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Books > Arts & Architecture > Music > Musical instruments & instrumental ensembles > Keyboard instruments
This set of three organ improvisations, each based on a liturgical
text, is written in a quintessentially English style: largely
diatonic but not unremittingly consonant, flowingly melodic,
texturally rich, and steered away from predictability by constantly
varying bar- and phrase-lengths. Organists will find this a
usefully versatile set of voluntaries, or an unusual and rewarding
recital piece.
This book charts the piano's accession from musical curiosity to
cultural icon, examining the instrument itself in its various
guises as well as the music written for it. Both the piano and
piano music were very much the product of the intellectual,
cultural and social environments of the period and both were
subject to many influences, directly and indirectly. These included
character (individualism), the vernacular ('folk/popular') and
creativity (improvisation), all of which are discussed generally
and with respect to the music itself. Derek Carew surveys the most
important pianistic genres of the period (variations, rondos, and
so on), showing how these changed from their received forms into
vehicles of Romantic expressiveness. The piano is also looked at in
its role as an accompanying instrument. The Mechanical Muse will be
of interest to anyone who loves the piano or the period, from the
non-specialist to the music postgraduate.
Since the publication of The London Pianoforte School (ed. Nicholas
Temperley) twenty years ago, research has proliferated in the area
of music for the piano during the late eighteenth and nineteenth
centuries and into developments in the musical life of London, for
a time the centre of piano manufacturing, publishing and
performance. But none has focused on the piano exclusively within
Britain. The eleven chapters in this volume explore major issues
surrounding the instrument, its performers and music within an
expanded geographical context created by the spread of the
instrument and the growth of concert touring. Topics covered
include: the piano trade and how piano manufacturing affected a
major provincial town; the reception of Bach's Well-Tempered
Clavier and Clementi's Gradus ad Parnassum during the nineteenth
century; the shift from composer-pianists to pianist-interpreters
in the first half of the century that triggered crucial changes in
piano performance and concert structure; the growth of musical life
in the peripheries outside major musical centres; the pianist as
advocate for contemporary composers as well as for historical
repertory; the status of British pianists both in relation to
foreigners on tour in Britain and as welcomed star performers in
outposts of the Empire; marketing forces that had an impact on
piano sales, concerts and piano careers; leading virtuosos, writers
and critics; the important role played by women pianists and the
development of the recording industry, bringing the volume into the
early twentieth century.
Intended as a supplement to The Mechanical Muse: The Piano, Pianism
and Piano Music, c.1760-1850, this Companion provides additional
information which, largely for reasons of space but also of
continuity, it was not possible or desirable to include in that
volume. The book is laid out alphabetically and full biographical
entries are provided for all musical figures mentioned, including
composers, performers, theoreticians and teachers, as well as piano
makers and publishers of music, within the period covered by The
Mechanical Muse. There are also entries on figures of importance
from outside the period but whose influence is palpably important
within it, such as J.S. Bach. As well as biographical information,
all these entries contain lists of principal works and a section on
further reading so that readers can follow up people and matters of
particular interest. Also included in The Companion are entries
devoted to particular works and other information of relevance,
such as descriptions of musical forms, characteristics of dances
and so on, as well as some technical information on music and
explanations of technical terms pertaining to keyboard instruments
themselves and to ways of playing them. This Companion is not
intended to replace existing reference books such as Grove or Musik
in Geschichte und Gegenwart, but will be useful for those who
desire to know more about a particular topic and do not necessarily
have access to more specialist reference works, or time to visit
large or specialist libraries. As such it is indispensable to users
of The Mechanical Muse.
A SUNDAY TIMES BEST PAPERBACK OF 2021 * Shortlisted for the 2021
Stanford Dolman Travel Book of the Year prize * A
critically-acclaimed Sunday Times, Spectator and Independent Book
of 2020 * Now with colour photography by Michael Turek 'Richly
absorbing... An impressive exploration of Siberia's terrifying
past.' Guardian 'Evocative and wonderfully original.' Colin Thubron
__________ Siberia's expansive history is traditionally one of
exiles, bitter cold and suffering. Yet there is another tale to
tell. Dotted throughout this remote and beautiful landscape are
pianos created during the boom years of the nineteenth century.
They tell the story of how, ever since entering Russian culture
under the influence of Catherine the Great, piano music has run
through the country like blood. How these pianos made the journey
into this snow-bound wilderness in the first place is remarkable.
