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!
Below, and just above the contents listed, you will find the downloadable link of each section:
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
10 II
11 THE AMERICAN VIRTUOSO OF TO-DAY
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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