Keyboard instruments Books

Book SynopsisFew music lovers realize that the arrangement of notes on today’s pianos was once regarded as a crime against God and nature, or that such legendary thinkers as Pythagoras, Plato, da Vinci, Galileo, Kepler, Descartes, Newton and Rousseau played a role in the controversy. Indeed, from the time of the Ancient Greeks through the eras of Renaissance scientists and Enlightenment philosophers, the relationship between the notes of the musical scale was seen as a key to the very nature of the universe.In this engaging and accessible account, Stuart Isacoff leads us through the battles over that scale, placing them in the context of quarrels in the worlds of art, philosophy, religion, politics and science. The contentious adoption of the modern tuning system known as equal temperament called into question beliefs that had lasted nearly two millenia-and also made possible the music of Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Debussy, and all who followed. Filled with original insights, fascinating anecdotes, and portraits of some of the greatest geniuses of all time, Temperament is that rare book that will delight the novice and expert alike.

Read more less

Book SynopsisALESIS QS MADE EASY 6.1 THRU 8.1 ALEXANDER UNIVERSITY CVR

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe art of piano playing is not, as many believe, merely a result of one''s innate ''musical gift'': the only way to improve upon your talent is to practise, and to practise the right way. If you already know the basics, and wish to bring your playing up to a better standard - either for exams, performance, or for personal pleasure - then Improve Your Piano Playing will help you do so.Dr John Meffen shows you how you can dramatically improve your technique. You can erradicate recurring mistakes, and master the art of workable fingering, expressive touch, phrasing, tone production and pedalling.The process of learning a new piece is made simple and accurate with Dr Meffen''s tried and tested techniques. Also included is an invaluable chapter on the inner workings of the piano which will help you chose the right piano for your needs and ability.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book SynopsisKEYBOARD PRESENTS STEAL THIS SOUND

Read more less

Book SynopsisTHE HAMMOND ORGAN: AN INTRODUCTION TO THE INSTUMENT AND THE PLAYERS WHO MADE IT FAMOUS

Read more less

Book SynopsisDOWN THE RHODES: THE FENDER RHODES STORY W/BLURAY DVD

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisPhotos and illustrations throughout

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisPianist Mike Garson was David Bowie's most frequent musician on record and onstage throughout Bowie's life. They played over a thousand shows together between 1972 and 2004 and Garson is featured on over 20 of Bowie's albums. ÊBowie's Piano ManÊ is the first-ever biography of Mike Garson written by Clifford Slapper a fellow pianist who also played for Bowie working closely with him on his last-ever television appearance. The book explores the special relationship between Garson and Bowie beginning with the extraordinary story of how Garson went overnight from playing in tiny jazz clubs to touring the world on arena rock tours with Bowie after one short phone call and audition.ÞA noted master of jazz classical and other genres Garson has composed thousands of original works and has taught countless students acting as mentor to many. ÊBowie's Piano ManÊ explores his roots and childhood in Brooklyn his ongoing strong presence in the jazz world and his collaborations with a huge range of other artists in addition to Bowie. Touring and recording with the Smashing Pumpkins and Nine Inch Nails are given in-depth attention as is his approach to teaching and creating music. Explored in detail in particular is his commitment to improvisation as a form of composition a manifestation of his more general dedication to living in the moment and always moving forward ä a trait he shared with Bowie.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisVirginia Lloyd spent much of her childhood and adolescence learning and playing the piano and thought she would make a career as a pianist. When that didn't happen, she spent a long time wondering about those years of study: had they been wasted? What was their purpose? This intriguing memoir explores those questions and investigates the mystery of the author's very musical and deeply unhappy grandmother Alice, and how their lives--both at and away from the piano--intersected and diverged.Girls at the Piano also explores the changing relationship between women and the piano over the course of the instrument's history, taking us from the salons of 18th-century Europe to an amateur jazz workshop in Manhattan in the early 21st century.Funny, tender and fascinating, Girls at the Piano is an elegant and multi-layered meditation on identity, ambition and doubt, and on how learning the piano had a profound effect on two women worlds and generations apart. It is essential reading for music lovers everywhere, and for anyone who has undertaken their own voyage around a piano.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAll the sonatas, fantasies, rondi, as well as the most important variation sets and assorted pieces are included. Michael Davidson guides us through each composition addressing specific aspects and problems, offering practical advice and interesting alternatives as well as historical background and formal analysis when relevant to interpretation.Table of ContentsIntroduction: The need for this Guide; 1. Using This Guide; 2. Traditions, Myths, Fashions, Some Conclusions; 3. Mozart's First Compositions for Piano; 4. Sonatas in C (K279), in F (K280) and B-flat (K281); 5.Sonatas in E-flat (K282) and G (K283); 6. Sonata in D (K284); 7. Sonatas in C (K309) and D (K311); 8. Sonata in A minor(K310); 9. Mozart in Vienna - Variation sets written before 1785; 10. Sonata in C major (K330); 11. Sonata in A major(K331); 12. Sonata in F major (K332); 13. Sonata in B-flat major (K.333); 14. The Fantasies (K394, K397 and K475); 15. Sonata in C minor (K457); 16. The Rondi (K485, K494 and K511); 17. Sonatas (K533 and K545); 18. 1789: Sonatas in B-flat (K570) and D (K576); 19. Four Assorted Pieces for Piano; Epilogue; Notes; Bibliography; Index

