Margaret Fingerhut
MBE – Piano
9th April 2026
There
was
universal
agreement
that
Margaret
Fingerhut’s
concert
in
the
Assembly
Room
of
Grimsby
Town
Hall
was
indeed
wonderful.
Emanating
charm
in
her
introductions,
Margaret
engaged
with
the
audience
personally
before
captivating
them
with
her
seemingly
effortless
musicality
and
dynamism,
bonding
and
giving
fresh
life
to
the
Steinway
at
her
fingertips.
Indeed
a
number
of
audience
members
asked
if
this
was
a
different
piano
from
that
used
for
previous
concerts.
Equally
appreciated
was
Margaret’s
programme,
inspired
by
her
own
Polish-Ukrainian
descendancy;
the
first
half
was
exclusively
Frederic
Chopin,
whilst
the
second
half
introduced
the
audience
to
the
unfamiliar
yet
equally
accessible
music
of
Ukrainian
born
composers.
Margaret
began
with
Three
Mazurkas
and
Barcarolle
;
her
gentle
yet
understated
opening
was
the
portal
to
the
marvellous
concert
to
come.
In
these
first
delightful
pieces
one
was
carried
away
with
the
pure
pleasure
of
her
musicality,
her
interpretation,
dynamic
phrasing
and
wonderful
rubato.
Barcarolle
provided
an
enjoyable
contrast
to
the
Mazurkas
-
Margaret
conveying
a
distinct
sense
of
jollity
in
the
closing
section.
In
the
first
of
Two
Waltzes
,
Margaret
maintained
a
well-defined
melodic
line
over
the
accompaniment,
whilst
subtly
employing
rubato.
Then
came
the
gloriously
performed
Minute
Waltz
.
The
visionary
and
anguished
Ballad
Number
4
in
F
minor
closed
the
first
half,
the
emotions
ranging
from
reflective
and
melancholic
to
sheer
gusto.
After
a
calm
introduction
Margaret
showed
the
perfect
creation
and
use
of
space
in
the
music
preceding
the
first
change
of
mood.
Reflecting
upon
this
first
half,
one
is
reminded
that
it
is
through
the
ability
and
musicality
of
Margaret,
and
of
like
musicians,
that
we
are
able to appreciate the music of Chopin.
In
the
second
half
Margaret
shone
a
light
on
the
music
of
four
Ukrainian
born
composers,
opening
with
Les
Rochers
d’Outche-Coche
by
Sergie
Bortkiewicz.
This
dramatic
and
magnificent
piece
was
inspired
by
the
mountainous
rocks
of
the
Uch-Kosh
gorge.
In
a
majestic
performance,
Margaret
lived
and
shared
the
emotions
of
the
music:
rich
and
full-bodied,
a
roller-coaster
of
fabulous
crescendos
and
decrescendos
and
at
other
points
sustained
fortes.
It
was
possible
to
imagine
soaring
over
and
round
the
crags
before
returning
gently
to
the
ground
as
the
music
ended,
to
enjoy
the
pleasant
dream-like
quality
of
Viktor
Kosenko’s
impressive
romantic
Nocturne-Fantasie
.
Margaret
gave
an
intimate
and
understated
performance
of
Valentin
Silvestrov’s
Three
Bagatelles
,
described
by
him
as
an
echo
of
what
has
already
been
written.
This
soothing
music
offered
nostalgia,
gentle
reflection
and
healing
–
a
sublime
moment
in
the
concert!
Mykola
Lysenko’s
Dumka-Shunka
Rhapsody
provided
an
enjoyable
contrast;
originating
from
the
folk
music
of
Ukraine
this
fun
piece
juxtaposed
exuberance
with
melancholy
and
irony,
before
concluding
with
a
barn-storming
finale.
In
a
final
moment
of
sublimity
Margaret
encored
with
Bortkiewicz’s
Consolation
–
a
beautiful
reflective
piece.
[Margaret
Fingerhut
has
recorded
a
delightful
album of music by Ukrainian composers “Ukraine - A Piano Portrait”, SOMM; sales proceeds go to British Ukrainian Aid.]
