Cortot
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Summary
Rich in detailed material and written with wit and humor, this book is a reference for piano professionals and students, and equally suitable for any beginner interested in the piano who wants to learn about the styles and works of the great pianists—essential reading for anyone new to classical music.
Editor's review
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Classical music lovers, especially readers interested in the history of piano art.
- Piano students and teachers who wish to understand performing styles and traditions in depth.
- Readers interested in twentieth-century European cultural history and the predicament of intellectuals.
- Readers who enjoy biographies and, rather than surface praise, want to see complex human nature and the conflicts of the era.
Not a good fit for
- Readers expecting a light, entertaining collection of celebrity anecdotes.
- Readers with no basic knowledge of or interest in classical music.
Reading tips
- It is advisable to listen to some of Cortot's historical recordings before reading, so the experience feels more concrete.
- Listen comparatively to multiple performances of specific works mentioned in the book (such as the Chopin Études).
- Pay attention to footnotes and appendices, which contain rich source references and background information useful for further reading.
About the publisher
Shanghai Music Publishing House focuses on music and dance books and textbooks, with a brand identity built around piano literature and music classics. Its catalogue of about 592 titles includes categories such as film and television and theory. Representative works include the Norton series on music history by period—Twentieth-Century Music, Romantic Music, Classical Music and Baroque Music—as well as Feinberg on the Art of Piano Playing, A History of European Music and Beethoven's Symphonies: An Artistic Vision. Its contributors include authors and scholars such as Philip Downs, Leon Plantinga, Robert Morgan and Richard Hoppin, along with translators and scholars Liu Danni, Chen Hongduo, Gan Fangmeng and Liang Qing. The press emphasizes translations of Western music scholarship while also supporting Chinese-language writing on music history and theory, giving its list a core strength in period histories, style histories and performance art; public information on other areas is limited.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 等待救世主
- 形象酷似的人
- 教育者阿尔弗雷德
- 从莱蒙到塞纳
- 贝多芬和他的周围
- 浪漫主义
- 交错的职业生涯
- “复仇”的英雄们
- 德彪西和拉威尔
- 两次世界大战之间的天堂
- 三个先知
- 科托委员长的个人战争
- 从塞纳到莱蒙
- 注解
- 演奏曲目
- 唱片和录音信息
- 附录
FAQ
Is this a simple celebratory biography?
Do I need advanced musical expertise to understand it?
What aspects of Cortot does this book mainly cover?
Comments
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About the author
Piero Rattalino is an author known for writing biographies of pianists. Public information about him is limited, and his nationality, dates of birth and death, and educational background are not clearly documented. Thirteen of his works are held in the collection, most notably the twelve-volume series Great Pianists, along with dedicated biographies of Horowitz, Gould, Rachmaninoff, Brendel, Rubinstein, Michelangeli, and Backhaus. These works are generally classified under general biography, with some touching on theory and film and television, reflecting the author's sustained attention to the twentieth-century piano performance tradition. Rattalino's writing focuses on the lives, artistic styles, and recorded legacies of his subjects. Aimed at general music readers, it is plain in language and combines historical sources with anecdotes, offering Chinese readers an accessible and systematic introduction to the history of piano performance.
Li Funa is an author about whom very limited public information is available. Two of her works are currently held in the collection, the representative titles being Koto and Arrau, and her works are commonly classified under film and television. Judging from the available information, her writing centers on the film and television field, involving introductions to and commentary on related figures or works, with a clear flavor of film and television culture. Because her dates of birth and death, nationality, and educational background cannot be verified, it is difficult to sketch a complete biography or to determine how her writing developed over time. What can be confirmed is that she has come to readers' attention through two works; though few in number, they are concentrated in the same thematic direction, showing a fairly clear focus of interest. On the basis of the existing material, there is still insufficient evidence to assess her writing style and influence, and only further information can fill this gap. Readers interested in her and her writing may begin with Koto and Arrau to appreciate her approach to film and television topics and her angle of selection.