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn zunehmendem Maß haben auch Erwachsene den Wunsch, Klavierspielen zu erlernen. Das mehrbändige Lehrwerk von Günter Kaluza bietet einen einzigartigen Einstieg. Im Gegensatz zu Klavierschulen für Kinder wird hier das mehrstimmige Spiel mit einem unabhängigen Zusammenwirken beider Hände bereits sehr früh eingesetzt. Bewusst kleine Lernschritte, die jeweils als Fortschritte wahrgenommen werden, wirken hoch motivierend. Um Lernmengen individuell anpassen zu können, wurden ergänzend die begleitenden Spielhefte entwickelt, deren Kapitel synoptisch zu den Hauptbänden angelegt sind.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe author spoke with pianist Glenn Gould (1932-82), one of the most idiosyncratic and charismatic musicians of the twentieth century, in 1974 for Rolling Stone and published the transcripts in two long articles; after Gould's death, the author gathered these interviews in this book, adding an introduction, a selection of photographs, and more.Trade Review"This book reminds us once again that however eccentric [Gould] may have been, he was not merely so. Gould's lively and erudite voice, revived here, convinced us that even at his most far-fetched, his ideas were fully thought out and firmly related to the sensible practicalities of his craft." - Eva Hoffman, New York Times"

Read more less

Book SynopsisPresents a study of Haydn's keyboard sonatas. This title deals with Haydn's keyboard instruments and their development. It discusses performance practice and style, explains the peculiarities of Haydn's manuscripts in the context of 18th-century notation, and provides specific suggestions for playing ornaments, improvising, slurring, and dynamics.Trade Review"Somfai's book has been in print in Hungarian for some years now, and it is no exaggeration to say that it has changed dramatically the manner in which not only Haydn, but to a great extent Mozart and Beethoven as well, are played in that country. My own interpretations have benefited enormously from Somfai's work, and every serious student of this repertoire should consider this study essential." - Malcolm Bilson, Cornell University"

