In this issue
September 2011; Vol. 3, No. 5
Liszt at High Altitude
You have probably seen the cartoon: Bugs Bunny cracks the knuckles of his three fingers and proceeds to play Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2. As a…
September 2011; Vol. 3, No. 5
What matters more: talent or effort?
Recently I saw a cartoon that showed two smiling parents watching their child as he brushed his teeth. A banner was posted over the top of…
September 2011; Vol. 3, No. 5
A Liszt Odyssey: An interview with Alan Walker
More than 20,000 published works exist featuring charismatic trailblazer Franz Liszt. But biographer Alan Walker sets a new standard for Liszt scholarship, as well as musicological…
September 2011; Vol. 3, No. 5
Did the piano kill Liszt?
An interview with Liszt's great-granddaughter Blandine Ollivier de Prévaux Elyse Mach interviews Madame Blandine de Prévaux at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago, October 1970. From left: Dean…
September 2011; Vol. 3, No. 5
The completion of De Profundis: Instrumental Psalm for Piano & Orchestra by Franz Liszt
The instrumental psalm De Profundis for piano & orchestra by Franz Liszt (Raabe: 668, Searle: 691) is an unfinished, though virtually complete manuscript held by the Goethe and…
September 2011; Vol. 3, No. 5
De Profundis Score Examples
Note: this is a continuation of the De Profundis article found elsewhere in this September 2011 issue The following score examples will reveal several points of interest about…
September 2011; Vol. 3, No. 5
Franz Liszt the Teacher
Franz Liszt was a legendary pianist, famous for his overwhelming technical prowess and expressive power. Many today do not realize that as a teacher he had…
September 2011; Vol. 3, No. 5
It’s about time (we discuss rhythm)
My previous articles have discussed different aspects of dealing with sounds we make as jazz/pop musicians. These include chord voicings, blues licks, scales, melodic sequences, etc.…
September 2011; Vol. 3, No. 5
How do you help a college piano major with poor reading skills?
At first glance, the scope of this issue's topic may seem limited. The majority of readers are independent teachers working with students before they leave for…
September 2011; Vol. 3, No. 5
A survey of current methods: The Robert Pace Keyboard Approach
This issue concludes Clavier Companion's survey of piano methods.1 Looking back over the past two years, I have come to realize that we are blessed with a…
September 2011; Vol. 3, No. 5
September 2011: Questions & Answers
Preparing for Liszt The Questions & Answers column of Clavier Companion typically deals with issues related to elementary and intermediate level piano instruction. This issue of…