Great Pianists on Piano Playing

GREAT PIANISTS ON PIANO PLAYING. Study Talks with Foremost Virtuosos
by JAMES FRANCIS COOKE. A Series of Personal Educational Conferences with Renowned Masters.

Great Pianists on Piano Playing, by JamesFrancis Cooke.  

This eBook is in Public Domain and for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever (maybe not reselling without permission). Title: Great Pianists on Piano Playing. Study Talks with Foremost Virtuosos. A Series of Personal Educational Conferences with Renowned Masters of the Keyboard, Presenting the Most Modern Ideas upon the Subjects of Technic, Interpretation, Style and Expression.

 Author: James Francis Cooke. 

I was lucky enough to find this precious document at a bookstore that sold used books in Kent, Ohio. It was for sale for....$2 (!!!)-in year 1985. It gave me immense pleasure and insight into the artistic and pedagogical methods of older generations of famous pianists. This knowledge I wanted to share with my readers. A big plus: my (real) book had all the images of the pianists (which I photographed and transferred here) while the eBook (which you may find online) does not include them! Enjoy!

 
Great Pianists on Piano Playing: Contents

Below, and just above the contents listed, you will find the downloadable link of each section:

Great Pianists on Piano Playing: The Piano Virtuoso Career

1 I

2  THE VIRTUOSO’S CAREER AS IT REALLY IS 

3  GOLDEN BAIT 

4  FREAK PIANISTS 

5  A PATHETIC EXAMPLE 

6  THE PIANIST OF TO-DAY 

7  THE MAGIC OF MAGNETISM 

8  A NOTABLE EXAMPLE 

9  THE GREATEST THING OF ALL 

Great Pianists on Piano Playing: Are Pianists Born or made?

