Stephen Downes is the author of ADAGIO FOR A SIMPLE CLARINET, a narrative that involved musicology, biography, memoir, Nazi history and an interview with Mozart. A writer and journalist who wanted to be a concert pianist, he has ‘collected’ for decades live performances by some of the world’s greatest pianists, including Sviatoslav Richter, Daniel Barrenboim, and Julius Katchen. He has a significant collection of piano recordings. He is the author of several books, including BLACKIE, the story of a pet cat’s treatment for a brain tumour and his unfortunate demise, which was met with considerable sales and now translated into three languages.