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe piano works of Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) are among the most treasured musical compositions of the twentieth century. This book provides analyses of ten major piano solo works by Shostakovich, carefully noting important stylistic details and specific ways to overcome the numerous musical and technical challenges presented by the music.Trade ReviewThis excellent, comprehensive study of Shostakovich's piano music is a gift to performers and teachers. . . . Highly recommended. * Choice *Moshevich's book is a much needed comprehensive study as well as a guide to learning how to perform Shostakovich's solo piano music. . . . With curious details, such as Shostakovich's being a devoted soccer fan. . . , Moshevich enlivens the otherwise specialized focus of her book, and turns it into a must-have for every music school library. * Music Reference Services Qtly *Table of ContentsAcknowledgementsIntroduction1. Early Works Five Preludes Three Fantastic Dances, op. 5 Piano Sonata no. 1, op. 12 Aphorisms, op. 13 Polka, op. 22a, from The Golden Age2. Mature Works Twenty-four Preludes, op. 34. Piano Sonata No. 2, op. 61.3. The Masterpiece Twenty-four Preludes and Fugues, op. 87.4. Works for Children Children's Notebook, op. 69. Dances of the DollsNotesSelected BibliographyIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThis is a valuable resource for any piano duo or teachers wanting to expose students to the delight of playing piano duets. . . . Highly recommended. * Choice *As one of the newest volumes in the Indiana Repertoire Guides series, this expanded edition McGraw's Piano Duet Repertoire is highly recommended for individuals and libraries. * Music Reference Services Quarterly *Table of ContentsForeword, by the Anderson & Roe DuoPreface, by Cameron McGrawAcknowledgments from the original editionAcknowledgments for the new editionGeneral Explanations Sample EntryAbbreviationsPiano Duet Repertoire Appendix I: Collections of Four-Hand MusicAppendix II: Music for Piano, Four Hands with Voice(s) and/or Other Instrument(s)Select BibliographyTitle IndexAlphabetical List of Composers by Nationality

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade ReviewBadura-Skoda has written a remarkable volume, the result of a lifetime of scholarly research and investigation. . . . Essential. * Choice *Table of ContentsPrefaceAcknowledgmentsIntroduction1. Bartolomeo Cristofori 2. Giving Cristofori's nuovo cimbalo a Name: Terminology Problems throughout the Eighteenth Century 3. Domenico Scarlatti4. New inventions in Germany, Pantalone Instruments, and Gottfried Silbermann 5. Johann Sebastian Bach and the "Piano et Forte"6. Pianoforte Builders in Germany around 1750 7. The Generation of Bach's Older Sons 8. From Alberti, Platti, and Rutini to Eckard and the Younger Sons of Bach 9. Developments in the Second Half of the Century: Johann Andreas Stein and Sébastien Erard10. Joseph Haydn-Wenzel and Johann Schantz, Young Mozart and Nannette Stein11. Anton Walter and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 12. From Broadwood, Merlin, and Clementi to BeethovenEpilogueAppendix: Scipione Maffei's Article of 1711Selected BibliographyIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"...a major achievement." -Michael L. Klein, author of Music and the Crises of the Modern SubjectTable of ContentsIntroduction: Romantic Musical Discourse, Or, A Rhetoric Of Romantic MusicPart I. Fragmentation and Atemporality1. Fragmentation: Aesthetics of Nineteenth-Century Romanticism2. Atemporality in Narrative and MusicPart II. Structural and Rhetorical Strategies in Music with and Without Text3. Music With Text: Two Slow Movements by Brahms4. Music Without Text: Forms of AtemporalityPart III. Brahms's Piano Sonatas5. Treatment of the Medial Caesura6. Treatment of the S-Space7. Treatment of the Development and Recapitulation8. Treatment of the Slow Introduction and CodaConclusionSelected BibliographyIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"...a major achievement." -Michael L. Klein, author of Music and the Crises of the Modern SubjectTable of ContentsIntroduction: Romantic Musical Discourse, Or, A Rhetoric Of Romantic MusicPart I. Fragmentation and Atemporality1. Fragmentation: Aesthetics of Nineteenth-Century Romanticism2. Atemporality in Narrative and MusicPart II. Structural and Rhetorical Strategies in Music with and Without Text3. Music With Text: Two Slow Movements by Brahms4. Music Without Text: Forms of AtemporalityPart III. Brahms's Piano Sonatas5. Treatment of the Medial Caesura6. Treatment of the S-Space7. Treatment of the Development and Recapitulation8. Treatment of the Slow Introduction and CodaConclusionSelected BibliographyIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisSaint Lambert's Nouveau traite de l'accompagnement de clavecin, de l'orgue, et des autres instruments of 1707 supplements his earlier harpsichord treatise, Les Principes du clavecin of 1702. The Nouveau traite is a method book specifically designed for the accompanist rather than the solo performer. It offers practical suggestions to help the accompanist play the correct harmony without having to read all the notated parts at the same time. Saint Lambert discusses accompanying from unfigured and partly figured basses, and his was one of the first attempts to codify bass progressions into specific formulas, for which he assigns appropriate harmonies. He describes possible departures from the usual rules of accompaniment and examines performance techniques used by tasteful accompanists in order to create not merely a correct but an artistic accompaniment. John Powell presents Saint Lambert's text in a readable English translation with musical examples in modern notation. He compares Sain

