Plaque for ‘one of our best-loved pianists’
WORK has started on the creation of a blue heritage plaque in honour of a Runcorn classical pianist and composer.
The memento is to commemorate the talents of Martin Roscoe and adorn the side of Trinity Methodist Church on Main Street in Halton Village.
Founder and organiser of the blue plaques scheme Stuart Allen said Martin Roscoe was born in 1952 at 144 Main Street and during his career has built a repertoire of more than 100 concertos, earning the respect of critics, fellow musicians and listeners.
He said the pianist has recorded and performed live with many of the UK’s leading orchestras ● including the BBC Philharmonic, the Hallé and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, as well as having worked with some of the best contemporary conductors such as Sir Simon Rattle, Sir Mark Elder and Christoph Von Dohnányi. He is now professor of piano at the Guildhall School Of Music in London, where he also has a fellowship.
He has also received an honorary doctorate of music from The University Of Hull.
Stuart said: “In 2010, he began to record the complete piano sonatas of my favourite composer Ludwig Van Beethoven, and they have been received with almost unanimous critical acclaim. His performance of Piano Sonata 21 In C Major, Op.53 (‘ Waldstein’), was proclaimed on BBC Radio 3 as ‘one of the truly great recordings of the Waldstein Sonata.
“Martin Roscoe is one of Britain’s greatest and best loved pianists.”