History of Western Piano Art

Author: Zhou Wei
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-02-01
Features: The history of Western piano art is a branch of Western music history but differs from chronological historical accounts. This book focuses on the composers and their works that have made significant contributions to piano music in Western music history, providing a macroscopic overview of the historical development of Western piano art. Although the book cites numerous musical examples, its focus is not on detailed analysis of specific works but rather on connecting seemingly isolated and fragmented historical phenomena from various works, exploring their origins and interrelationships. The book also includes horizontal comparisons of the influence of piano figures across different eras, encompassing both narrow comparisons within a musical context and broader comparisons within the context of cultural and artistic history. In summary, through extensive comparisons from various perspectives, the book attempts to create a comprehensive historical map of piano art, aiming to expand the thinking space of piano students and deepen their understanding of the stylistic characteristics of piano composers from different eras, regions, and backgrounds. Since the form of keyboard instruments has undergone significant changes in the history of Western piano art, and the evolution and development of these instruments directly affect the compositional style of composers and the performance style of pianists, this book dedicates a separate chapter to a concentrated discussion of the historical development of keyboard instruments.