by Caroline Benser (2012)
In At the Piano: Interviews with 21st-Century Pianists, Caroline Benser explores the kaleidoscopic world of 21st-century pianism through a series of extended interviews with eight major pianists: Leif Ove Andsnes, Jonathan Biss, Simone Dinnerstein, Marc-André Hamelin, Stephen Hough, Steven Osborne, Yevgeny Sudbin, and Yuja Wang. The pianists represented here are not only a virtuosos on their instrument, renowned for their renditions of classic works by Bach, Beethoven, Liszt, Debussy, and Bartók, they are also dedicated to advancing pianism, commissioning and performing works by living composers as well as revisiting and re-exploring musical possibilities neglected by their predecessors. Interviewees talk with Benser about such matters as their first experiences at the piano, the critical role played by their earliest teachers, the literature they play, the instruments they prefer, the meaning of musicianship to them, and the joys and difficulties of a professional career doing what they love. Teachers, students, and amateur pianists alike will learn about new and lesser-known piano literature; newly developed instruments that have extended the range of the keyboard; the phenomenal rise of pianists in such countries as China; and new research on pianists' injuries and healthy playing. At the Piano is written not only for the specialist and non-specialist pianist but also for all musicians and general music lovers [Publisher description].
Linda Dahl
"Linda Dahl, granted unprecedented access to the large Williams archive, has given us the whole of William's very full life, from her often harrowing days on the road to her tumultuous marriages and love affairs, from the ups and downs of her unique fifty-year career to the remarkable spirituality that came to inform both her daily life and her music. This is a portrait of one of our least understood and most important musicians."--BOOK JACKET.
Philip Gambone
"For two years, Philip Gambone traveled the length and breadth of the United States, talking candidly with LGBTQ people about their lives."--Back cover.
Larry Mantle
"Larry Mantle has hosted the daily radio show This is AirTalk on KPCC in Pasadena since 1985. He celebrates his twentieth anniversary on the airwaves with an introductory memoir and conversations with Steve Allen, Milton Berle, Jimmy Carter, Divine, George Foreman, Anne Garrels, Frank Gehry, Chuck Jones, Steve Martin, John McCain, Walter Mosley, Carl Reiner, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Sting, Jack Welch and others. Foreword by Patt Morrison"--Provided by publisher.
Bice Horszowski Costa
Chiefly comprised of Horszowski's own remembrances as told to his wife, with the addition of letters, diaries and testimonies.