Piano Pieces

Rating:
Summary: Irritating? Pretentious? Dull? All of the above?
Review: As a concert pianist and pedagogue myself, I find Russell Sherman's Piano Pieces to be one of the most inspiring books on piano performance I have ever read. It is non-prescriptive and does not conform to conventional didactic approaches or methodologies. (So, if you want a self-help manual or detailed instructions on how to play the piano, this is not the book!) Instead, the book is a collage of a series of "pieces" of thoughts - concerning the hand, the piano, the music, the student, the parent, the mindset to musical apprenticeship, and a plethora of other significant issues confronting the life of a developing musician. Piano Pieces is poetically and eloquently written. The metaphors bring to life the essence of the experience of music apprenticeship and performance. Sherman Russell's poetic language reaches the soul of the reader, engaging the reader in an intellectual and philosophical journey to the inner realities of musical performance. This book also brings to light certain ethereal qualities, the "je ne sais quoi" properties of a moving performance - which is so difficult to communicate through the conventional objectively reductive (Cartesian) thinking. "Piano Pieces" would serve as an excellent inspirational guide for the practicing musician. I would recommend this book to all readers - from the serious musician to neophytes, and to parents of budding musicians as well.

Rating:
Summary: The book is an excellent piece of music in itself!
Review: As a concert pianist and pedagogue myself, I find Russell Sherman's Piano Pieces to be one of the most inspiring books on piano performance I have ever read. It is non-prescriptive and does not conform to conventional didactic approaches or methodologies. (So, if you want a self-help manual or detailed instructions on how to play the piano, this is not the book!) Instead, the book is a collage of a series of "pieces" of thoughts - concerning the hand, the piano, the music, the student, the parent, the mindset to musical apprenticeship, and a plethora of other significant issues confronting the life of a developing musician. Piano Pieces is poetically and eloquently written. The metaphors bring to life the essence of the experience of music apprenticeship and performance. Sherman Russell's poetic language reaches the soul of the reader, engaging the reader in an intellectual and philosophical journey to the inner realities of musical performance. This book also brings to light certain ethereal qualities, the "je ne sais quoi" properties of a moving performance - which is so difficult to communicate through the conventional objectively reductive (Cartesian) thinking. "Piano Pieces" would serve as an excellent inspirational guide for the practicing musician. I would recommend this book to all readers - from the serious musician to neophytes, and to parents of budding musicians as well.

Rating:
Summary: Great Musicians Aren't Necessarily Great Writers
Review: I too have slogged through this book, searching for insights into playing piano and understanding musical form. Sherman's thoughts regarding the hand and the role of each finger are actually quite useful.
Music is certainly not a perfectly linear art form, and everything mentioned does tend to eventually relate to everything else mentioned. Still, Sherman could have spent a bit of time organizing his free-associative style into smaller and more specific subjects. Perhaps the best way to think of this book is as a transcription of Russell Sherman's musings over after-dinner drinks, in a rather indulgent, expansive and reflective mood. A succinct text it's not.

Rating:
Summary: Stay with this book
Review: I'm surprised by the reviews that denounce this book. Sherman's tone is at once informal and high-minded, which might limit the appeal of Piano Pieces to a particularly North American sensibility. Still, when I read it in the spring of 1996, I knew Piano Pieces would remain one of the most intellectually and creatively inspiring books that I would read on any subject. Sherman treats a range of issues related to performing the European piano literature by comparing it to, or locating it within, literary criticism, baseball, mythology, poetry, drama, aesthetic theory, art history, everyday life, personal experience, (American)consumer culture, and social history. In addition, Sherman's recollections of his own teacher, Eduard Steuermann, are touching and instructive. It is clear, too, that Sherman has learned as much from his students as he has imparted to them. Sherman has a searching, inquisitive mind that brings together disparate subjects and phenomena coherently and beautifully.

That said, Piano Pieces may not appeal to non-pianists and may turn off those pianists who, understandably, prefer not to think about how they make music. Still, this book is a fascinating record of a musical soul.

