Wm. A. Little
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- September 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195394382
- eISBN:
- 9780199863556
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195394382.001.0001
- Subject:
- Music, History, Western, Performing Practice/Studies
Although Mendelssohn was most famous during his lifetime as a composer, virtuoso pianist, and conductor, he also enjoyed an enviable reputation as a highly skilled organist. The instrument had ...
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Although Mendelssohn was most famous during his lifetime as a composer, virtuoso pianist, and conductor, he also enjoyed an enviable reputation as a highly skilled organist. The instrument had fascinated — one might almost say mesmerized — him from earliest youth, but aside from a year or so of formal training at the age of about 12 or 13, he was entirely self-taught. He never held a position as church organist, and never had any organ pupils. Nevertheless, the instrument played a uniquely important role in his personal life. In the course of his many travels, whether in major cities or tiny villages, he invariably gravitated to the organ loft, where he might spend hours playing the works of Bach or simply improvising. Although the piano clearly served Mendelssohn as an eminently practical instrument, the organ seems to have been his instrument of choice. He searched out an organ loft, not because he had to, but because he wanted to, because on the organ he could find catharsis. Indeed, as he once exclaimed to his parents after reading a portion of Schiller's Wilhelm Tell, “I must rush off to the monastery and work off my excitement on the organ!” Mendelssohn's public performance on the organ in Germany was rare, and he gave but one public recital: in the Thomas-Kirche in Leipzig in 1840. In England, however, he evidently felt more comfortable on the organ bench and played there often before large crowds. Indeed, he performed as Guest Organist twice at the Birmingham Music Festivals in 1837 and 1842. Given Mendelssohn's profound affinity for the organ, it is remarkable that he composed but relatively little for the instrument, and assigned an Opus number to only two works: his Three Preludes and Fugues for Organ (Op. 37) and his Six Sonatas for the Organ (Op. 65). A small number of organ works, plus sketches and drafts, were scattered among his musical papers; most of these only gradually found their way into print, and it was not until the late 20th century that an edition of his complete organ works was finally published. This volume is intended as a companion to that edition.Less
Although Mendelssohn was most famous during his lifetime as a composer, virtuoso pianist, and conductor, he also enjoyed an enviable reputation as a highly skilled organist. The instrument had fascinated — one might almost say mesmerized — him from earliest youth, but aside from a year or so of formal training at the age of about 12 or 13, he was entirely self-taught. He never held a position as church organist, and never had any organ pupils. Nevertheless, the instrument played a uniquely important role in his personal life. In the course of his many travels, whether in major cities or tiny villages, he invariably gravitated to the organ loft, where he might spend hours playing the works of Bach or simply improvising. Although the piano clearly served Mendelssohn as an eminently practical instrument, the organ seems to have been his instrument of choice. He searched out an organ loft, not because he had to, but because he wanted to, because on the organ he could find catharsis. Indeed, as he once exclaimed to his parents after reading a portion of Schiller's Wilhelm Tell, “I must rush off to the monastery and work off my excitement on the organ!” Mendelssohn's public performance on the organ in Germany was rare, and he gave but one public recital: in the Thomas-Kirche in Leipzig in 1840. In England, however, he evidently felt more comfortable on the organ bench and played there often before large crowds. Indeed, he performed as Guest Organist twice at the Birmingham Music Festivals in 1837 and 1842. Given Mendelssohn's profound affinity for the organ, it is remarkable that he composed but relatively little for the instrument, and assigned an Opus number to only two works: his Three Preludes and Fugues for Organ (Op. 37) and his Six Sonatas for the Organ (Op. 65). A small number of organ works, plus sketches and drafts, were scattered among his musical papers; most of these only gradually found their way into print, and it was not until the late 20th century that an edition of his complete organ works was finally published. This volume is intended as a companion to that edition.
R. Allen Lott
- Published in print:
- 2003
- Published Online:
- May 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195148831
- eISBN:
- 9780199869695
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195148831.001.0001
- Subject:
- Music, History, Western
The American tours of five visiting virtuoso pianists — Leopold de Meyer (1845-7), Henri Herz (1846-50), Sigismund Thalberg (1856-8), Anton Rubinstein (1872-3), and Hans von Bülow (1875-6) — are ...
