5 comments about Chance and Circumstance: Twenty Years with Cage and Cunningham.

1. weighing in at 642 pages, this book is a dancer's story. The key to this is located in the subtitled 'Twenty Years with Cage and Cunningham' - the word WITH is the key word. Ms. Brown was a dancer, and perhaps the best dancer of the Cunningham company, but she was not John Cage nor Merc Cunningham. While the book was quite informative early on, dealing with the founding of the Cunningham company for example, there was also more than a good deal of "I did this, and I did that".
   
   I read this book and have no desire to own a copy. It may well be instructional to dancers but I didn't enter into the read as one, and left the book with a case of 'please, not another word'. The book was too long. The book was too long.



2. Merce Cunningham and John Cage are two of the most significant figures in dance and music in the second half of the 20th century. Cage, who is aruguably the most influential artist of the second half of the century, has been much written about, and was himself a prolific author. Cunningham has also published influential books, and the two have been the subject of numerous documentaries. But not until now has there been an insider's view of what it was like to be an intimate part of the Cage-Cunningham inner circle, a world that included artists Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns, composers Earl Brown, Morton Feldman, and David Tudor, and many others. Brown has written an honest, sincere account of what life was like touring the US in a VW bus with Cage at the wheel, stopping for picnics along the way. Moreover, while Brown clearly adores both Cage and Cunningham, she doesn't hesitate to provide occasionally hair-raising accounts of things said and done by these two artists that seem incongruous with the myths built up around them. In that regard, Brown renders them human in a way I have never previosuly encountered. Reading that Cage, while in his cups one night, held forth on how turned on he was by Merce, should finally set the record straight (pardon the pun) about Cage's sexuality. The book is a treasury of great anecdotes about Brown's life on the road with an astonishing group of artists, and I felt privileged to have been privy to the journey. It is also a savvy analysis of Cunningham's choreography from the perspective of someone who actually danced it. This book should be required reading for anyone seriously interested in understanding the lives and work of Cage and Cunningham.



3. The wonderful thing about this book is that it gives a very close-up view of the Cage/Cunningham world, especially in the early years of the Cunningham Dance Company. It also presents the two major figures, John Cage and Merce Cunningham, in a critical light. We see them both as the towering creative forces that the outer world knows, as well as the difficult, moody, and complicated people they really are, or were.
   
   The book is exhausting in the way it reveals Brown's life as a dancer, and the tensions and struggles of the Company. Perhaps it could be a few pages shorter, but (in the first half of the book) the insights into the world of modern dance in general, and the NY avant-garde in the 1950's and 60's in particular is fascinating and valuable.
   
   It's also a good example of why people should keep detailed journals.



4. This book is an excellent opportunity to examine Merce Cunningham's work. Carolyn Brown was probably his favorite dancer. She was intimately connected to Merce and John Cage. Many will come away with a more real understanding of what "chance" means to this work. This is very much a dancer's view of things. I only wonder why it took her thirty-five years to write this book. She confesses to the book deal being offered and signed almost as soon as she retired. There are telling comments on State support of the arts and on unions.



5. As a former student and long time friend of Ms. Brown and Merce Cunningham, I was moved and delighted to revisit the struggles, perseverance and creativity that went into daily life during the years Ms. Brown spent in the Cunningham Company and to understand, from her viewpoint, the inner workings of Merce's choreographic process. I learned so much and appreciate the knowledge, skill and levels of artistry, friendship and as well as travail that made those years so vital. Thanks, CB

1 comments about Actors on Acting: The Theories, Techniques, and Practices of the World's Great Actors, Told in Thir Own Words (Actors on Acting).

1. This book offers a wide variety of information on various acting styles and techniques. It provides the reader with a virtual history of acting. Though there is much information, much of it is not practical. Much of the information is in the form of exerpts from other books. There is no way to practically apply the information given in "Actors on Acting" without reading the entire book that the article being read comes from. This is more difficult because many of the actors quoted do not have books available. This book however is an excellent primer. A person begining to explore the craft of acting can find styles they would like to explore in greater depth without buying an entire book on that particular style. I recomend this book for anyone who is begining their study of the craft of acting.

No comments about And The Winner Is.

