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Choice Magazine
(a major review magazine for the library market)

Ludwig Van Beethoven

After an introductory section on the history of the piano, particularly as reflected in and influenced by works of the major composers for the instrument, this interesting and informative book describes various compositional "schools," from Austro-German, French, and Italian through English, American, Russian, Spanish, Japanese, and others. This section constitutes a brief course in music history beginning with the Renaissance. The appendixes contain lists of suggested 20th-century repertoire for piano and for harpsichord ... a short but substantial bibliography, and a most useful list of recommended editions. The body of the work consists of historical and stylistic sketches of 17 composers, with brief remarks about several works of each, and lists of selected works, ending with a complete work or movement. These sketches are exceptionally well written, assuming an intelligent reader, and convey a great deal of information concisely.... this book contains much well-organized and useful material. For libraries serving serious amateur pianists, high school upward.

Booklist
(The book review magazine of the American Library Association)

Johann Sebastian Bach

This authoritative volume will make a solid addition to the public library music collection. After offering a brief opening chapter on the evolution of the piano as instrument and the changing styles of technique, author Pat Hammond provides opinionated but well-reasoned analyses of the works of the major piano composers, with focus on the Baroque era (Bach and Handel), the Classical age (Haydn, Mozart Beethoven), Romanticism (Schubert, Chopin Liszt, and others), Impressionism (Debussy) and Modernism (Bartok). Other chapters single out the unique contributions of various piano geniuses (Tchaikovsky, Grieg) and outline and define the "schools" of piano composition and virtuosity. This book's unique feature is its inclusion of musical examples of each composer's work, which are meant to be played as one reads along. Pertinent biographical material is also featured for the great masters. Appendixes include a suggested twentieth-century piano repertoire and a bibliography.

The American Organist

Wolfgang Amadeo Mozart

"The author has created a self-instruction course which gives information about the evolution of the piano and changing styles in piano technique, and then discusses topics with emphasis on special composers: Baroque Era (Bach and Handel), Classical Age of Sonata Form (Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven), Romanticism (Schubert, Mendelssohn, Schumann, Chopin, Liszt, and Brahms), Unique Contributions (Franck, Tchaikovsky, Greig, and MacDowell) Impressionism (Debussy) and Modernism and Contemporary Trends (Bartok). A historical sketch of the composer’s life, a description of his style, comments on his major compositions, important editions of his works, and a listing of his major keyboard works with dates and editions, as well as the inclusion of a representative piece, are given for each composer. The last chapters offer profiles of various schools (Austro-German, French, etc) of classical keyboard composition, a suggested 20th Century piano repertoire, and a bibliography. An index completes the volume. Piano students seeking background information will profit from this book. Recommended for public libraries.

Clavier
(The major keyboard magazine for piano players)

Frederick Francois Chopin

"Compiled and annotated by Patricia Fallows-Hammond. Suitable as a reference source, this handbook supplies concise biographical and stylistic sketches of composers and annotation of selected compositions. Informative chapters on national schools include not only the usual Russian and French schools but also Japanese, American, English, Austro-German (also known as the First and Second Viennese, although the author doesn't mention the fact), Italian, Spanish, and for completeness, other schools. In addition, the appendices provide a short but well-chosen bibliography of standard reference sources and the author's helpful recommendations for editions and for 20th-century piano, harpsichord, and organ repertoire.

The huge task of condensing 300 years' worth of history calls for a consistent treatment of material. Fallows-Hammond has a knack for setting and maintaining an appropriate level of sophistication. Writing in a crisp, direct style, she steers the student toward complicated subjects and gives them a palpable hold on them. To explain the concept of the concerto grosso, for example, she explains that, "In Handel's time, Concerto Crosso meant a small group of instruments playing in contrast to a larger body of strings." Her synopsis of the development of sonata form is equally apt....Commentary on the composers is well-researched and written at a uniform level of detail that will make it useful to a wide audience....Fallows-Hammond does a good job of compiling accurate information on the composers she has chosen. If the contents of the book serve your purposes, you will find this handbook a handy reference source. Ross Books, Berkeley, California"

Keyboard Magazine

Franz Lizt

Patricia Fallow-Hammond’s 302 page study embraces the proposition that historical context is an important, and frequently neglected, element in building an understanding of classical repertoire. This is not a new insight; what is new is Fallows-Hammond’s abbreviated response to it. Rather then write a comprehensive psycho-historical investigation, she has assembled a fairly basic catalogue of keyboard works, arranged chronologically by composer, and preceded each list with a short biography relating milestones from each composer’s life. ..... Three Hundred Years would perhaps seem most useful to the student or amateur hoping to enhance his or her appreciation of the classics .... Her decision to further enlighten the reader with short samples of their handiwork is a happy extra addition: The first movement of Beethoven’s Sonata In C Minor, Op.13, and Chopin’s complete Etude In E Major, Op. 10, No.3, are among those chosen.... By and large, Fallows-Hammond’s view of piano repertoire and the masters who created it follows the familiar line. Her efficiency at summarizing and packaging that line is what makes her debut in print a success.