Author: Roxanne de Bastion
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1639366881
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 162
Book Description
A story about a piano and its most prodigious player—and how they both survived one of the darkest periods in history. When her father died, singer-songwriter Roxanne de Bastion inherited a piano she knew had been in her family for over a hundred years. But it is only when she finds a cassette recording of her grandfather, Stephen, playing one of his compositions, that the true and almost unbelievable history of the piano, this man, and her family begins to unravel. Stephen was a man who enjoyed great fame, a man who suffered the horrors of concentration camps in WWII, a man who ultimately survives—along with his piano. By piecing together his cassette recordings, unpublished memoirs, letters, and documents, Roxanne sings out her grandfather's story of music and hope, lost and found, and explores the power of what can echo down through generations.
The Piano Player of Budapest
Author: Roxanne de Bastion
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1639366881
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 162
Book Description
A story about a piano and its most prodigious player—and how they both survived one of the darkest periods in history. When her father died, singer-songwriter Roxanne de Bastion inherited a piano she knew had been in her family for over a hundred years. But it is only when she finds a cassette recording of her grandfather, Stephen, playing one of his compositions, that the true and almost unbelievable history of the piano, this man, and her family begins to unravel. Stephen was a man who enjoyed great fame, a man who suffered the horrors of concentration camps in WWII, a man who ultimately survives—along with his piano. By piecing together his cassette recordings, unpublished memoirs, letters, and documents, Roxanne sings out her grandfather's story of music and hope, lost and found, and explores the power of what can echo down through generations.
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1639366881
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 162
Book Description
A story about a piano and its most prodigious player—and how they both survived one of the darkest periods in history. When her father died, singer-songwriter Roxanne de Bastion inherited a piano she knew had been in her family for over a hundred years. But it is only when she finds a cassette recording of her grandfather, Stephen, playing one of his compositions, that the true and almost unbelievable history of the piano, this man, and her family begins to unravel. Stephen was a man who enjoyed great fame, a man who suffered the horrors of concentration camps in WWII, a man who ultimately survives—along with his piano. By piecing together his cassette recordings, unpublished memoirs, letters, and documents, Roxanne sings out her grandfather's story of music and hope, lost and found, and explores the power of what can echo down through generations.
The Piano Player of Budapest
Author: Roxanne de Bastion
Publisher: Hachette UK
ISBN: 1472147839
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 232
Book Description
One man, his piano and their miraculous survival. 'Extraordinary' Baroness Julia Neuberger 'Stunning. A beautiful blend of action, poetry, thought-provoking comment and music ... just brilliant' James Ainscough OBE 'A gripping narrative of suffering, loss and survival, with music at its heart' Fiona Maddocks All future, freedom and success lay ahead of young pianist Stephen de Bastion in 1930s Hungary. Life whirled headily around cocktails, romance, applause and the buzz of Budapest late into the night. Then, 1939. Stephen's world disintegrates and this becomes a story of his brutal descent, of his time in labour camps, of Mauthausen and Gunskirchen and the unimaginable horrors he endured during the Holocaust as a man of Jewish descent. Yet, this is also a tale of extraordinary escape ... and the piano, waiting for him. The same piano that Roxanne de Bastion, his granddaughter, inherits when her father dies. It has been in the family over one hundred years but it is only when, deep in grief, she discovers a cassette recording of Stephen, that the astonishing history of the piano, the man and her family begins to unravel. Weaving together his original recordings, unpublished memoirs, letters and documents, Roxanne sings out her grandfather's story of music and hope, lost and found. Luminous and profoundly moving, this book captures the great spirit of one man in the face of darkness and the hope that echoes down through generations.
