Rating: 
Summary: The great pianists
Review: The most fascinating book I have so far read on this topic. Amusing, accurate, solid, and objectively written, full of humour and anecdotes that make its reading real fun. A turn-pager that one can read at any time and regardless of the page. A must for piano lovers. I look forward to reading other books from the same author.
Rating:
Summary: The Pianist's Bible
Review: There is absolutely nothing else on the market which can compare to this book. The definitive "encyclopedia" of the piano, composers for the piano, and concert pianists. The author goes into great depth about currently unknown and obscure pianists particularly of the 19th century. The "salon-parlour" music of this period is now experiencing a tremendous revival I am sure at least partly due to this book. He also provides indispensable knowledge about who taught whom - so much so, a geneology tree could easily be made. I have read it at least 20 times through the years, and the book never ceases to amaze me. The tour de force among ALL music books!
Rating:
Summary: The Pianist's Bible
Review: There is absolutely nothing else on the market which can compare to this book. The definitive "encyclopedia" of the piano, composers for the piano, and concert pianists. The author goes into great depth about currently unknown and obscure pianists particularly of the 19th century. The "salon-parlour" music of this period is now experiencing a tremendous revival I am sure at least partly due to this book. He also provides indispensable knowledge about who taught whom - so much so, a geneology tree could easily be made. I have read it at least 20 times through the years, and the book never ceases to amaze me. The tour de force among ALL music books!
Rating:
Summary: Exhaustive research , gratifying results !
Review: This an extraordinary and best documented compilation of five generations of pianists. From Hans von Bullow to Ivo Pogorelich . Since the book is from 1990 Schoenberg makes an exhaustive , passionate and reflexive analysis of the greatest virtuous of the keyboard . Schonberg differs from the ornaments of the technical language and goes to the heart of the music .
Even if there are points of disagreement respect to several considerations , this work is recommended for its informative richness.
The only little default - to my mind - might be well in the little data about some renowned European and even American pianists who had less prominence in America but equally deserve a special place in this singular book.
Some examples are : Yves Nat , Samson Francois , Ivan Moravec , John Lill , Leonard Hokanson , Clifford Curzon , Myra Hess , Vlado Perlemuter , Paul Badura Skoda , Annie Fisher, Selma Kramer, Walter Gieseking, Joaquin Azzucaro , Andrei Gavrilov , Maria Yudina , Tatiana Nikolayeva , Bianca Musulin, Edith Farnadi , Horacio Gutiérrez, Ely Ney , Jean Marie Darre, Gabriel Tachino , Solomon , Dino Ciani , Jorg Demus, Friedrich Gulda, Michael Ponti , Mikjail Rudy and Vladimir Sofronitzky among the most representatives .
Rating:
Summary: An extraordinarily informative account
Review: This book, by Harold Schonberg, is an endless description of the pianists who made the piano what it is today. It's humurous, factual, entertaining and most of all informative to maximum level that we laymen can cope with. Well, done. I will certainly read other Schonberg books - in between practicing my dim7 scales of course.
Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining and insightful
Review: This is an excellent read for all pianists and music lovers alike. It is a thorough but entertaining tale of the great pianists, their lives, and their contribution to music. But most importantly of all, it intermittently gives a detailed account of the styles and development of piano playing. Are we doing it the right way today? I think we have a lot to learn from the old masters, especially the old romantics!
Rating:
Summary: Wow!
Review: This is one of the most amusing, entertaining, yet historically accurate books I have read. From Mozart's opinions of other pianists to Debussy's ideas of pedalling to Percy Grainger's thoughts on flappers and the feminist movement, this book is as alive as the great story it tells-the story of the piano and the influence it is had on every society that has known it. Written by a former New York Times music editor, this book is an essential addition to the bookshelf of any music maker or lover
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining and educational
Review: This is one of those rare books that educates you on a subject and yet is highly entertaining at the same time. The author was a highly respected music critic for the New York Times for many years and was in fact the first music critic ever to win the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism. He knows his subject inside out and is a wealth of information. In this book he presents the story of the piano, from Bach to the present day, and he does it by describing and discussing the personalities of the many pianists who contributed to the history of the instrument.It is a wonderful book, full of memorable descriptions, amusing anecdotes and telling insights. Mr. Schonberg writes with a great deal of humour and a dose of healthy scepticism as to some of the more abstruse utterings of the piano community. He brings to light not only Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin and Rachmaninoff, but also all the lesser known figures active at the time as well as the great pianists of the 20th century. It is fascinating. You'll learn all about Thalberg (remembered now only for losing a piano "duel" with Liszt) but who must have been a tremendous musician, you'll read about Leopold de Meyer, who wasn't averse to playing the keyboard with his knee or elbow. You'll laugh at the antics of de Pachmann, learn how Beethoven played his own sonatas, be touched by the life story of Josef Hoffmann. Above all, this book will open your mind about the piano and pianism. Today everyone concentrates on a handful of composers and pianists, a bit like looking only at a fragment of a painting. Mr. Schonberg brings the whole canvas to light in a clear, fluent, refreshing and readable way and does not confuse the reader with esoteric mumbo-jumbo. This is an accessible book, readable by lay person and musician alike. The same author has also written a number of other books which I highly recommend, especially Lives of the Great Composers and Horowitz, His Life and Music.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining and educational
Review: This is one of those rare books that educates you on a subject and yet is highly entertaining at the same time. The author was a highly respected music critic for the New York Times for many years and was in fact the first music critic ever to win the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism. He knows his subject inside out and is a wealth of information. In this book he presents the story of the piano, from Bach to the present day, and he does it by describing and discussing the personalities of the many pianists who contributed to the history of the instrument. It is a wonderful book, full of memorable descriptions, amusing anecdotes and telling insights. Mr. Schonberg writes with a great deal of humour and a dose of healthy scepticism as to some of the more abstruse utterings of the piano community. He brings to light not only Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin and Rachmaninoff, but also all the lesser known figures active at the time as well as the great pianists of the 20th century. It is fascinating. You'll learn all about Thalberg (remembered now only for losing a piano "duel" with Liszt) but who must have been a tremendous musician, you'll read about Leopold de Meyer, who wasn't averse to playing the keyboard with his knee or elbow. You'll laugh at the antics of de Pachmann, learn how Beethoven played his own sonatas, be touched by the life story of Josef Hoffmann. Above all, this book will open your mind about the piano and pianism. Today everyone concentrates on a handful of composers and pianists, a bit like looking only at a fragment of a painting. Mr. Schonberg brings the whole canvas to light in a clear, fluent, refreshing and readable way and does not confuse the reader with esoteric mumbo-jumbo. This is an accessible book, readable by lay person and musician alike. The same author has also written a number of other books which I highly recommend, especially Lives of the Great Composers and Horowitz, His Life and Music.
Rating:
Summary: Pianists brought to life
Review: Without a doubt the greatest reference for pianists I have ever read. While it is not necessary to be a musician to enjoy this book, a basic understanding of some musical history and theory will make the experience overwhelmingly grand.
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