Composers

Books I and II of this traditional edition in Schirmer's Library of Musical Classics have been combined in an affordable new volume. An excellent resource for Late Elementary to Early Intermediate pianists.

Mozart's own words, edited by Friedrich Kerst and Henry Edward Krehbiel

This new volume in Schirmer's Library of Musical Classics presents 26 preludes, 21 nocturnes and 19 waltzes - a large amount of music at a value price. There are new urtext editions of seven pieces included, not edited by Joseffy in his original Schirmer editions: Prelude in A-flat Major (1834), Nocturne in C-sharp minor (1830), Nocturne in C minor (1837), and Waltzes in A-flat Major (1830), E-flat Major (1830), E-flat Major (1840), and A minor (1843).

1927. Preeminent as an in-depth music critic, Huneker's impressionistic, but incisive criticism in all fields of art made him one of the most influential of his day. This is an exciting and thorough account of Chopin the Man and His Music. Contents: Poland-Youthful Ideas; Paris-In the Maelstrom; England, Scotland and Pere la Chaise; The Artist; Poet and Psychologist; The Studies-Titanic Experiments; Moods in Miniature: The Preludes; Impromptus and Valses; Night and Its Melancholy Mysteries: The Nocturnes; The Ballades: Faery Dramas; Classical Currents; The Polonaises: Heroic Hymns of Battle; Mazurkas: Dances of the Soul; and Chopin the Conqueror. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing.

What makes a musical note different from any other sound? How can you tell if you have perfect pitch? Why do 10 violins sound only twice as loud as one? Do your Bob Dylan albums sound better on CD or vinyl? John Powell, a scientist and musician, answers these questions and many more in HOW MUSIC WORKS, an intriguing and original guide to acoustics. In a clear, accessible, and engaging voice, Powell fascinates the reader with his delightful descriptions of the science and psychology lurking beneath the surface of music. With lively discussions of the secrets behind harmony, timbre, keys, chords, loudness, musical composition, and more, HOW MUSIC WORKS will be treasured by music lovers everywhere. The book also includes a CD of examples and exercises from the book.

After his acclaimed and best-selling Finishing the Hat (named one of the New York Times 10 Best Books of 2010), Stephen Sondheim returns with the second volume of his collected lyrics, Look, I Made a Hat, giving us another remarkable glimpse into the brilliant mind of this living legend, and his life’s work.
 
Picking up where he left off in Finishing the Hat, Sondheim gives us all the lyrics, along with excluded songs and early drafts, of the Pulitzer Prize–winning Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods, Assassins and Passion. Here, too, is an in-depth look at the evolution of Wise Guys, which subsequently was transformed into Bounce and eventually became Road Show. Sondheim takes us through his contributions to both television and film, some of which may surprise you, and covers plenty of never-before-seen material from unproduced projects as well. There are abundant anecdotes about his many collaborations, and readers are treated to rare personal material in this volume, as Sondheim includes songs culled from commissions, parodies and personal special occasions over the years—such as a hilarious song for Leonard Bernstein’s seventieth birthday. As he did in the previous volume, Sondheim richly annotates his lyrics with invaluable advice on songwriting, discussions of theater history and the state of the industry today, and exacting dissections of his work, both the successes and the failures.
 
Filled with even more behind-the-scenes photographs and illustrations from Sondheim’s original manuscripts, Look, I Made a Hat is fascinating, devourable and essential reading for any fan of the theater or this great man’s work.

Commentary on and a concise, lucid interpretation of the opera world's most complex masterwork, expanded from the author's popular intermission talks during Met Opera broadcasts.