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The American tours of five visiting virtuoso pianists — Leopold de Meyer (1845-7), Henri Herz (1846-50), Sigismund Thalberg (1856-8), Anton Rubinstein (1872-3), and Hans von Bülow (1875-6) — are examined in this book in regard to their management, itinerary, repertoire, performance style, and reception. The transformation of audiences from boisterous to reverent, the gradual acceptance of the piano recital, the establishment of a canon of masterworks for the piano, and the evolution of concert-giving into a highly organized commercial enterprise are documented. Appendices include the itineraries of these five pianists, totaling almost one thousand concerts in more than one hundred cities, and the repertoire of Rubinstein and Bülow.Less
The American tours of five visiting virtuoso pianists — Leopold de Meyer (1845-7), Henri Herz (1846-50), Sigismund Thalberg (1856-8), Anton Rubinstein (1872-3), and Hans von Bülow (1875-6) — are examined in this book in regard to their management, itinerary, repertoire, performance style, and reception. The transformation of audiences from boisterous to reverent, the gradual acceptance of the piano recital, the establishment of a canon of masterworks for the piano, and the evolution of concert-giving into a highly organized commercial enterprise are documented. Appendices include the itineraries of these five pianists, totaling almost one thousand concerts in more than one hundred cities, and the repertoire of Rubinstein and Bülow.
John Sloboda (ed.)
- Published in print:
- 2001
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780198508465
- eISBN:
- 9780191687341
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198508465.001.0001
- Subject:
- Psychology, Music Psychology
Whereas most of the literature in the psychology of music has focused on the processes involved when listening to music, little has been written about the processes involved in making music. This ...
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Whereas most of the literature in the psychology of music has focused on the processes involved when listening to music, little has been written about the processes involved in making music. This reissued book brings together figures in music psychology to present studies of the processes by which music is generated. The book looks at the generation of expression in musical performance, the problems of synchrony in ensemble performance, the development of children's song, rehearsal strategies of pianists, improvisational skill in trained and untrained musicians, children's spontaneous notations for music, formal constraints on compositional systems, and compositional strategies of music students.Less
Whereas most of the literature in the psychology of music has focused on the processes involved when listening to music, little has been written about the processes involved in making music. This reissued book brings together figures in music psychology to present studies of the processes by which music is generated. The book looks at the generation of expression in musical performance, the problems of synchrony in ensemble performance, the development of children's song, rehearsal strategies of pianists, improvisational skill in trained and untrained musicians, children's spontaneous notations for music, formal constraints on compositional systems, and compositional strategies of music students.
R. Allen Lott
- Published in print:
- 2003
- Published Online:
- May 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195148831
- eISBN:
- 9780199869695
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195148831.003.0001
- Subject:
- Music, History, Western
Several developments coalesced in the mid-1840s that encouraged a new influx of European musical performers to tour America, who were usually of a higher rank than those previously heard. These ...
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Several developments coalesced in the mid-1840s that encouraged a new influx of European musical performers to tour America, who were usually of a higher rank than those previously heard. These factors included the healthy economy of the United States, the abundance of virtuosos in Europe, and vast improvements in transportation (Atlantic steam travel greatly shortened the trip and increased its reliability). Even though many Europeans had serious doubts about the artistic sensibility of Americans, visiting pianists generally found a welcoming audience. Through its versatility as a solo and accompanying instrument, its newfound recognition in the concert room, its suitability in the home, where a rising number of musical amateurs made music for their own enjoyment and that of their friends, and its usefulness as a tool in music education, the piano had become by far the most important instrument in America.Less
Several developments coalesced in the mid-1840s that encouraged a new influx of European musical performers to tour America, who were usually of a higher rank than those previously heard. These factors included the healthy economy of the United States, the abundance of virtuosos in Europe, and vast improvements in transportation (Atlantic steam travel greatly shortened the trip and increased its reliability). Even though many Europeans had serious doubts about the artistic sensibility of Americans, visiting pianists generally found a welcoming audience. Through its versatility as a solo and accompanying instrument, its newfound recognition in the concert room, its suitability in the home, where a rising number of musical amateurs made music for their own enjoyment and that of their friends, and its usefulness as a tool in music education, the piano had become by far the most important instrument in America.
R. Allen Lott
- Published in print:
- 2003
- Published Online:
- May 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195148831
- eISBN:
- 9780199869695
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195148831.003.0005
- Subject:
- Music, History, Western
Unlike the obscure newcomer De Meyer, Henri Herz (1803-88) already had a well-established reputation as pianist, composer, teacher, and piano manufacturer when he arrived in America in 1846. Because ...
