Anthony Goldstone

Anthony Goldstone was a versatile pianist whose all-encompassing technique, interpretive acumen, and broad repertory, which included many works for piano duo, placed him in a category nearly by himself among English pianists of his generation. Virtually all his two-piano performances were with his wife, Caroline Clemmow. Goldstone also regularly performed chamber music, often with the ensemble he founded, Musicians of the Royal Exchange. He also played in a trio with violinist Ralph Holmes and cellist Moray Welsh. While Goldstone at times favored music by British composers, including works by Parry, Elgar, Bridge, Holst, Ireland, Britten, Berkeley, Ronald Stevenson, and Colin Matthews, his repertory took in a variety of composers: Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Liszt, Brahms, Saint-Saëns, Arensky, Glière, Dohnányi, Gershwin, and many others. Goldstone concertized across Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, and the Americas. He was prolific in the recording studio, appearing on more than 80 CDs for such labels as Chandos, Naxos, Toccata Classics, Meridian, Amphion, and Olympia. Anthony Goldstone was born in Liverpool, England, on July 25, 1944. He studied music at the Royal Manchester College of Music, where his most important piano teacher was Derrick Wyndham. He had later studies with Maria Curcio. Goldstone debuted in Manchester in 1965 with the RMCM Orchestra under John Barbirolli. Two years later Goldstone won prizes at international piano competitions in Munich and Vienna. Goldstone's London debut was at Wigmore Hall in 1969. In 1973 Goldstone was made a fellow at the RMCM, and by this time he was busy touring both as a soloist and duo pianist. At the 1976 London Promenade Concerts, he appeared at the popular Last Night concert in a performance of Britten's Diversions for piano, left hand, which was broadcast over the BBC. In 1978 Goldstone founded the Musicians of the Royal Exchange and served as its director and pianist. Throughout the latter 20th century and into the 21st Goldstone was active on all fronts. From about the 1990s he began making a number of recordings for the Olympia label, many of which have been reissued on the Divine Art label. Among Goldstone's later recordings is the 2010 CD The Piano at the Carnival, on Divine Art, which features a collection of works by Schumann, Chopin, Liszt, and others. Goldstone passed away on January 2, 2017, having been diagnosed with cancer in late 2016. His final solo recording, Pianist at the Ballet, Vol. 2, was released posthumously.