10  II 

11  THE AMERICAN VIRTUOSO OF TO-DAY

Great Pianists on Piano Playing: The Story of a Wonder Child

12  PEPITO ARRIOLA

13  III

14  PEPITO ARRIOLA

15  MY FRIENDSHIP WITH ARTHUR NIKISCH

16  MY FIRST REGULAR INSTRUCTION

17  EARLY REPERTORY

18  MY DAILY PRACTICE

19  GENERAL EDUCATION

20  THEORETICAL STUDIES

21  READING AND STUDY 

22  AT THE CONCERT 

23 QUESTIONS IN STYLE, INTERPRETATION, EXPRESSION AND TECHNIC OF PIANOFORTE PLAYING

24  PEPITO ARRIOLA

Great Pianists on Piano Playing: Wilhelm Bachaus

25  WILHELM BACHAUS 

26  IV 

27  WILHELM BACHAUS 

28  THE WONDERFUL EFFICACY OF SCALES 

29  BACH MUSICALLY OMNIPOTENT 

30  THE OLD THAT IS EVER NEW 

31  DIFFICULTIES IN NEW PIANOFORTE COMPOSITIONS 

32  MERE DIFFICULTY NO LONGER ASTOUNDS 

33  MODERN COMPOSITIONS 

34  THE MOST DIFFICULT COMPOSITIONS

35  PRAISE THAT IRRITATES 

36  WHY NOT SEEK THE BEAUTIFUL? 

37  EXERCISES THAT GIVE IMMEDIATE HELP 

38  AVOID TOO COMPLICATED EXERCISES 

39  QUESTIONS IN STYLE, INTERPRETATION, EXPRESSION AND TECHNIC OF PIANOFORTE PLAYING 

40  WILHELM BACHAUS

Great Pianists on Piano Playing: Harold Bauer

41 HAROLD BAUER 

42 V 

43  HAROLD BAUER 

44  THE AIM OF TECHNIC 

45  SEEKING INDIVIDUAL EXPRESSION 

46  THE RESISTANCE OF THE MEDIUM 

47  THE PERVERSION OF STUDIES 

48  THE UNIT OF MUSICAL EXPRESSION 

49  MUSIC FIRST, THE INSTRUMENT AFTERWARDS 

50  VARIETY THE SPICE OF ART 

51  MUSCULAR AND NERVOUS ENERGY 

52  PHRASING AND BREATHING 

53  THE NATURAL EFFECT OF EMOTIONS 

54  QUESTIONS IN STYLE, INTERPRETATION, EXPRESSION AND TECHNIC OF PIANOFORTE PLAYING 

55  HAROLD BAUER

Great Pianists on Piano Playing: Fanny Bloomfield-Zeisler

56  FANNY BLOOMFIELD-ZEISLER 

57  VI 

58  FANNY BLOOMFIELD-ZEISLER 

59  THOROUGH PREPARATION NECESSARY 

60  LESCHETIZKY AND ‘METHOD’ 

61  WELL-SELECTED PROGRAMS 

62  PERSONALITY 

63  DO NOT ATTEMPT THE IMPOSSIBLE 

64  FOREIGN DÉBUTS 

65  PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS 

66  QUESTIONS IN STYLE, INTERPRETATION, EXPRESSION AND TECHNIC OF PIANOFORTE PLAYING

67  FANNY BLOOMFIELD-ZEISLER

Great Pianists on Piano Playing: Ferruccio Benvenuto Busoni

68  FERRUCCIO BENVENUTO BUSONI

69  VII

70  FERRUCCIO BENVENUTO BUSONI

71  LEARNING TO LISTEN 

72  SELF DEVELOPMENT 

73  FINDING INDIVIDUAL FAULTS 

74  DETAILS OF PHRASING AND ACCENTUATION 

75  BACH, BACH, BACH 

76  QUESTIONS ON STYLE, INTERPRETATION, EXPRESSION AND TECHNIC OF PIANO PLAYING 

77 FERRUCCIO BENVENUTO BUSONI 

Great Pianists on Piano Playing: Teresa CarreÑo

78 TERESA CARREÑO 

79  VIII 

80  TERESA CARREÑO 

81  NEW PROBLEMS AT EVERY STEP 

82  THE TEACHER’S RESPONSIBILITY 

83  EDWARD MACDOWELL’S INDIVIDUALITY 

84  DEVELOPING INDIVIDUALITY THROUGH POETRY 

85  CULTIVATING VIVACITY AND BRILLIANCY 

86  THE IMPORTANCE OF STUDYING MUSICAL HISTORY 

87  QUESTIONS ON STYLE, INTERPRETATION, EXPRESSION AND TECHNIC OF PIANO PLAYING 

88  TERESA CARREÑO 

Great Pianists on Piano Playing: Ossip Gabrilowitsch

89  OSSIP GABRILOWITSCH 

90  IX 

91  OSSIP GABRILOWITSCH 

