The Writings and Letters of Konrad Wolff

(Hardback)

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

Even after acquiring the Doctor of Laws degree from both the University of Berlin and the Sorbonne (discussed in a letter, along with the effects of living in Europe during the Nazi era), Konrad Wolff's enthusiasm for music was so overwhelming that he became a professional musician in his mid-thirties. That enthusiasm is contagious. The more one reads his work, the more one understands music, but perhaps of greater importance, the more one loves it. This is the only collection of a substantial quantity of his prolific writings (many never published before) under one cover. With almost 200 musical illustrations and his engaging style of writing, teachers, students, and sophisticated music lovers will find articles such as Schubert's Reaction to Beethoven, Bach's Last Work, and Beethovenian Dissonances in Listz's Piano Music a pleasurable read and an easy way to learn. Correspondence with Sviatoslav Richter, among others, and a brilliant debate between Wolff and Alfred Brendel are unique contributions. Also impressive is the breadth of Wolff's culture. As one scholar who had read the manuscript exclaimed: The writing is so brilliant that it can be applied to fields other than music, as well.

Reviews

"A recent book I have read and would highly recommend to all music teachers is The Writings of Konrad Wolff....this book is 'must reading'-Music Teachers National Association Spring/Summer Newsletter
""A recent book I have read and would highly recommend to all music teachers is The Writings of Konrad Wolff....this book is 'must reading'"-Music Teachers National Association Spring/Summer Newsletter

Author Bio

RUTH GILLEN, a pianist, studied with the duo-pianists Vronsky and Babin, and with Konrad Wolff. She is a graduate of the High School of Music and Art in New York City, and received Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees from Hunter College and Columbia University respectively.