Bibliograph

The piano, a history in 100 pieces, Susan Tomes

Type

Label

The piano, a history in 100 pieces, Susan Tomes

Language

eng

Bibliography note

Includes bibliographical references (pages 350-352) and index

Index

index present

Literary Form

non fiction

Main title

The piano

Nature of contents

bibliography

Responsibility statement

Susan Tomes

Sub title

a history in 100 pieces

Summary

An astonishingly versatile instrument, the piano allows just two hands to play music of great complexity and subtlety. For more than two hundred years, it has brought solo and collaborative music into homes and concert halls and has inspired composers in every musical genre-from classical to jazz and light music. Charting the development of the piano from the late eighteenth century to the present day, pianist and writer Susan Tomes takes the reader with her on a personal journey through 100 pieces including solo works, chamber music, concertos, and jazz. Her choices include composers such as Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Robert Schumann, Tchaikovsky, Debussy, Gershwin, and Philip Glass. Looking at this history from a modern performer's perspective, she acknowledges neglected women composers and players including Fanny Mendelssohn, Maria Szymanowska, Clara Schumann, and Amy Beach

Table Of Contents

Pre-history: from harpsichord to piano -- From Haydn to Schubert: music for the developing 'fortepiano' -- From the Mendelssohns to Dvořák: the growing power of the nineteenth-century piano -- From Grieg to Ravel: into the twentieth century -- From Ives to Gubaidulina: 'stand up and take your dissonance like a man!' -- The jazz influence -- Today's piano styles: minimalism and historical awareness

Target audience

adult

Classification