The Registration of Baroque Organ Music

Book Description

". . . Barbara Owen has succeeded admirably in distilling three centuries of organ registration practice into a volume less than three hundred pages long. . . . Anyone with an interest in the history of the organ and its music . . . will not want to ignore this book." --Sixteenth Century Journal

"It is rare to find a book that combines such careful scholarship with a practical focus that makes it accessible to performing musicians as well as research specialists."--Notes

"An excellent volume from historical, musical style and interpretive standpoints. Highly recommended for all large academic and professional music collections."-- Choice

Barbara Owen has prepared the first work to present in a single book the registrational practices of organists from c.1550 to 1800. The four parts of the book move from the Renaissance through the Early, High, and Late Baroque. Each part starts with a brief description of the political and religious climate of the period and the way such factors affected the compositions and the organ-building of the time.

Customer Reviews:

Great Practical Guide with Historical Background.......2005-10-18

Barbara Owen succeeds in condensing more than 200 years of registration practice in a working volume. The book is organized by time period and nationality, allowing the reader to assimilate the trends of each of the organ "schools." Each chapter is prefaced by a list of the relevant composers, as well as stop lists of representative organs. Perhaps Owen's signal accomplishment is a combination of historical awareness with the practical needs of the performance. For instance, after giving the background on the Italian voce umana stop, she suggests that one can replicate the sound on a mechanical action organ by coupling two 8' principals, with one detuned (half drawn). Overall, a practical reference for the performance of 16th, 17th, and 18th-century organ music.

Norton Recorded Anthology of Western Music, Fifth Edition, Volume 1: Ancient to Baroque (6 CDs)

Average customer rating:

Great and accurate.
The Standard

Norton Recorded Anthology of Western Music, Fifth Edition, Volume 1: Ancient to Baroque (6 CDs)

Manufacturer: W. W. Norton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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Norton Anthology of Western Music: Volume 1: Ancient to Baroque
Norton Recorded Anthology of Western Music, Fifth Edition, Volume 2: Classic to Twentieth Century (6 CDs)
A History of Western Music
Norton Anthology of Western Music: Volume 2: Classic to Twentieth Century
Concise History of Western Music, Third Edition

ASIN: 039310608X

Book Description

The Norton Recorded Anthology of Western Music includes professional recordings (many brand new) of all works in the anthology on two six-CD sets, of which this is volume 1.

Customer Reviews:

Great and accurate........2007-03-11

I received these cds well on time, and upon discovering they were the wrong cd set the return also took place quickly.

The Standard.......2000-08-17

If you're a music student at almost any major school (I just finished my undergraduate at Indiana University, for example) you'll most likely need to take a course that uses these CD's as part of its history survey. For that purpose, this set is an excellent collection. These, with their companion Norton Anthology of Western Music, and in conjunction with Grout/Palisca's History of Western Music, make for a thorough survey of the roots and history of Western music. Both the History and the Anthology use these CD's, and make constant references to them. (At least, up until 1750, after which you'll need the second volume)

Having said that, however, i'm afraid that these CD's are limited to their intended purpose. Obviously, there would be absolutely no way to have a comprehensive collection of music and text be affordable to an average college student. As it is, the Grout, Norton, and CD's total about $200 total. However, for that cost they provide an extremely good survey of Western music. A student can follow historical developments through the music, and learn an enormous amount from these CD's. They provide a fairly good cross-section of different styles of major composers, and even a few examples of lesser known composers. One is far less likely to criticize the music of the twentieth century, for example, if one finds that Gesualdo (of the late 16th century) was writing music that was MUCH stranger than anything before the turn of the twentieth century.

For someone outside of the music school (who will most likely be required to buy these anyway), these are also an excellent (and comparatively affordable) way to survey the mainstream and less-mainstream trends in Western music. The recordings are all relatively high-quality, often using historical instruments and interpretations (something important to a student of musical history) and providing a good introduction to classical music.