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Unlike the obscure newcomer De Meyer, Henri Herz (1803-88) already had a well-established reputation as pianist, composer, teacher, and piano manufacturer when he arrived in America in 1846. Because of his well-known reputation, Herz was well received without having to resort to sensational publicity and attracted many amateur pianists and music lovers to his concerts. His piano music, noted for its brilliance and elegance, consisted primarily of variations and fantasias on opera themes. His performances of works for multiple pianos (e.g., Overture to Rossini's William Tell arranged for sixteen pianists on eight pianos) were popular with audiences if not critics. Bernard Ullman soon became Herz's manager and began resorting to more outrageous publicity. John Sullivan Dwight, Boston's most prominent music critic, was rhapsodic about Herz's performances.Less
Unlike the obscure newcomer De Meyer, Henri Herz (1803-88) already had a well-established reputation as pianist, composer, teacher, and piano manufacturer when he arrived in America in 1846. Because of his well-known reputation, Herz was well received without having to resort to sensational publicity and attracted many amateur pianists and music lovers to his concerts. His piano music, noted for its brilliance and elegance, consisted primarily of variations and fantasias on opera themes. His performances of works for multiple pianos (e.g., Overture to Rossini's William Tell arranged for sixteen pianists on eight pianos) were popular with audiences if not critics. Bernard Ullman soon became Herz's manager and began resorting to more outrageous publicity. John Sullivan Dwight, Boston's most prominent music critic, was rhapsodic about Herz's performances.
Steve Reich
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195151152
- eISBN:
- 9780199850044
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195151152.003.0014
- Subject:
- Music, History, American
This chapter presents Reich's account of composing Six Pianos. Six Pianos was completed in March 1973. It begins with three pianists all playing the same eight-beat rhythmic pattern but with ...
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This chapter presents Reich's account of composing Six Pianos. Six Pianos was completed in March 1973. It begins with three pianists all playing the same eight-beat rhythmic pattern but with different notes for each player. Two of the other pianists then begin in unison to gradually build up the exact pattern of one of the pianists already playing by first playing the notes of his fifth beat on the seventh beat of their measure, then his first beat on their third beat, and so on, until they have constructed the same pattern with the same notes, but two beats out of phase.Less
This chapter presents Reich's account of composing Six Pianos. Six Pianos was completed in March 1973. It begins with three pianists all playing the same eight-beat rhythmic pattern but with different notes for each player. Two of the other pianists then begin in unison to gradually build up the exact pattern of one of the pianists already playing by first playing the notes of his fifth beat on the seventh beat of their measure, then his first beat on their third beat, and so on, until they have constructed the same pattern with the same notes, but two beats out of phase.
Stephen Lehmann and Marion Faber
- Published in print:
- 2003
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195130461
- eISBN:
- 9780199849499
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195130461.003.0008
- Subject:
- Music, History, Western
This chapter recounts the period when Rudolf Serkin was in the twilight of his life. Accounts from family and friends reveal how he never considered retiring from his musical career until age and ...
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This chapter recounts the period when Rudolf Serkin was in the twilight of his life. Accounts from family and friends reveal how he never considered retiring from his musical career until age and illness physically prevented him from continuing with his commitments. His final performances at Carnegie Hall and at the gala season openings of the Chicago and Cleveland orchestras are recounted fondly. Well into his eighth decade of life, Serkin had outlived most of his friends and siblings. Based on his correspondences with his friends, towards the end he was even too tired to write, after experiencing depression from having to cancel many of his concerts. Serkin died from complications of intestinal cancer in March 1991. He was universally mourned by the music industry. All over the world, orchestras and pianists dedicated their performances in memory of this brilliant musical genius whose contributions to the field are invaluable.Less
This chapter recounts the period when Rudolf Serkin was in the twilight of his life. Accounts from family and friends reveal how he never considered retiring from his musical career until age and illness physically prevented him from continuing with his commitments. His final performances at Carnegie Hall and at the gala season openings of the Chicago and Cleveland orchestras are recounted fondly. Well into his eighth decade of life, Serkin had outlived most of his friends and siblings. Based on his correspondences with his friends, towards the end he was even too tired to write, after experiencing depression from having to cancel many of his concerts. Serkin died from complications of intestinal cancer in March 1991. He was universally mourned by the music industry. All over the world, orchestras and pianists dedicated their performances in memory of this brilliant musical genius whose contributions to the field are invaluable.
Susan Tiefenbrun
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195385779
- eISBN:
- 9780199776061
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195385779.003.004
- Subject:
- Law, Public International Law
This chapter analyzes the principles of international humanitarian law as exemplified in the book and film called The Pianist. This method of analysis relating international law and literature is a ...