Read more less

Book SynopsisAs his mother was dying, Philip Kennicott began to listen to the music of Bach obsessively. It was the only music that didn't seem trivial or irrelevant, and it enabled him to both experience her death and remove himself from it. For him, Bach's music held the elements of both joy and despair, life and its inevitable end. He spent the next five years trying to learn one of the composer's greatest keyboard masterpieces, the Goldberg Variations. In Counterpoint, he recounts his efforts to rise to the challenge, and to fight through his grief by coming to terms with his memories of a difficult, complicated childhood. He describes the joys of mastering some of the piano pieces, the frustrations that plague his understanding of others, the technical challenges they pose, and the surpassing beauty of the melodies, harmonies, and counterpoint that distinguish them. While exploring Bach's compositions he sketches a cultural history of playing the piano in the twentieth century. And he raises two questions that become increasingly interrelated, not unlike a contrapuntal passage in one of the variations itself: What does it mean to know a piece of music? What does it mean to know another human being?Trade Review"In short, this is a beautiful and unexpectedly uplifting read which will have you reaching for both Gould's Goldbergs and the Chaconne, and perhaps even looking at the world with renewed thoughtfulness." -- Charlotte Gardner - Gramophone

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn autobiography of Horace Silver, composer, pianist, and band leader that takes us from his childhood in Norwalk, Connecticut, through his rise to fame as a musician in New York, to his comfortable life 'after the road' in California.Table of Contentsforeword Joe Zawinul preface acknowledgments chapter one Childhood chapter two Dreaming My Dreams: Teenage Years chapter three Lady Music and the Messengers: Early Adult Years chapter four The Quintet chapter five Westward Bound: Middle Years chapter six Off the Merry-Go-Round: Later Years epilogue afterword Phil Pastras discography Eric B. Olsen recordings honoring Horace Silver a select bibliography of music publications awards index

