"Women of the Piano" {book} by Susan Tomes

[Lance]

WOMEN OF THE PIANO by Susan Tomes
The book finally arrived offering "a history in 50 lives." I suppose when you limit yourself to only 50 lives, some will be left out. There were more female pianists over the years than you might think, but not as many men. I was disappointed not to find Gina Bachauer, considered the "Lady Horowitz of the Piano," or Ruth Slenczynska, who knew Rachmaninoff and had a glorious career. That aside, this book covers both classical and jazz pianists, predominently more classical. The book offers stories of each artist presenting facts we might already know about more recent pianists. Included, of course, are pianists such as Clara Wieck Schumann and others of the period. They are capsules, not thumbnails, placing each artist into a paragraph or two or three. Is a good book to find out important, specific, quick information, but does not go into high detail (as I might have expected more), but it is worth having the book for fast reference. The book could have used some editing here and there with regard to punctiation, etc.

[Donald Isler]

Any chance that Constance Keene or Lilian Kallir (two of my teachers) are included in the book, Lance?

[Lance]

Unfortunately, no. But there's an idea for YOU! You could fill that gap.

By the way, did you see my post hereon about Joe Patrych? So happy you be involved in that Gramophone magazine tribute!

[Donald Isler]

Yes, I saw that. Thanks for the mention, Lance!

Jed asked me a few questions about Joe and his family background because I think I knew him and his parents a bit longer than he did.