From the acclaimed author of Four Hundred and Forty Steps to the Sea and Under a Sardinian Sky comes a lyrical new novel set against a stunning Italian backdrop. Famed for its natural beauty and rich history, Sardinia in 1968 is notorious, too, for the bandits who kidnap wealthy landowners for ransom. Eleven-year-old Alba Fresu’s brother, and her father, Bruno, are abducted by criminals who mistake Bruno for a rich man. After a grueling journey through the countryside, the two are eventually released—but the experience leaves Alba shaken and unable to readjust to normal life, or to give voice to her inner turmoil. Accompanying her mother to cleaning jobs, Alba visits the villa of an eccentric signora and touches the keys of a piano for the first time. The instrument’s spell is immediate. During secret lessons, forbidden by her mother, Alba is at last able to express emotions too powerful for words alone. Ignoring her parents’ insistence that she work in the family’s car dealership and marry a local boy, Alba accepts a scholarship to the Rome Accademia. There she immerses herself in a vibrant world of art—and a passionate affair. But her path will lead her to a crossroads, where Alba will have to reconcile the past she fled with her longing for love and family to fully convey the music of her heart . . . Praise for Sara Alexander’s Under a Sardinian Sky “Alexander paints a loving and breathtaking picture of the Mediterranean island, especially glorious descriptions of food. For readers who enjoy women’s fiction set against a background of momentous events and clashing cultures.” —Library Journal “Will leave readers riveted until the explosive conclusion.” —Publishers Weekly

The perfect summer read for fans of Santa Montefiore, Victoria Hislop and Dinah Jeffries

"Sometimes I feel as if he's sitting next to me." Buchbinder on Beethoven No work has left a more lasting impression on star pianist Rudolf Buchbinder than Beethoven's Diabelli Variations. The Last Waltz explores the world of Beethoven, the publisher Anton Diabelli, and the musical Vienna of the early 19th century in 33 literary variations and offers a fascinating look at Buchbinder's personal approach to music: why did Buchbinder play the Diabelli variations at such a young age? How did he help to save Beethoven's manuscript of the piece? What does he think about while playing Beethoven? How much boogie-woogie is in Beethoven? Why should a musician trust him blindly when playing his music? And what inspired Buchbinder to send Diabelli's waltz to leading contemporary composers, reintroducing the Diabelli variations to the 21st century? The Last Waltz brings marvelous stories of music and people to life.

The first thorough English-language exploration of the concerto as a musical form, this is an oft-quoted, authoritative survey. Examining the social, economic, and personal factors that influenced the concerto's growth, the work also summarizes the contributions of theorists, composers, and musicians and defines the genre's terms and the changing nature.

Fiction. This brilliant first novel is a portrait of an artist at the end of an art form. The elderly Jewish-Hungarian composer Schneidermann, who survived a musical education, survived the war, survived Europe, survived the neglect of all his music, finally and suddenly vanishes during a movie matinee on the Upper West Side of New York. The novel begins with Schneidermann's friend--his last friend, his only friend--the violin virtuoso Laster, onstage at Carnegie Hall. He has finished playing the first movement of Schneidermann's last composition, his Violin Concerto. At this point he is supposed tobegin his cadenza...his solo. Instead, he drops his instrument and lifts his voice, delivering the text of this novel unto the audience, held captive through night into morning only by the spiel.

Synthesizes existing research into a chronologically based narrative. This volume on Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 - 1791) takes the work and the life in parallel; for the vents of Mozart's life cannot be separated from his existence as a musical creator and performer.

Modern low brass instruments—trombone, tuba, and euphonium—have legions of ancestors, cousins, and descendants in over five-hundred years of history. Prominent scholar and performer Douglas Yeo provides a unique, accessible reference guide that addresses a broad range of relevant topics and brings these instruments to life with clear explanations and the most up-to-date research. Brief biographies of many path-changing individuals highlight their influence on instrument development and use. The book’s inclusive scope also recognizes the work of diverse, influential artists whose important contributions to trombone and tuba history and development have not previously been acknowledged in other literature. Extensive illustrations by Lennie Peterson provide insight into many of the entries.