Publisher: Hachette UK
ISBN: 1472147839
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 232
Book Description
One man, his piano and their miraculous survival. 'Extraordinary' Baroness Julia Neuberger 'Stunning. A beautiful blend of action, poetry, thought-provoking comment and music ... just brilliant' James Ainscough OBE 'A gripping narrative of suffering, loss and survival, with music at its heart' Fiona Maddocks All future, freedom and success lay ahead of young pianist Stephen de Bastion in 1930s Hungary. Life whirled headily around cocktails, romance, applause and the buzz of Budapest late into the night. Then, 1939. Stephen's world disintegrates and this becomes a story of his brutal descent, of his time in labour camps, of Mauthausen and Gunskirchen and the unimaginable horrors he endured during the Holocaust as a man of Jewish descent. Yet, this is also a tale of extraordinary escape ... and the piano, waiting for him. The same piano that Roxanne de Bastion, his granddaughter, inherits when her father dies. It has been in the family over one hundred years but it is only when, deep in grief, she discovers a cassette recording of Stephen, that the astonishing history of the piano, the man and her family begins to unravel. Weaving together his original recordings, unpublished memoirs, letters and documents, Roxanne sings out her grandfather's story of music and hope, lost and found. Luminous and profoundly moving, this book captures the great spirit of one man in the face of darkness and the hope that echoes down through generations.
Love Your Sister
Author: Samuel Johnson
Publisher: Hachette Australia
ISBN: 0733633250
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 335
Book Description
Shortlisted for the ABIA Award (Biography of the Year) 2015 A searingly honest memoir of family, cancer, love ... and unicycles by the founders of the Love your Sister charity, Connie and Samuel Johnson, that will inspire and they hope get people talking about boobs! Born a year apart, Connie and Samuel Johnson have always been close. Faced with the devastating news that they would soon be separated forever, they made a decision. After already surviving cancer twice in her young life, at 33 Connie was diagnosed with breast cancer. But this time it was a whole different ball game. This time she was told she will die, leaving behind her two sons. As a young mum faced with her own death, Connie wanted to make it all less meaningless, and she knew just the way to do it - send her brother, Sam, on a one-wheeled odyssey around Australia. The aims: to break the world record for the longest distance travelled on a unicycle. To raise $1 million for the Garvan Research Foundation. And, most importantly, to remind women to be breast aware and stop others having to say goodbye to those they love. Their message is simple: 'Don't fall into the booby trap.' Samuel has travelled through every state and ridden more than 150,000 kilometres to raise awareness and raise research dollars. But Connie had a secret fourth aim: to fix Samuel. And it worked. Sam cleared his diary, cleaned himself up and tenaciously kept his promise to his dying sister. For them the job isn't over. They are determined to raise more money for research. Connie vows to fight until her dying day and Sam says the fight will go on long after that. These two remarkable Australians share their tale, from childhood through to the finish line and beyond in this truly unique story. Part memoir, part travel diary, part conversation, Love your Sister is an inspiring and unforgettable story that shows just how far one man will go for his sister. The Johnsons' memoir is bracing and affecting. - Sunday Age, Sun Herald Part memoir, part diary, part conversation, this is an unforgettable story of how far a brother will go for his sister. - Brisbane News There are many joyous moments as brother and sister reflect, often wryly and honestly, on the power of their bond and the full catastrophe that is family life. - Sydney Morning Herald This book, like Connie and Samuel's lives, is much bigger than their experience of misfortune. - Canberra Times
Publisher: Hachette Australia
ISBN: 0733633250
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 335
Book Description
Shortlisted for the ABIA Award (Biography of the Year) 2015 A searingly honest memoir of family, cancer, love ... and unicycles by the founders of the Love your Sister charity, Connie and Samuel Johnson, that will inspire and they hope get people talking about boobs! Born a year apart, Connie and Samuel Johnson have always been close. Faced with the devastating news that they would soon be separated forever, they made a decision. After already surviving cancer twice in her young life, at 33 Connie was diagnosed with breast cancer. But this time it was a whole different ball game. This time she was told she will die, leaving behind her two sons. As a young mum faced with her own death, Connie wanted to make it all less meaningless, and she knew just the way to do it - send her brother, Sam, on a one-wheeled odyssey around Australia. The aims: to break the world record for the longest distance travelled on a unicycle. To raise $1 million for the Garvan Research Foundation. And, most importantly, to remind women to be breast aware and stop others having to say goodbye to those they love. Their message is simple: 'Don't fall into the booby trap.' Samuel has travelled through every state and ridden more than 150,000 kilometres to raise awareness and raise research dollars. But Connie had a secret fourth aim: to fix Samuel. And it worked. Sam