An insight into the views on technique and interpretation of several of the twentieth century's greatest Russian teachers and performers.

This exciting new teaching method, by the renowned piano pedagogue Hans-Günter Heumann is ideal for adults and young people looking to learn the piano from scratch, or for those returning to the piano after a break from playing. Using classical music as a basis for learning, this method introduces interesting, varied and well-known pieces right from the outset. The two method books have been carefully designed to progress in small manageable steps, beginning with simple fingering patterns and exercises, onto some of the most beautiful melodies and pieces from the baroque, classical and romantic eras, such as the Ode to Joy, Für Elise and the Blue Danube Waltz. Leading the student through a range of exercises, repertoire pieces, theory checks, tips on practicing, playing and technique, and composer biographies, the process of learning is made interesting, informed and fun. The four supplementary volumes present further material to help learning at each stage of the students' development, as well as offering up a wider range of beautiful pieces, for the solo pianist, or piano duet.

(Piano Instruction). Fundamentals of Piano Technique was developed by Leon Conus (1871-1944) and Olga Conus (1890-1976) during many decades of teaching and performing, and through association with the most prominent Russian musicians of the time including Rachmaninoff, Scriabin, and Medtner. The exercises in this method are concise and efficient, focusing on the elements of good playing: control, touch, nuance, and musicianship. This book can be used by students at all levels of development, and with all shapes and sizes of hands. The preparatory exercises allow students to begin using the book within their first year of lessons. A systematic approach allows the hands to develop gradually, avoiding dangerous tension or muscle damage. Topics include: preparatory exercises; extension exercises; five-finger exercises; flexibility of the thumb; trill exercises; scales & arpeggios; wrist development; double notes; and more.

This “melodious” mix of music, history, and travelogue “reveals a story inextricably linked to the drama of Russia itself . . . These pages sing like a symphony.” —The Wall Street Journal Siberia’s story is traditionally one of exiles, penal colonies, and unmarked graves. Yet there is another tale to tell. Dotted throughout this remote land are pianos—grand instruments created during the boom years of the nineteenth century, as well as humble Soviet-made uprights that found their way into equally modest homes. They tell the story of how, ever since entering Russian culture under the westernizing influence of Catherine the Great, piano music has run through the country like blood. How these pianos traveled into this snowbound wilderness in the first place is testament to noble acts of fortitude by governors, adventurers, and exiles. Siberian pianos have accomplished extraordinary feats, from the instrument that Maria Volkonsky, wife of an exiled Decembrist revolutionary, used to spread music east of the Urals, to those that brought reprieve to the Soviet Gulag. That these instruments might still exist in such a hostile landscape is remarkable. That they are still capable of making music in far-flung villages is nothing less than a miracle. The Lost Pianos of Siberia follows Roberts on a three-year adventure as she tracks a number of instruments to find one whose history is definitively Siberian. Her journey reveals a desolate land inhabited by wild tigers and deeply shaped by its dark history, yet one that is also profoundly beautiful—and peppered with pianos. “An elegant and nuanced journey through literature, through history, through music, murder and incarceration and revolution, through snow and ice and remoteness, to discover the human face of Siberia. I loved this book.” —Paul Theroux

Willis

(Amadeus). This holistic approach to the keyboard, based on a sound understanding of the relationship between physical function and musical purpose, is an invaluable resource for pianists and teachers. Professor Fink explains his ideas and demonstrates his innovative developmental exercises that set the pianist free to express the most profound musical ideas. HARDCOVER.

In this remarkable memoir, Anna Goldsworthy recalls her first steps towards a life in music, from childhood piano lessons with a local jazz muso to international success as a concert pianist. As she discovers passion and ambition, and confronts doubt and disappointment, she learns about much more than tone and technique. This is a story of the getting of wisdom, tender and bittersweet. With wit and affection, Goldsworthy captures the hopes and uncertainties of youth, the fear and exhilaration of performing, and the complex bonds between teacher and student. An unforgettable cast of characters joins her: her family; her friends and rivals; and her teacher, Mrs Sivan, who inspires and challenges her in equal measure, and who transforms what seems an impossible dream into something real and sustaining.