The Piano Shop on the Left Bank: Discovering a Forgotten Passion in a Paris Atelier by Thad Carhart Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Piano Shop on the Left Bank: Discovering a Forgotten Passion in a Paris Atelier
Book Review: Charming?
Summary: 4 Stars
I don't think I've ever used the word charming before, but I think this fits the definition. Delightful too. Light,easy to read, and yes, possibly boring if you're not into piano or music. If you are, I think this really conveys the passion and devotion an instrument can inspire. Kind of made me want to hug a piano.
To be fair, it did get a little long, but I really enjoyed it.
Book Review: KEYS TO PLEASANT READING
Summary: 5 Stars
Thad Carhart's delightful "The Piano Shop on the Left Bank" is a joyous and captivating tale of a man's entrance into the remarkable world of the piano - not especially as a player, but as an owner, onlooker, afficianado, and senstive human being. You meet a wonderful set of characters from the Paris in which Carhart lived and moved, central of which is Luc, whose "Piano Shop" is store, shop, museum, wonderland, gathering places of good folk with good minds. And all things have a wonderful charm, nostly Gallic, but always ineffable.
Read this book because you wish to spend some truly enjoyable hours with new friends, and along the way, learn some things about the Piano.
Book Review: An easy, rewarding read
Summary: 4 Stars
If you need a break from heavy reading, this is a great book to consider. While it lacks a real story line, the book is nonetheless engaging and interesting, even for a "plot girl" like me. It was a breath of fresh air following Hardy and a book about Nazi Germany.
I wish the French phrases were footnoted, as I don't speak a word of French. Perhaps that was the author's way of making me feel excluded in the same way he was initially excluded from the atelier. Maybe not.
Book Review: A resonanting read
Summary: 5 Stars
I loved reading The Piano Shop on the Left Bank. Thad Carhart's rediscovery of the piano, set within a Parisian neighborhood, is the subject of this engaging memoir. Thad comes across the atelier in route to taking his children to school. Yet this piano retailer/repair shop is exclusive, and Thad is denied immediate access. Thad eventually gains entry rights and befriends Luc, the atelier's owner. Luc proves to be a great resource of piano lore, and Thad is a most apt pupil (not in the creepy, Stephen King way). Luc imbibes his passion for this instrument to Thad, replete with repertoire, an outline of the evolution of the piano forte, and a "comsumer reports" of sorts for the best and worst makers. Thad in turn shares this acquired wisdom with his readers, supplementing his memoir with references of books and articles on piano construction and history.
Thad had played piano as a child. While he had enjoyed playing for himself, he had never liked feeling pressured to perform. As an adult, Thad's renewed passion for piano is on his own terms. The second-time-around pianist will play for himself and for the sheer pleasure the instrument brings him. Luc "senses" which piano will make a good fit for prospective buyers, and he matches Thad up with a Stingl babygrand. Yet Thad's relationship with Luc and other frequenters of the piano shop does not end with the purchase of the Stingl; it only intensifies. Thad soon realizes that he no longer needs to contrive reasons to visit the atelier with piano shopping and maintenance issues. The atelier is an open door for Thad, along with other piano shop regulars who share a great passion for the piano and music in general.
Thad resumes his piano lessons and seeks out an appropriate music school for his two children (he eventually chooses the Schola Cantorum, where the likes of Claude Debussy once taught). Anna, Thad's piano teacher, reintroduces technique and solo repertoire not only to Thad, but to us the readers, many of whom, like myself, are dilettantes. When a piano-tuner recommendation goes dreadfully wrong, Thad must assure Anna that her piano is not beyond repair. Jos, an expert tuner of perfect pitch notoriety when sober and a case of tin ears when soused, had tuned Anna's piano while intoxicated. Fortunately, he is able to re-tune and repair the piano when in a better frame of mind. Both Luc and Thad admired Jos's skill and worried about his welfare. We the readers are left worrying about Jos's well-being after hearing about how this vulnerable man was manhandled when he was caught sleeping on a train w/o paying fare.
The book ends on a high note (okay, I couldn't resist the corny pun). We are introduced to Mathilde, Luc's girlfriend, in the latter chapters; she bonds instantly with the inner circles of the Atelier. This posse of piano lovers celebrate their shared passion and inspire the memoir's readers to rediscover their "forgotten passion."
As I wrote earlier, I really enjoyed and savored this book. I started piano lessons when I was 19, and took lessons on and off throughout college and teacher's training. I'm the first to admit that my practice habits were deplorable---a few hours before my lesson and maybe a half an hour after my lesson and the next day, followed by days of neglect and lost learning in-between my lesson times. Unfortunately, I can't afford to take piano lessons at present (dance classes are costly enough); yet I feel that now that I am more mature, I would be self-disciplined enough to stick to a regular practice schedule. Ahh well, I still love to hear piano music and especially love live performances. This book only helped to reinforce and expand my love for music and appreciation of this wonderful instrument.
Book Review: a great gift from piano teacher: her favorite book
Summary: 5 Stars
Wow! I received this book from my piano teacher as a birthday gift. She said it was her favorite book, and it's now a favorite of mine. The book is captivating in its tale of friendships built around music and the refurbishing and selling of pianos in France. The book is full of life experiences from stage frieght and quirky piano tuners to romance, anticipation and disappointment. The love of music is evident throughout, and well as the love of community.