Arrau on Music and Performance

Rating:
Summary: Arrau on Music and Performance a winner!
Review: Claudio Arrau was a great child prodigy, and later had a long career as a performing pianist. This book deals in a sensitive way with both the man and his music. I found Arrau, the person, a compelling individual whose virtuosity was both a gift and a challenge. Joseph Horowitz does a superb job of blending narrative with question and answer sessions with Arrau himself. I EXPECTED a nice biography, and I got that. Beyond that, I got numerous invaluable tips as a pianist about playing individual composers and technique.

Rating:
Summary: Arrau on Music and Performance a winner!
Review: Claudio Arrau was a great child prodigy, and later had a long career as a performing pianist. This book deals in a sensitive way with both the man and his music. I found Arrau, the person, a compelling individual whose virtuosity was both a gift and a challenge. Joseph Horowitz does a superb job of blending narrative with question and answer sessions with Arrau himself. I EXPECTED a nice biography, and I got that. Beyond that, I got numerous invaluable tips as a pianist about playing individual composers and technique.

Rating:
Summary: A must-have for piano lovers
Review: This book should be owned by all pianophiles. Claudio Arrau was one of the great recorded pianists of all time, even though you may not always agree with his interpretations. It's the same here: Even though you probably won't agree with everything he says about music and other pianists (I personally don't), these are great insights from a pianist whose brilliant career spanned over eight decades and who had personal contact with many musical giants at the turn of the last century. Joseph Horowitz has also done a superb job discussing most of Arrau's recordings and writing biographical notes about several phases of Arrau's life. The only thing I want to complain about is that the discography that used to be in the first edition (entitled "Conversations with Arrau") is not included in this new edition.

Rating:
Summary: A must-have for piano lovers
Review: This book should be owned by all pianophiles. Claudio Arrau was one of the great recorded pianists of all time, even though you may not always agree with his interpretations. It's the same here: Even though you probably won't agree with everything he says about music and other pianists (I personally don't), these are great insights from a pianist whose brilliant career spanned over eight decades and who had personal contact with many musical giants at the turn of the last century. Joseph Horowitz has also done a superb job discussing most of Arrau's recordings and writing biographical notes about several phases of Arrau's life. The only thing I want to complain about is that the discography that used to be in the first edition (entitled "Conversations with Arrau") is not included in this new edition.

Rating:
Summary: One of the greatest books about one of the greatest pianists
Review: This is a great book. (Note: It was previously available under the title "Conversations With Arrau.") It does not shoot over the heads of the average reader, but it doesn't dumb down its subject either. Horowitz spoke for hours upon hours with the great Claudio Arrau. What emerges is the portrait of a great man devoid of irony or pretense. The biography is fascinating and the sections on interpretation are interesting conversations Iwish more authors would have with more artists. Then there are sections where colleagues and friends talk about Arrau. Finally the author gives us a complete discography and discussion of selected recordings. A must-own for piano or Arrau fans.

Rating:
Summary: One of the greatest books about one of the greatest pianists
Review: This is a great book. (Note: It was previously available under the title "Conversations With Arrau.") It does not shoot over the heads of the average reader, but it doesn't dumb down its subject either. Horowitz spoke for hours upon hours with the great Claudio Arrau. What emerges is the portrait of a great man devoid of irony or pretense. The biography is fascinating and the sections on interpretation are interesting conversations Iwish more authors would have with more artists. Then there are sections where colleagues and friends talk about Arrau. Finally the author gives us a complete discography and discussion of selected recordings. A must-own for piano or Arrau fans.