Well, I'm off to a good start with my goal to read more this year. I've had both of these books in my library since last summer, but I finally got around to reading them last month. Both are excellent resources, but they are definitely aimed at very different audiences. Katz's book would be most helpful for very advanced students and professionals who are active in high levels of collaboration. Grill's book is appropriately titled and will be of most benefit to piano teachers and their students who are just beginning to accompany.
My Thoughts:
I really enjoyed getting a glimpse into the mind of Martin Katz, one of the most highly respected and experienced collaborative artists in North America. He has a very pleasant and clear writing style with enough humor to keep the technical content from getting too heavy. He takes us through every step of his collaborative process including learning the music, rehearsals with the soloist, and performance. The amount of detailed work that he puts into each piece of music is both inspiring and convicting. While the whole book is a fantastic and, dare I say, essential resource for any pianist, Chapter 8 is the real gem of this book. He gives a fantastic approach to learning and performing orchestral reductions on the piano. I could not recommend this book more highly.
I really enjoyed getting a glimpse into the mind of Martin Katz, one of the most highly respected and experienced collaborative artists in North America. He has a very pleasant and clear writing style with enough humor to keep the technical content from getting too heavy. He takes us through every step of his collaborative process including learning the music, rehearsals with the soloist, and performance. The amount of detailed work that he puts into each piece of music is both inspiring and convicting. While the whole book is a fantastic and, dare I say, essential resource for any pianist, Chapter 8 is the real gem of this book. He gives a fantastic approach to learning and performing orchestral reductions on the piano. I could not recommend this book more highly.
My Thoughts:
The title of this book should have
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