Spirio Spotlight

May 2017
Musical Highlights From The Spirio Catalog

This month on Spirio, we focus on classic themes and songs made famous through feature films. From Disney hits to James Bond, to Film Noir — even the latest tunes from La La Land, the best film music endures beyond the screen.

Spirio offers a new set of music by the great film composer Henry Mancini. Additionally, there are new tracks by Michel Legrand, Marvin Hamlisch and Alan Menken. “As Time Goes By,” a tune made famous through the immortal film Casablanca, though not written expressly for it, gets an elegant new rendition from Earl Rose. He also plays “Summer Me, Winter Me”, a lovely tune written for a film that few people remember. David Osborne returns to Spirio with some memorable film themes from Titanic and Beauty and the Beast, as well as a Boz Scaggs tune written for Urban Cowboy. And yes — there is a La La Land set, too!

what’s New

The German composer–pianist Joja Wendt returns to Spirio with such original tunes as “The Shout” and “The Sheik of Araby.” And for classical repertoire, we are thrilled to introduce to Spirio one of Korea's greatest pianists, Sunwook Kim, performing Beethoven and Brahms.

On Spirio sync video, we offer legendary American pianist William Kapell. Filmed the same year Kappell died at the young age of 31, he performs an Argentine Dance by Emilio Napolitano.

william Kappell
sunwook Kim
Joja Wendt

Pictures at an Exhibition

Finally, we present the first performance on Spirio of one of the great showcases for solo piano, a work that is perhaps the most literal musical portrayal of visual art: Mussorgsky’s grand Pictures at an Exhibition, performed by the excellent American pianist Ingrid Jacoby as her Spirio debut.

In addition to the music on Spirio, now available is the one-of-a-kind art case piano conceived and hand painted by concert pianist and world-renowned visual artist Paul Wyse. This new Steinway & Sons Model D concert grand piano unites Modest Mussorgsky’s immortal piano work with art work upon which it is based, and meticulous Steinway craftsmanship in a historic first. Visit steinway.com/pictures to learn more.

Listen to the May 2017 Highlights Playlist