Book Description

The ideal companion to A History of Western Music, Seventh Edition, the two-volume Norton Anthology of Western Music, Fifth Edition, includes 172 historically significant scores, 71 of them new to this edition, with a strengthened emphasis on twentieth-century music. Revised and enlivened commentaries closely examine the scores to clarify their historical significance, and professional recordings of all works in the anthology are included on CDs, many in dynamic new performances.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent.......2007-01-09

This book was sent out the day after I bought it, and was in the stated condition. Excellent service, would buy from this seller again.

meh -it's a textbook.......2006-11-11

It was a textbook required for a class. It's a very scholarly book and if you have an interest in ancient-baroque music this has very good examples of that music.

Too Much Information, Too Little Space.......2004-09-02

As is typical with surveys of music written before 1800, this volume devotes way too little time and space to a period of music history spanning almost 2000 years, and yet volume two deovtes roughly the same amount of space to two hundred years of music history (ca. 1800-present). One gets the impression that a series of relatively inconsequential composers filled in the blanks until Bach and Handel, and that's grossly unfair not only to the composers of those works (and the works themselves), but also to those who wish to learn something about music written before Mozart, Beethoven, Verdi and Puccini.

If you're looking to learn something about music written before 1800, stay away from these kinds of surveys and point yourself in the direction of books focused more on particular subject areas -- for example, James Anthony's book on French Baroque music and Gary Tomlinson's book "Monteverdi and the End of the Renaissance" provide lucid breakdowns for those new to these genres, as well as those who already have some background in the subject matter.

There are a few books that are even more general than those I mentioned above but that still provide a clear outline of music from paricular eras. For example, Richard Hoppin's "Medieval Music" and the accompanying "Anthology of Medieval Music" is a fine place to begin a study of this period. Alan Atlas' "Renaissance Music: Music in Western Europe, 1400-1600", and Howard Mayer Brown's "Music in the Renaissance" (2nd Edition) are excellent surveys of the music of that period. For Baroque music, Claude Palisca's "Baroque Music" (3rd Edition) is a good primer, as is Manfred F. Bukofzer's "Music in the Baroque Era, from Monteverdi to Bach." Also advised is reading primary sources, since they often give the reader an idea of the intentions of the composers and are a great aid in understanding the motives behind historically-informed performances of this repetoire. For this, look to Oliver Strunk's "Source Readings in Music History: The Baroque Era."

(By the way, all of these books can be found on Amazon.com)

A comprehensive anthology of scores.......2001-11-24

This is the first volume of the Norton Anthology of Western Music Third Edition). It covers Music of the Ancient, Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque periods, while the second volume deals with Music from the Classical, Romantic Contemporary and Modern Periods. The book offers a selection of scores (86 in total) from several composers and it spans over a period of more than two millennia (earliest score from 408 B.C., latest from 1752 A.D.). The scores that are included are representative of most composers that made an impact through these two millennia (at least according to the editors): Leonin, Perotin, Machaut, Landini, Dunstable, Duffay, Ockeghem, Des Prez, Willaert, Gesualdo, Monteverdi, Dowland, Byrd, Palestrina, Luis de Victoria, Orlando di Lasso, Caccini, Peri, Gabrielli, Schutz, Froberger, Frescobaldi, Scarlati, Purcell, Buxtehude, Lully, Couperin, Corelli, Vivaldi, Rameau, J.S. Bach and G. F. Handel. In this volume, 60 eponymous composers (and several anonymous) are included. The only noticeable absence on a first reading of the index is perhaps that of Boccherini. However, given the restrictions of space that are inherent to any written medium, the Anthology still manages to remain quite comprehensive. On the other hand, very few, if any, comments or analyses of the scores are offered for each of the pieces (always following the music). Pieces that involve vocals (i.e. excerpts from operas, cantatas, masses) are supplemented with an English translation, besides the original text. The scores themselves are 'full' scores and not piano reductions. Naturally, this causes some scores that involve richer orchestration (i.e. the excerpt from Bach's B Minor Mass "Et expecto resurrectionem") to be printed in small fonts, which in turn may take its toll in the readability of the music. However, since most pieces of the period involve smaller orchestras, the problem is not as much of a deal as it is with volume two. Additionally, if one always remembers the restrictions of space that accompany any written medium, it is clear that it is a decision to be made- it's either small fonts or fewer scores.

