23/11/2004
Here's an interesting question...
And thank you to Denise for asking it...
If I found myself on a desert island with a piano (no hunk, just a piano), which two books of music would I want to have with me?
1) Czerny. Those Czerny studies are the bane of every serious piano student, but the Viennese master works systematically through every technique required to excel- and as a pupil of Beethoven, and a teacher of Liszt,I guess he knew what he was doing.
2) My second is a volume anyone around grade 5 and up should get enormous fun from:
Classic Piano Collection Edited by John Vallier and published by Cramer Music.
In this book you'll find a fantastic selection of piano music, from Bach to Beethoven, Schumann, Scriabin, Tchaikovsky, Chopin, Brahms etc etc etc
It's the one book that's always sitting on my piano stand, because I can always find something to suit my mood within its covers.
On to books:
I'm told it's customary to swop where you're up to with Susanna Clarke's massive magical tour de force... Well, I only manage a few pages each night before my eyes droop- not Susanna's fault- entirely due to new H and h giving me the run around... and I've only had Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell sitting on my bedside table for three days BUT Mr Norrell has just given an incredible display of his magical talents inside York Minster- to mixed reviews from his fellow 'magicians'.
Back to the writing cave.
Oh, and before I forget for those of you living outside the UK, who are interested in such things, the day is mild, but dull, and no rain.... as yet.
Suffice it to say I rang for a ski brochure this morning- give me those snow-capped mountains, give me those blue blue skies, give me those snowy white pistes- give me those ski gods (who, believe it or not, are usually still around to hoist me up when I take a tumble- but they don't half shoot off quickly when they discover that the slender redhead is old enough to be their mother) Thank goodness for Gluhwein to dull the pain of rejection!
Love to all!
Susan
If I found myself on a desert island with a piano (no hunk, just a piano), which two books of music would I want to have with me?
1) Czerny. Those Czerny studies are the bane of every serious piano student, but the Viennese master works systematically through every technique required to excel- and as a pupil of Beethoven, and a teacher of Liszt,I guess he knew what he was doing.
2) My second is a volume anyone around grade 5 and up should get enormous fun from:
Classic Piano Collection Edited by John Vallier and published by Cramer Music.
In this book you'll find a fantastic selection of piano music, from Bach to Beethoven, Schumann, Scriabin, Tchaikovsky, Chopin, Brahms etc etc etc
It's the one book that's always sitting on my piano stand, because I can always find something to suit my mood within its covers.
On to books:
I'm told it's customary to swop where you're up to with Susanna Clarke's massive magical tour de force... Well, I only manage a few pages each night before my eyes droop- not Susanna's fault- entirely due to new H and h giving me the run around... and I've only had Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell sitting on my bedside table for three days BUT Mr Norrell has just given an incredible display of his magical talents inside York Minster- to mixed reviews from his fellow 'magicians'.
Back to the writing cave.
Oh, and before I forget for those of you living outside the UK, who are interested in such things, the day is mild, but dull, and no rain.... as yet.
Suffice it to say I rang for a ski brochure this morning- give me those snow-capped mountains, give me those blue blue skies, give me those snowy white pistes- give me those ski gods (who, believe it or not, are usually still around to hoist me up when I take a tumble- but they don't half shoot off quickly when they discover that the slender redhead is old enough to be their mother) Thank goodness for Gluhwein to dull the pain of rejection!
Love to all!
Susan
