- Paperback: 260 pages
- Publisher: Fsg Adult (Jun 1 1997)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0374525005
- ISBN-13: 978-0374525002
- Product Dimensions: 20.7 x 12.8 x 1.6 cm
- Shipping Weight: 249 g
- Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #900,197 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
Sherman is a noted concert pianist and music teacher who confesses, at the outset of this collection of observations on pianism, music in general and society at large, that he is lazy. Yet, he feels driven to offer "the diary of an old and unregenerate crust." The result is not so much an organized book as a collection of reflections and aphorisms arranged roughly into sections dealing with the essence of piano technique, the teaching of it, the world in which pianism is taught today and thoughts on works of the masters. Sherman is a man of considerable erudition and much wit, whose description of the pianist's finger functions is brilliant, both poetic and allusive. If in assessing the desired pianistic qualities he sometimes becomes too technical for most lay readers, this is redeemed by salty salvos at such betes noirs as piano competitions and electronic popular culture. He fears a whole generation is being lost to the pleasures of serious music, and only the current interest in environmentalism gives him the faintest hope for the future of the species. Reading a book in endless brief bites can be wearing, however, and it seems a pity that Sherman couldn't bring himself to put his very worthwhile thoughts into a more coherent, cohesive framework.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From Library Journal
Sherman is a concert pianist who teaches at the New England Conservatory. Here he offers a rambling collection of aphorisms or mini-essays that gives the impression of snatches one might hear while listening in on him giving piano lessons. Metaphor and simile abound: the hand is like a Spanish dancer, the hand is like a Ferris wheel; the score is a map, the score is the boss; playing the piano is like golfing, playing the piano is like hunting. There are also thoughts on the interpretation and the philosophy of music, as well as the nature of art, the problem of youth today, and so on. This book will appeal to those who enjoyed Sherman's appearance in The Not Quite Innocent Bystander (LJ 3/15/90), a book on his piano teacher, Edward Steuermann.?Michael Colby, Univ. of California, Davis
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
First Sentence
To play the piano is to consort with nature. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
To play the piano is to consort with nature. Read the first page
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items. |
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most helpful customer reviews
2.0 out of 5 stars
Great Musicians Aren't Necessarily Great Writers,
By
This review is from: Piano Pieces (Paperback)
I too have slogged through this book, searching for insights into playing piano and understanding musical form. Sherman's thoughts regarding the hand and the role of each finger are actually quite useful.Music is certainly not a perfectly linear art form, and everything mentioned does tend to eventually relate to everything else mentioned. Still, Sherman could have spent a bit of time organizing his free-associative style into smaller and more specific subjects. Perhaps the best way to think of this book is as a transcription of Russell Sherman's musings over after-dinner drinks, in a rather indulgent, expansive and reflective mood. A succinct text it's not.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Stay with this book,
By A Customer
This review is from: Piano Pieces (Paperback)
While many (especially non-musicians, non-artists, non-students, non-teachers or non-thinkers) may give up on this book, there are many, many things to recommend it. Since the book is written in short, paragraph-long sections, one can jump all around, which is really how to read it. If you do you may glean numerous insights. Though prone to being pretty pretentious, Sherman has thought deeply about his work as a musician, pianist and teacher. He understands how mere technique does not make an artist, how simply hours of practice does not make a great pianist, and how music competitions are death to performers: in other words, things that need to be said! Sherman is able to convey these insights, and a patient, intelligent reader should be able to get beyond his admittedly weak style as a writer and make many discoveries.
5.0 out of 5 stars
An inspiring read for eclectic minds,
By "hoopsandjazz" (Northeastern United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Piano Pieces (Paperback)
I'm surprised by the reviews that denounce this book. Sherman's tone is at once informal and high-minded, which might limit the appeal of Piano Pieces to a particularly North American sensibility. Still, when I read it in the spring of 1996, I knew Piano Pieces would remain one of the most intellectually and creatively inspiring books that I would read on any subject. Sherman treats a range of issues related to performing the European piano literature by comparing it to, or locating it within, literary criticism, baseball, mythology, poetry, drama, aesthetic theory, art history, everyday life, personal experience, (American)consumer culture, and social history. In addition, Sherman's recollections of his own teacher, Eduard Steuermann, are touching and instructive. It is clear, too, that Sherman has learned as much from his students as he has imparted to them. Sherman has a searching, inquisitive mind that brings together disparate subjects and phenomena coherently and beautifully. That said, Piano Pieces may not appeal to non-pianists and may turn off those pianists who, understandably, prefer not to think about how they make music. Still, this book is a fascinating record of a musical soul. One more thing: prior to reading this book, I was only vaguely aware of Sherman as an instructor in the Boston area. After reading Piano Pieces, I sought Sherman's recordings and prepared myself for a series of disappointments. Happily, I found that he is a gifted performer. Although you may have to search for them, I especially recommend his recordings of Beethoven's piano sonatas and Haydn's piano sonatas. He is a thoughtful and surprising music maker.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Want to see more reviews on this item?
|
Most recent customer reviews |
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
- Books > Entertainment > Music > History & Criticism
- Books > Entertainment > Music > Instruments & Performers > Piano
- Books > Entertainment > Music > Musical Genres > Classical > Scores > Instrumentation > Piano
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
