Customer Reviews

The Art of the Piano: Its Performers, Literature, and Recordings (A Harvest Book)

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I find it interesting that none of the reviews already posted seem to be aware of the atrocious level of misspellings, typos, factual errors, omissions, and generally dismal production values of this book. Here are some examples: for misspellings, we have "Jorge Rolet" (for Bolet), "Emil Saver" (for Sauer), "Casadesis" (for Casadesus), "Cyziffra" (for Cziffra), "Rachmanimoff," Carlo Maria "Giuliani" (for Giulini), Sergio "Fiorento" (for Fiorentino), "Firku_n_y" (for Firkusny), "rhaphsodies," "allimand", Liszt's "Funeralilles", "Leschetizsky" (for Leschetizky), "Fienberg" (for Feinberg), "Relich" (for Pogorelich) and so on and on. CD labels fare no better: "Marsten" (for Marston), "Arbitor" (for Arbiter, not to forget "OUCH Arbitor" on page 591), "Stradivarious", et cetera.

Factual errors on the part of Dubal: Sauer did not record Chopin's B Minor Sonata. Egon Petri did not record Busoni's Toccata. Glenn Gould's last recital was not in Chicago in March 1964, but in Los Angeles the following month. Gould recorded 22, not 18, Beethoven Sonatas. Wanda Landowska was born in 1879, not 1877. Kathleen Dale, not Kathleen Long, is author of "Nineteenth-Century Piano Music." Shostakovich did not dedicate his Preludes and Fugues to Nikolayeva, nor did he record all 24 of them. Adam Harasiewicz did not record the complete works of Chopin. Persichetti wrote 12, not 11, piano sonatas. Liebermann's "Gargoyles" consist of four, not three, pieces. Rachmaninoff recorded seven, not "49," takes of his Midsummer Night's Dream Scherzo transcription. There is no Richter recording of Prokofiev's Sonata No.3 (he never played the piece). Rubinstein did not record Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No.3. Louis Kentner did not play all the Beethoven sonatas at his U.S. debut; he played them here four years later. Shall I go on?

The book omits, without explanation, all piano four-hand and two-piano music as well as chamber music involving the piano. Those seeking information on this repertoire will be out of luck. Dubal lists timings for the Beethoven sonatas, but does not say whose timings, or explain why these are the only works thus treated. He may provide descriptions of Bach's 48 Preludes and Fugues, but he provides no specific listings for the French Suites, English Suites, or Partitas, nor for any of the dozens of Haydn Sonatas. He ignores the piano works of Clara Schumann and Fanny Mendelssohn. Only one of Mozart's 17 variation sets is listed. He omits Couperin and Rameau, believing incorrectly that their keyboard works are "seldom played or recorded" by pianists.

Dubal's listings of recordings, quite apart from questionable inclusions and omissions, also swarm with inaccuracies such as incorrect record labels and ambiguous CD or LP availability.

Omissions in the section devoted to pianists are numerous. If you are looking for information concerning Joseph Villa, Werner Haas, Seta Tanyel, Gilbert Kalish, Piers Lane, Geoffrey Tozer, Germaine Thyssens-Valentin, Konstantin Scherbakov or Steven Osborne--all of whom are represented on many current CDs--you'll find nothing here.

Dubal's own amateurish sketches of some 53 pianists and composers, in place of actual photographs, are hideous in the extreme and should not have even been considered for inclusion.

Apparently neither the author nor anyone else connected to the book's production had either the expertise or the concern to insure a minimal standard of fact-checking or typographical accuracy. The sheer quantity of blunders eliminates any credibility the book might have for reference purposes. All concerned should be ashamed.

Donald Manildi

Correction - 4.5 star rating.
David Dubal is a Juilliard faculty member, accomplished pianist and a distinguished music author whose books draw the reader deep into the world of classical music. Like his more general 2001 book, "Essential Canon," this book gives you a more colorful, personal view of the composers and performers of classical music. This is the Fourth Edition which has substantial additions (especially in the piano literature) that make it a worthwile upgrade from earlier editions. Let's say up-front that one thing this book is NOT is boring, overly-academic or bogged down in heavy musicology prose. On the contrary, David Dubal's writing is highly engaging ... his stories colorful and human ... his perspectives deeply personal but well-earned. All of this make this book read more like a page-turning novel than a dry, adademic treatise. Here's a snipit from his essay on pianist Wilhelm Kempff to illustrate his expressive writing style:

"Wilhelm Kempff's recordings are the marvelous product of a civilized, gentlemanly mind. He had a clear sense of oganization, and I always feel warmed by his artistic generosity, keen intelligence, musical dignity and gentleness. His Schubert playing is lovely and full of whimsy. He imparts that unique Schubertian amiability which makes for joy. His reading of the final Sonata in B-Flat is angelic. Only in the "Wanderer Fantasy" does Kempff's playing lumber. Kempff is often radiant in Brahms; his E-flat minor Scherzo and F-minor Sonata are all heart, and the smaller pieces can be jewels in his hands. In Schumann, Kempff is even more successful. It is a compassionate, sympathetic Schumann. The darker recesses of the composer's soul are closed to scrutiny; instead, Kempff's Schumann if filled with the fragrance and the apple-cheeked youth of early German Romanticism, all optimism and fancy. He is best in the Davidbundlertanze, Kinderscenen, and a flickering Papillons, but less successful in the Symphonic Etudes and Kreisleriana."

