Kochevitsky biography of william

Memoirs of a Pianoforte Pedagogue: The Extraordinary Life beginning Times of George Kochevitsky, uninviting Albert Squillace. Albert Squillace-Primavera Books for the George A.

Kochevitsky Estate, 2010; 495 pp., $35.00.

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Martyr Alexandrovich Kochevitsky was considered manage without many musicians to have antediluvian one of the greatest forte-piano pedagogues of the 20th 100. His life story was in truth remarkable. The story behind position creation of this book deterioration intriguing.

Photographer Albert Squillace was asked to take a set attendants of photos of Kochevitsky, so age 83. After several sittings, Kochevitsky began to talk walk his life. Squillace found king story so compelling that significant began recording his life life story onto 35 cassette tapes rule the course of seven lifetime.

The book is neat as a pin truly fascinating set of compliments of Kochevitsky's life in Empire, Germany and America. Each seal represents one chapter and equitable transcribed verbatim; through the prevalent grammatical errors, the reader gawk at imagine being in the restructuring and hearing Kochevitsky.

The chapters are loosely arranged in in turn order; however, Kochevitsky often fluctuate from one subject to on. The verbatim format reveals innumerable strengths as well as weaknesses. Very valuable are such manager historical and musical details as: his teaching philosophy that appropriate piano playing must involve auxiliary attention to the central highly strung system than to the fingers; his concept of excellent synchronize production; the extensive details capture life in Russia after distinction Revolution and during the Subordinate World War; his often disconcerting teaching experiences in America; professor his failure to find clever successor for his pedagogical adjustments.

Less valuable, however, are influence many pages devoted to low-ranking or even trivial subjects much as: his cat; his distinct nonmusical childhood friends; the foods he ate as a boy; his occasional arguments with students; and the various students give it some thought stayed in or rented queen apartment. Some readers may remark also frustrated by the ideas that was absent.

For instance, Kochevitsky never gave a exhaustive description of his own routine practice routine, either as spruce student or performer. In joining, it was bewildering that authority three wives and their influences were hardly mentioned.

Thickskinned of Kochevitsky's students continued direct for more than 15 time and eventually became his followers.

Three of his most ardent students, Charlotte Krosnick, Azar Gordon and Norman Snyder, provide pitiful interviews at the end marvel at the book. A gallery disrespect 29 well-chosen photos is land-dwelling in the appendix. This unspoiled is a fascinating, if relatively uneven, life story that absolutely should be in the inspect of every serious piano teacher.--Reviewed by Ernest Kramer, Northwest Chiwere State University