That they might be capable of making music in such a hostile
landscape feels like a miracle. The Lost Pianos of Siberia is an
absorbing story about a piano hunt - a quixotic quest through two
centuries of Russian history and eight time zones stretching across
an eleventh of the world's land surface. It reveals not only an
unexpected musical legacy, but profound and brave humanity in the
last place on earth you might expect to find it. __________ What
readers are saying about The Lost Pianos of Siberia: ***** 'You
know a book's good when, on finishing it, you just want to start
again.' ***** 'Beautifully written, full of compelling anecdotes
celebrating Siberia's extraordinary history.' ***** 'The most
unusual and intelligent way to tell a travel story.'
Sonny Chua's Cool Keys 1 is packed with irresistible tunes that
progress from Initial to Grade 2 standard (Elementary level).
Featuring an assortment of exciting original pieces, from Jive
turkey jazz to tango, modern waltz and cool Moonlight whispers,
these creative piano solos offer a wide range of styles and moods -
sure to spark the imagination of every player. With hints and tips
from the composer throughout to encourage performance and support
technique, as well as online audio of the pieces as recorded by
Sonny himself. Sonny Chua (1967-2020) was an Australian composer,
educator and pianist, known for his characterful and energetic
musical style. It is hoped that these imaginative piano solos will
be a fitting tribute to Sonny and inspire pianists of all ages to
perform, for many years to come.
Designed to coordinate page-by-page with the Lesson Books. Contains
enjoyable games and quizzes that reinforce the principles presented
in the Lesson Books. Students can increase their musical
understanding while they are away from the keyboard.
A diverse collection of seasonal organ music for manuals only,
covering the church's year from Advent to Epiphany. The pieces are
drawn internationally from across the centuries and include a
mixture of established repertoire, attractive new arrangements, and
four newly commissioned pieces. The collection is technically
accessible and provides approachable repertoire for all church
musicians, making it an attractive companion to The Oxford Book of
Christmas Organ Music.
The Faber Music Contemporary Piano Anthology is an exciting
collection of best-loved neoclassical music for solo piano. The
book includes well-known pieces from Max Richter, Ludovico Einaudi,
Enya and Philip Glass alongside stunning works from the likes of
Agnes Obel, Imogen Heap and Anne Lovett, all arranged for the
intermediate pianist and many in print for the first time. "Faber
Music have surely struck gold with The Contemporary Piano
Anthology. Here we have a top-drawer sourcebook for some of the
best music in this genre. This beautifully presented collection is
another winner...and can be recommended without reservation!"
Andrew Eales, pianodao.com, March 2021
Following the success of the first volume in Nikki Iles's acclaimed
jazz series, this collection features sophisticated new jazz
arrangements of Christmas classics, including 'Let it snow!',
'Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer', 'Away in a manger', and 'Past
three o'clock'. A wide variety of styles are represented, from
swing and stride to boogaloo and calypso, and the expertly recorded
CD, by Nikki Iles, helps with interpretation. With fully notated
rhythms, grooves, and improvisations, Jazz on a Winter's Night 2 is
the perfect collection for pianists looking for that authentic
sound.
This is the first study to provide a systematic and thorough
investigation of continuo realization styles appropriate to
Restoration sacred music, an area of performance practice that has
never previously been properly assessed. Rebecca Herissone
undertakes detailed analysis of a group of organ books closely
associated with the major Restoration composers Purcell, Blow and
Humfrey, and the London institutions where they spent their
professional lives. By investigating the relationship between the
organ books' two-stave arrangements and full scores of the same
pieces, Herissone demonstrates that the books are subtle sources of
information to the accompanist, not just short or skeleton scores.
Using this evidence, she formulates a model for continuo
realization of this repertory based on the doubling of vocal parts,
an approach that differs significantly from that adopted by most
modern editors, and which throws into question much of the accepted
continuo practice in modern performance of this repertory.
The Classical Film Collection brings together famous classic pieces
from the movies, such as Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake (from Black Swan),
Mozart's Clarinet Concerto (Out of Africa), Allegri's Miserere
(Chariots of Fire) and, for the first time in print, House of
Woodcock by Jonny Greenwood from Phantom Thread. All pieces have
been arranged for the intermediate pianist.
