Roger Vignoles, pianist

Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in music and who or what have been the most important influences on your musical life and career?

By far the most important influence on my career has been the teaching of Paul Hamburger, with whom I had the privilege of studying after I left the RCM.  In a very real sense Paul taught me everything I know, transforming my approach to the piano, immeasurably enlarging my understanding of the repertoire, and giving me invaluable insights into both poetry and music.  For Paul, technique was not just something to wheel out when the going got tough, it was an integral part of how you created the sound you wanted.  And that sound included all the instrumental colours of an imaginary orchestra.  Paul was also a brilliant singers’ coach, and I still use many of the ingenious devices I learnt from him when giving classes myself.

Of which performances/recordings are you most proud?

“The Sea”, with Sarah Walker and Thomas Allen, recorded for Hyperion back in the 70s, is still one of my favourites. I love the repertoire, it suited Sarah and Tom perfectly, and we had a lot of fun putting it together.  But there are so many others I could choose, such as the CD of Reynaldo Hahn with Susan Graham (the opening song “A Chloris” is my most frequently played track on Spotify!) a Decca album with Kiri te Kanawa in glorious voice, or Spanish songs, Schumann and Brahms with Bernarda Fink, let alone the complete songs of Richard Strauss, a composer I love playing.

Which particular works/composers do you think that you perform best?

Probably Schubert, since I have lived with his songs all through my professional life, and they still give me something new each time I return to them.  But I also have a strong instinct for Hugo Wolf, I love the colours and textures in Debussy’s piano parts, and the song cycles of Benjamin Britten are also very important for me.

What do you do off stage that provides inspiration on stage?

I have drawn and painted ever since I was a child.  In my teens it vied for my attention with music and languages, and my watercolour box and brushes (small and easy to pack) have accompanied me all over the world.  It’s not just an absorbing hobby, something relaxing to do on the afternoon of a concert.  It has literally coloured my whole approach to the piano, and to the visual imagery that fills so many of the songs I most like to perform.

What is your most memorable concert experience

Two memorable performances of “Winterreise” stick in my mind.  The first was at Leeds Lieder, the year I was artistic director.  Robert Holl, who was due to sing “Winterreise”, cancelled at 24 hours’ notice, offering the young Florian Boesch as a substitute.  Florian could only arrive at 5pm on the day, so we had 45 minutes at most to rehearse, having never worked together before.  The result was a voyage of discovery for both of us, and led to many years of friendship and music making.

The second occurred just this last November, when I played it for Simon Keenlyside in Barcelona without even one rehearsal – not even a brief warm up to try the acoustics.  That was another journey, but then with such a work every performance takes you somewhere new, whether rehearsed or not

What advice would you give to young/aspiring musicians?

Never apologise for yourself, and remember that success in the profession depends not only on how well you play or sing, but also on how you work with others.

What’s next? Where would you like to be in 10 years?

Next up are a wonderful clutch of recitals, including at Wigmore Hall, with Roderick Williams, repeating the Schubert we are performing in Leeds, plus other works with a visual theme.  As for 10 years’ time, who knows, since by 2027 I shall have been doing what I do – and with the greatest enjoyment – for 60 years.  

Roger Vignoles performs woth Roderick Williams, Nikola Hillebrand, Joseph Middleton and
Leeds Lieder Young Artists in the Schubertiade 20th Anniversary Gala Recital at this year’s Leeds Lieder Festival on Sunday 14 April. Info / tickets

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(Artist image: Benjamin Ealovega)