92  A RIGID ARM UNDESIRABLE 

93  TOUCH A DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTIC 

94  COMBINING DIFFERENT TOUCHES 130

95  MECHANICAL METHODS DANGEROUS 

96  STUDENTS SHOULD HEAR VIRTUOSOS 

97  METHODS, AND STILL MORE METHODS 

98  DON’T NEGLECT EAR TRAINING 

99  ARTISTIC INTERPRETATION PARAMOUNT 

100 QUESTIONS IN STYLE, INTERPRETATION, EXPRESSION AND TECHNIC OF PIANOFORTE PLAYING 

101 OSSIP GABRILOWITSCH

Great Pianists on Piano Playing: Leopold Godowsky

102 LEOPOLD GODOWSKY 

103 X 

104 LEOPOLD GODOWSKY 

105 THE BRAIN SIDE OF PIANO STUDY 

106 THE EMOTIONS IN PIANO PLAYING 

107 INSPIRING THE STUDENT 

108 CHANGES IN THE MECHANISM OF THE INSTRUMENT 

109 THE SIGNIFICANCE OF WEIGHT PLAYING 

110 MOULDING THE FINGERS TO THE KEYS 

111 INDIVIDUALITY, CHARACTER AND TEMPERAMENT 

112 GENIUS AND WORK 

113 QUESTIONS IN STYLE, INTERPRETATION, EXPRESSION AND TECHNIC OF PIANOFORTE PLAYING 

114 LEOPOLD GODOWSKY

Great Pianists on Piano Playing: Katharine Goodson

115 KATHARINE GOODSON 

116 XI 

117 KATHARINE GOODSON 

118 THE FIRST STEP IN ANALYZING A NEW PIECE 

119 THE POETIC IDEA OF THE PIECE 

120 STUDYING THE RHYTHM 

121 THE ANALYSIS OF PHRASES 

122 STUDYING THE HARMONY 

123 A CAREFUL ANALYSIS OF TOUCH EFFECTS 

124 THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE TEACHER 

125 QUESTIONS IN STYLE, INTERPRETATION, EXPRESSION AND TECHNIC OF PIANOFORTE PLAYING 

126 KATHARINE GOODSON

Great Pianists on Piano Playing: Josef Hofmann

127 JOSEF HOFMANN 

128 XII 

129 JOSEF HOFMANN 

130 WHAT DETERMINES CHANGES IN PLAYING 

131 THE NEW TECHNIC AND THE OLD 

132 TECHNIC SINCE LISZT 

133 DEFINITE METHODS ARE LITTLE MORE THAN STENCILS 

134 THE STUDY OF DETAILS IMPERATIVE 

135 WELL-MEANING ADVISERS 

136 QUESTIONS IN STYLE, INTERPRETATION, EXPRESSION AND TECHNIC OF PIANOFORTE PLAYING 

137 JOSEF HOFMANN

Great Pianists on Piano Playing: Josef Lhévinne 

138 JOSEF LHÉVINNE 

139 XIII 

140 JOSEF LHÉVINNE 

141 WITH THE MUSICAL CHILD IN RUSSIA 

142 THE KIND OF MUSIC THE RUSSIAN CHILD HEARS 

143 INSTRUCTION BOOKS 

144 OPPORTUNITIES FOR VIRTUOSO-STUDENTS IN RUSSIA 

145 WHY RUSSIAN PIANISTS ARE FAMED FOR TECHNIC 

146 MODERN RUSSIAN INFLUENCE IN MUSICAL ART 

147 QUESTIONS IN STYLE, INTERPRETATION, EXPRESSION AND TECHNIC OF PIANOFORTE PLAYING 

148 JOSEF LHÉVINNE

Great Pianists on Piano Playing:Vladimir de Pachmann

149 VLADIMIR DE PACHMANN 

150 XIV 

151 VLADIMIR DE PACHMANN 

152 MACHINE TEACHING 

153 ORIGINALITY THE ROAD TO PERMANENT FAME 

154 THE MOST ORIGINAL COMPOSERS 

155 SELF-HELP THE SECRET OF MANY SUCCESSES 

156 A SURPRISED TEACHER 

157 DEEP THOUGHT NECESSARY 

158 TAKE TIME TO DO THINGS WELL 

159 MASTERING ARTISTIC DETAILS 

160 SOMETHING NO ONE CAN TEACH 

161THE BEST TEACHER 

162 THE BASIS OF GREATNESS 

163 QUESTIONS IN STYLE, INTERPRETATION, EXPRESSION AND TECHNIC OF PIANOFORTE PLAYING 

164 VLADIMIR DE PACHMANN

Great Pianists on Piano Playing: Max Pauer

165 MAX PAUER 

166 XV 

167 MAX PAUER 

168 INNOVATORS SHOULD BE PIANISTS 

