Description
Book SynopsisIn The Pianist's Craft 2, pianist and scholar Richard P. Anderson gathers together a new collection of essays by renowned performing artists and teachers and discusses the preparation, pedagogy, and performance of selected works by an entirely different set of composers whose works are standard in the piano literature. In this volume, readers will find an invaluable collection of contributions on C.P.E. Bach, Antonio Soler, Felix Mendelssohn, Gabriel Fauré, Erno Dohnányi, Francis Poulenc, Heitor Villa-Lobos, Dmitri Kabalevsky, Alberto Ginastera, Aaron Copland, Samuel Barber, Olivier Messiaen, and John Cage. The contributorsall nationally and internationally recognized as performing artists, teachers, recording artists, and clinicianswrite thoughtfully about the composers whose work they have studied and played for years. Each author addresses issues unique to an individual composer, examining questions of phrasing, tempo, articulation, dynamics, rhythm, color, gesture, lyricism, instru
Trade ReviewContinuing what he began in The Pianist’s Craft, Anderson brings together 15 essays—all by concert pianists, recording artists, college professors, or scholars—about specific composers and musical concepts. Anderson did not impose a particular format for these essays, so they vary significantly in length and depth of content. Some contributors provide a broad overview of their assigned composer/topic, whereas others go much more into detail on specific compositions. All of the essays are interesting to read, providing insights into performance practices from the perspective of a pianist who is well acquainted with the particular composer’s output. Some essays stand out: Barbara Nissman writes about Ginastera and her personal connection to him; Christopher Taylor provides a meticulous, in-depth look at Messiaen’s Vingt Regards; Alexandre Dossin takes on fellow Brazilian Villa-Lobos; and Robin Hancock provides a phrase-by-phrase dissection of the Soler Fandango. Also included is an appealing essay by Scott Holden on the importance of playing music by living composers. More than 260 musical illustrations are helpful in clarifying the concepts discussed. This is a book for those with significant piano background. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division through faculty and professionals. * CHOICE *
Table of ContentsForeword by Norman Krieger Preface Acknowledgments Introduction Chapter 1: C.P.E.--Thinking Outside the Bachs: The Music of Carl Phillip Emanuel Bach Louis Nagel Chapter 2: Soler’s Fandango Robin Hancock Chapter 3: Lyricism and Lightness in the Piano Music of Felix Mendelssohn Joel Hastings Chapter 4: Interior Virtuosity: Grasping Fauré's Piano Music David Korevaar Chapter 5: Reflections on Performing Dohnányi's Variations on a Nursery Song for Piano and Orchestra Timothy Ehlen Chapter 6: Francis Poulenc's Early Writing: A Critical Analysis of Trois pièces (1918) and Mouvements perpétuels (1919) Jerry Wong Chapter 7: Drinking from the Source of Universal Folklore: Villa-Lobos, Bach and Chorões Alexandre Dossin Chapter 8: The Musical Imagination of Dmitri Kabalevsky Timothy Shafer Chapter 9: Remembering Alberto Ginastera Barbara Nissman Chapter 10: Improving ‘The Long Line’ Through Score Markings in Piano Repertoire Caroline Hong Chapter 11: Aaron Copland and the Musical Idea Hilary Demske Chapter 12: Some Suggestions for Playing the Piano Music of Samuel Barber Jeffrey Jacob Chapter 13: A Practical Pianist’s Introduction to Messiaen: Technical and Theoretical Approaches via the Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus Christopher Taylor Chapter 14: A Pianist Looks at the Music of John Cage, 1946-1948 John Milbauer Chapter 15: The Importance of New Music in the Pianist’s Repertoire Scott Holden Index About the Contributors About the Editor
