Grand Obsession: A Piano Odyssey by Perri Knize Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Grand Obsession: A Piano Odyssey
Book Review: Grand obsession - The grandest piano of them all!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
I have completed reading this book with very positive thoughts. I had the opportunity to meet Perri and Marc at the Piano party in New York on January 12th, and played the piano that sparked the writing of this book. This is a must read book for musicians and non-musicians. You really get intimate with the inner workings of the piano and the way it is made, particularly the voicing and the overtones it produces. I also learned about a side of myself which started this whole odyssey. If this does not move you to tears, what will? And you will ask yourself after reading, what is it about the piano anyway? You will be glad you read this book! It had motivated me to learn piano and what to look for when shopping for an instrument! Book Review: Good writing but a little over the top
Summary: 4 Stars
This is a well written book and Ms. Knize has a very nice style. You could feel her passion.
Only a few things kept gnawing at me however.
Her descriptions of the way pianos sound used all of the silly buzzwords piano people always use that really have no apparent meaning. What the heck does complex mean for example? I've played the piano all my life and have no idea what that means, I've also asked other pianists and they have no idea either, it's just a word they like to use that sounds imressive. There are other cliches as well. She also falls into the funny notion that certain composers can only be played on pianos with certain sounds. I bet that would be news to the composer who probably didn't have a piano that sounds like any of the modern pianos.
Obsession is right. It's just a piano folks, a pretty cabinet full of fairly crude mechanical parts.
Very enjoyable as long as you take some of the hyperbolae with a grain of salt
Book Review: Quest for Beauty
Summary: 5 Stars
A good piano has its own personality. A great piano has something approaching a soul. To play a piano that you truly connect with - it responds to you, and you respond to it - does not happen every day. When it does happen it is a very precious thing. Perri found such a piano in NY, but that wonderful connection was lost when the piano got to Montana. Was she able to get that sound - that connection - back?
Grand obsession is a great read because 1) it is a great story, and the narrative is interesting, 2) it is very informative in terms of pianos, how they work, and what makes their sound come alive. Perri spent a lot of time researching everything from soundboards to different tunings. Her passion for the piano, and restoring her instrument to the sound she remembers is apparent in every page.
If you like stories about a search for perfection and beauty, with a lot of witty and interesting characters, this is the book for you.
Book Review: An Obsession we can all share
Summary: 5 Stars
Perri's writing style is excellent and immersive, and reading her intense journey is an emotional rollercoaster. When the author initially meets the piano goal of her obsession (which she soon calls Marlene) and describes how the responsiveness of the piano keys guides her to the sound of the music, I felt her thrills. Later on, I was devastated when the piano Marlene lost its magic voice and presence somewhere in transit.
On the way to recover the voice of the real Marlene, "Piano Obsession" took me through an odyssey of intensity. Maybe it is not a ten year trip back to Ithaca or a journey from Hell via Purgatory to Paradise or even a quest for a White Whale but, for me, this book still is an overall exquisite experience even after two complete readings and continuing referrals. Perri has helped me to realize that I too, want to "ride the crest of the wave of the expanding universe."
"Grand Obsession" is not just for musicophiles, it is for anyone who has lost focus and sleep over wanting to posess any particular object of desire. This book is not just a guide to finding the right piano--though that information is of immense value to those of us with even a fraction of her focus on things musical. Sharing her journey we discover that the goal becomes not the most valuable result of the quest but meeting new found friends, seeing wonderful places, and-dare I say it-coming to a realization of profound truths.
A word to the publishers...I recently heard Perri perform several readings at live events. The tone of her voice is reassuring, her sense of drama and emphasis excellently controlled. Her contact with the audience is intense. If you are planning an audio version of this fine book, hers is the voice that you should use.
Book Review: A riveting read!
Summary: 5 Stars
I don't know treble from bass, but when Perri says the treble was "dead", even a non-musical person can understand that. I found this book to be an absolutely fascinating read! I could not put it down until the last page. It is a compelling account of one woman's relentless search for the sound that had captured her heart and imagination...a search which took her around the globe. It provides an insider's glimpse into the piano industry and the world of piano technicians, voicers, and tuners. A MUST read for piano lovers and a delightful, fascinating read for those of us who are not.
As a high school librarian, I also highly recommend it for all high school collections. It would be a wonderful supplement to your music curriculum!