Very personal reflections indeed. But, the first thing one notices in this book is just how many pianists he lists - not just the well-known ones but a couple hundred perhaps. Dubal rightfully pays due honor to the legends and greats by giving pages of biography chocked full of fascinating stories, defining events, style analysis and critique - all which make for fun and fasinating reading. Significant coverage is given to legends such as Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, Rubinstein, Arrau, Gould and especially Horowitz. Thankfully, he gives some interesting commentary on some of today's new and formidable talents like Marc-Andres Hamelin, Evgeny Kissen and Lang Lang - although not hiding his outright distaste for the latter showman. However, other pianists popular with the public (Uchida, Kovacevich, Janos) often get only one tiny paragraph which can leave fans hungering for more. Similarly, it may be frustrating to some readers not to even see their favorites listed (such as Angela Hewitt whose ever-growing discography is quite distinguished). Equally odd too is that many relatively "obscure" pianists get an unusual amount of coverage - but perhaps some these truly deserve to be better known.

What most makes this book so compelling is the way Mr. Dubal weaves in his musical insights, concert experiences and personal conversations with these great pianists which gives the book a more "being there" feeling. For example, he shares some interesting things he took away from private phone calls with Glenn Gould or recalls how pianists in NYC flocked to Carnegie Hall with great anticipation when Martha Argerich flew into town. His impressions of the stage mannerisms of performers like Richter or Serkin are vivid tidbits of intrigue. Certainly, Dubal has "hob-nobbed" around the music scene for a while and has many fascinating stories to share. And while Dubal is definately not shy to critique someone's style or performance, he also rightfully loads heaps of praise as well - all of this helps transform such a book from more of a sterile, academic quality to a spicier, engaging read. Sometimes though, he could be less definitive in his criticism and leave pure opinions in the realm of personal preferance. In all his accounts, Mr. Dubal's sincere love and passion for the art is unmistakable. Even the many portraits in the book of the great pianists that Dubal sketched himself seems to reveal his deep respect and honor for these legends.

The second part of this book will delight pianists and fans alike where Mr. Dubal reviews the major piano literature with decent commentary. For example, he lists and comments on ALL of Beethoven's 32 sonatas, Bach's 48, the majority of Chopin's piano compositions and so on. He also lists (but does not compare or describe) a range of the recordings to consider for each. Last, one enticing bonus in the latest (4th) edition for serious pianophiles and collectors is the inclusion of a CD of RARE RECORDINGS - some 31 works mostly recorded pre-WWII. But, the sound of nearly all is pretty scratchy.

In short, this is a most engaging book that should serve as a valuable resource for the serious classical fan or pianist. It is one of my favorite books on classical music that is referred to a lot. In the end, it was Dubal's story-telling and "behind-the-scenes" accounts that won my attention and admiration. Such writing creates more three-dimensional, compellingly-human depictions of the past and present pianists who have blessed our world with the finest art that can be achieved. 4.5 stars (not 3).

There is much to learn in this useful book for piano fans and students. I was a bit disappointed though that prominent pianists were given little coverage or not updated at all - Thibaudet, Andsnes, Hough, Lortie, Perahia - and pianists who are largely unknown to the public were updated, and highly praised. This was puzzling to me. I understand wanting to celebrate the careers of lesser known pianists, but why not also cover the careers of those who are performing at Carnegie Hall before the public? I get the feeling that many of these biographical entries are not for the benefit of the reader, but for the pianists who are listed. Yet the ordinary reader is the book's customer. Surely we are worth a little regard. More useful to the reader is the piano literature section of Part II. There is a lot of interesting updating here, including Beethoven, Busoni, Godowsky, Medtner, and much more. The list of recommended recordings is helpfully expanded. But there is too much in Part I that seems like excess, and minor careers are overpraised.

No one on earth does a better job writing about classical pianists than Mr. Dubal. For almost a decade, I consulted the second edition of this comprehensive book on an almost-daily basis to get invaluable information about the lives and art of great classical pianists. In the first half of the book, Dubal writes a separate essay on each pianist (hundreds of them), where he gives a brief biographical sketch and a more detailed discussion of his/her pianism. In the second half, Dubal discusses virtually all major compositions (solo pieces and concertos) in the classical piano repertoire, and recommends good recordings of each piece.