Two notes of warning: first, the book, much like volume two, is not accompanied by any music. It contains simply the printed scores. A good choice for supplementing the two volume set, is Hannig's Concise History of Western Music with its 4 CD set. Although the CD set does not contain all music of the two volumes, it does contain a good portion of it and has a user friendly, easy to understand cross-reference system with the two volumes. Second note of warning: as any anthology, this one, too, is merely a representative sample. It is not a 'Greatest Hits' collection-for example you won't find Pachelbel's "Canon in D", Vivaldi's "Four Seasons", Bach's Brandemberg Concertos or his Passions or Handel's "Messiah" in it. Only one complete score of a larger scale piece is included, that of Bach's cantata "Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme" (BWV 140). Otherwise, the anthology consists of excerpts of larger pieces (whole movements or introductions for example), and shorter complete pieces (i.e. Bach's Praeludium et Fuga in A minor, BWV 543), that from the editors perspective present a more or less complete landscape of Music up to where Vol. 2 picks up from (Late Baroque/Early Classical). Naturally, omissions are inevitable, especially when one looks for balance. The four stars (and not five) are mainly because of the choice of scores at some points, at the choice (or omission) of composers at others, and, mainly, for the lack of more comprehensive commentaries and analyses of the pieces.

A thorough survey of western music from written sources........1999-04-29

Editors Palisca and Grout present a thorough survey of western music from written sources, with a welcome emphasis on lesser-known works. They include neumes and other ancient methods of notation. Entirely scholarly and accompanied by beautifully executed recordings of each piece, this book is a must for every student of musicology, and a boon to anyone interested in ancient music.

The Development of Western Music: A History.Third Edition

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This book is a LIFESAVER!
A Definitive Music History
A Definitive Music History

The Development of Western Music: A History.Third Edition
K Marie Stolba
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Development of Western Music: An Anthology, Volume I: From Ancient Times through the Baroque Era
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Anthology for Musical Analysis

ASIN: 0697293793

Book Description

Stolba offers a chronological presentation of the sweep of Western music and its composers, beginning with the music of antiquity and proceeding to the 20th Century. Since any discussion of the evolution of music is not complete without also discussing events that influenced that evolution, this comprehensive text integrates information about historical periods, cultures, and artistic movements. Fine art reproductions, detailed maps and chronologies, newly designed in this edition, also help students place the musical discussions in their cultural, geographical, and historical contexts. Along with its newly recorded CD sets and accompanying 2-volume anthology, The Development of Western Music offers a coordinated presentation of the diverse range of Western music and its composers.

Customer Reviews:

This book is a LIFESAVER!.......2005-03-22

Ironically, during my undergraduate years I thought this book contained a little too much information. While the format was appealing, I relied on my professor's concise notes... However, now that I am in graduate school and am forced to read 'Soundings' by Watkins I am thanking my lucky stars for Stolba's 'Development of Western Music.' This book is a life saver! It's to the point, comprehensive, yet concise. This book shows me the difference between scholarly writing and someone that just likes to hear himself talk... The index and table of contents make this book a very handy reference.

A Definitive Music History.......2002-06-16

I recently bought this book and found it to be outstanding. Ihave read quite a few music books including library references(although not text books - which this is) and found this book to be quite readable yet scholarly and comprehensive. There are many insets devoted to major composers, virtually no significant composer is omitted and there are many maps showing the cultural settings of the varius music periods. There are couple page summaries at the end of chapters. Unlike some books you're half way through by the time you get to Beethoven. I was glad that there is extensive coverage to medieval and renaissance music. The latin liturgy is well explained. The book shows well the place of music history in the general history of the west - in fact I got some new insights about western history. Lastly it is reasonably price for a college text.