Read more less

Book SynopsisPresents previously unpublished memoirs (1933-77), lectures, and essays by the eminent harpsichordist and scholar Ralph Kirkpatrick. This collection of unpublished writings by the eminent harpsichordist and scholar Ralph Kirkpatrick contains his memoirs for the period 1933-77 as well as essays on a variety of topics, including his preparation for the first performance of Elliott Carter's Double Concerto, thoughts on editing Bach's Goldberg Variations, and reflections on recording, chamber music, performance, and harpsichords and their transport. The volume also contains five lectures from a Yale University lecture series presented between 1969 and 1971, a bibliography of publications by and about Kirkpatrick, a discography of his recordings, and a foreword by former Kirkpatrick student and renowned organist William Porter. Meredith Kirkpatrick, the niece of Ralph Kirkpatrick, is a librarian and bibliographer at Boston University and the editor of Ralph Kirkpatrick: Letters of the American Harpsichordist and Scholar (University of Rochester Press, 2014).Trade ReviewThe career of [harpsichordist] Kirkpatrick took place during a major developmental stage in the history of the harpsichord. Extremely enjoyable to read. Excellently produced and laid out on the page. * REVUE BELGE DE MUSICOLOGIE *[A]n exciting read not only for harpsichordists, but also for anyone interested in early music and the history of old keyboard instruments. * SZABÓ ERVIN LIBRARY MUSIC COLLECTION *His depth of thought, and skill in articulating his musical philosophy never disappoints, and I would buy the book if only for his outstandingly good essay, entitled 'The Performer's Pilgrimage to the Sources'...A writer who could evoke time and place with memorable clarity. * SOUNDING BOARD *Offers valuable insight into... the [early music] movement as well as considerable enjoyment along the way. * THE CONSORT *The writing style is elegant and captivating, often sprinkled with touches of humor. The pages...devoted to Scarlatti are particularly rich. * REVUE DE MUSICOLOGIE *[A] new and rich collection of writings by . . . Ralph Kirkpatrick (1911-1984). . . one of the principal shapers of the twentieth-century movement to return historical instruments to the practical uses of musical life. * AD PARNASSUM *[P]resents another pathway to understanding the stellar contributions of the most influential American harpsichordist of the mid-20th century after . Here is a book to treasure, and to share with fellow lovers of the harpsichord and its history. * DIAPASON *This special book is well made, beautiful to hold and captures this later period in the lifetime and place in history of this very eminent American musician and scholar. . . . Kirkpatrick's own Memoirs in this book have an elegant and engaging style of writing, displaying his erudite intelligence and charisma. . . . [His] Reflections . . . display the author's immense contribution and role in shaping music history. * FONTES ARTIS MUSICAE *Brilliant observations that apply to all fields of music. The fascinating writing itself is so elegant and polished. . . that the reader constantly wants to turn the pages. . . . Should be of interest to all lovers of keyboard instruments and the music written for them. * AMERICAN ORGANIST *Kirkpatrick's playing, at its best, is magnificent ... [This] entertaining and wittily written book ... [is] a beautiful complement to [Ralph Kirkpatrick: Letters of the American Harpsichordist and Scholar], which came out a few years ago. * OPUSKLASSIEK *Offers a fascinating view into the personality and worldview of Ralph Kirkpatrick. . . . The writing reveals scrupulous musical standards and a crunchy personality. * AMERICAN RECORD GUIDE *Meredith Kirkpatrick has selected wisely and edited meticulously. We are offered many insights into the life of a concert harpsichordist at a time when such individuals were rare indeed. [Kirkpatrick's] prose style is always elegant, but he expresses himself directly and vigorously. * EARLY MUSIC PERFORMER *Opens a window onto much of 20th-century cultural history. . . . Essential reading for anyone interested in the harpsichord, scholarship, and musical style. * EARLY MUSIC AMERICA *[From] a musician who was widely admired as one of the finest harpsichordists of his day [comes] this collection of memoirs, essays and lectures, all previously unpublished and edited sensitively by Kirkpatrick's niece...[The memoirs are] pleasingly anecdotal. * GRAMOPHONE *[A welcome new book of writings by] the trailblazing American harpsichordist...Humour and waspish observations gild memoir and polemic alike. Many of the issues pondered with characteristic clarity are no less relevant fifty years on...(Four stars, and Editor's Choice) * BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE *Table of ContentsIntroduction Memoirs, 1933-77 On Performing On Recording On Chamber Music On Harpsichords and Their Transport Elliott Carter's Double Concerto (ca. 1973) On Editing Bach's Goldberg Variations: For Arthur Mendel (March 31, 1973) RK and Music at JE (1983) The Equipment and Education of a Musician (1971) Bach and Mozart for Violin and Harpsichord (ca. 1944) The Early Piano (Broadcast on BBC Radio 3, Music Weekly, September 23, 1973) Bach and Keyboard Instruments In Search of Scarlatti's Harpsichord Style in Performance The Performer's Pilgrimage to the Sources Private Virtue and Public Vice in the Performance of "Early Music" Appendix A: Personal Names in the Text Appendix B: Publications by and about Ralph Kirkpatrick Appendix C: Ralph Kirkpatrick Discography

