A Dictionary for the Modern Pianist DICTIONARIES FOR THE MODERN MUSICIAN Series Editor: Jo Nardolillo Contributions to Dictionaries for the Modern Musician series offer both the novice and the advanced artist lists of key terms designed to fully cover the field of study and performance for major instruments and classes of instruments, as well as the workings of musicians in areas from composing to conducting. Focusing primarily on the knowledge required by the contemporary musical student and teacher, performer, and professional, each dictionary is a must-have for any musician’s personal library! All Things Strings: An Illustrated Dictionary by Jo Nardolillo, 2014 A Dictionary for the Modern Singer by Matthew Hoch, 2014 A Dictionary for the Modern Clarinetist by Jane Ellsworth, 2014 A Dictionary for the Modern Trumpet Player by Elisa Koehler, 2015 A Dictionary for the Modern Conductor by Emily Freeman Brown, 2015 A Dictionary for the Modern Pianist by Stephen Siek, 2016 A Dictionary for the Modern Pianist Stephen Siek ROWMAN & LITTLEFIELD Lanham • Boulder • New York • London Published by Rowman & Littlefield A wholly owned subsidiary of The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc. 4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, Maryland 20706 www.rowman.com Unit A, Whitacre Mews, 26-34 Stannary Street, London SE11 4AB Copyright © 2017 by Rowman & Littlefield All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote passages in a review. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information Available Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Siek, Stephen, author. Title: A dictionary for the modern pianist / Stephen Siek. Description: Lanham, Maryland : Rowman & Littlefield, 2017. | Series: Dictionaries for the modern musician | Includes bibliographical references. Identifiers: LCCN 2016023499 (print) | LCCN 2016024438 (ebook) | ISBN 9780810888791 (cloth : alk. paper) | ISBN 9780810888807 (electronic) Subjects: LCSH: Piano—Dictionaries. | Pianists—Biography—Dictionaries. Classification: LCC ML102.P5 S6 2016 (print) | LCC ML102.P5 (ebook) | DDC 786.203—dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016023499 The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992. Printed in the United States of America For Donald Hageman Contents Pitch Range Chart ix Preface xi A Brief Word about Recordings xv The Dictionary 1 Appendixes Appendix A Dictionary Entries Listed by Category 251 Appendix B A Brief Overview of the Acoustic Piano’s Action for the Performer 257 Appendix C Historical Pianos and Their Relationship to the Standard Repertoire 259 Appendix D Digital Pianos in the Modern Pianist’s World 265 Appendix E The Player Piano and the Reproducing Piano 273 Selected Bibliography 281 About the Author 285 vii Pitch Range Chart ASA (ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA) METHOD OF PITCH IDENTIFICATION All books in the Rowman & Littlefield Dictionaries for the Modern Musician series use the ASA (Acoustical Society of Amer- ica) method for pitch identification, and this is the system used in this volume. As is customary with many keyboard charts, the numeral zero is used for those pitches below C1. However, what is sometimes termed the “modified” Helmholtz system (below) is generally preferred by piano makers, technicians, and many museums for indicating keyboard compass, and that chart has been included below for easy reference and comparison. “MODIFIED” HELMHOLTZ PITCH DESIGNATION SYSTEM “Modified” Helmholtz Pitch Designation System used by the American Musical Instrument Society (AMIS), by museums in their instrument catalogs, by auction houses selling musical instruments, and often by musicians asking about the compass of a piano they are considering playing in concert. ix Preface Since nearly all dictionaries require selectivity, the modern Fischer, the Beethoven of Artur Schnabel, the Chopin of pianist’s world presents a number of daunting challenges to Alfred Cortot, or the Debussy of Walter Gieseking—perfor- anyone bold enough to chronicle its essentials between two mances that were once considered iconic to generations of covers. At least some of those challenges are well under- pianists—has likely been intermittent at best.2 To compound stood by experienced performers and teachers, for over the the irony, today’s students have unprecedented access to the past quarter century the profession seems to have expanded most treasured performances of the past, whether via the in two opposing directions. First, the new technologies sur- Internet or through the large number of commercial reissues rounding digital keyboards are accelerating to the point that available on CD, an ease of access that their teachers could even a dedicated technophile may have difficulty staying scarcely have imagined in their own student days.3 current with the most cutting-edge developments. At the Since, for a variety of reasons, the pianist’s world has same time, virtually any pianist who has studied or taught in always been driven more by personality than terminology, a college or conservatory over the last several decades has the majority of entries in this volume focus on the major pia- observed the increased emphasis being placed not simply nists and teachers of the past two centuries. Perhaps in some on performance practices of earlier periods, but on the ac- measure, this approach may help enrich the modern pianist’s tual instruments used before 1840—instruments now being world, since music schools rarely seem to address the legacy both restored and replicated by highly skilled craftsmen.1 At of artistic piano performance in a systematic fashion.4 Thus, present, both of these movements have carved unassailable with the understanding that the printed word can never take footholds in the modern pianist’s world, though both were the place of a recording or a live performance, this book considered little more than novelties a generation ago. has been designed to offer detailed background, as well as Perhaps not surprisingly, the partisans of period instru- easy reference, to those both familiar and unfamiliar with ments and the devotees of electronic keyboards have not the seemingly endless array of notable performers who have always found common ground, but the artists and teachers shaped our pianistic heritage. Admittedly, such an alphabet- who focus on traditional instruments and repertoire have ical survey amounts to little more than a selective overview, also observed some disturbing trends over the last few and the necessity of keeping this work from expanding to decades: for amid shrinking budgets and declining enroll- multiple volumes has also required many omissions. The ments, their students often seem less concerned—and less most painful exclusions have resulted in the absence—with informed—about the rich legacy that has shaped their art. a few delimited exceptions—of countless younger, often While some have suggested that we simply live in an age magnificently gifted artists who have not yet reached the overly obsessed with the here and now, others have attrib- half-century mark. Although this decision was dictated pri- uted the lack of awareness to proliferating competitions that marily by spatial considerations, it could be argued that it was tend to promote more homogenous playing, a “style” more not entirely arbitrary, since by the time pianists reach mid-life, often concerned with accuracy than artistry, and an approach it often becomes easier to evaluate the mark they are likely to that bears little resemblance to the individuality once associ- leave on their profession. And it may offer some consolation ated with the so-called Golden Age of pianism. But what- to note that the majority of younger pianists today, especially ever the causes, it seems paradoxical that talented students those under management, rarely want for publicity. In fact, should spend years studying Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, or they are likely to have websites detailing their backgrounds Debussy in an effort to aid their awareness of the compos- and even offering sound samples, a status never enjoyed by ers’ intentions, while their exposure to the Bach of Edwin the majority of great artists who are no longer with us. xi xii • Preface In addition, the present volume is not strictly a compen- The United States, especially, is home to some priceless dium of classical pianists, or it could have contained far instruments, artifacts, and archival materials from earlier more names. Equally important to aspiring students, as well eras of pianism, and some of the most important muse- as to seasoned professionals, is the instrument itself, and al- ums and collections have been included for convenient though detailed books exist to explain the piano’s construc- reference—venues well worth a visit from any serious tion, some twenty entries covering modern parts and com- pianist. A number of well-known competitions have been ponents are also present—terms that today’s pianists might listed as well, often with a bit of historical background, do well to understand. There are also extended entries for though that number has grown so much in the last several nearly forty modern manufacturers, and many have been ex- decades that it was necessary to