I agree with virtually everything he says, and think this book is infinitely more useful than, say, the Penguin Guide and the Gramophone Good CD Guide. I thought the second edition was already perfect, but this (much thicker) third edition is EVEN BETTER! Lots of important updates have been added, e.g. articles about new pianists Lang Lang and Volodos and many others, comments on new recordings by Hamelin, Leslie Howard, Kissin and tons others, and many more recording recommendations in the second half of the book. This new edition includes a bonus CD loaded with historic recordings, many of which previously unpublished or unavailable on CD.

So, get yourself a copy of this new edition even if you already have an older edition!

Simply I would put, "Must-own for all piano enthusiasts." It's really interesting to read through this book although it looks like a dictionary, as it contains a lot of gossips that might be taken from his interview with many pianists. Sometimes he put too much importance on his own favorite pianists (i.e., Horowitz), but still fun to read. I hope this book continues to grow its contents as time passes, if possible for him.

Unlike a significant proportion of the pianists represented in the book David Dubal is unusually enterprising when it comes to covering the contemporary piano repertoire.Not so hot on detail (favouring the broadbrushstroke)Dubal is never less than engaging and doesn't simply go for the post-romantics and easy listening side of things.The new edition contains a number of significant additions including the British composer Michael Finnissy who is very eloquently described.

Also, I rather like the way Dubal skimps on some of the big names and instead gives a brilliant account on a controversial figure like Weissenberg. Once again,some of what Dubal writes doesn't stand up to close scrutiny but in the end i'm persuaded by the gusto. Stongly recommended.

Dubal's Art of the Piano is an excellent resource for the pianist and listener alike. It covers almost the entire pianist's repertoire from Orlando Gibbons to George Crumb. It also advises the reader on excellent recordings of specific works which I have found an invalauable source. If you are a keyboard player, teacher, or enthusiast, don't hesitate to buy this book. A good companion volume is Maurice Hinson's Guide to the Pianist's Repertoire.

This is a rich, passionately written, concise encyclopedia about great pianists and great piano composers. It includes brief but interesting biographical material, and astute critiques of the professional and creative apects of the artists lives. David Dubal absolutely loves music and has a profound, sensitive and clear understanding of it. The CD of classic recordings that is included in the back of this book is a fabulous compliment to a most useful guide and reference for all those who enjoy piano music.

I stopped playing piano 20 years ago and this book is so wonderful for refreshing my memory !! I love how the author first introduced the history of the piano before going into details of the keys and fingering. Sometimes, if you know the history of a subject, you begin to understand better why things are the way they are. - Rita, California

Note: I am writing as a non-pianist, reviewing the 1995 (Second)Edition of his book.

David Dubal's The Art of the Piano, Its Performers and Recordings is a fascinating read. The breadth of the book is as astonishing as is both the number of pianists covered in Part One, and the time it must have taken to listen to their recordings and concerts, synthesizing both, presenting them in an interesting yet clear manner to the reader. Dubal gives great space to certain pianists such as Arrau, Rubinstein, Ashkenazy, Lipatti, Richter, Gould, and particularly to Horowitz, yet relatively little space to pianists that readers might have liked more elaboration about such as Uchida and Kovacevich (who is listed as Bishop-Kovacevich). Nonetheless, it is enjoyable to thumb through his book, compare and contrast one's views of a given artist with Dubal's sense of them. An essential underlying aspect of this book is the recorded legacy of some, but certainly not all, of the pianists discussed, the ability to study, compare and contrast differing approaches to the musical text, interpretation, and technique. As a non-pianist, I cannot speak to his comments, say, on pedalling technique, but I assume they are sharply and carefully drawn, and, given extant recordings as frames of reference, quite useful and instructive to pianists. Likewise, Mr. Dubal's discussion, in Part II, of the piano literature, with citations of recordings offering a range of approaches to the music in question is interesting if somewhat frustrating because so many recordings he mentions are on LP as opposed to CDs. What is positive is that the best of these recordings are being reissued.

Mr. Dubal's knowledge of the piano, its history, lore, performance and recorded legacy is immense, and I don't know if another book (or author) can match him and his insights. I do, however, think, there is both equal room and need for a separate book such as Ernest Hutcheson's Literature of the Piano, which more comprehensively and exhaustively examines, enumerates and evaluates the literature of the piano itself, than Dubal's Art of the Piano which tends to provide short summaries of numerous composers while leaving unmentioned still more. Dubal's book seems aimed for the finished or professional pianist, Hutcheson for the student and amateur. Both books, I think, are essential to the pianist's, or piano lover's, library.