Off the Record

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This work offers a revealing exploration of piano performing practices during the high Romantic era. Author Neal Peres Da Costa investigates early sound recordings—acoustic, piano roll, and electric—that capture esteemed pianists trained since the mid-nineteenth century. By examining the general practices of late nineteenth-century piano performance alongside the stylistic idiosyncrasies of legendary figures like Carl Reinecke, Theodor Leschetizky, Camille Saint-Saëns, and Johannes Brahms, he delves into prevalent techniques of the time, including dislocation, unnotated arpeggiation, rhythmic alteration, and tempo fluctuation. Peres Da Costa argues that these recordings reflect established expressive practices rather than merely the quirks of aging musicians, revealing a rich musical heritage. An extensive collection of rare professional recordings from the Romantic era is available on a companion website, and Peres Da Costa, a renowned period keyboardist, enhances the text with his own performances. This resource is invaluable for students and professional pianists, historical musicologists studying 19th and early 20th-century performance practices, and general music enthusiasts, serving as a vital tool for scholarly research, performance inspiration, and listening enjoyment.