cleared his diary, cleaned himself up and tenaciously kept his promise to his dying sister. For them the job isn't over. They are determined to raise more money for research. Connie vows to fight until her dying day and Sam says the fight will go on long after that. These two remarkable Australians share their tale, from childhood through to the finish line and beyond in this truly unique story. Part memoir, part travel diary, part conversation, Love your Sister is an inspiring and unforgettable story that shows just how far one man will go for his sister. The Johnsons' memoir is bracing and affecting. - Sunday Age, Sun Herald Part memoir, part diary, part conversation, this is an unforgettable story of how far a brother will go for his sister. - Brisbane News There are many joyous moments as brother and sister reflect, often wryly and honestly, on the power of their bond and the full catastrophe that is family life. - Sydney Morning Herald This book, like Connie and Samuel's lives, is much bigger than their experience of misfortune. - Canberra Times
Every Good Boy Does Fine: A Love Story, in Music Lessons
Author: Jeremy Denk
Publisher: Picador
ISBN: 1761261886
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 383
Book Description
A uniquely illuminating memoir of the making of a musician, in which renowned pianist Jeremy Denk explores what he learned from his teachers about classical music: its forms, its power, its meaning - and what it can teach us about ourselves. In this searching and funny memoir, based on his popular New Yorker article, renowned pianist Jeremy Denk traces an implausible journey. Life is difficult enough as a precocious, temperamental, and insufferable six-year-old piano prodigy in New Jersey. But then a family meltdown forces a move to New Mexico, far from classical music’s nerve centers, and he has to please a new taskmaster while navigating cacti, and the perils of junior high school. Escaping from New Mexico at last, he meets a bewildering cast of college music teachers, ranging from boring to profound, and experiences a series of humiliations and triumphs, to find his way as one of the world’s greatest living pianists, a MacArthur 'Genius,' and a frequent performer at Carnegie Hall. There are few writers working today who are willing to eloquently explore both the joys and miseries of artistic practice. Hours of daily repetition, mystifying early advice, pressure from parents and teachers who drove him on – an ongoing battle of talent against two enemies: boredom and insecurity. As we meet various teachers, with cruel and kind streaks, Denk composes a fraught love letter to the act of teaching. He brings you behind the scenes, to look at what motivates both student and teacher, locked in a complicated and psychologically perilous relationship. In Every Good Boy Does Fine, Denk explores how classical music is relevant to 'real life,' despite its distance in time. He dives into pieces and composers that have shaped him – Bach, Mozart, Schubert, and Brahms, among others – and gives unusual lessons on melody, harmony, and rhythm. Why and how do these fundamental elements have such a visceral effect on us? He tries to sum up many of the lessons he has received, to repay the debt of all his amazing teachers; to remind us that music is our creation, and that we need to keep asking questions about its purpose.
Publisher: Picador
ISBN: 1761261886
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 383
Book Description
A uniquely illuminating memoir of the making of a musician, in which renowned pianist Jeremy Denk explores what he learned from his teachers about classical music: its forms, its power, its meaning - and what it can teach us about ourselves. In this searching and funny memoir, based on his popular New Yorker article, renowned pianist Jeremy Denk traces an implausible journey. Life is difficult enough as a precocious, temperamental, and insufferable six-year-old piano prodigy in New Jersey. But then a family meltdown forces a move to New Mexico, far from classical music’s nerve centers, and he has to please a new taskmaster while navigating cacti, and the perils of junior high school. Escaping from New Mexico at last, he meets a bewildering cast of college music teachers, ranging from boring to profound, and experiences a series of humiliations and triumphs, to find his way as one of the world’s greatest living pianists, a MacArthur 'Genius,' and a frequent performer at Carnegie Hall. There are few writers working today who are willing to eloquently explore both the joys and miseries of artistic practice. Hours of daily repetition, mystifying early advice, pressure from parents and teachers who drove him on – an ongoing battle of talent against two enemies: boredom and insecurity. As we meet various teachers, with cruel and kind streaks, Denk composes a fraught love letter to the act of teaching. He brings you behind the scenes, to look at what motivates both student and teacher, locked in a complicated and psychologically perilous relationship. In Every Good Boy Does Fine, Denk explores how classical music is relevant to 'real life,' despite its distance in time. He dives into pieces and composers that have shaped him – Bach, Mozart, Schubert, and Brahms, among others – and gives unusual lessons on melody, harmony, and rhythm. Why and how do these fundamental elements have such a visceral effect on us? He tries to sum up many of the lessons he has received, to repay the debt of all his amazing teachers; to remind us that music is our creation, and that we need to keep asking questions about its purpose.
