Customer Reviews

Eighteenth-Century Keyboard Music (Studies in Musical Genres and Repertories)

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The book does a good job of explaining and surveying the various types of keyboards, composers and styles during the 18th century. From the high baroque works of J.S. Bach and Scarlatti to the early works of Beethoven, this book discusses the evolution of keyboard music during the pivotal 18th Century. Excellent chapters on C.P.E. Bach, on Haydn, and the Italian style I found particularly interesting. Ironic that the leading proponent of the Italian style during the century would be the German Johann Christian Bach whose stylistic influence on Mozart appears to have been profound.

One of the better books I've read on objectively looking at the direct influences, or lack thereof, of J.S. Bach on C.P.E. Bach and C.P.E. Bach on Haydn. The author makes a strong and compelling case for evaluating each composer in their own right because of how much they diverge from each other in so many fundamental ways in how they used the keyboard instruments of their day.

For those music lovers who find the wide variety of keyboard music from the 18th Century fascinating, this book does a good job of putting it all in the context of the times and influences of the period as well as acknowledges the creative genius of so many composers who represent the period.

I was very pleased to have add this book to my library. I perform early music fairly regularly, but as a string player I'm not all that clear about the various types of early keyboard instruments. I will feel a little more knowledgeable for my next rehearsal!