Abram Chasins - Speaking of Pianists (Part 2 - Godowsky, Rachmaninoff & Schnabel)

Here’s Part 2 of my narration of Speaking of Pianists (1957) by Abram Chasins. Leopold Godowsky, Sergei Rachmaninoff and Artur Schnabel are the subjects of this episode.✨

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:17 Leopold Godowsky
27:17 Sergei Rachmaninoff
43:15 Artur Schnabel

Part 1 of Speaking of Pianists (Josef Hofmann)🎹:

As many of you know, I was very close to my piano teacher, Constance Keene (1921-2005) with whom I studied at Manhattan School of Music. I reference her in my teaching and it is her conception of sound, of performance, in general, that guides me in my quest to perform Bach’s music with expression and originality. Ms. Keene was a student (and wife) of Abram Chasins (1903-87) a gifted pianist, composer, teacher and author of several books, including Speaking of Pianists.

For some time, I have wanted to narrate Speaking of Pianists. Brimming with vivid and eloquently told stories about many great pianists of the past and offering up a frank and sobering assessment of the difficulties faced by aspiring pianists, the book has helped me find my way in a dark world. I treasure Abram’s writing and the link to him that I have through Ms. Keene. Whenever I read this book, I notice the seeds of Ms. Keene’s teaching, seeds which Chasins gathered from his own teacher, Josef Hofmann (1876-1957).

Narrating Abram’s book is a personal venture which is very dear to my heart. The contents of his book are at the core of my work as a Bach pianist. While I don’t agree with absolutely everything in the book (there is some sexism here and there, for instance) I nevertheless feel when I read it that: “This book was written for me.” If I can help share this essential and out-of-print piano resource with students and lovers of our great instrument, then I shall feel that I did for my art, a useful service.🎹

Abram Chasins – Speaking of Pianists (Part 2 – Godowsky, Rachmaninoff & Schnabel)

2 Comments