No comments about Tempest Storm: The Lady Is a Vamp.

5 comments about Mastering Piano Technique: A Guide for Students, Teachers and Performers.

1. I was so excited to receive this book and the best part is, I wasn't to be disappointed!!! It is a book that deserves a lot of undivided attention, as it is written with complex ideas that need to be savoured and re-read to grasp their full weight. The first part of the book is dedicated to exercises that you can do away from the piano. I am a piano teacher myself and have actually been devising a book purely on that so I was delighted to find my ideas are actually quite accurate. I will admit I have not had this book long enough to devour the whole thing just yet, but it is proving to be a gem and a must for any serious pianist!



2. This book has a separately available video which GREATLY adds to the overall value. This book is the product of 30 years of teaching and study of the subject. The teaching is super-concentrated. I somehow passed on this book in the bookstore a few years ago, maybe thinking it was too detailed or too complicated. But now that I see it (and the video), I see Professor Fink demonstrating and explaining EVERY type of piano movement I have ever seen, by every pianist! This teacher has studied and codified ALL piano playing movements, has invented a vocabulary to describe them, and he teaches you exercises to learn them. Wow. (Well, possibly there are a FEW Keith Jarrett movements he does not cover! And possibly some Thelonius Monk moves are not in here! But every other piano playing movement, he does demonstrate and explain!) Great, unique resource for students, teachers, and performers.



3. This book describes mainly the kinds of movement we need at the piano. Indeed we (or most of us) will be benefited from a proper understanding and training of the physical part of piano playing, so I admire the attempt of the auther. The problem with this book is, however, that it is far from complete and actually it misses some of the most important ingredients of piano techniques.
   
   It is sometimes helpful to isolate the movements and be conscious of the movements. However, this book tells you (mainly) only the external movements, and not much about the much more important "internal activity" which is invisible from whatever companion video or pictures. It is easy to teach external movements-- you don't actually have to buy this book, just find a DVD played by any good pianist. But everyone knows the (seemingly) paradox: different external movements can be used to play the same difficult passage. And many people learn the same external movements intentionally,and they succeed in making their movements very much the same as those of the masters, but still they fail to produce a comparable effects of these masters. Why?? This is so puzzling for the teachers. That's why some people came up with a conclusion: There is no "superior" way of playing a passage. Everyone have a different needs. While this is to some extent correct, it should not prevent us from seeking a good technique intentionally.
   
   The paradox is due to a mixing up of objective and subjective experience, as well as an ignorance about the inner activities of our bodies. While you can learn the movements for sure, the difficult and important part is the invisible inner activity; the integrity of hand structure. You need these internal organization to enpower your movements. That's the crucial difference between you in first few piano lessons(with possibly already "correct" movements as enforced by your teacher) and you at the present moment. We got better in our organization of motions in the first few years, but most of us stop somewhere. All these inner things cannot be learnt from pictures, videos, normal piano teachers. The author does know the crucial point. However, he was not able to explain how you can get there. He can only show you the eternal movement and sometimes describe vaguely the correct feeling.
   
   I can find a number of books which describe the inner activity involved. But up to now the most practical book on this is "the craft of Piano Playing" by Alan Fraser. This book is full of practical advices and innovative exercises to help the readers, rather than providing only general theory. It aims more at improving your hand functions than hand shape, movements, etc..
   
   This "mastering piano technique" can be useful if you learn the more important points first. Also, occasionally, it does provide some helpful advices on eradicating certain bad habits. But still the movements can only give you some suggestions. Improving your hand functions is the first and foremost, and the movements serve this purpose. Aim at functions, not movements.



4. I studied with Mr. Fink throughout my high-school/college preparatory years and so experienced his technical work first-hand. After studying piano at the university level, I finally got around to picking up a copy of his book. Reading through reminded me of the many exercises we went through. I think that Mr. Fink's suggestions on technique are of good resource for all serious pianists. As others have pointed out here, a literal interpretation of the illustrations is not the intended point. It is most useful to use the techniques illustrated as a guide and then adapt them to your own particular usage.