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This chapter analyzes the principles of international humanitarian law as exemplified in the book and film called The Pianist. This method of analysis relating international law and literature is a variant form of semiotic analysis focusing on the signifier (the film and the novel) and on how the texts illustrate the signified (the international laws of war). In other words, the movie and the book are signifiers (like the letters of a word that are the outward representation of messages or signifieds). Within the texts there are many levels of relationships between the signifier and the signified that the reader and the movie viewer must work hard to identify in order to perceive the meanings of the texts. Thus, the reader and the movie viewer are creatively and actively involved in producing meaning. The international laws of war are the signifieds that can be perceived in many different variant art forms. The law and literature approach considers the artistic text as an illustration of legal principles according to basic semiotic principles.Less
This chapter analyzes the principles of international humanitarian law as exemplified in the book and film called The Pianist. This method of analysis relating international law and literature is a variant form of semiotic analysis focusing on the signifier (the film and the novel) and on how the texts illustrate the signified (the international laws of war). In other words, the movie and the book are signifiers (like the letters of a word that are the outward representation of messages or signifieds). Within the texts there are many levels of relationships between the signifier and the signified that the reader and the movie viewer must work hard to identify in order to perceive the meanings of the texts. Thus, the reader and the movie viewer are creatively and actively involved in producing meaning. The international laws of war are the signifieds that can be perceived in many different variant art forms. The law and literature approach considers the artistic text as an illustration of legal principles according to basic semiotic principles.
Robert Wyatt and John Andrew Johnson
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195327113
- eISBN:
- 9780199851249
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195327113.003.0042
- Subject:
- Music, Popular
This chapter presents the text of an article about George Gershwin's musical career and various escapades, which was published in the January 3, 1932, issue of New York American. The article focuses ...
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This chapter presents the text of an article about George Gershwin's musical career and various escapades, which was published in the January 3, 1932, issue of New York American. The article focuses on Gershwin's recollection of his early career and his income. It includes mention of his work as a song plugger where he was paid fifteen dollars a week and his job as a piano player at Fox's City Theater where he earned twenty-five dollars for seven weeks.Less
This chapter presents the text of an article about George Gershwin's musical career and various escapades, which was published in the January 3, 1932, issue of New York American. The article focuses on Gershwin's recollection of his early career and his income. It includes mention of his work as a song plugger where he was paid fifteen dollars a week and his job as a piano player at Fox's City Theater where he earned twenty-five dollars for seven weeks.
Boris Berman
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- October 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780300114904
- eISBN:
- 9780300145007
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Yale University Press
- DOI:
- 10.12987/yale/9780300114904.001.0001
- Subject:
- Music, Theory, Analysis, Composition
This book draws on his intimate knowledge of Prokofiev's work to guide music lovers and pianists through the composer's nine piano sonatas. These cherished works, composed between 1910 and 1951, are ...
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This book draws on his intimate knowledge of Prokofiev's work to guide music lovers and pianists through the composer's nine piano sonatas. These cherished works, composed between 1910 and 1951, are today considered an indispensable part of the repertoire of every serious concert pianist. The book, written with a deep appreciation of Prokofiev's style and creativity, looks at the sonatas within the context of Prokofiev's complete oeuvre. For each sonata, the book provides general information about the work and a discussion of the composition's details and features, and in a section entitled “Master Class” it offers suggestions for interpretation and specific advice for performing. The book also corrects for the first time various misprints in published scores and includes a glossary of musical terms.Less
This book draws on his intimate knowledge of Prokofiev's work to guide music lovers and pianists through the composer's nine piano sonatas. These cherished works, composed between 1910 and 1951, are today considered an indispensable part of the repertoire of every serious concert pianist. The book, written with a deep appreciation of Prokofiev's style and creativity, looks at the sonatas within the context of Prokofiev's complete oeuvre. For each sonata, the book provides general information about the work and a discussion of the composition's details and features, and in a section entitled “Master Class” it offers suggestions for interpretation and specific advice for performing. The book also corrects for the first time various misprints in published scores and includes a glossary of musical terms.
Jan Brokken
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- January 2016
- ISBN:
- 9781628461855
- eISBN:
- 9781626740914
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University Press of Mississippi
- DOI:
- 10.14325/mississippi/9781628461855.003.0035
- Subject:
- Music, Ethnomusicology, World Music
This chapter is a follow-up anecdote to the concert described in the previous one, Introducing at the very end one, an illegitimate child begot by Edgar Palm, the last great composer of the Palm ...