A Definitive Music History.......2000-01-13

Average customer rating:

Solid survey text for undergraduate music history courses and the general reader
A decent survey, but not without several major holes

Baroque Music (3rd Edition)
Claude Palisca
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Music in the Baroque Era, from Monteverdi to Bach.
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Classical Music: The Era of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven (Norton Introduction to Music History)

ASIN: 0130584967

Book Description

M->CREATED

Customer Reviews:

Solid survey text for undergraduate music history courses and the general reader.......2005-11-15

The problem with teaching a survey course that introduces a topic a broad and deep as the Baroque era of music (roughly 1600 - 1740) is that there is never enough time to do more than touch on the most important points. If you dive deeply into one area, say, the concerto, that's it. You are done for the term and maybe more. This text does a good job in supporting such a course. It allows the student to get a quick overview and use all those nice new terms they are learning. It is not comprehensive; no single volume book could be.

There are many good music examples and the writing is clear and to the point. A professor using this text will likely provide his or her own supplementary material and focus in on certain areas more than another. Some chapters are likely to be assigned reading, but not discussed much in class.

For the general reader, this is also a solid introductory text, but if you don't have a handle on a lot of musical terms, you might want to also pick up a good music dictionary as well.

A decent survey, but not without several major holes.......2005-07-30

This book is part of the Prentice Hall History of Music Series. I have not read every book in the series, but they seem to be similar overall--good but not great.

At first one might think a 300+ page book on Baroque music is sufficient. Palisca begins with the rise of the Baroque ideal, and quickly moves to Italy and the rise of Baroque music there. Other chapters cover various genres and countries, including lute and keyboard music, organ and clavier music in Germany, dramatic music in England, sacred music in France, and J.S. Bach.

Palisca's writing seems good for undergraduate music majors-the reader needs a strong background of musical terms and concepts in order to get the most out of the book, but it is certainly not too dry or cerebral. The musical excerpts in the book are illustrative of Palisca's points, and the bibliographies at the end of each chapter are particularly helpful.

The main problem of this text is its inability to comprehensively address all of the music. While J.S. Bach does receive his own chapter, he only gets twenty pages. Palisca really covers only a couple of concertos in this space, ignoring all of Bach's other works. This happens in a number of places.

What this book had going for it was the fact that there were not any other texts out there which were any better. Professors had to choose between this text and the Bukofzer text from the Norton Series written in 1947 (music scholars have uncovered a great deal of information about Baroque music since the Korean War). I have not read the new Norton book by John Walter Hall, but if it's anything like the others, it will beat Palisca's text with regards to information, scope, and scholarship (though probably not readability).

Professors teaching an undergraduate course may still go with Palisca's book, but they should be prepared to supplant the text with other materials. It may be a good teaser to those with possible interest in Baroque music, and can be used as a reference/springboard to other topics.

Average customer rating:

A great resource to own
Valuable resource

An Outline History of Western Music
Milo Wold , Gary Martin , James Miller , and Edmund Cykler
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Studying Music History: Learning, Reasoning, and Writing About Music History and Literature (2nd Edition)
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Norton Anthology of Western Music: Volume 1: Ancient to Baroque
Concise History of Western Music, Third Edition

ASIN: 0697340562

Book Description

This succinct overview of the development of Western music can help students of all levels understand the evolution of musical styles. Although the text is only half the size of most music histories, it is enhanced by the many cross-references to the best anthologies and recordings for further information and examples.

Customer Reviews:

A great resource to own.......2007-08-27

This is a great source to have! It is easy to read and covers everything all the major music history text books cover. Overall it is a faster, eaiser, and more interesting read than other texts. World history is also linked with music history to help the reader understand what actually happened. I strongly suggest this book for Graduate students reviewing for comprehensive exams!

Valuable resource.......2000-09-13

Concise, but inclusive. Would make a valuable text for undergrad Music History or for general graduate study.

