The Art of the Piano : Its Performers, Literature and RecordingsThird Edition

Rating:
Summary: A good reference and a good read
Review: Almost full marks to Mr. Dubal for his excellent and ambitious effort. It is a good reference and interesting read - at times. The only drawback it is not very well written from an English literature point of view, it could definately be smoother, although there are lots of interesting descriptions and discussions. The second drawback is that Mr. Dubal is a die hard Horowitz fan, perhaps a little too much. No body can argue against Horowitz qualities, but it needs to be toned down a little in a book of this nature.

Rating:
Summary: A good reference and a good read
Review: Almost full marks to Mr. Dubal for his excellent and ambitious effort. It is a good reference and interesting read - at times. The only drawback it is not very well written from an English literature point of view, it could definately be smoother, although there are lots of interesting descriptions and discussions. The second drawback is that Mr. Dubal is a die hard Horowitz fan, perhaps a little too much. No body can argue against Horowitz qualities, but it needs to be toned down a little in a book of this nature.

Rating:
Summary: A Wonderfully Thorough Survey of the Piano
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: An encyclopedic A-Z reference of performers and recordings
Review: If David Dubal's The Art Of The Piano: Its Performers, Literature And Recordings Sounds Familiar, It Should: Revised and expanded this is the second edition of a popular classic and has been extensively revised and expanded, including a cd of rare piano recordings as it details performers, literature, and recordings key to the piano. Individual chapters provide an encyclopedic A-Z reference of performers and recordings and provide not just biographical coverages, but in-depth insights.


Rating:
Summary: A good reference
Review: If you have any question, consult this fantasic little booklet, filled with information. A first-aid book.

Rating:
Summary: [e-mail]
Review: It's the best book on pianists I have read. I always consult this book instead of the Penguin Guide or the Gramophone Good CD Guide.

Rating:
Summary: *THE* Bible for pianophiles!
Review: 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!

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant Book of Piano
Review: Please read brilliant book all about piano. Author Dubal truly genius world class piano knowledge. Also Jung Lin piano recital Friday December 10, 2004 at Lincoln Center Alice Tully Hall. Jung Lin is called songbird of piano. World class international acclaimed pianist, playing Chopin, Medtner, Beethoven. Please support! Thank you.

Rating:
Summary: Must Own Book For Any Piano Enthusiast
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: Must Own Book For Any Piano Enthusiast
Review: 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.