First published in 2004. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

The book examines the perception of the organist as the most influential musical figure in Victorian society through the writings of Thomas Hardy and Robert Browning. This will be the first book in the burgeoning area of research into the relationship of music and literature that examines the societal perceptions of a figure central to civic life in Victorian England. This book is deliberately interdisciplinary and will be of special interest to literature scholars and students of Victorian studies, culture, society, religion, gender studies, and music. However, the nature of the text does not require specialist knowledge of music.

This is the first book-length survey of 20th -century British music for solo organ. Beginning with a discussion of British organ music in the last decades of the Victorian era, the book focuses on the pieces that the composers wrote, their musical style, possible influences on the composition of specific works, and the details of their composition. Arranged in chronological order according to date of birth are detailed studies on important composers that made especially significant contributions to organ music including Parry, Stanford, Healey Willan, Herbert Howells, Percy Whitlock, Francis Jackson, Peter Racine Fricker, Arthur Wills, and Kenneth Leighton. Composers' biographies, the role of organs and organ building developments, influential political and sociological events, and aesthetic aspects of British musical life are also discussed in detail. In the concluding chapter, the author discusses the major phases and achievements of the century and gauges what may lie ahead in the new millennium. A comprehensive Catalog of Works provides titles of works, dates of composition, details of publishers, and the dates of publication. More than 60 music examples, 12 black and white photos, and an up-to-date bibliography are included.

Field's Nocturnes & Other Short Piano Pieces are published within the 'Signature' Series, a series of authoritative performing editions of standard keyboard works, prepared from original sources by leading scholars. Includes informative introductions and performance notes.

Book 2 opens with a new My Own Song improvisation on CDEFG. Unit 1 introduces phrasing and legato touch, and also presents harmonic 2nds and 3rds with staccato touch. The following two units are dedicated to the introduction of 4ths and 5ths. Also in Unit 3, sharps are introduced in a diatonic setting starting on D, and flats are introduced as blues notes. Most pieces in the second half of Book 2 coordinate hands playing together. This book works very well for transfer students.

The Piano: An Encyclopedia was selected in its first edition as a Choice Outstanding Book and remains a fascinating and unparalleled reference work. The instrument has been at the center of music history with even composers of large symphonic work asserting that they do not write anything without sketching it out first on a piano; its limitations and expressive capacity have done much to shape the contours of the western musical idiom. Within the scope of this user-friendly guide is everything from the acoustics and construction of the piano to the history of the companies that have built them.

Music theory is often seen as independent from - even antithetical to - performance. While music theory is an intellectual enterprise, performance requires an intuitive response to the music. But this binary opposition is a false one, which serves neither the theorist nor the performer. In Interpreting Chopin Alison Hood brings her experience as a performer to bear on contemporary analytical models. She combines significant aspects of current analytical approaches and applies that unique synthetic method to selected works by Chopin, casting new light on the composer's preludes, nocturnes and barcarolle. An extension of Schenkerian analysis, the specific combination of five aspects distinguishes Hood's method from previous analytical approaches. These five methods are: attention to the rhythms created by pitch events on all structural levels; a detailed accounting of the musical surface; 'strict use' of analytical notation, following guidelines offered by Steve Larson; a continual concern with what have been called 'strategies' or 'premises'; and an exploration of how recorded performances might be viewed in terms of analytical decisions, or might even shape those decisions. Building on the work of such authors as William Rothstein, Carl Schachter and John Rink, Hood's approach to Chopin's oeuvre raises interpretive questions of central interest to performers.

Research in the field of keyboard studies, especially when intimately connected with issues of performance, is often concerned with the immediate working environments and practices of musicians of the past. An important pedagogical tool, the keyboard has served as the 'workbench' of countless musicians over the centuries. In the process it has shaped the ways in which many historical musicians achieved their aspirations and went about meeting creative challenges. In recent decades interest has turned towards a contextualized understanding of creative processes in music, and keyboard studies appears well placed to contribute to the exploration of this wider concern. The nineteen essays collected here encompass the range of research in the field, bringing together contributions from performers, organologists and music historians. Questions relevant to issues of creative practice in various historical contexts, and of interpretative issues faced today, form a guiding thread. Its scope is wide-ranging, with contributions covering the mid-sixteenth to early twentieth century. It is also inclusive, encompassing the diverse range of approaches to the field of contemporary keyboard studies. Collectively the essays form a survey of the ways in which the study of keyboard performance can enrich our understanding of musical life in a given period.

Practice, practice, practice to play like Chopin or the Piano Man The piano will help you add a touch of fun to your life, impress your friends at parties, and even reduce stress. It even makes you better at math (really!). Piano Exercises For Dummies is at your service as you learn to make those 88 black and white keys sing. You'll get a quick overview of the basics before diving into practice routines and sample songs that you can use to improve your skill, whatever your level. This book gives you online access to audio files of the exercises along with digital access to the sheet music shared in the book. Learn from an experienced pianist, composer, and arranger, and start making beautiful music, the Dummies way! Refresh your knowledge of the piano basics so you're poised and prepared to play the right way Play enjoyable practice exercises and songs designed to teach specific skills and techniques in all genres Go online to access all the audio files, anytime, anywhere Bring a little more joy into your life by stepping up your piano know-how Piano Exercises For Dummies is for new and experienced pianists alike, and useful for improving your skill in any musical style.

