Performance Practices in Classic Piano Music: Their Principles and Applications (Music Scholarship and Performance)

Performance today on either the pianoforte or the fortepiano can be atonce joyful, musicianly, expressive, and historically informed. From this point ofview, Sandra P. Rosenblum examines the principles of performing the music of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, and their contemporaries as revealed in a variety of their autographs and letters, early editions of their music, originalinstruments, and contemporary tutors and journals. She applies these findings tosuch elements of performance as dynamics, accentuation, pedaling, articulation andtouch, technique and fingering, ornaments and embellishments, choice of tempo, andtempo flexibility.Familiarity with the Classic conventionsprovides a framework for interpretation and an understanding of the choicesavailable within the style, the amount of freedom a performer has, and which areasare ambiguous. Rosenblum's detailed study, copiously illustrated with musicalexamples, is invaluable for professional and amateur performers, serious pianostudents and their teachers and students of performance practices by Scarlatti andClementi...". is and will remain unsurpassed as the studydealing with performance practice as it pertains to keyboard music of the Classicalperiod." -- American Music Teacher"Rosenblum's monumentalachievement is thorough, objective, balanced, and imaginative, a compelling blend oflove and respect for the solo, chamber, and concerto literature she addresses."-- Journal of Musicological Research"The extent and qualityof her research, the depth of her perception, and her musicianship together breaknew ground in the study of historic performance practice." -- Early KeyboardJournal"Her attention to details is absolutely scrupulous; nostone unturned, no argument unquestioned or unstated." -- The MusicalTimes"Its importance to thoughtful musicians cannot beoverstated." -- Choice..". thoroughly musicological." --Performance Practice Review..". indispensable... " -- New YorkTimes

A Choice Outstanding Academic Book of 1989