For episode No. 278 of the ASCAP Deems Taylor Virgil Thomson Award winning program Between the Keys, the Classical Network’s Artist-in-Residence Jed Distler showcases the artistry of one of the 20th century’s most versatile pianists, Noel Mewton-Wood.
Born in 1922, Mewton-Wood came to prominence as a student at London’s Royal Academy of Music, where his abundant gifts were recognized by seasoned luminaries like Sir Thomas Beecham and Dame Myra Hess. He embraced a wide range of repertoire, and made a small yet significant number of recordings, including numerous concertos. Sadly, Mewton –Wood took his own life on December 4th 1953 just weeks after his 31st birthday. “We never will know how his career and music making would have ripened and further matured,” says Distler, “yet Mewton-Wood’s best recordings attest to his abundant talent and keyboard mastery, and deserve to be much better known among classical music lovers.”
Tune in this Tuesday October 20th at 10 PM for Between the Keys, with a rebroadcast Wednesday October 21st at Noon, to explore the art of Noel Mewton-Wood, exclusively on The Classical Network and WWFM.org.