Analyzes Wagner's music and compositional techniques, discusses his character, and examines the ideological tendencies of his approach to art

"These autobiographical stories sparkle with vignettes of people, places and pets, but their deeper subject is that of the woman pianist in a male-dominated world. The subject is not new, but Ms. Montparker brings to it a rewarding freshness of insight." - Jerome Lowenthal Pianist; and faculty, The Juilliard School "The pianist's latest book deserves to be read by anyone who plays or wishes to play or ever wished to play the piano, and by everyone else too. She writes about music in a sane, wise, humane voice in this charming, instructive, often moving collection." - Michael Kimmelman Chief Art Critic, The New York Times; and pianist

A collection of essays, articles, and other writings by a noted pop music critic offers incisive commentary on the music industry, the evolution of rock music, the alternative-rock era, and the musicians of the period, offering provocative portraits of Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins, Hole, and many others. Original. 30,000 first printing.

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. "Anyone, whether knowledgeable or not, will profit by reading it..." - Opera Quarterly

Johann Sebastian Bach's "Notebook for Wilhelm Friedemann Bach" is a collection of keyboard music Bach began compiling in around 1720. Most of the pieces included are better known as parts of the Well-Tempered Clavier and the Inventions and Sinfonias. The authorship of some of the other works in the collection is debated. The comb binding creates a lay-flat book that is perfect for study and performance. 62 Selections, 123 pages.

Sviatoslav Richter was a dazzling performer but an intensely private man. Though world famous and revered by classical music lovers everywhere, he guarded himself and his thoughts as carefully as his talent. Fascinated, author and filmmaker Bruno Monsaingeon tried vainly for years to interview the enigmatic pianist. Richter eventually yielded, granting Monsaingeon hours of taped conversation, unlimited access to his diaries and notebooks, and, ultimately, his friendship. This book is the product of that friendship.Richter reveals himself as a man and an artist. Unsentimentally and with his characteristic dry humor and intelligence, the musician describes his poignant childhood and spectacular career, including his tumultuous early days at the Moscow Conservatory and his triumphant 1960 tour of the United States. His laconic recounting of playing in the orchestra at Stalin's surreal, interminable state funeral is riveting. Most important for music lovers, Richter discusses his influences and views on musical interpretation. He describes his encounters with other great Russian performers and composers, including Prokoviev, Shostakovich, Oistrakh, and Gilels. Candid sections from his personal journals offer his sober and unguarded impressions of dozens of performances and recordings--both his own and those of other musicians.This volume offers readers the sizable pleasure of lingering in the thoughts and words of one of the most important pianists of the twentieth century. Unlike many other star performers, Richter was also an intellectual who had interesting things to say, particularly about the musician's proper role as interpreter of the composer's art. This alone makes the book worth reading. Sviatoslav Richter belongs on the shelves of everyone with a classical music collection and will also appeal to lovers of autobiography and admirers of Russian musical culture.

The fascinating memoir of the 2004 Grammy-winning composer bases each chapter around a different composition and describes the memory of the life events each piece conjures up, detailing the inspiration and research that went into the creation of each work.

Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, Op. 27, No. 2 is among the most popular and most frequently performed compositions by any great composer. Reflecting the depth of Beethoven's musical power, the Moonlight Sonata is one of the best-loved sonatas Beethoven ever composed. In this Belwin Classic Library edition, each page of the music is spaciously laid out, meticulous and uncluttered, with clear, clean engraving. All three movements are included: I. Adagio sostenuto, II. Allegretto, and III. Presto agitato.

From Klein's comments on early recordings that remain available today, the reader can get a glimpse of what legendary singers such as Patti and Lind sounded like more than a century ago. The essays of Herman Klein that appeared in The Gramophone from 1924 until 1934 are indispensable sources of information on the singers of the Golden Age.