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This chapter is a follow-up anecdote to the concert described in the previous one, Introducing at the very end one, an illegitimate child begot by Edgar Palm, the last great composer of the Palm dynasty. They had been of Swedish origin who built a bridge between Europe and Afro- Caribbean music.Less
This chapter is a follow-up anecdote to the concert described in the previous one, Introducing at the very end one, an illegitimate child begot by Edgar Palm, the last great composer of the Palm dynasty. They had been of Swedish origin who built a bridge between Europe and Afro- Caribbean music.
Elizabeth Stewart
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- March 2014
- ISBN:
- 9781617033087
- eISBN:
- 9781617033094
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- University Press of Mississippi
- DOI:
- 10.14325/mississippi/9781617033087.001.0001
- Subject:
- Music, History, Western
Elizabeth Stewart is a highly acclaimed singer, pianist, and accordionist whose reputation has spread widely not only as an outstanding musician but as the principal inheritor and advocate of her ...
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Elizabeth Stewart is a highly acclaimed singer, pianist, and accordionist whose reputation has spread widely not only as an outstanding musician but as the principal inheritor and advocate of her family and their music. First discovered by folklorists in the 1950s, the Stewarts of Fetterangus, including Elizabeth’s mother Jean, her uncle Ned, and her aunt Lucy, have had immense musical influence. Lucy in particular became a celebrated ballad singer and in 1961 Smithsonian Folkways released a collection of her classic ballad recordings that brought the family’s music and name to an international audience. This book is a memoir of Scottish Traveller life, containing stories, music, and songs from this prominent Traveller family. It is the result of a close partnership between Elizabeth Stewart and Scottish folk singer and writer Alison McMorland. The book details the ancestral history of Elizabeth Stewart’s family, the story of her mother, the story of her aunt, and her own life story, framing and contextualizing the music and song examples and showing how totally integrated these art forms are with daily life. It is a portrait of a Traveller family from the perspective of its matrilineal line. The narrative, spanning five generations and written in Scots, captures the rhythms and idioms of Elizabeth Stewart’s speaking voice.Less
Elizabeth Stewart is a highly acclaimed singer, pianist, and accordionist whose reputation has spread widely not only as an outstanding musician but as the principal inheritor and advocate of her family and their music. First discovered by folklorists in the 1950s, the Stewarts of Fetterangus, including Elizabeth’s mother Jean, her uncle Ned, and her aunt Lucy, have had immense musical influence. Lucy in particular became a celebrated ballad singer and in 1961 Smithsonian Folkways released a collection of her classic ballad recordings that brought the family’s music and name to an international audience. This book is a memoir of Scottish Traveller life, containing stories, music, and songs from this prominent Traveller family. It is the result of a close partnership between Elizabeth Stewart and Scottish folk singer and writer Alison McMorland. The book details the ancestral history of Elizabeth Stewart’s family, the story of her mother, the story of her aunt, and her own life story, framing and contextualizing the music and song examples and showing how totally integrated these art forms are with daily life. It is a portrait of a Traveller family from the perspective of its matrilineal line. The narrative, spanning five generations and written in Scots, captures the rhythms and idioms of Elizabeth Stewart’s speaking voice.
Eckart Altenmüller
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780199298723
- eISBN:
- 9780191700903
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199298723.003.0016
- Subject:
- Psychology, Music Psychology
This chapter focuses on Robert Schumann, one of the most prominent composers of the early romantic period. Early in his adolescence he displayed extraordinary skills in piano playing and attempted to ...
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This chapter focuses on Robert Schumann, one of the most prominent composers of the early romantic period. Early in his adolescence he displayed extraordinary skills in piano playing and attempted to become a concert pianist. After an initial success, however, he developed a focal, task-specific dystonia of the right hand, also referred to as pianist's cramp. This disorder is characterised by a painless loss of skilled motor control in a task-specific context. Risk factors for developing musician's dystonia are male gender, extensive cumulative practice time, extreme motor workload concerning the temporal and spatial quality of the affected movements and personality traits such as proneness to anxiety and perfectionism. All these factors can be demonstrated in Robert Schumann's early life.Less
This chapter focuses on Robert Schumann, one of the most prominent composers of the early romantic period. Early in his adolescence he displayed extraordinary skills in piano playing and attempted to become a concert pianist. After an initial success, however, he developed a focal, task-specific dystonia of the right hand, also referred to as pianist's cramp. This disorder is characterised by a painless loss of skilled motor control in a task-specific context. Risk factors for developing musician's dystonia are male gender, extensive cumulative practice time, extreme motor workload concerning the temporal and spatial quality of the affected movements and personality traits such as proneness to anxiety and perfectionism. All these factors can be demonstrated in Robert Schumann's early life.