THE PIANO PLAYER OF BUDAPEST
Author: ROXANNE DE BASTION
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781472147868
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :
Book Description
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781472147868
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :
Book Description
The Wrong Boy
Author: Suzy Zail
Publisher: Walker Books Australia
ISBN: 1922077984
Category : Young Adult Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 176
Book Description
“Being kissed by Karl Jager was devastating. And beautiful. War makes you do dangerous things.” Hanna Mendel liked to know what was going to happen next. She was going to be a famous concert pianist. She was going to wear her yellow dress to the dance on Saturday night. But she didn’t plan on her street being turned into a ghetto. She didn’t plan on being rounded up and thrown in a cattle truck. She didn’t plan on spending her sixteenth birthday in Auschwitz, in a wooden barrack with 200 other prisoners. Most of all, Hanna didn’t plan on falling in love with the wrong boy. What happens when a Jewish girl falls in love with the German son of the camp commander? Award-winning Australian author Suzy Zail’s young adult fiction book, The Wrong Boy, paints a story of identity, romance, hate and loyalty alongside the historical backdrop of the Holocaust. This gripping novel about a teenage girl coming to terms with first love amid the confronting realities of a war-torn world will leave readers wanting more. Short-listed in the Older Reader’s category of the 2013 Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Awards “A compelling picture of life in a prison camp from the point of view of a determined but naïve teenage girl. Recommended.” – Aussie Reviews “Four stars … From its opening page, the reader will feel empathy and heartache for those who suffered during this violent era.” – Read Plus “A roller-coaster ride … This is a must read for any teenager or adult interested in the past, the tragedy of war or what happens when humans believe they are superior.” – Kids Book Review “Compelling reading … Zail uses a deft hand.” – Buzz Words magazine “An addictive read, well-written and, in spite of the horrow, warm-hearted.” – Around the Bookshops
Publisher: Walker Books Australia
ISBN: 1922077984
Category : Young Adult Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 176
Book Description
“Being kissed by Karl Jager was devastating. And beautiful. War makes you do dangerous things.” Hanna Mendel liked to know what was going to happen next. She was going to be a famous concert pianist. She was going to wear her yellow dress to the dance on Saturday night. But she didn’t plan on her street being turned into a ghetto. She didn’t plan on being rounded up and thrown in a cattle truck. She didn’t plan on spending her sixteenth birthday in Auschwitz, in a wooden barrack with 200 other prisoners. Most of all, Hanna didn’t plan on falling in love with the wrong boy. What happens when a Jewish girl falls in love with the German son of the camp commander? Award-winning Australian author Suzy Zail’s young adult fiction book, The Wrong Boy, paints a story of identity, romance, hate and loyalty alongside the historical backdrop of the Holocaust. This gripping novel about a teenage girl coming to terms with first love amid the confronting realities of a war-torn world will leave readers wanting more. Short-listed in the Older Reader’s category of the 2013 Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Awards “A compelling picture of life in a prison camp from the point of view of a determined but naïve teenage girl. Recommended.” – Aussie Reviews “Four stars … From its opening page, the reader will feel empathy and heartache for those who suffered during this violent era.” – Read Plus “A roller-coaster ride … This is a must read for any teenager or adult interested in the past, the tragedy of war or what happens when humans believe they are superior.” – Kids Book Review “Compelling reading … Zail uses a deft hand.” – Buzz Words magazine “An addictive read, well-written and, in spite of the horrow, warm-hearted.” – Around the Bookshops
The Piano
Author: Robert Palmieri
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1135949638
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 964
Book Description
The Encyclopedia of the Piano 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. The piano-lover might also be surprised to find an entry for Thomas Jefferson, and will no doubt read intently the passages about the changing history of the piano's place in the home. Uniformly well-written and authoritative, this guide will channel anyone's love for the instrument, through social, intellectual, art history and beyond into the electronic age.