One more thing: prior to reading this book, I was only vaguely aware of Sherman as an instructor in the Boston area. After reading Piano Pieces, I sought Sherman's recordings and prepared myself for a series of disappointments. Happily, I found that he is a gifted performer. Although you may have to search for them, I especially recommend his recordings of Beethoven's piano sonatas and Haydn's piano sonatas. He is a thoughtful and surprising music maker.

Rating:
Summary: An inspiring read for eclectic minds
Review: I'm surprised by the reviews that denounce this book. Sherman's tone is at once informal and high-minded, which might limit the appeal of Piano Pieces to a particularly North American sensibility. Still, when I read it in the spring of 1996, I knew Piano Pieces would remain one of the most intellectually and creatively inspiring books that I would read on any subject. Sherman treats a range of issues related to performing the European piano literature by comparing it to, or locating it within, literary criticism, baseball, mythology, poetry, drama, aesthetic theory, art history, everyday life, personal experience, (American)consumer culture, and social history. In addition, Sherman's recollections of his own teacher, Eduard Steuermann, are touching and instructive. It is clear, too, that Sherman has learned as much from his students as he has imparted to them. Sherman has a searching, inquisitive mind that brings together disparate subjects and phenomena coherently and beautifully.

That said, Piano Pieces may not appeal to non-pianists and may turn off those pianists who, understandably, prefer not to think about how they make music. Still, this book is a fascinating record of a musical soul.

One more thing: prior to reading this book, I was only vaguely aware of Sherman as an instructor in the Boston area. After reading Piano Pieces, I sought Sherman's recordings and prepared myself for a series of disappointments. Happily, I found that he is a gifted performer. Although you may have to search for them, I especially recommend his recordings of Beethoven's piano sonatas and Haydn's piano sonatas. He is a thoughtful and surprising music maker.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: It feel that Mr. Sherman is capable of better writing than this rather dubious collection of cerebral flatus. I get the impression that he is trying to prove how clever he is, whilst simultaneously trying to make the reader feel inadequate. The content of his musings range from remarkably insightful to pretentious claptrap. Reading the book is like panning for gold, you have to sort through a great deal of aggregate to find a little gold dust - but it is there if you have the patience.
I am not familiar with the author's piano work, but as a student of the instrument I can tell his has considerable knowledge of the subject. His writing however would benefit from a dose of pragmatism, reduction of pretension and condescension.
On the whole much is promised but little is delivered.

Rating:
Summary: So much written - yet so little said !
Review: Regrettably, I feel I cannot justify this book taking up ANY room on my bookshelf. Then I thought of giving it away, but I wouldn't do that to anybody I know.

What was he thinking ? Only years of academic study would equip you with enough prentension to understand what he is trying to get at - is he trying to make a point ? I kept reading, hoping for something enlightening, without result.

My advise is - Don't waste your time or money !

Rating:
Summary: Irritating? Pretentious? Dull? All of the above?
Review: This book offers proof that you can't just throw together your journal jottings and expect to make a readable work. The author may be a good pianist (I've never heard him or heard of him, and I've collected piano recordings for close to half a century now), but he's a lousy composer. Of prose, that is. The short entries are both overly-intellectualized and intellectually unsatisfying. They go too far in their pretentious style and not far enough in content. The writer demands a high degree of concentration, but then doesn't come through with much to say, finally...

Rating:
Summary: Stay with this book
Review: While many (especially non-musicians, non-artists, non-students, non-teachers or non-thinkers) may give up on this book, there are many, many things to recommend it. Since the book is written in short, paragraph-long sections, one can jump all around, which is really how to read it. If you do you may glean numerous insights. Though prone to being pretty pretentious, Sherman has thought deeply about his work as a musician, pianist and teacher. He understands how mere technique does not make an artist, how simply hours of practice does not make a great pianist, and how music competitions are death to performers: in other words, things that need to be said! Sherman is able to convey these insights, and a patient, intelligent reader should be able to get beyond his admittedly weak style as a writer and make many discoveries.