![]() ![]() They sound very little like the playing you hear on his 78s. As a young song-plugger and writer, Gershwin made many of these rolls, mostly for the money. ![]() The two most widespread methods of mechanical reproduction (Ampico and Duo Art reproducing pianos) couldn't give back the subtleties of dynamics or a player's touch – at least, not without the aid of an intermediary technician, who marked down the dynamics on a score as the pianist played and then got them onto the roll later. Yet, early on, most major composers wouldn't record on shellac because they hated the sound of the early rolls and platters. ![]() Obviously, we don't get composers' interpretations until the age of recording. It would be nice to know, however, how Beethoven played his own sonatas. I've also noticed that most of these composers ask for an individual "set" of the hands – their music feels different to play – and their piano music can take a wide variety of interpretation. Composers make my list because, first, they show a new approach to the keyboard while true to the inherent nature of the instrument or because they bring an existing view to a new height, and, second, they write great music for the instrument. Your list will probably differ from mine. I can count my list of great composers for the keyboard on my fingers, with no necessity to resort to my toes: Bach, Scarlatti, Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, Brahms, Debussy, Ravel, Gershwin, and Bartók. Summary for the Busy Executive: Revelations, and no fooling. ![]()
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