I know it has been a while and I have been very busy lately. I am now more focused than ever on my piano, getting up to two hours of practice a night on school nights. My new teacher has been helping me improve more than ever, and everyone around me has noticed this improvement, though I still have a long way to go. I wanted to give you guys a bit of an update of what I have been doing.

As far as this post is concerned, I have been trying to expand my knowledge as much as I can by reading. I have taken up reading biographies of many composers(currently working on Chopin and Bach) I have been working on the book Great Pianists on Piano Playing So far it is quite enjoyable to offers some wonderful advice on my part as well as a lot to learn from. I read in one chapter that it is a good idea to read up on many different composers on lives to gain more of an idea on how they meant their pieces to be interpreted, so there is my reasons for that. I was wondering if anyone could recommend any reads that could improve me in any way possible musically. I am constantly seeking ways to improve now so it would be of great help. Thank you very much.

-Tyler

There are two fantastic books, one on Debussy and one on Ravel, by a fantastic pianist and teacher called Paul Roberts. Highly recommended.

Alkan: The Man The Music by Ronald Smith

There are some good suggestions here.

Not sure if this is what you were looking for, but I just finished reading through Boris Berman's "Notes from the Pianist's Bench" and found it very insightful!

The Perfect Wrong Note by William Westney is an amazing read for all musicians! It really helped me make my practice time more effective.

The art of piano playing by Heinrich Neuhaus. It's very good.

The only problem with this book that so many speak highly of is that it's very expensive and difficult to get.
http://www.neuhaus.it/english/
http://www.neuhaus.it/english/h_neuhaus_books.htm

I was very lucky! I got it second-hand for 3 dollars and it looks like new. A pity I could not go to the book sale that is on today because I am sick and it is raining... You can find real treasures sometimes.

Wow! At least one online used book dealer is asking over a thousand for it.

I have been very lucky to only recently discover a library near by that has an incredible used book sale at least once a month. Virtually perfect condition mostly hard cover books usually for only $2 and at most $4. Their classical music section must have at least 500 books every month and the selection changes regularly.

which library is that?

I borrowed the Neuhaus book to read back when I was a student. Now I'm thinking I should have been absent minded and forgotten to return it.

Check out this thread:

Piano Books

"Piano. The making of a Steinway concert grand." by James Barron. It's a wonderful book. An inside-the-factory, step-by-step look at the incredible amount of work that goes into making a Steinway, as well as a history of the company, some great insights into what happens with a concert grand, artistic temperment, the basement of Steinway hall, and the time Horowitz was smuggled out of his house in the back of a Steinway van.

St. Agnes on around 81st and Amsterdam Ave. I believe they are having a book sale this coming Wednesday from 1-4pm.(I would call to double check)When you get there you can sign up to be on their email list, and you will get an announcement every time they are having a book sale.