Boris Berman
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- October 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780300114904
- eISBN:
- 9780300145007
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Yale University Press
- DOI:
- 10.12987/yale/9780300114904.003.0013
- Subject:
- Music, Theory, Analysis, Composition
This book concludes with an attempt to summarize the qualities and skills a pianist must possess in order to be a successful Prokofiev interpreter. Prokoviev had a particular talent for creating a ...
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This book concludes with an attempt to summarize the qualities and skills a pianist must possess in order to be a successful Prokofiev interpreter. Prokoviev had a particular talent for creating a fully identifiable mood within the first notes of a piece, passage, or theme. Sometimes, especially in the later sonatas, this mood undergoes a gradual development or transformation. More often, though, it is juxtaposed against a contrasting image, the character of which is also established immediately. It is essential that a pianist meticulously observe the composer's indications regarding tempo, dynamics, and articulation. These are all crucial in creating full characterizations of individual themes and passages. Far too often, one hears unidiomatic performances of Prokofiev's music in which speed and loudness seem to be the only parameters that matter to the pianist.Less
This book concludes with an attempt to summarize the qualities and skills a pianist must possess in order to be a successful Prokofiev interpreter. Prokoviev had a particular talent for creating a fully identifiable mood within the first notes of a piece, passage, or theme. Sometimes, especially in the later sonatas, this mood undergoes a gradual development or transformation. More often, though, it is juxtaposed against a contrasting image, the character of which is also established immediately. It is essential that a pianist meticulously observe the composer's indications regarding tempo, dynamics, and articulation. These are all crucial in creating full characterizations of individual themes and passages. Far too often, one hears unidiomatic performances of Prokofiev's music in which speed and loudness seem to be the only parameters that matter to the pianist.
Amy C. Beal
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- April 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780252036361
- eISBN:
- 9780252093395
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- University of Illinois Press
- DOI:
- 10.5406/illinois/9780252036361.001.0001
- Subject:
- Music, History, American
This is the first comprehensive treatment of the remarkable music and influence of Carla Bley, a highly innovative American jazz composer, pianist, organist, band leader, and activist. Giving ...
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This is the first comprehensive treatment of the remarkable music and influence of Carla Bley, a highly innovative American jazz composer, pianist, organist, band leader, and activist. Giving attention to Bley's diverse compositions over the last fifty years spanning critical moments in jazz and experimental music history, this book provides a long-overdue representation of a major figure in American music. Bley is best known for her jazz opera “Escalator over the Hill,” her role in the Free Jazz movement of the 1960s, and her collaborations with artists such as Jack Bruce, Don Cherry, Robert Wyatt, and Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason. She has successfully maneuvered the field of jazz creating works that range from the highly accessible and tradition-based to commercially unviable and avant-garde. The book details the staggering variety in Bley's work as well as her use of parody, quotations, and contradictions, examining the vocabulary Bley has developed throughout her career and highlighting the compositional and cultural significance of her experimentalism. The book also points to Bley's professional and managerial work as a pioneer in the development of artist-owned record labels, the cofounder and manager of WATT Records, and the cofounder of New Music Distribution Service. The book shows Bley to be not just an artist but an activist who has maintained musical independence and professional control amid the profit-driven, corporation-dominated world of commercial jazz.Less
This is the first comprehensive treatment of the remarkable music and influence of Carla Bley, a highly innovative American jazz composer, pianist, organist, band leader, and activist. Giving attention to Bley's diverse compositions over the last fifty years spanning critical moments in jazz and experimental music history, this book provides a long-overdue representation of a major figure in American music. Bley is best known for her jazz opera “Escalator over the Hill,” her role in the Free Jazz movement of the 1960s, and her collaborations with artists such as Jack Bruce, Don Cherry, Robert Wyatt, and Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason. She has successfully maneuvered the field of jazz creating works that range from the highly accessible and tradition-based to commercially unviable and avant-garde. The book details the staggering variety in Bley's work as well as her use of parody, quotations, and contradictions, examining the vocabulary Bley has developed throughout her career and highlighting the compositional and cultural significance of her experimentalism. The book also points to Bley's professional and managerial work as a pioneer in the development of artist-owned record labels, the cofounder and manager of WATT Records, and the cofounder of New Music Distribution Service. The book shows Bley to be not just an artist but an activist who has maintained musical independence and professional control amid the profit-driven, corporation-dominated world of commercial jazz.
