MUSCATINE, Iowa – The Muscatine Art Center and the Muscatine County Arts Council have partnered to present Daniel Adam Maltz on his 1792 Viennese fortepiano — the early piano as Mozart and Beethoven knew it — at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 24, in the Muscatine Art Center music room.
Based in Vienna, Austria, Maltz specializes in Viennese Classicism — especially the works of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven performed on the rare Viennese fortepianos of their era.
Called “master of the Viennese fortepiano,” Maltz’s performances are praised for their “extraordinary precision and lightness” (The Common Reader). Critics applaud his “very sensitive phrasing” and “marvelous dynamic contrasts” (Marblehead Current) featuring “broad warmth” and “lavish but tasteful” playing (Classical Sonoma).
“The fortepiano was intended to be played in smaller spaces rather than today’s large concert halls,” Melanie Alexander, Director of the Muscatine Art Center, said. “The Muscatine Art Center’s Music Room, built in 1921, is a warm space specifically for concerts. Daniel’s fortepiano concert will be magical in the Music Room, and it is an honor to host a musician of his caliber.”
Maltz is looking forward to performing in Muscatine.
“Hearing Mozart and Beethoven on a Viennese fortepiano in a historically-appropriate space helps the music come alive in a new way,” Maltz said. “This is an extraordinary opportunity. The audience can ask me questions and, post-concert, see this unique instrument up close.”
Having made his Carnegie Hall (Weill) debut at age 22, Maltz is in demand worldwide with 50-plus tour dates per year as a sought-after soloist, Lieder accompanist, and clinician. He studied historical performance at the Royal Academy of Music in London and the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Vienna.
In addition to performing, Maltz strives to make the work of classical composers and the fortepiano accessible and interesting to music lovers. He hosts “Classical Cake,” a podcast about Viennese classical music and culture.
The suggested donation is $15 per person. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis, and space is limited to 65 audience members. The Muscatine Art Center opens at 1 p.m. on Sundays.