169 AVOID MACHINE-LIKE PLAYING 

170 BROAD UNDERSTANDING NECESSARY 

171 FREEDOM FROM CONVENTION 

172 QUESTIONS IN STYLE, INTERPRETATION, EXPRESSION AND TECHNIC OF PIANOFORTE PLAYING 

173 MAX PAUER

Great Pianists on Piano Playing: Sergei Vassilievitch Rachmaninoff

174 S. V. RACHMANINOFF 

175 XVI 

176 S. V. RACHMANINOFF 

177 TECHNICAL PROFICIENCY 

178 PROPER PHRASING 

179 REGULATING THE TEMPO 

180 CHARACTER IN PLAYING 

181 THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PEDAL 

182 THE DANGER OF CONVENTION 

183 REAL MUSICAL UNDERSTANDING 

184 PLAYING TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC 

185 THE VITAL SPARK 

186 QUESTIONS IN STYLE, INTERPRETATION, EXPRESSION AND TECHNIC OF PIANOFORTE PLAYING 

187 S. V. RACHMANINOFF

Great Pianists on Piano Playing: Alfred Reisenauer

188 ALFRED REISENAUER 

189 XVII 

190 ALFRED REISENAUER 

191 KÖHLER’S TECHNICAL SCHEME 

192 WITH LISZT 

193 LISZT’S PEDAGOGICAL METHODS 

194 A UNIQUE ATTITUDE 

195 THE FUTURE OF PIANOFORTE MUSIC 

196 AMERICAN MUSICAL TASTE 

197 CONCERT CONDITIONS IN AMERICA 

198 QUESTIONS IN STYLE, INTERPRETATION, EXPRESSION AND TECHNIC OF PIANOFORTE PLAYING 

199 ALFRED REISENAUER

Great Pianists on Piano Playing: Emil Sauer

200 EMIL SAUER 

201 XVIII 

202 EMIL SAUER 

203 SLOW SYSTEMATIC PRACTICE 

204 THE NECESSITY FOR A GOOD GENERAL EDUCATION 

205 CLEAN PLAYING VS. SLOVENLY PLAYING 

206 HEALTH A VITAL FACTOR 

207 JUDICIOUS USE OF TECHNICAL EXERCISES 

208 STUDY ABROAD 

209 VERSATILITY 

210 CULTIVATING FINGER STRENGTH 

211 VELOCITY 

212 TALENT 

213 BE NATURAL 

214 TALENT COUNTS 

215 QUESTIONS IN STYLE, INTERPRETATION, EXPRESSION AND TECHNIC OF PIANOFORTE PLAYING 

216 EMIL SAUER

Great Pianists on Piano Playing: Xaver Scharwenka

217 XAVER SCHARWENKA 

218 XIX 

219 XAVER SCHARWENKA 

220 TIME LOST IN EARLY STUDY 

221 EAR-TRAINING 

222 WASTE IN TECHNICAL STUDY 

223 WASTE IN UNIMPORTANT SUBJECTS 

224 BRAIN TECHNIC VERSUS FINGER TECHNIC 

225 A CASE IN POINT 

226 QUESTIONS IN STYLE, INTERPRETATION, EXPRESSION AND TECHNIC OF PIANOFORTE PLAYING 

227 XAVER SCHARWENKA

Great Pianists on Piano Playing: Ernest Schelling

228 ERNEST SCHELLING 

229 XX 

230 ERNEST SCHELLING 

231 THE TECHNICAL DEMANDS OF THE PIECE 

232 FORMAL DIVISIONS 

233 THE TOUCH REQUIRED 

234 THE RIGHT TEMPO 

235 RHYTHMIC PECULIARITIES 

236 THE COMPOSER’S INSPIRATION 

237 STUDYING THE PHRASING 

238 MARKING THE FINGERING 

239 MEMORIZING 

240 QUESTIONS IN STYLE, INTERPRETATION, EXPRESSION AND TECHNIC OF PIANOFORTE PLAYING 

241 ERNEST SCHELLING

Great Pianists on Piano Playing: Sigismund Stojowski

242 SIGISMUND STOJOWSKI 

243 XXI 

244 SIGISMUND STOJOWSKI 

245 THE INTERPRETER MUST COÖPERATE WITH THE COMPOSER 

246 STUDYING THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND 

247 THE INADEQUACY OF MUSICAL SIGNS 

248 LEARNING THE MUSICAL LANGUAGE 

249 MISTAKES PECULIAR TO THE PIANOFORTE PLAYER 

250 QUESTIONS IN STYLE, INTERPRETATION, EXPRESSION AND TECHNIC OF PIANOFORTE PLAYING

251 SIGISMUND STOJOWSKI