Read more less

Book SynopsisWidor's pedagogical writings, translated for the first time, offer essential guidance for interpreting his organ compositions as well as those of his followers in the French Romantic organ school. Renowned organist, composer, and Paris Conservatory professor Charles-Marie Widor (1844-1937) was a leading figure of the French Romantic organ school. In the extensive Preface he wrote for his edition of the complete organ worksof J. S. Bach, Widor conveyed what he considered to be the essential maxims of organ performance practice and technique. Given that he felt that "the art of organ playing has not changed at all since Johann Sebastian Bach," the principles detailed in his highly articulate writings can be seen today as relevant to his own organ compositions as well as those of his circle of followers. In Widor on Organ Performance Practice and Technique,John Near translates for the first time all the statements from Widor's Bach Preface that reflect his distinctive and influential approach to performance style and artistic awareness. Correlative source material that clarifies andaugments these passages is included after the translations. To complement the pedagogical material and bring a broader view of Widor's involvement in all things pertaining to the organ, his four most significant writings about the organ and organ playing are included in the appendixes. JOHN R. NEAR is Professor Emeritus of Music, Principia College. His publications include Widor: A Life beyond the Toccata, available from theUniversity of Rochester Press.Trade Review[A] welcome investment by teachers and serious performers interested in Widor's music and late nineteenth-century French interpretations of JS Bach's organ music. -- David Ponsford * JOURNAL OF THE BRITISH INSTITUTE OF ORGAN STUDIES *Essential reading for any serious student of the French Romantic style. Another major milestone in the journey towards recognition of this undeservedly neglected genius. * ORGAN AUSTRALIA *Encapsulates all Widor's pedagogical philosophy, rules for organ playing, and practical advice . . . all translated into elegant English. The advice he gives is so astute that it works for music of all time. -- Rollin Smith * AMERICAN ORGANIST *Translated for the first time, Widor's pedagogical writings suggest crucial advice in interpreting his organ compositions as well as those of his contemporaries from the French Romantic organ school. * THE SYDNEY ORGAN JOURNAL *John Near's most recent study of Charles-Marie Widor, Widor's Maxims on Organ Performance Practice and Technique, has as its primary goal to bring together all of the available information, drawn from Widor's own writing and from that of his contemporaries, that illuminates Widor's views on organ playing. In this, he has been eminently successful. -- William Porter, Eastman School of MusicMany details on performance practice are packed into this slender volume; organists will have much to take away from it and to apply to late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century French organ repertoire. -- Annette Richards * BACH Journal *Extraordinarily useful in illuminating the Maître's mind...level-headed, impatient with dilettantish mystification, and unfailingly clear...This handsomely printed and meticulously produced volume [should] find a place on the shelves of anyone possessing the slightest interest in the organ. -- Robert James Stove * MUSICOLOGY AUSTRALIA *Table of ContentsIntroduction: "You know Bach, you know all" PART 1. BACKGROUND "Art does not know the absolute" "The art of organ playing has not changed at all since Johann Sebastian Bach" "In France we have neglected performance much too much in favor of improvisation" PART 2. MAXIMS Excerpts from Widor's Preface to Jean-Sébastien Bach-Ouvres complètes pour orgue, Vols. 1-4, and Correlative Commentary Pace Phrasing Registration The Use of the Manuals Changing Manuals Appendix 1: Symphonies pour orgue Appendix 2: Technique de l'orchestre moderne Appendix 3: Initiation musicale Appendix 4: L'orgue moderne; La décadence dans la facture contemporaine Appendix 5: Widor's Own Performance Indications in the Symphonie gothique Bibliography