Baroque Music (Norton Introduction to Music History)

Average customer rating:

Thorough, solid textbook

Baroque Music (Norton Introduction to Music History)
John Walter Hill
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Twentieth-Century Music: A History of Musical Style in Modern Europe and America (Norton Introduction to Music History)

ASIN: 0393978001

Book Description

In this colorful and comprehensive history of music during the Baroque period, John Hill illustrates how social, political, and cultural forces contributed to the development of Baroque musical styles and conventions. This text provides a balanced, well-illustrated account of the music from all decades of the seventeenth century and from all national cultures in western Europe.

Customer Reviews:

Thorough, solid textbook.......2006-04-26

Many have awaited this final volume in the new Norton Music History Series. Manfred Bukofzer's volume in the original series was written in 1947 - clearly, much has been discovered since then.

Hill's text is designed to be for upper level music majors, as the writing can become quite dense. The book begins with an introduction of the social and political factors shaping Europe during the Baroque Era. Other chapters cover the birth of opera and monody, new genres of instrumental music, and other subjects, generally switching back in between France, Italy, England, and Germany (Spain and Portugal are also included in a chapter).

Great aspects about Hill's book first. The scholarship is excellent, and is as thorough (if not more so) than any other Baroque textbook out there. His bibliographical notes at the end of the chapter (as in the other books from the series) are wonderfully helpful. The description on the Doctrine of the Affections is as clear and informative as I've ever seen. His brief explanation of dance steps and tempo descriptions reminds me of Leonard Ratner's book on topics and is an excellent resource. The optional Anthology can prove to be very helpful for teaching or illustrating Hill's explanations as well.

Here are the things I think readers may not like as much, though I was not able to find many. The reading is dense and can be difficult to follow with interest at times, which is not surprising for a 500-page upper-level textbook. Of the books in the Norton Series, I found several other author's writings to be of much lighter prose than Hill's, including Hoppin's tome on Medieval music. Many others will argue over the relative weight of importance of some composers in the textbook (there are many second-tier Italian composers, and Bach only gets about 25 pages), but I believe that any professor worth his/her salt will be easily solve this difficulty by supplementing the text with a few other materials.

Though I would not rank this book as the best in the series, I do think it is certainly an improvement from Bukofzer and Claude Palisca's Prentice Hall textbook (not bad, but much less thorough). Any upper-level course on Baroque music should consider adopting Hill's text and Anthology.

The Creative Development of Johann Sebastian Bach: Music to Delight the Spirit Volume 1: 1695-1717

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The Creative Development of Johann Sebastian Bach: Music to Delight the Spirit Volume 1: 1695-1717
Richard Jones
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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J.S. Bach: A Life in Music
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ASIN: 0198164408

Book Description

This book gives an account of the individual works of one of the greatest composers. The first volume of a two-volume study of the music of J. S. Bach covers the earlier part of his composing career, 1695-1717. By studying the music chronologically a coherent picture of the composer's creative development emerges, drawing together all the strands of the individual repertoires (e.g. the cantatas, the organ music, the keyboard music). The volume is divided into two parts, covering the early works and the mature Weimar compositions respectively. Each part deals with four categories of composition in turn: large-scale keyboard works; preludes, fantasias, and fugues; organ chorales; and cantatas. Within each category, the discussion is prefaced by a list of the works to be considered, together with details of their original titles, catalogue numbers, and earliest sources. The study is thus usable as a handbook on Bach's works as well as a connected study of his creative development. As indicated by the subtitle Music to Delight the Spirit,, borrowed from Bach's own title-pages, Richard Jones draws attention to another important aspect of the book: not only is it a study of style and technique but a work of criticism, an analytical evaluation of Bach's music and an appreciation of its extraordinary qualities. It also takes account of the remarkable advances in Bach scholarship that have been made over the last 50 years, including the many studies that have appeared relating to various aspects of Bach's early music, such as the varied influences to which he was subjected and the problematic issues of dating and authenticity that arise. In doing so, it attempts to build up a coherent picture of his development as a creative artist, helping us to understand what distinguishes Bach's mature music from his early works and from the music of his predecessors and contemporaries. Hence we learn why it is that his later works are instantly recognizable as 'Bachian'.