Beginning pianists of all ages will cherish this excellent compilation of classics. Each piece was carefully selected and simplified to help students develop their skills. Many of the greatest composers -- J. S. Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Mendelssohn, Mozart, Rimsky-Korsakov, Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky, and others -- are represented by several pieces each, some newly adapted for the piano. Composers and works not usually featured in beginner's books include pieces by Borodin, Gluck, Rameau, and Tallis.
Well-known classics include Bach's "Brandenburg Concerto No. 3, " Debussy's "Claire de Lune, " Moussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition, " Satie's "Gymnopedie No. 1, " Schumann's "Child Falling Asleep, " and "Spring" from Vivaldi's "Four Seasons." Several orchestral pieces have been newly adapted for the piano, including "Dance of the Swan" from "Swan Lake, " "Elephant" from "Carnival of the Animals, " "Largo" from "Xerxes, " and "Waltz of the Flowers" from "The""Nutcracker."

Contents: Ballade, Op. 47, No. 3 * Ballade, Op. 23, No. 1 * Berceuse (Lullaby) * Fantaisie-Impromptu * Funeral March (Sonata Op. 35) * Impromptu, Op. 29 * Mazurka, Op. 33, No. 1 * Mazurka, Op. 33, No. 3 * Mazurka, Op. 33, No. 4 * Mazurka, Op. 7, No. 1 * Mazurka, Op. 7, No. 2 * Nocturne, Op. 9, No. 2 * Nocturne, Op. 15, No. 2 * Nocturne, Op. 15, No. 3 * Nocturne, Op. 27, No. 2 * Nocturne, Op. 32, No. 1 * Nocturne, Op. 37, No. 1 * Nocturne, Op. 37, No. 2 * Polonaise, Op. 26, No. 1 * Polonaise, Op. 40, No. 1 * Polonaise, Op. 53 * Prelude in D-flat Major, Op. 28, No. 15 ("Raindrop") * Scherzo B Flat Minor, Op. 31 * Study, Op. 25, No. 9 * Study, Op. 25, No. 1 * Study, Op. 25, No. 7 * Waltz, Op. 18 * Waltz, Op. 34, No. 1 * Waltz, Op. 34, No. 2 * Waltz, Op. 42 * Waltz, Op. 64, No. 2 * Waltz in D-flat Major ("Minute Waltz"), Op. 64, No. 1.

The 17th century was the century of the organ in much the same way the 19th century was the century of the piano. Almost without exception, the major composers of the century wrote for the instrument, and most of them were practicing organists themselves. This historical book surveys, analyzes, and discusses the major national styles of 17th century European organ music. Due to the extraordinarily extensive body of literature produced during this 100-year period, this text includes 200 musical examples to illustrate the various styles. The book also includes brief discussions of the various national styles of organ building, an appendix about the various notational methods used in the 17th century, and a chapter on Spain and Portugal written by Andre Lash, an expert on the subject.

How should one interpret music of another century? What standards should be applied to an eighteenth century harpsichord work, for instance, being performed on a piano? Keyboard ""methods""--systematic approaches to training, touch, and interpretation--did not evolve until the nineteenth century, and written methodologies are few. Drawing on primary sources, the author has compiled a detailed analysis of such keyboard ""methods"" as existed in Europe in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. Most were developed by Couperin, C.P.E. Bach, Turk, J.S. Bach, Mozart, Chopin and Liszt. Also discussed, with translations from their writings and their critics', are the detailed theoretical works by Kullak and Lussy. Analysis shows which techniques had been adapted from earlier practice and which were original to the composer, demonstrating the evolution of the various methods. Techniques useful in the interpretation of period material, and which still have important applications today, are pointed out.

This edition of Op. 13 (Pathetique) comes from the complete three-volume edition of Beethoven's 35 piano sonatas published by ABRSM, edited by Professor Barry Cooper, renowned Beethoven specialist. Includes an introduction covering editorial method and commentary to the sonata including history, full assessment of the sources and detailed notes on interpretation.

Improve your sight-reading! Piano Grade 4 (Early Intermediate) is part of the best-selling series by Paul Harris, guaranteed to improve your sight-reading! This workbook helps the player overcome problems by building up a complete picture of each piece, through rhythmic and melodic exercises related to specific technical issues, then by studying prepared pieces with associated questions, and finally by 'going solo' with a series of meticulously graded sight-reading pieces. This edition now includes supporting audio available online for students to check their performances against. The Improve your sight-reading! series will help you improve your reading ability, and with numerous practice tests included, will ensure sight-reading success in graded exams.

