From Glass to Nyman, the über-Gothic Princess of the Piano corsets-up to talk about her latest album.

Easy questions to start with. All Imperfect Things, how did you choose the title?

It’s kind of like how pop albums have a title track. And I thought it would be dull to call it just “Solo Piano Music” so I thought what’s the track that sums up what I do the best (laughs) and I thought, “well I never claimed to be perfect,” so All Imperfect Things seemed excellent. And it’s also that post-modern thing because some of it’s old music but not played the way that you’re meant to play old music.

You did an Aria Award-winning Philip Glass album a couple years ago. Was Michael Nyman the next logical step for you?

Yes, actually. I’ve always really admired his soundtracks and for most people that’s how they come to Nyman, and The Piano in particular. In the history of movie soundtracks that score is the only one that I can think of that characterises a person so deeply through the music. It’s so central to her personality. And because she is a woman at a particular time the story resonated...