The Art of the Piano: Its Performers, Literature, and Recordings, 3rd ed. (Book Review)

The Art of the Piano: Its Performers, Literature, and Recordings, Revised and Expanded Third Edition, by David Dubal. Amadeus Press (9999 S. W. Wilshire, Ste. 124, Portland, OR 97225), 2004. 476 pp. $40.

As a student at Juilliard, I spent many years in a classroom with David Dubal. His piano literature class was an extension of the, then newly published, first edition of his book, The Art of the Piano. The revised and expanded third edition, which includes a CD of rare piano recordings, is an impressive work of importance to pianists, teachers, students and piano lovers. The fact that this work has been released in a third edition is a tribute to Dubal's knowledge and research.

Like the previous editions, The Art of the Piano is divided into two sections. The first is a biographical dictionary of pianists from Mozart's time to the present. The second section is devoted to solo and concerto piano literature, organized alphabetically by composer. Dubal also has provided lists of exceptional recordings of these works with label information. The addendum in this edition focuses on little-known composers and works, mainly contemporary, that Dubal feels should be considered and explored. The new edition includes more detailed descriptions of standard works and examines all thirty-two Beethoven Sonatas and all forty-eight Bach Preludes and Fugues. Many of the biographical entries also are expanded and updated. The CD included with this edition is a compilation of rare recordings, combining historical ...