Music of the Baroque: An Anthology of Scores

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Music of the Baroque: An Anthology of Scores
David Schulenberg
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 019512233X

Book Description

Designed as a companion volume to David Schulenberg's Music of the Baroque textbook, Music of the Baroque: An Anthology of Scores includes works by such celebrated Baroque composers as Bach, Handel, Monteverdi, Lully, and Schutz. It also features compositions by lesser-known composers, including Barbara Strozzi and Elisabeth-Claude Jacquet de La Guerre. Many newly edited scores in this anthology complement the textbook's emphasis on performance practice. Offering an unparalleled portrait of European music from 1600 through 1750, the collection is an ideal instructional package for courses in the history of Baroque music. Music of the Baroque: An Anthology of Scores includes music by: Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach Johann Sebastian Bach Hans Ignaz Franz Biber Dietrich Buxtehude Giulio Caccini Giacomo Carissimi Pier Francesco Cavalli Marc-Antoine Charpentier Arcangelo Corelli Francois Couperin Jean-Henri D'Anglebert Girolamo Frescobaldi Johann Jacob Froberger Giovanni Gabrieli Carlo Gesualdo, Prince of Venosa George Frideric Handel Elisabeth-Claude Jacquet de La Guerre Orlando di Lassus Jean-Baptiste Lully Biagio Marini Claudio Monteverdi Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina Henry Purcell Jean-Philippe Rameau Alessandro Scarlatti Domenico Scarlatti Heinrich Schutz Barbara Strozzi Georg Philipp Telemann Antonio Vivaldi

Interpreting Bach at the Keyboard (Clarendon Paperbacks)

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Interpreting Bach at the Keyboard
For the Pianist

Interpreting Bach at the Keyboard (Clarendon Paperbacks)
Paul Badura-Skoda
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0198165765

Book Description

The ever-increasing number of performances of Bach's music is a sign of its enduring vitality. Yet there exists a diversity of interpretation of a magnitude that probably applies to no other composer. Assessing the varying merits of these interpretational approaches, and getting to grips with the sources and documents on which they are based, can be extremely difficult for a modern performer. Paul Badura-Skoda, who has been studying and performing Bach's keyboard music for more than forty years, here presents a host of valuable new insights drawn from his deep knowledge of the sources and of the problems of interpretation. He looks in detail at the various aspects of Bach's music, providing chapters on rhythm, tempo, articulation, and dynamics. He also examines the instruments for which Bach's music was intended, and discusses interpretational issues arising from this, as well as problems of sonority. The second part of the book is devoted to a comprehensible discussion of ornamentation with a detailed examination of the signs and symbols used by Bach. This discussion is prompted not only by its central importance to baroque music in general, but also because the author believes so much of Bach's ornamentation in current performance practice is monotonous and fails to correspond to the baroque style at all. Sometimes contentious, always stimulating, Paul Badura-Skoda's text conveys a passion for an informed interpretation of Bach's music based upon a recognition and respect for Bach's musical and intellectual intentions. Copiously illustrated throughout with music examples, Interpreting Bach at the Keyboard will take its place as a standard work for all students and performers of Bach's keyboard music.

Customer Reviews:

Interpreting Bach at the Keyboard.......2005-09-04

Thank you to Paul Badura-Skoda for this very excellent and helpful book.

For the Pianist.......2000-08-23

Here is performance information for the pianist without apologies. There are numerous excellent books for organists and harpsichordists from which I have been forced to extrapolate to the piano. Badura-Skoda exhaustively covers all facets of Bach performance on the piano: rhythm, articulation, tempo, and that endless bug-a-boo, ORNAMENTS! He is fearless in expressing his insight and opinion on ornaments and their execution. Musical examples are plentiful, avoiding the need to fetch scores. Of particular interest is his section on the Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue, a short chapter on 18th c. organ-barrels(!), and a Gouldian Imaginary Interview on the "Urtext Problem". "Interpreting Bach" is an informative reference book reminiscent of Rosenblum's "Performance Practices" in scope and ease of use. Well worth the investment for the pianist knocking on Bach's door seeking entry. Badura-Skoda can help open it for you.

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