From the Library: Piano-issimo

Today we explore the world of classical piano music, including all your favourite piano concertos - Grieg, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov, Gershwin and many more; along with solo piano works by the likes of Faure, Poulenc, Chopin, Debussy and Ravel... and some unusual pieces from lesser-known composers like Louis Moreau Gottschalk. In addition, we're featuring some of the works of Erik Satie, and we don't just mean the Gymnopedies, nice though they are.

There are also some slightly unusual instruments on the programme today, such as a "proto-piano", the Fortepiano. Other unusual instruments in today's programme include the Pianola and the Reproducing Piano. The Pianola was an attachment to a regular piano, with hammers that pressed on the keys in response to instructions from a punched paper roll. The tempo and dynamics were supplied by the operator, who pedalled more or less furiously to get the desired effect. The Reproducing Piano takes that one stage further, with the pianoroll mechanism built-in and with a recording capability too, which could capture a player's dynamics.

It's a veritable feast of classical and neo-classical piano music today on gullar sahir, and we do hope you enjoy it.

And don't forget to join us at 11am and 7pm SLT (19:00 and 0:300 UK time) for the first instalments of our two thrilling new ZBS serials: Dreams of Rio, which features wonderful live atomospheres captured in Brazil; and, at the half-hour, Ruby 3: The Invisible World, brought to you courtesy of our friends at ZBS.org. You can tune in at home, or join us in the Clarendon Conservatory in New Babbage (http://slurl.com/secondlife/New%20Babbage/218/29/104).

Today's programme is presented by Elrik Merlin and produced by gullar sahir in conjunction with the Alexandrian Free Library Consortium of Second Life. You can listen to the programme now at http://loudcity.com/stations/radio-riel/tune_in; outside the US, tune to http://main.radioriel.org in-world, or simply click here if your browser is configured to launch a player automatically.

For more information on the Alexandrian Free Library, current exhibits and the work of Consortium members in general, please visit the Alexandrian Free Library website, or one of their branches in-world.