Lora Deahl and Brenda Wristen
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- November 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780190616847
- eISBN:
- 9780190616878
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780190616847.001.0001
- Subject:
- Music, Performing Practice/Studies
Adaptive Strategies for Small-Handed Pianists brings together information from ergonomics, physics, biomechanics, anatomy, medicine, and piano pedagogy to focus on the subject of small-handedness. ...
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Adaptive Strategies for Small-Handed Pianists brings together information from ergonomics, physics, biomechanics, anatomy, medicine, and piano pedagogy to focus on the subject of small-handedness. Chapter 1 presents an overview from historical, anatomical, and pedagogical perspectives and includes a discussion of small-handedness as a risk factor for piano-related injury. Chapter 2 establishes a basic understanding of work efficiency and the human anatomy, moves on to general observations about piano playing and the constraints of physics, and explains the principles of healthy movement at the piano. Chapter 3 is a focused analysis of piano technique as it relates to small-handedness. Chapters 4 to 7 deal with specific alternative approaches: redistribution, refingering, ways to maximize reach and power, and musical solutions for technical problems. Hundreds of examples taken from the standard intermediate and advanced piano literature show concrete applications of these strategies within appropriate musical contexts. Chapter 8 presents tables that pianists can use to diagnose and resolve commonly encountered problems and synthesizes the adaptive approaches outlined in the book. Reflective application points are provided as guides to further exploration. The book demonstrates that the specific physical and musical needs of the small-handed can be addressed in sensitive and appropriate ways and illuminates alternative paths to help pianists with small hands reach their musical goals.Less
Adaptive Strategies for Small-Handed Pianists brings together information from ergonomics, physics, biomechanics, anatomy, medicine, and piano pedagogy to focus on the subject of small-handedness. Chapter 1 presents an overview from historical, anatomical, and pedagogical perspectives and includes a discussion of small-handedness as a risk factor for piano-related injury. Chapter 2 establishes a basic understanding of work efficiency and the human anatomy, moves on to general observations about piano playing and the constraints of physics, and explains the principles of healthy movement at the piano. Chapter 3 is a focused analysis of piano technique as it relates to small-handedness. Chapters 4 to 7 deal with specific alternative approaches: redistribution, refingering, ways to maximize reach and power, and musical solutions for technical problems. Hundreds of examples taken from the standard intermediate and advanced piano literature show concrete applications of these strategies within appropriate musical contexts. Chapter 8 presents tables that pianists can use to diagnose and resolve commonly encountered problems and synthesizes the adaptive approaches outlined in the book. Reflective application points are provided as guides to further exploration. The book demonstrates that the specific physical and musical needs of the small-handed can be addressed in sensitive and appropriate ways and illuminates alternative paths to help pianists with small hands reach their musical goals.
Stephen Lehmann and Marion Faber
- Published in print:
- 2003
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195130461
- eISBN:
- 9780199849499
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195130461.003.0001
- Subject:
- Music, History, Western
The book revolves around the life of musician Rudolf Serkin, who was a prominent figure in American culture in the twentieth century. The great man's naturally reticent personality, combined with a ...
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The book revolves around the life of musician Rudolf Serkin, who was a prominent figure in American culture in the twentieth century. The great man's naturally reticent personality, combined with a reluctance to be interviewed in public until much later in his life, has necessitated the reconstruction of his life through alternative sources. These include accounts from family members, friends, and associates and are complemented by Serkin's own voluminous personal correspondences. The book is structured into two parts. The first section provides a chronological account of Serkin's life from his European roots until his move to the United States. The second part of the book examines three key aspects of his work — his art and career as a pianist; his activities as a mentor and his ties with the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia; and his work as the cultural director of the Marlboro Music School and Festival in Vermont.Less
The book revolves around the life of musician Rudolf Serkin, who was a prominent figure in American culture in the twentieth century. The great man's naturally reticent personality, combined with a reluctance to be interviewed in public until much later in his life, has necessitated the reconstruction of his life through alternative sources. These include accounts from family members, friends, and associates and are complemented by Serkin's own voluminous personal correspondences. The book is structured into two parts. The first section provides a chronological account of Serkin's life from his European roots until his move to the United States. The second part of the book examines three key aspects of his work — his art and career as a pianist; his activities as a mentor and his ties with the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia; and his work as the cultural director of the Marlboro Music School and Festival in Vermont.
