The month of May seems like a fine time to discover new music, and a time to look forward to a more leisurely season, with relaxing music.

Renowned Contemporary Jazz pianist and longtime Spirio favorite David Benoit returns this month with a new set: Steinway After Dark. Designed to create the perfect atmosphere for winding down, this smooth and soulful collection features both familiar melodies and Benoit’s signature piano style. Ideal for a relaxing evening, the program is also available this month as the latest release on the Steinway Label.

We are excited to present the Spirio debut of Dr. Karen Walwyn, who is a champion of the remarkable American composer, Florence Price.  Price is known as one of the first important African American composers. Her work was well-known in the first half of the 20th century, but less so after her death in 1953. Dr. Walwyn has not only helped revive interest in her work but is also recording some of the trove of recently discovered works which might have been lost forever. She has just recorded a set of these works for Spirio, and for those with access to Spiriocast, there is an engaging program and discussion of the composer with her now available on-demand.

Our new themed playlist is made up almost entirely of Classical Adagios: slow movements that often relax the tempo in the middle of livelier sections. You’ll hear some famous melodies, but also will feel it’s time to relax.

Finally, we highlight a specific classical format that had its heyday with Ludwig van Beethoven. Theme and Variations was a favorite compositional technique of Beethoven, perhaps most memorably used in the finale of his 9th symphony. Our set of Beethoven variations is highlighted by a lesser-known work, the Op. 34 Variations, recently recorded by one of the exceptional pianists now studying at Curtis Institute, Nachuan Tao.

For those with access to Spiriocast, don’t miss the next live show from our Hamburg studio with the dynamic young pianist from Monaco, Stella Almondo on May 8.  The On Demand Spiriocast version with the excellent French pianist Lise de la Salle is on May 15, and the recent program with Congyu Wang is available on demand on May 22.

explore the MUSIC

Each month we features highlights from the Spirio catalog. Learn more about the artists, the history and the music found exclusively on Spirio.

The new Steinway & Sons Spirio is the world’s finest high resolution player piano. A masterpiece of artistry and engineering in your home, Spirio enables you to enjoy performances captured by great pianists — played with such nuance, power and passion that they are utterly indistinguishable from live performance. Learn more about Spirio.

Connect with us below to experience Spirio in person.