream” spotlights the piano festival from various perspectives, with festival creator and artistic director Peter Froundjian as well as music journalists, longtime festival attendees, pianist Marc-André Hamelin and Copenhagen CD producer Jesper Buhl narrating their most spectacular and personal concert and festival experiences. Rounding off the book is a transcription of the highly original and descriptive 1987 lecture given at the very first festival by Berlin music critic Walther Kaempfer (1899-1991) of his experiences listening to numerous legendary pianists in concert, the majority of them heralding from the studios of Liszt and Leschetizky.

A large number of the works performed at the “Rarities of Piano Music” Festival are available on the annual live CD recording of the festival. An overview of the recorded works can be found in the supplement.

Editors: Johanna Jürgensen and Peter Froundjian, Nordfriesland Foundation

232 pages, STACCATO-Verlag, Düsseldorf, ISBN 978-3-932976-46-9, 22,80 €