5. This work of Mr. Fink is absolutely magnificant. For the aspiring concert pianist, for the serious student, or for piano lovers who would simply like to improve their fluidity and definition at the keyboard. Having owned the volume for about a week now, I'm at the point where I think Seymour FInk's book should be in every School of Music, USA as a textbook. THe ten physical exercises done away from the piano are so complimentary and helpful. Mr. FInk seems to be a physiologist and anatomist of the human body, as well as a piano master, and this combination makes his perspective superior. Mr. Fink takes the mystery out of fine piano technique and brings exact motoral and muscular distribution matters to light in plain view, solving scores of execution difficulties pianists incur. Highly detailed! Buy this and begin using it, but the reader will not exhaust this volume in a few weeks. It is a referance volume for a lifetime. God bless Seymour Fink! In reply to the negative reviews, I would say there could be some difficulty of appreciation to the novice pianist who is at early stages of familiarity with the piano keyboard. This volume is extremely helpful to those of us who take the piano seriously and are intent on mastery.

1 comments about Ballet & Modern Dance: A Concise History.

1. This book is especially interesting and easy to follow. It provides a sound overview of the history of dance with special focus on ballet and modern dance. This book introduces the novice to the legendary art of dance and captures the reader's attention with crafty storytelling. I particularly enjoyed the portion focusing on the history of ballet. Anderson introduces the reader to many of the individuals who shaped and popularized this art form while providing a firm background of the origins and development of this art. This book begins with a history of dance in the Greco-Roman era and brings the reader full circle with discussions of recent triumphs in dance. Anderson creates a book that is informative and thorough while presenting the reader with drawings and photographs of many influential artists and great performances.

5 comments about Ubu Roi (Dover Thrift Editions).

1. At $ 3.99 a copy you can't go wrong. I found this in the bargain bin at a local bookstore and thought I was in an absinthe delirium. The brilliant beginning of avant-garde theatre. Don't miss it.



2. Silvermom's review of Ubu Roi on this site is misleading. It refers to the New Directions edition of the play, now unfortunately out of print. The Dover edition does not have the delightful line drawings, nor the added essays on theatre by Jarry. Also, I don't much care for Dover's gratuitous (and inaccurate) translation of "Ubu Roi" as "King Turd." On the other hand, as far as English translations go, Dover's is pretty much the only game in town. And Jarry's game is wonderfully worth playing, full of rambunctious anarchic high spirits. Just so you have a better idea of what you'll actually be getting.



3. 1991 22nd printing includes; Ubu Roi, a Drama in 5 acts; The Song of Disembraining by Alfred Jarry; 2 essays on the theatre by Jarry - "Questions of the Theatre" and "Of the Futility of the "Theatrical" In the Theatre";2 portraits of author by L. Lantier and F. A. Cazals;several drawings by Jarry and Pierre Bonnard;204 drawings by Franciszka Themerson doodled on lithographic plates. Fascinating book!



4. 1991 22nd printing includes; Ubu Roi (drama in 5 acts); The Song of Disembraining;2 essays on theatre by Alfred Jarry-"Questions of the Theatre" and "Of the Futility of the "Theatrical" In the Theatre";2 portraits of the author by L. Lantier and F.A. Cazals, several drawings by Jarry and Pierre Bonnard and 204 drawings by Franciszka Themerson doodled on lithographic plates. Fascinating little book!



5. Hugely, magnificently funny. I saw a live production of this play on an education channel some years ago. It is totally anarchic and joyful.

5 comments about An Inspector Calls..

1. goodness! having just written up my essay on an inspector calls, i have found these reviews! a little late, but better late than never. the review pages are fab, thanx amazon. an inspector calls is set in the industrial revolution about a family who all, without knowing it, participate to a young girl's death. but there are lots of twists and turns to be exposed! enjoy it xmelx



2. J.B. Priestley's classic drama "An Inspector Calls" has a sturdy allegorical ring that reminds me of another great British author's work, "A Pilgrim's Progress" by John Bunyan. The Birling family, prominent society figures of Brunley, a North Midlands town, are celebrating the engagement of their daughter Sheila to the son of a prominent local family when a man calling himself Inspector Goole arrives unannounced.