Read more less

Book SynopsisA deeply researched biography of the great French organist, who composed some of the best-loved works in the organ repertory -- and the masterful Requiem. Maurice Duruflé: The Man and His Music is a new biography of the great French organist and composer (1902-86), and the most comprehensive in any language. James E. Frazier traces Duruflé's musical training, his studies withTournemire and Vierne, and his career as an organist, church musician, composer, recitalist, Conservatoire professor, and orchestral musician. Frazier also examines the career and contributions of Duruflé's wife, the formidable organist Marie-Madeleine Duruflé-Chevalier. Duruflé brought the church's unique language of plainsong into a compelling liaison with the secular harmonies of the modern French school (as typified by Debussy, Ravel, and Dukas)in works for his own instrument and in his widely loved masterpiece, the Requiem Op. 9 for soloists, chorus, organ, and orchestra. Drawing on the accounts of those who knew Duruflé personally as well as on Frazier's own detailed research, Maurice Duruflé offers a broad sketch of this modest and elusive man, widely recognized today for having created some of the greatest works in the organ repertory -- and the masterful Requiem. James E. Frazier holds advanced degrees in philosophy, organ, theology, and sacred music from St. Alphonsus College, Mt. St. Alphonsus Seminary, Hartt School of Music, the Yale University Divinity School, and the Yale Institute of Sacred Music. He served Episcopal churches in Hartford, Connecticut, and St. Paul, Minnesota, as organist and director of music. For ten years he was director of music for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.Trade ReviewA mine of information . . . a veritable tale of our times. -- Andrew Thomson * MUSICAL TIMES *Provides significant insight into Duruflé's works and the relatively secretive life he and his wife led. . . . Frazier's research is excellent. . . . An important contribution. -- Brian Doherty * CHOICE *Frazier's exploration of arabesque in architecture and music and his treatment of musical luminosity are memorably insightful and reveal a thoughtful understanding of Duruflé's work. . . . An interesting and well-constructed view of Duruflé's world, and a highly informative text as well. -- Steven Plank * CHOIR & ORGAN *A work of unprecedented scope and depth, . . . [Frazier's book] is a biography abundantly rich in detail; though it declines the tone of a hagiography, it is obviously a labor of love. . . . Frazier skillfully illuminates the contexts in which Duruflé's life unfolded . . . [and] Frazier's survey of Duruflé's compositions is particularly strong. . . . A special pleasure of the book is the chapter on [Duruflé's future wife, and a world-renowned organist,] Marie-Madeleine Chevalier . . . Frazier's book will no doubt stand as a defining work in Duruflé scholarship and nurture scholars of 20th-century French organ music for years to come. -- Lawrence Archbold * AMERICAN ORGANIST *One of the best musical biographies I have read for many years: sound in musical and, for the most part, in historical judgment . . . , sympathetic without being sycophantic, and most gracefully written. Duruflé deserves no less. -- Roger Nichols * GRAMOPHONE *[Frazier] sees Duruflé as a compelling figure, given over to the same foibles and doubts we all have. Frazier's ability to obtain primary sources lends credence to his observations. This is a superb work, one to be valued by music historians and organists alike. -- Donald Metz * AMERICAN RECORD GUIDE, *This substantial study . . . although sympathetic . . . is not a work of hagiography. . . .[The author argues that] the somewhat short-lived revival of Gregorian chant in the French church . . . [during] Duruflé's composing life was a happy coincidence from which music was the main beneficiary [notably through the widely beloved Requiem]. . . . The very considerable value of this book lies in its personal evaluation of a man whose personality is likely to remain something of a mystery but whose music has already transcended his life. -- Bret Johnson * TEMPO *Table of ContentsDuruflé's Childhood and Early Education Life at the Cathedral Choir School Lessons with Charles Tournemire Lessons with Louis Vierne The Conservatoire Student Duruflé's Distinctions The Contested Successions at Notre-Dame and Sainte Clotilde Duruflé's Peforming Career The Orchestral Musician The Poulenc Organ Concerto Professor of Harmony at the Paris Conservatoire Marie-Madeleine Chevalier Overview of Duruflé's Compositions Duruflé's Compositions: Their Genesis and First Performance Duruflé's Role in the Plainsong Revival The Vichy Commissions The Requiem The Musical History of Saint Étienne-du-Mont The Organs at Saint Étienne-du-Mont Duruflé as Organist and Teacher Duruflé and Organ Design The Church in Transition The North American Tours The Man Duruflé