IM
Margaret Fingerhut
MBE
– Piano
9th April 2026
There
was
universal
agreement
that
Margaret
Fingerhut’s
concert
in
the
Assembly
Room
of
Grimsby
Town
Hall
was
indeed
wonderful.
Emanating
charm
in
her
introductions,
Margaret
engaged
with
the
audience
personally
before
captivating
them
with
her
seemingly
effortless
musicality
and
dynamism,
bonding
and
giving
fresh
life
to
the
Steinway
at
her
fingertips.
Indeed
a
number
of
audience
members
asked
if
this
was
a
different
piano
from
that
used
for
previous
concerts.
Equally
appreciated
was
Margaret’s
programme,
inspired
by
her
own
Polish-
Ukrainian
descendancy;
the
first
half
was
exclusively
Frederic
Chopin,
whilst
the
second
half
introduced
the
audience
to
the
unfamiliar
yet
equally
accessible
music
of
Ukrainian
born
composers.
Margaret
began
with
Three
Mazurkas
and
Barcarolle
;
her
gentle
yet
understated
opening
was
the
portal
to
the
marvellous
concert
to
come.
In
these
first
delightful
pieces
one
was
carried
away
with
the
pure
pleasure
of
her
musicality,
her
interpretation,
dynamic
phrasing
and
wonderful
rubato.
Barcarolle
provided
an
enjoyable
contrast
to
the
Mazurkas
-
Margaret
conveying
a
distinct
sense
of
jollity
in
the
closing
section.
In
the
first
of
Two
Waltzes
,
Margaret
maintained
a
well-defined
melodic
line
over
the
accompaniment,
whilst
subtly
employing
rubato.
Then
came
the
gloriously
performed
Minute
Waltz
.
The
visionary
and
anguished
Ballad
Number
4
in
F
minor
closed
the
first
half,
the
emotions
ranging
from
reflective
and
melancholic
to
sheer
gusto.
After
a
calm
introduction
Margaret
showed
the
perfect
creation
and
use
of
space
in
the
music
preceding
the
first
change
of
mood.
Reflecting
upon
this
first
half,
one
is
reminded
that
it
is
through
the
ability
and
musicality
of
Margaret,
and
of
like musicians, that we are able to appreciate the music of Chopin.
In
the
second
half
Margaret
shone
a
light
on
the
music
of
four
Ukrainian
born
composers,
opening
with
Les
Rochers
d’Outche-Coche
by
Sergie
Bortkiewicz.
This
dramatic
and
magnificent
piece
was
inspired
by
the
mountainous
rocks
of
the
Uch-Kosh
gorge.
In
a
majestic
performance,
Margaret
lived
and
shared
the
emotions
of
the
music:
rich
and
full-bodied,
a
roller-coaster
of
fabulous
crescendos
and
decrescendos
and
at
other
points
sustained
fortes.
It
was
possible
to
imagine
soaring
over
and
round
the
crags
before
returning
gently
to
the
ground
as
the
music
ended,
to
enjoy
the
pleasant
dream-like
quality
of
Viktor
Kosenko’s
impressive
romantic
Nocturne-Fantasie
.
Margaret
gave
an
intimate
and
understated
performance
of
Valentin
Silvestrov’s
Three
Bagatelles
,
described
by
him
as
an
echo
of
what
has
already
been
written.
This
soothing
music
offered
nostalgia,
gentle
reflection
and
healing
–
a
sublime
moment
in
the
concert!
Mykola
Lysenko’s
Dumka-Shunka
Rhapsody
provided
an
enjoyable
contrast;
originating
from
the
folk
music
of
Ukraine
this
fun
piece
juxtaposed
exuberance
with
melancholy
and
irony,
before
concluding
with
a
barn-storming
finale.
In
a
final
moment
of
sublimity
Margaret
encored
with
Bortkiewicz’s
Consolation
–
a
beautiful
reflective
piece.
[Margaret
Fingerhut
has
recorded
a
delightful
album
of
music
by
Ukrainian
composers
“Ukraine
-
A
Piano
Portrait”,
SOMM;
sales
proceeds
go
to
British Ukrainian Aid.]
IM