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1135949638
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 964
Book Description
The Encyclopedia of the Piano 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. The piano-lover might also be surprised to find an entry for Thomas Jefferson, and will no doubt read intently the passages about the changing history of the piano's place in the home. Uniformly well-written and authoritative, this guide will channel anyone's love for the instrument, through social, intellectual, art history and beyond into the electronic age.
A Dictionary for the Modern Pianist
Author: Stephen Siek
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 0810888807
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 303
Book Description
A Dictionary for the Modern Pianist combines nearly four hundred entries covering classical and popular pianists, noted teachers, terminology germane to the piano’s construction, and major manufacturers—both familiar firms and outstanding, independent builders who have risen to the forefront in recent years. Speaking to the needs of the modern performer, it also includes entries on jazz and pop artists, digital pianos, and period instruments. As a resource for professionals and students, A Dictionary for the Modern Pianist is also accessible to more general readers, as all of its topics are presented in clear, readable expositions. Drawing on the most recent research of numerous specialists, author Stephen Siek emphasizes the piano's uniquely rich heritage, giving pianists a renewed appreciation for the famous artists and teachers who have shaped their art. Transcending simple alphabetical definitions, the dictionary’s careful attention both to legacy and detail make it an invaluable addition to any pianist’s library. Titles in the Dictionaries for the Modern Musician series offer novice and advanced musicians key information on the field of study and performance of a major instrument or instrument class. Unlike other encyclopedic works, contributions to this series focus primarily on the knowledge required by the contemporary musical student or performer. From quick definitions of confusing terms to in-depth overviews of history and tradition, the dictionaries are ideal references for students, professionals, and music lovers of all kinds.
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 0810888807
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 303
Book Description
A Dictionary for the Modern Pianist combines nearly four hundred entries covering classical and popular pianists, noted teachers, terminology germane to the piano’s construction, and major manufacturers—both familiar firms and outstanding, independent builders who have risen to the forefront in recent years. Speaking to the needs of the modern performer, it also includes entries on jazz and pop artists, digital pianos, and period instruments. As a resource for professionals and students, A Dictionary for the Modern Pianist is also accessible to more general readers, as all of its topics are presented in clear, readable expositions. Drawing on the most recent research of numerous specialists, author Stephen Siek emphasizes the piano's uniquely rich heritage, giving pianists a renewed appreciation for the famous artists and teachers who have shaped their art. Transcending simple alphabetical definitions, the dictionary’s careful attention both to legacy and detail make it an invaluable addition to any pianist’s library. Titles in the Dictionaries for the Modern Musician series offer novice and advanced musicians key information on the field of study and performance of a major instrument or instrument class. Unlike other encyclopedic works, contributions to this series focus primarily on the knowledge required by the contemporary musical student or performer. From quick definitions of confusing terms to in-depth overviews of history and tradition, the dictionaries are ideal references for students, professionals, and music lovers of all kinds.
The Cello Player
Author: Michael Krüger
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
ISBN:
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 214
Book Description
The narrator of this wonderfully perceptive, highly entertaining tale of love and loss is a middle-aged German composer who writes serious avant-garde music. When Judit, an ambitious young cello player from Budapest, shows up on his doorstep, he agrees to take her in while she studies at the conservatory in Munich.
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
ISBN:
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 214
Book Description
The narrator of this wonderfully perceptive, highly entertaining tale of love and loss is a middle-aged German composer who writes serious avant-garde music. When Judit, an ambitious young cello player from Budapest, shows up on his doorstep, he agrees to take her in while she studies at the conservatory in Munich.