Read more less

Book SynopsisA guide, linked to an online suite of video examples, to how historical instruments influenced the composers of keyboard music, and a way to look at their scores with fresh eyes and ears. Today's pianists are expected to play music of three centuries on a single instrument: Steinway's design from the late 1800s. Other types of pianos, such as Mozart's Walter or Chopin's Pleyel, are increasingly being copied or restored, but they are played almost exclusively by specialists in "Historical Performance." David Breitman has been introducing Oberlin Conservatory students to historical keyboards since 1991, and in this book he focuses on the music he cares about most deeply and the problems he has found most perplexing. He begins by acknowledging the dilemma of confronting historical repertoire with modern instruments, then shows how to apply insights from period instruments to practical problems on any piano, including the relationship between melody and accompaniment and the use of the pedal. The central portion of the book discusses the pianos and piano music of Haydn and Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, and Chopin, as well as the special place of the clavichord in eighteenth-century keyboard culture. A wide range of musical examples demonstrates how composers were influenced by the instruments they knew, and how that understanding can help today's performers. The book concludes with a passionate plea for individual creativity and autonomy, authentic voices for our own time. A suite of videos, including demonstrations of representative musical examples as well as of the moderator pedal and clavichord action, can be found here: https://vimeo.com/showcase/8046349.Trade Review[A] thoughtful and well-researched journey into how we should play classical music [...] Every pianist could benefit from reading it. -- BRIOTable of ContentsPreface Music Making Then and Now With Broad Strokes (An Overview) The Early Days of the Piano: Haydn and Mozart Beethoven and the Evolving Piano Schubert Chopin The Clavichord Epilogue: Creativity in the performance of old music Appendix: Overtone structure of the Steinway and Walter, compared Glossary of Terms Notes Bibliography Index of Works Discussed in the Text General Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisA landmark in Sibelius scholarship, this is the first book that presents all of Sibelius's solo art songs in their musical and aesthetic context. Indispensable for scholars and performers alike. This is the first book to discuss the complete solo art songs of Jean Sibelius and to locate them in their musical, literary and artistic context. The book is organized around the poets Sibelius set to music and the literary themes associated with them, thus providing invaluable information for the scholar, student and performer. The musical and aesthetic contextualisation of the songs will help to enable new interpretations on the performance stage.Table of Contents1. Wrestling with the text 2. Sibelius and the poems of the idealistic realist Runeberg 3. Idle wishes and summer nights 4. Diamonds and tears - Runeberg's contemporaries in Finland 5. Longing for the eternal - 19th-century poets from Sweden 6. Realism and emerging symbolism 7. Solace of the harp, song to my tongue - other 19th -century poets in Sweden 8. Rapid riders and hoodwinked women 9. Betrayal, urbanity and decadence 10. O, kämst du doch! 11. A last Kalevala excursion Appendix List of Sibelius's songs by opus number Alphabetical list of Sibelius's songs without opus numbers Alphabetical list of Sibelius's songs by English title Alphabetical list of Sibelius's poets Text of the two lost songs, op. 72 nos. 1 and 2 Text to the melodrama Ett ensamt skidspår (Gripenberg) Bibliography

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less