Andras Schiff is one of the most important pianists of our time. This stimulating account of his life and work, told in two parts, takes readers on an intimate journey from Schiff's childhood in Hungary through to the present day. In conversationw with Martin Meyer, Schiff discusses a diverse range of topics from his experiences with anti-Semitism and communist rule to his musical training with maestros such as Pál Kadosa and Ferenc Rados, as well as his thoughts on playing techniques and musical interpretation. In a collection of Schiff's writings we are enthralled by a guided tour of Bach's 'Goldberg' Variations, sobered by Schiff's public defiance against nationalistic and racist attitudes - to the extent that he refused to perform in Haider's Austria or Orban's Hungary - and delighted by the playful 'Ten Commandments' for concertgoers. More than a memoir, this is a seminal compilation of the thoughts and experiences of one of the greatest musicians of our time, of his inimitable art of making music out of silence.

This beautifully packaged edition offers the chart-topping CD by the Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo de Silos with a series of inspiring meditations by Brother David Steindl-Rast. Arranged according to the eight hours of the Divine Office that the monks chant, these meditations will transport readers to a sacred place, adding a new dimension of spiritual insight to the listening experience.

"Do you have a favorite sound?" little Yoshio asks. The musician answers, "The most beautiful sound is the sound of ma, of silence." But Yoshio lives in Tokyo, Japan: a giant, noisy, busy city. He hears shoes squishing through puddles, trains whooshing, cars beeping, and families laughing. Tokyo is like a symphony hall! Where is silence? Join Yoshio on his journey through the hustle and bustle of the city to find the most beautiful sound of all.

This is the story of a young English lutenist named Peter Claire who, in 1629, arrives at the Danish Court to join King Christian IV's Royal Orchestra.

John Cage is the outstanding composer of avant-garde music today. The Saturday Review said of him: “Cage possesses one of the rarest qualities of the true creator- that of an original mind- and whether that originality pleases, irritates, amuses or outrages is irrelevant.” “He refuses to sermonize or pontificate. What John Cage offers is more refreshing, more spirited, much more fun-a kind of carefree skinny-dipping in the infinite. It’s what’s happening now.” –The American Record Guide “There is no such thing as an empty space or an empty time. There is always something to see, something to hear. In fact, try as we may to make a silence, we cannot. Sounds occur whether intended or not; the psychological turning in direction of those not intended seems at first to be a giving up of everything that belongs to humanity. But one must see that humanity and nature, not separate, are in this world together, that nothing was lost when everything was given away.”

You don't have to be an opera fan to appreciate this beautifully written memoir by world-famous tenor Andrea Bocelli. Born among the vineyards of Tuscany, Bocelli was still an infant when he developed glaucoma. Music filtering into his room soothed the unsettled child. By the age of twelve he was completely blind, but his passion for music brought light back into his life. Here Bocelli reveals the anguish of his blindness and the transcendent experience of singing. He writes about his loving parents, who nurtured his musical interests, the challenges of learning to read music in Braille and of competing in talent shows, his struggles with law school, and his desire to turn an avocation into a way of life. He describes falling in love and singing in piano bars until his big break in 1992, when a stunned Pavarotti heard him sing "Miserere." The international acclaim and success that have followed Bocelli ever since have done nothing to dull his sense of gratitude and wonder about the world. No classical music fan can afford to be without this engaging and humble memoir of a fascinating and triumphant star.

(Amadeus). Few singers have touched as many hearts as has Andrea Bocelli. This golden-voiced tenor has sung to sold-out audiences all over the world, and his legions of admirers have included popes, presidents, and monarchs as well as some of the greatest stars of classical and popular music. In The Music of Silence , Bocelli tells his own story in the form of an autobiographical novel, naming his alter ego "Amos Bardi." He writes of a loving family that encouraged his musical gifts from an early age, and of the dedication that led to his professional breakthrough and his meteoric rise to stardom. The first edition of Bocelli's memoir was published in 1999 and focused on the success and difficulties at the beginnings of his astonishing career. This newly revised and updated edition is an even deeper and more intimate analysis of his life, loves, and losses the result of wisdom gained from the increased personal and artistic maturity gained in the subsequent decade of his life. This book will touch and captivate all Bocelli fans and those who admire perseverance in the face of great challenges.