Stephen Lehmann and Marion Faber
- Published in print:
- 2003
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195130461
- eISBN:
- 9780199849499
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195130461.003.0004
- Subject:
- Music, History, Western
The chapter recounts Serkin's life in America, from his move in the wake of the Second World War until his death. Serkin first came to the United States as part of several well received tours but ...
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The chapter recounts Serkin's life in America, from his move in the wake of the Second World War until his death. Serkin first came to the United States as part of several well received tours but gained critical acclaim during his concerts with Toscanini. The success of the latter endeavor cemented Serkin's reputation as a bankable concert pianist in America, but it was not until he performed at Carnegie Hall that he was truly recognized as a musical genius. The bulk of his musical obligations was increasingly located in the United States and Serkin and Irene decided to emigrate, along with their in-laws. The Serkins were blessed with seven children and brief glimpses into Rudolf's family man persona are shown. Rigorous concert schedules coupled with several deaths within his family circle are also shown to have taken a toll on Serkin in the latter stages of his life.Less
The chapter recounts Serkin's life in America, from his move in the wake of the Second World War until his death. Serkin first came to the United States as part of several well received tours but gained critical acclaim during his concerts with Toscanini. The success of the latter endeavor cemented Serkin's reputation as a bankable concert pianist in America, but it was not until he performed at Carnegie Hall that he was truly recognized as a musical genius. The bulk of his musical obligations was increasingly located in the United States and Serkin and Irene decided to emigrate, along with their in-laws. The Serkins were blessed with seven children and brief glimpses into Rudolf's family man persona are shown. Rigorous concert schedules coupled with several deaths within his family circle are also shown to have taken a toll on Serkin in the latter stages of his life.
Steven Suskin
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195314076
- eISBN:
- 9780199852734
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195314076.003.0003
- Subject:
- Music, Popular
This chapter examines the work of George Gershwin. Gershwin grew up in Manhattan, where his Russian immigrant father ran through a succession of unsuccessful businesses. Gershwin displayed a sudden ...
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This chapter examines the work of George Gershwin. Gershwin grew up in Manhattan, where his Russian immigrant father ran through a succession of unsuccessful businesses. Gershwin displayed a sudden musical aptitude at the age of eleven, quitting school four years later to work as a song plugger for Tin Pan Alley publisher Jerome H. Remick. A highly distinctive pianist, Gershwin began supplementing his income by making player-piano rolls. He also began writing music, his first published song being the 1916 When You Want ’Em, You Can’t Get ’Em (When You’ve Got ’Em, You Don’t Want ’Em) (lyrics by Murray Roth).Less
This chapter examines the work of George Gershwin. Gershwin grew up in Manhattan, where his Russian immigrant father ran through a succession of unsuccessful businesses. Gershwin displayed a sudden musical aptitude at the age of eleven, quitting school four years later to work as a song plugger for Tin Pan Alley publisher Jerome H. Remick. A highly distinctive pianist, Gershwin began supplementing his income by making player-piano rolls. He also began writing music, his first published song being the 1916 When You Want ’Em, You Can’t Get ’Em (When You’ve Got ’Em, You Don’t Want ’Em) (lyrics by Murray Roth).
Robert Wyatt and John Andrew Johnson
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195327113
- eISBN:
- 9780199851249
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195327113.003.0004
- Subject:
- Music, Popular
This chapter presents American composer and pianist Oscar Levant's comments on the music of George Gershwin. According to Levant, Gershwin began to impinge on his life even before he met or even ...
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This chapter presents American composer and pianist Oscar Levant's comments on the music of George Gershwin. According to Levant, Gershwin began to impinge on his life even before he met or even heard of him. He recalled his first meeting with Gershwin in a show titled Ladies First starring Nora Bayes and his recording of his version of Gershwin's compositions including Rhapsody in Blue and Rialto Ripples. This chapter is based on an original article published in the November 1939 issue of Town and Country magazine.Less
This chapter presents American composer and pianist Oscar Levant's comments on the music of George Gershwin. According to Levant, Gershwin began to impinge on his life even before he met or even heard of him. He recalled his first meeting with Gershwin in a show titled Ladies First starring Nora Bayes and his recording of his version of Gershwin's compositions including Rhapsody in Blue and Rialto Ripples. This chapter is based on an original article published in the November 1939 issue of Town and Country magazine.
