This collection covers a wide range of topics, from a moving study of Bizet’s Carmen to an entertainingly caustic exploration of the hierarchies of the auditorium. Especially significant is Adorno’s “dialectical portrait” of Stravinsky, in which Adorno both reconsiders and refines his damning indictment of the composer in Philosophy on Modern Music. Throughout, Adorno is sustained by the conviction that music is supremely human because it is capable of communicating inhumanity while resisting it. His belief in the benevolent and transformative power of music reverberates throughout these writings.

This collection covers a wide range of topics, from a moving study of Bizet's Carmen to an entertainingly caustic exploration of the hierarchies of the auditorium. Especially significant is Adorno's "dialectical portrait" of Stravinsky, in which Adorno both reconsiders and refines his damning indictment of the composer in Philosophy on Modern Music. Throughout, Adorno is sustained by the conviction that music is supremely human because it is capable of communicating inhumanity while resisting it. His belief in the benevolent and transformative power of music reverberates throughout these writings.

Even in Beethoven's day the 'Moonlight' Sonata was a popular favourite. This 1999 book provides an accessible introduction to the Sonatas Opp. 27 and 31 (including The 'Moonlight' and 'The Tempest'), aimed at pianists, students, and music lovers. It begins with the works' historical background - the emergence of a 'piano culture' at the end of the eighteenth century, Beethoven's aristocratic milieu in Vienna, and his oft-quoted intention to follow a new compositional path. An account of the sonatas' genesis is followed by a discussion of their reception history, including a survey of changing performing styles since the mid-nineteenth century. The concept of the Sonata quasi una Fantasia is examined in relation to the cult of artistic sensibility in early-nineteenth-century Vienna. The study concludes with a critical introduction to each sonata.

(Faber Piano Adventures ). In this inspiring collection, late-elementary to early-intermediate pianists will find appealing arrangements that advance skills while exploring masterworks of Western music. The famous orchestral, keyboard, and operatic repertoire here spans four periods of music history. In the Baroque & Classical section, discover the elegance of Bach, the beauty of Mozart and the passion of Beethoven. Through the pages of the Romantic & Impressionistic section, sample the lyricism of Chopin, the drama of Grieg, and the atmosphere of Debussy. May the melodies of these and many other composers open an enduring world of expression and sound.

Robert Schultz provides a collection of 13 world-famous pieces for piano. These upper-intermediate original pieces and transcriptions will delight every advancing pianist. Included are such favorites as Canon in D * Nessum Dorma * O Mio Babbino Caro * Moonlight Sonata * Clair de Lune * Fr Elise and seven others.

The definitive study of Beethoven’s piano sonatas is “remarkable as an insider’s account of the works in an individual perspective.” (European Music Teacher) In “one of the most interesting, useful and even exciting books on the process of musical creation” (American Music Teacher), Kenneth O. Drake groups the Beethoven piano sonatas according to their musical qualities, rather than their chronology. He explores the interpretive implications of rhythm, dynamics, slurs, harmonic effects, and melodic development and identifies specific measures where Beethoven skillfully employs these compositional devices. An interpreter searching for meaning, Drake begins with Beethoven’s expressive treatment of the keyboard—the variations of touch, articulation, line, color, use of silence, and the pacing of musical ideas. He then analyzes individual sonatas, exploring motivic development, philosophic overtones, and technical demands. Hundreds of musical examples illustrate this exploration of emotional and interpretive implications of “the 32.” Here musicians are encouraged to exercise intuition and independence of thought, complementing their performance skills with logical conclusions about ideas and relationships within the score.

" . . . one of the most interesting, useful and even exciting books on the process of musical creation." —American Music Teacher " . . . noteworthy contribution . . . with plenty of insight into interpretation . . . remarkable as an insider's account of the works in an individual perspective." —European Music Teacher Drake groups the Beethoven piano sonatas according to their musical qualities, rather than their chronology. He explores the interpretive implications of rhythm, dynamics, slurs, harmonic effects, and melodic development and identifies specific measures where Beethoven skillfully employs these compositional devices.