Music At Your Fingertips: Advice For The Artist And Amateur On Playing The Piano (Music Series) [Facsimile] [Paperback]

Ruth Slenczynska (Author), Ann M. Linng (Collaborator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 22, 1976 | Series: Music Series

Intended for the aspiring artist as well as the enthusiastic amateur, this invaluable guide to piano practice and performance covers every major aspect of pianistic technique. Drawing from more than forty years experience as a teacher and highly acclaimed performer—as well as from her studies with Rachmaninoff, Schnabel, and Cortot—Slenczynska clearly demonstrates such basics as the proper use of hand positions, fingering, pedaling, ornamentation, various fingering touches, and counting. She also gives detailed instructions on the art of program building, carefully analyzing the concert programs of Horowitz, Rubinstein, and Serkin and pointing out the strengths and weaknesses of their program construction. She includes repertoire lists for performance at various levels of ability, a complete chart of ornament interpretation, and authoritative advice on posture, sight-reading, rhythm, note-learning, and memorization. Her book is essential reading for all who enjoy in the piano-beginners, serious students, teachers, and listeners.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Ruth Slenczynska made her piano debut in Berlin at the age of six. TheNew York Times described her as "the most outstanding of all prodigies," and music critic Olin Downes called her "the greatest piano genius since Mozart." In 1954, she resumed her interrupted career with wide critical acclaim. Her memoirs have been published in a book entitled Forbidden Childhood, in which she describes the painful difficulties of her early years as a prodigy.

Product Details

• Paperback: 162 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press; Facsimile edition edition (March 22, 1976)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0306800349
• ISBN-13: 978-0306800344
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #213,750 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read, September 11, 2006

By 

Elsen Portugal (Hot Springs, AR) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Music At Your Fingertips: Advice For The Artist And Amateur On Playing The Piano (Music Series) (Paperback)

I was recommended this book when I was studying Piano Pedagogy in the 80's. I read it, but did not own a book. However, many of its recommendations became second nature to me, such was its value. I am now recommending, perhaps better said: requiring, my piano students, to purchase a copy and read it. It is a "must-read" kind of book.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Music At Your Fingertips, February 24, 2008

By 

Rod Pocock (Fairbanks, AK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Music At Your Fingertips: Advice For The Artist And Amateur On Playing The Piano (Music Series) (Paperback)

As a youth, I idolized this wonderful pianist, whose father was relentless in his daughter's pursuit at keyboard perfection. In her youth she took advice from Sergei Rachmaninoff who described her as one of America's most gifted young pianists. The book actually gives some of his insights as to technique and musicality in piano playing. I would rate this as one of the finest such books out there- particularly for pianists of all ages and abilities!!!

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic!, February 7, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Music At Your Fingertips: Advice For The Artist And Amateur On Playing The Piano (Music Series) (Paperback)

It is a wonderful and helpful book for musicians, especially for pianists. She gave us many precious and practical experiences and knowledge of being an artist. I think it is one of the best tool book for musicians.