This volume explores twentieth-century organ music through in-depth studies of the principal centers of composition, the most significant composers and their works, and the evolving role of the instrument and its music. The twentieth-century was a time of unprecedented change for organ music, not only in its composition and performance but also in the standards of instrument design and building. Organ music was anything but immune to the complex musical, intellectual, and socio-political climate of the time. Twentieth-Century Organ Music examines the organ's repertory from the entire period, contextualizing it against the background of important social and cultural trends. In a collection of twelve essays, experienced scholars survey the dominant geographic centers of organ music (France, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, the United States, and German-speaking countries) and investigate the composers who made important contributions to the repertory (Reger in Germany, Messiaen in France, Ligeti in Eastern and Central Europe, Howells in Great Britain). Twentieth-Century Organ Music provides a fresh vantage point from which to view one of the twentieth century's most diverse and engaging musical spheres.

* For undergraduate music majors at colleges, universities, and conservatories who take the Class Piano course. * The pedagogical text is on separate pages from the musical content/notation, creating fewer distractions in the narrative, while helping students to focus on the music more readily * Includes music by women, persons of color, and from outside the United States have a prominent place throughout the textbook. * contains sections on fundamentals such as scales and arpeggios, as well as sightreading, keyboard theory, harmonizing melodies, improvising in both classical and blues styles, score reading, accompanying, and solo, duet, and ensemble repertoire

* For undergraduate music majors at colleges, universities, and conservatories who take the Class Piano course. * The pedagogical text is on separate pages from the musical content/notation, creating fewer distractions in the narrative, while helping students to focus on the music more readily * Includes music by women, persons of color, and from outside the United States have a prominent place throughout the textbook. * contains sections on fundamentals such as scales and arpeggios, as well as sightreading, keyboard theory, harmonizing melodies, improvising in both classical and blues styles, score reading, accompanying, and solo, duet, and ensemble repertoire

(Keyboard Instruction). Learn to play the piano styles of today's top rock, pop, and jazz artists Here are the melodic and harmonic techniques of 23 iconic performers, including Ray Charles, Herbie Hancock, Norah Jones, Alicia Keys, Elton John and Stevie Wonder, to name just a few. The accompanying CD is designed to allow maximum flexibility when practicing: you can highlight the piano part, the rhythm section, or both according to your needs. A must for players who really want to get inside the styles of their favorite artists.

William Sweetland was a Bath organ builder who flourished from c.1847 to 1902 during which time he built about 300 organs, mostly for churches and chapels in Somerset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, but also for locations scattered south of a line from the Wirral to the Wash. Gordon Curtis places this work of a provincial organ builder in the wider context of English musical life in the latter half of the nineteenth century. An introductory chapter reviews the provincial musical scene and sets the organ in the context of religious worship, public concerts and domestic music-making. The book relates the biographical details of Sweetland's family and business history using material obtained from public and family records. Curtis surveys Sweetland's organ- building work in general and some of his most important organs in detail, with patents and other inventions explored. The musical repertoire of the provinces, particularly with regard to organ recitals, is discussed, as well as noting Sweetland's acquaintances, other organ builders, architects and artists. Part II of the book consists of a Gazetteer of all known organs by Sweetland organized by counties. Each entry contains a short history of the instrument and its present condition. Since there is no definitive published list of his work, and as all the office records were lost in a fire many years ago, this will be the nearest approach to a comprehensive list for this builder.

Stride traces the stride piano style from its roots in minstrel shows and ragtime, through the contributions of itinerant entertainers, to its joyful birth in Harlem, where it became known as Harlem Piano. Stride developed over a period spanning World War I to the depression years, though younger players maintain its traditions today. It is a musical style marked by friendly rivalry and shared pleasures. Drawing on the authors' personal interviews and biographies, the book traces stride from generation to generation, from the originators Eubie Blake, Luckey Roberts, and James P. Johnson, through a succession of pianists like Willie the Lion Smith. Fell and Vinding also examine its influence on Duke Ellington, Fats Waller, Joe Sullivan, and Johnny Guarnieri, concluding with third and fourth generations that include Ralph Sutton, Dick Hyman, and Dick Wellstood. The authors describe the exceptional Donald Lambert from personal experience. Throughout, influences are traced and documented by way of CD and LP citations. Stride finishes the tune with appendixes that itemize the compositions of Luckey Roberts, Fats Waller and Willie the Lion Smith.

Alfred's Top Hits series has overwhelmingly been accepted by students and teachers. This series combines just the right combination of hits from Broadway, Hollywood, television and recordings! As you might expect from Alfred, this series offers a rare combination of great music arranged with care and creativity. Your beginning and intermediate students can savor the excitement of playing pop music and reap the benefits from making practicing more fun and rewarding.

This volume contains valuable practice material for candidates preparing for the ABRSM Grade 8 Piano exams. The book is written in attractive and approachable styles and representative of the technical level expected in the exam.