Great Pianists and Pedagogues in Conversation with Carola

by Carola Grindea

Carola Grindea interviews over 40 of the greatest pianists and piano teachers of the 20th century in this unique book. The contributors provide fascinating comments about their experiences, their first encounters with the piano, and their lives as performers and teachers. Filled with the musical ideas and traditions of professional piano players, this distinctive work provides a notable insight into the world of music.

328 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2008

Reviews

[Shawn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bit underwhelming as a reading experience but replete with patterns for approaching the canvas of piano study. It’s a compendium of magazine articles. It spans decades; the pianists & pedagogues wonderfully remember popular names of ‘the golden age’ while remarking upon the handful of questions that they’re given. There are dozens of persons interviewed and they’re each given questions which center upon early learning, career opportunities, teaching paths, and especially the matter of competitions. IMO they all kinda say the same thing, or, well, they all point toward the Object.

I learned about paying the utmost attention to tone, and of the different approaches between playing on the surface of the keys vs. playing into and on the bed of the keys and keyboard. I realized the vitality of research and of exploration and was serially reminded to listen to the music, and to see it as well.