Reflections from the Keyboard: The World of the Concert Pianist

by David Dubal

Interviews with top contemporary pianists document their childhoods, education, professional experiences, and feeling for classical music

Genres: Music, Nonfiction

450 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1984

Reviews

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was yet another book I bought trying to find the diary or memoir of a concert pianist. It isn't that, but it is a very solid and interesting read nevertheless. It's basically just a number of shortish interviews with major concert pianists of the 20th century, about their background, process, and experiences. Given that this kind of material almost never makes it to print, it's a rare look into a usually very private world, and as such, it's priceless. For people who essentially have the same rather impossible job, they approach it in very different ways.

The only reservation I would have is that I would have preferred fewer longer interviews - some of these are only a few pages, which is not really enough to get a handle on an often complex personality.

If you're at all interested in the person behind the performance, this is an essential read and deserves its classic status.

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a good view into the lives of some of the great pianists of the 20th century. I would have liked the interviews to have included more of their views on the problems encountered by pianists in their time. It was a fantastic and easy read and I identified with much of what they said.

[Yilaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read as a peek into the personalities of all these big name pianists of the last century. The book itself is a wealth of interview material, regardless of what you may personally gain from each one individually.

[Phyllis Jennings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful vignette glimpses into the lives and styles of great classical pianists worldwide. Beautiful photographs of each pianist; real insight into their unique repertoires.