A Natural History of the Piano by Stuart Isacoff

A Natural History of the Piano

The Instrument, the Music, the Musicians--from Mozart to Modern Jazz and Everything in Between

Stuart Isacoff

Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group · Print & ebook · November 20, 2012

A fascinating celebration of the piano, including tales of its masters from Mozart and Beethoven to Oscar Peterson and Jerry Lee Lewis, told with the expertise of composer and author of Temperament, Stuart Isacoff.

Buy on Amazon

We earn from qualifying purchases.

Who it’s for
The piano’s long history comes alive through its changing sound and many musical hands.
Themes
Piano history and evolution, Emotional expression through music, Piano's influence in popular music
Pacing
Fast

Nearest books

Matched by what the books are about, then ordered by what their readers also loved.

  1. BeethovenJan Swafford52% match
  2. Every ValleyCharles King48% matchShares Music History
  3. Escaping the DeltaElijah Wald46% matchShares Music History
  4. The SwerveStephen Greenblatt43% match

For younger readers: A History of Music for Children, Great Composers Coloring Book, Turn It Up!

Start with three books, and this one can be the first.

Members get a new edition every morning: a route out from their books to essays, research and talks, with the reason for each.

Start with this book

About this book

A fascinating celebration of the piano, including tales of its masters from Mozart and Beethoven to Oscar Peterson and Jerry Lee Lewis, told with the expertise of composer and author of Temperament, Stuart Isacoff. This history takes us back to the piano's humble genesis as a simple keyboard, and shows how everyone from Ferdinando de’ Medici to Herbie Hancock affected its evolution of sound and influence in popular music.

Continue reading

Presenting the instrument that has been at the core of musical development over the centuries in all its beauty and complexity, this explores the piano’s capabilities and the range of emotional expression it conveys in different artists’ hands. A Natural History of the Piano is fast-paced and intriguing, with beautiful illustrations and photos, a must-read for music lovers and pianists of every level.

Keys Through Time

The piano’s long history comes alive through its changing sound and many musical hands.

Come here for

  • From Mozart and Beethoven to Oscar Peterson and Jerry Lee Lewis
  • How makers and musicians shaped the piano’s sound and influence

Expect

  • A lively history of the instrument’s range and emotional expression
  • Illustrations and photos alongside the story

Where it sits

Music History93%
Piano & Keyboards66%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Music History
  • Piano & Keyboards
  • Pop Culture Studies
Authors
Stuart Isacoff
Publisher
Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
Published
November 20, 2012
Format
Print & ebook
Theme
Piano history and evolution · Emotional expression through music · Piano's influence in popular music
Reading lane
Music History