   Whatever triumphal joy they earlier felt is soon washed away as the Inspector informs them that a young woman by the name of Eva Smith has just died in the local infirmary, a painful suicide victim prompted by taking disinfectant. Gradually he draws everyone in the household into the picture. All are implicated in the tragic downfall leading to Eva's suicide. Mr. Birling fired her after she was a leader in a strike at his factory, resulting from her asking for a fair weekly wage. His daugher Sheila caused a dismissal from Eva's next job at a department store in a jealous rage over the young woman's good looks. Sheila's husband to be Gerald found a room for her temporarily, had an affair with her, then let her go. Eric Birling, Sheila's brother, impregnated her, after which she sought help from the charity committee headed by Mrs. Birling, who coldly spurned her.

   The only two members of the Birling household who feel appropriately contrite are Eric and Sheila. When it appears that the incident might be a hoax the others are relieved, ignoring their abominable behavior toward the girl.

   Just when it appears that they might all be in the clear, and it is learned that the mysterious Inspector Goole was no more than an apparition or hoax of some kind, a call is received that a girl has indeed died in the infirmary from ingesting disinfectant and that an Inspector is on his way to question the Birling family! And at a time when Mr. Birling expects to be offered a knighthood, no less!

   The dialogue is crisp and the mysterious Inspector Goole forces the family to look for once beyond their own selfish interests and contemplate the tragic consequences of conduct stemming from their ruthless mindset. "An Inspector Calls" reads brilliantly and plays mesmerizingly until the final curtain. It has been playing for better than a decade at London's West End, where I have seen it 3 times and intend to see it more times in the future. Its timeless message remains as vital now as when it premiered starring Alec Guinness and Ralph Richardson in 1946.




3. I am currently studying this book at school and am thourly enjoying it it is a great book and as i am doing an essay on it i thought im would come and get some review on it this has helped me a lot and thanx to Amazon[.com]



4. I really liked this book.



5. An Inspector Calls is a play for the thinkers in our world.Who love to ponder on the actions and consquences of every person. This book is clever, mysterious and thought provoking. Anyone who reads it will be captured by the Inspector and his inquiry into the death of the character Eva Smith! This makes you think (if only for the few hours after reading it) of your own actions and there possible consquences in life and perhaps of the better world we could live in IF we only went through life constantly thinking of others!

No comments about Public Speaking: An Audience-Centered Approach (7th Edition) (MySpeechLab Series).

5 comments about The Great Acting Teachers and Their Methods (Career Development Book).

1. This is an excellent selection for an instructor in acting to gain perspective and methods in the craft.



2. First, this is not a book for beginners, although my school assigned it for beginning acting. It is much more involved in theory than practice, and so it is better suited for those with some experience.
   
   Second, it says almost nothing about some of the approaches used in the UK or much of anything not derived from Stanislavski. There are two short chapters on "non-method" approaches. This doesn't really do justice to work done by members of the RSC, for example.
   
   Third, his writing style is NOT for everyone. I believe the word "twee" comes to mind. At times I would have happily shaken the author by the neck for his way of writing.
   
   That said, it does give a good overview of SOME of the great teachers and their methods. It is quite subjectively selective, so don't feel that you're getting it all, but it is useful.



3. I enjoyed every minute of this book. It was hard to put down. I actually have to buy another copy because the person who borrowed it from me swears I gave it to him.
   Information needed for anyone in the performing arts.



4. This book does an economical job of describing the major acting schools and the linear development of acting over the ages. It is a little bit boring at times while going through the different exercises. One cannot really follow the description of acting exercises, one has to have a teacher (as the book mentions). All in all, it is a well-written book that gives you the basics even if it is a little dry at times.



5. I read this book over the summer after reading Stanislavski's An Actor Prepares and Building a Character while preparing for a rather challenging role. I found this book to be exceptionally written, extremely clear, and entertaining. I found all of the different schools and techniques of acting so interesting that it inspired me to consider majoring in it and possibly going on from there to receive my MFA from the Actor's studio. I especially liked the way that he arranged the book so that one could go back and compare different techniques. Because of this book, I am far more ahead than most people in my IB theatre class and I am able to apply what is going on within myself as I begin building my character and and as i watch my acting coach while she is directing a school play. If anyone is interested in theatre, acting,or just wanting to learn something new, this is definitely the book. If it were possible to give this book ten stars I surely would.