A Natural History of the Piano
Author: Stuart Isacoff
Publisher: Vintage
ISBN: 0307701425
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 385
Book Description
A beautifully illustrated, totally engrossing celebration of the piano, and the composers and performers who have made it their own. With honed sensitivity and unquestioned expertise, Stuart Isacoff—pianist, critic, teacher, and author of Temperament: How Music Became a Battleground for the Great Minds of Western Civilization—unfolds the ongoing history and evolution of the piano and all its myriad wonders: how its very sound provides the basis for emotional expression and individual style, and why it has so powerfully entertained generation upon generation of listeners. He illuminates the groundbreaking music of Mozart, Beethoven, Liszt, Schumann, and Debussy. He analyzes the breathtaking techniques of Glenn Gould, Oscar Peterson, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Arthur Rubinstein, and Van Cliburn, and he gives musicians including Alfred Brendel, Murray Perahia, Menahem Pressler, and Vladimir Horowitz the opportunity to discuss their approaches. Isacoff delineates how classical music and jazz influenced each other as the uniquely American art form progressed from ragtime, novelty, stride, boogie, bebop, and beyond, through Scott Joplin, Fats Waller, Duke Ellington, Bill Evans, Thelonious Monk, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Cecil Taylor, and Bill Charlap. A Natural History of the Piano distills a lifetime of research and passion into one brilliant narrative. We witness Mozart unveiling his monumental concertos in Vienna’s coffeehouses, using a special piano with one keyboard for the hands and another for the feet; European virtuoso Henri Herz entertaining rowdy miners during the California gold rush; Beethoven at his piano, conjuring healing angels to console a grieving mother who had lost her child; Liszt fainting in the arms of a page turner to spark an entire hall into hysterics. Here is the instrument in all its complexity and beauty. We learn of the incredible craftsmanship of a modern Steinway, the peculiarity of specialty pianos built for the Victorian household, the continuing innovation in keyboards including electronic ones. And most of all, we hear the music of the masters, from centuries ago and in our own age, brilliantly evoked and as marvelous as its most recent performance. With this wide-ranging volume, Isacoff gives us a must-have for music lovers, pianists, and the armchair musician.
Publisher: Vintage
ISBN: 0307701425
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 385
Book Description
A beautifully illustrated, totally engrossing celebration of the piano, and the composers and performers who have made it their own. With honed sensitivity and unquestioned expertise, Stuart Isacoff—pianist, critic, teacher, and author of Temperament: How Music Became a Battleground for the Great Minds of Western Civilization—unfolds the ongoing history and evolution of the piano and all its myriad wonders: how its very sound provides the basis for emotional expression and individual style, and why it has so powerfully entertained generation upon generation of listeners. He illuminates the groundbreaking music of Mozart, Beethoven, Liszt, Schumann, and Debussy. He analyzes the breathtaking techniques of Glenn Gould, Oscar Peterson, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Arthur Rubinstein, and Van Cliburn, and he gives musicians including Alfred Brendel, Murray Perahia, Menahem Pressler, and Vladimir Horowitz the opportunity to discuss their approaches. Isacoff delineates how classical music and jazz influenced each other as the uniquely American art form progressed from ragtime, novelty, stride, boogie, bebop, and beyond, through Scott Joplin, Fats Waller, Duke Ellington, Bill Evans, Thelonious Monk, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Cecil Taylor, and Bill Charlap. A Natural History of the Piano distills a lifetime of research and passion into one brilliant narrative. We witness Mozart unveiling his monumental concertos in Vienna’s coffeehouses, using a special piano with one keyboard for the hands and another for the feet; European virtuoso Henri Herz entertaining rowdy miners during the California gold rush; Beethoven at his piano, conjuring healing angels to console a grieving mother who had lost her child; Liszt fainting in the arms of a page turner to spark an entire hall into hysterics. Here is the instrument in all its complexity and beauty. We learn of the incredible craftsmanship of a modern Steinway, the peculiarity of specialty pianos built for the Victorian household, the continuing innovation in keyboards including electronic ones. And most of all, we hear the music of the masters, from centuries ago and in our own age, brilliantly evoked and as marvelous as its most recent performance. With this wide-ranging volume, Isacoff gives us a must-have for music lovers, pianists, and the armchair musician.