Andreas Staier (fortepianist)
Andreas Staier (Eric Larrayadieu/Harmonia Mundi)
Andreas Staier has long championed keyboard music on the fortepiano, bringing an intellectual and emotional engagement that is more commonly associated with the modern piano. His sympathies are broad and he’s as convincing as a chamber-music partner as he is a concerto soloist or Lieder partner. His recording of Beethoven's Diabelli Variations were one of the year’s highlights.
Staier is, of course, a master of a variety of keyboard instruments, including harpsichord, piano and fortepiano. He won a Gramophone Award last year in the Baroque Instrumental category for his recording of CPE Bach's Harpsichord Concertos with the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra conducted by Petra Müllejans (on Harmonia Mundi).
Below is a film of him playing a Passacaglia by Muffat on a harpsichord at last year's Cully Classique Festival.
Is Andreas Staier your favourite artist of 2012? Register your vote now at the Gramophone Artist of the Year 2012 voting page.
