Hi,

I'm reading the Art of Piano Playing by Heinrich Neuhaus and I am finding what I am learning through reading really enriches my learning during practice. When I am playing little things I've read in this and other books will float around in my head so I end up trying out different approaches and looking at things from a fresh perspective. Can anyone recommend any particularly inspiring books they've read about piano playing (or music playing in general - it could be a book about voice, etc. as it is informative to read about phrasing and other aspects that carry over)? I'd prefer something that leans more to the spiritual/craft-of-music side than the dense/technical side. If instructions on technique are too specific I find I have trouble putting all the mechanical steps in action and can often learn more just by having my teacher show me the skill, than by reading about it. (If that makes sense.)

Quick summary: Looking for good books about piano playing, but not purely technical guides. And thank you!

edit: oops, I didn't know this book had been so recently posted about. The nature of the question seems a bit different so I hope it's okay to have made a second thread.

Look here:

Reading list

Thanks!

Hey, that wasn't really "recent"!
(2009)

I would suggest a very interesting book by my old teacher, Seymour Bernstein, With Your Own Two Hands.



(BTW, it says "click to look inside" but that doesn't work from right here, only from the Amazon page.)

"old teacher"!? You lucky fellow.

I'd second Mark's recommendation.

Indeed lucky fellow!!

I'll third the recommendation. Check out his 4 youtube video lessons. I think it is the third or fourth one where he talks about the shoulder and its role.

REALLY good stuff!

A Lesson with Seymour Bernstein #1