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James Rhodes' passion for music has been his absolute lifeline. It
has been the thread that has held him together through a life that
has encompassed pain, conflict and turmoil. Listening to
Rachmaninov on a loop as a traumatised teenager or discovering an
Adagio by Bach while in a hospital ward - such exquisite miracles
of musical genius have helped him survive his demons, and, along
with a chance encounter with a stranger, inspired him to become the
renowned concert pianist he is today. This is a memoir like no
other: unapologetically candid, boldly outspoken and surprisingly
funny - James' prose is shot through with an unexpectedly mordant
wit, even at the darkest of moments. An impassioned tribute to the
therapeutic powers of music, Instrumental also weaves in
fascinating facts about how classical music actually works and
about the extraordinary lives of some of the great composers. It
explains why and how music has the potential to transform all of
our lives.
A visually stunning introduction to classical music from piano maestro
and bestselling author James Rhodes.
"Rhodes makes classical music accessible, relatable, and exciting. It
is hard not to be swept up - Rhodes writes with such enthusiasm and
thoughtfulness that readers will be dying to listen to the Spotify
playlist he shares ... Rhodes makes history and music come alive.
Surreal, psychedelic collages ... make the book an eye-popping visual
experience as well. A dynamic and infectious introduction to classical
music." - Kirkus
Bach. Mozart. Beethoven. Old guys with curly wigs, right? But trust me:
those composers were the original rock stars.
Let me introduce you to some of the most breathtaking and magnificent
pieces of music ever created. We'll meet the rebels and revolutionaries
who wrote them - did you know Beethoven peed into a chamber pot he kept
under his piano? - and find out why they're responsible for every track
on your phone today. The world of classical music is going to blow your
mind.
So take some time out to listen to the online playlist I've curated for
you as you read. Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Schubert,
Rachmaninoff and Ravel: the perfect introduction to classical music.
With jaw-dropping artwork and avant-garde design, this visually
exquisite celebration of classical music is encased in a stunning
slipcase and features a large fold-out poster as well as an
accompanying online playlist of the pieces being discussed. It's the
perfect gift for older children and adults alike who want to explore
classical music, but aren't quite sure where to begin.
'Internationally acclaimed pianist, author and all-round nice guy
James Rhodes promises that this book can teach anyone with access
to a piano or an electric keyboard and 45 minutes to practice every
a day, the tools they need to learn to play Bach's Prelude No. 1 in
C Major in 6 weeks' RED MAGAZINE Learn to play one of Bach's most
exquisite preludes in just 6 weeks, even if you have never played
the piano before. An accessible and inspiring book by the pianist
and international bestselling writer James Rhodes, who promises
that it gives anyone with two hands, a piano or an electric
keyboard and just 45 minutes a day the tools they need to learn to
play Bach's Prelude No. 1 in C Major in 6 weeks, even if they know
nothing about music and have never even touched a piano before. How
often do we convince ourselves that it's just too late - too late
to learn how to ride a bike, too late to know how to meditate, too
late to travel the world... As we get older and time slips through
our fingers like water, we become resigned, almost defeatist, about
abandoning our dreams. For James Rhodes, after the inevitable "How
many hours a day do you practice?" and "Show me your hands", the
most common thing people say to him when they hear he's a pianist
is "I used to play the piano as a kid. I really regret giving it
up". Where does this mourned and misplaced creativity go? For
Rhodes, it's still there to be tapped into by all of us, at any
point. This inspirational book gives us the means to do this, by
breaking up Bach's seminal Prelude No. 1 from the Well-Tempered
Clavier into manageable segments, teaching us the basics of piano
playing - how to read music, the difference between the treble and
the bass clef, sharp and flat notes, how to practice etc.. - and
encouraging personal interpretation in a way that is guaranteed to
soothe the mind, feed the soul and unleash creative powers we
didn't know we still had. All of this will culminate in an ability
to perform one of Bach's masterpieces. "If listening to music is
soothing for the soul, then playing music is achieving
enlightenment. It's going from kicking a ball around with a few
pals to playing alongside Ronaldo."
Live performance from classical pianist James Rhodes, recorded at
London's Arts Theatre. The concert features works by, among others,
Rachmaninov, Liszt, Prokofiev, Gluck and Chopin.
Since the first issue was released on 10 April 2011, Schlock
Webzine has consistently featured some of the best science fiction,
fantasy and horror stories on the internet. Editor Gavin Chappell
has since accrued a motley collection of writers and artists, all
determined to make Schlock Webzine a force to be reckoned with. And
now, we present you with the best stories hailing from the first
volume of Schlock Webzine. Inside you will find monsters and
killers, saviours and saints. You will see visions of the future
and depictions of the past, alternate realities and alternate
personae. The birth of a genre... and the future of several more.
This... is PSEUDONOMICON.
For many of us who suffer from depression or anxiety, the simple
act of endurance, of having to appear 'normal', is a daunting,
painful and heroic task. Getting out of bed, packing the kids off
to school, showing up for work, preparing dinner... These can be
astonishing achievements when it sometimes takes a superhuman
effort simply to stand upright. How do you keep going? How do you
do what you do, day in, day out, conforming to people's idea of you
and functioning in the way society expects you to, when all you
want to do is disappear and hide? In Fire On All Sides, Rhodes
attempts to find how to make the unbearable bearable in the most
exposing circumstances imaginable. As he embarks on a gruelling
five-month concert tour, performing in front of thousands of
people, the tortuous voices in his mind his constant companions, he
has no choice but to face these wild, mad ramblings head on.
Luckily, there is the music. There is always the music. Bach,
Chopin, Beethoven - they are his holy grail, his mechanism for
survival. Just. This is an important, urgent book. It's about going
through your day feeling like you can't find a way out of the
crazy, it's about not setting the happiness bar too high, it's
about accepting the messy imperfection that is life. Rhodes
explodes the myths surrounding depression, anxiety and stress - the
plagues of our society - into a million pieces, then sticks them
back together again with his characteristic thought-provoking,
laser sharp and humorous style. The really good news? It's going to
be OK. Just.
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