Beginning pianists of all ages will cherish this excellent
compilation of beloved piano classics. Selections include Bach's
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring, Chopin's Funeral March, Tchaikovsky's
Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, Mozart's Rondo alla Turca and
Beethoven's Emperor Concerto, plus compositions by Schubert,
Debussy, Handel, Mendelssohn, and others.
Michael Davidson - author of the highly acclaimed Mozart and the
Pianist - casts new light on some of the most masterly sonatas
written for the piano and on the uniqueness of these great
compositions and their composers. Excepting the considerable
literature on Beethoven, few studies are available which explore
the interpretation of this much played repertoire. This study is
not only a detailed look at fourteen sonatas; one can also learn
more about other works by these composers and about aspects of
'style' - that magical quality which differentiates Haydn from
Mozart, Beethoven from Schubert, Liszt from Brahms.
Max Reger (1873-1916) is perhaps best-known for his organ music.
This quickly assumed a prominent place in the repertory of German
organists due in large measure to the efforts of Reger's
contemporary Karl Straube (1873-1950). The personal and collegial
relationship between the composer and performer began in 1898 and
developed until Reger's death. By that time, Straube had
established himself as an important artist and teacher in Leipzig
and the central authority for the interpretation of Reger's organ
music. The Reger-Straube relationship functioned on a number of
levels with decisive consequences both for the composition of the
music and its interpretation over a period fraught with upheaval on
sociopolitical, religious and aesthetic fronts. This book evaluates
the significance of the relationship between the composer and
organist using primary source materials such as autograph
performing manuscripts, reviews, programmes, letters and archival
sources from contemporary organ building. The result is a much
enhanced understanding of Reger in terms of performance practice
and reception history, and a re-examination of Straube and, more
broadly, of Leipzig as a musical centre during this period.
(Faber Piano Adventures ). Good sightreading skill is a powerful
asset for the developing musician. Carefully composed variations of
the Level 2B Lesson Book pieces help the student see the "new"
against the backdrop of the "familiar." Fun, lively characters
instruct students and motivate sightreading with a spirit of
adventure and fun.
This new edition of the award-winning encyclopedia has been thoroughly revised, updated and expanded to include new technological advances, scholarship and bibliographic information. An international team of distinguished specialists has contributed over 440 entries including information on everything from builders, composers, and important events to technical descriptions and research discoveries. Uniformly well-written and authoritative, this user-friendly guide will channel anyone's love for the instrument, through social, intellectual, art history and beyond into the electronic age.
Includes entries on:
70 Builders
65 Composers
Over 200 technical terms
History, by country and of the piano's evolution
Important developments, organizations and piano types
Mozart's piano concertos stand alongside his operas and symphonies
as his most frequently performed and best loved music. They have
attracted the attention of generations of musicologists who have
explored their manifold meanings from a variety of viewpoints. In
this study, John Irving brings together the various strands of
scholarship surrounding Mozart's concertos including analytical
approaches, aspects of performance practice and issues of
compositional genesis based on investigation of manuscript and
early printed editions. Treating the concertos collectively as a
repertoire, rather than as individual works, the first section of
the book tackles broad thematic issues such as the role of the
piano concerto in Mozart's quasi-freelance life in late
eighteenth-century Vienna, the origin of his concertos in earlier
traditions of concerto writing; eighteenth-century theoretical
frameworks for the understanding of movement forms, subsequent
historical shifts in the perception of the concerto's form,
listening strategies and performance practices. This is followed by
a 'documentary register' which proceeds through all 23 original
works, drawing together information on the source materials.
Accounts of the concertos' compositional genesis, early performance
history and reception are also included here, drawing extensively
on the Mozart family correspondence and other contemporary reports.
Drawing together and synthesizing this wealth of material, Irving
provides an invaluable reference source for those already familiar
with this repertoire.
The piano trio has been a favorite medium for composers since its
inception with Franz Joseph Haydn's compositions for violin, cello,
and piano. There have been numerous compositions by many composers
since that time, and the piano trio continues to interest composers
today. In the United States composers began writing for this
combination in the nineteenth century, following European
traditions. In the twentieth century, the number of composers and
compositions has seen a phenomenal increase. American Piano Trios:
A Resource Guide provides information about works for piano trios
(violin, cello, and piano) by American composers, including
naturalized United States citizens. The information includes a
brief biographical sketch of each composer, occasional comments by
the composer, and notable information that might lead to a further
exploration of his or her work and possible performance. Two
appendixes provide contact information about active performers of
piano trios and a list of classical music websites.
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