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Book Review
Dec. 6th, 2012 05:03 pmMen, Women, and Pianos: A Social History
by Arthur Loesser
This book covers the development of the piano and its musical and social place from its 17th century origins in the harpsichord and clavichord to the middle of the 20th century. The narrative is divided into sections by country, looking at Germany, Austria, England, France, and the United States. It is very detailed and often fascinating. I particularly liked the way Loesser examined the effect of growing industrialization and the rise of the middle class and its sensibilities. He also did a great job of following the piano's different guises as high-class accoutrement, appliance of middle-class achievement and respectability, household music-maker, and conduit for both entertainment and high art.
However, this book has one giant flaw: Loesser's antiquated bigotry, especially his overwhelming misogyny (although there is no lack of classism and racism as well). Throughout the book, Loesser displays boatloads of contempt for female piano players. His sexism is primarily directed towards amateurs, but even well-regarded professionals get short shrift. This misogyny even becomes cruel irony when, towards the end of the book, Loesser bemoans the post-WWI decline in piano sales, despite the fact that this decline is largely due to the dropping off of interest among the very population (young girls studying piano as an accomplishment/pastime) whose skills and qualities he just spent a couple of hundred pages deriding. While the book was originally published in 1954, Loesser's attitude towards women seems a little excessive even for his times. This appalling level of sexism really detracts from what should be an really interesting book, and I really hope that another musicologist will eventually publish a more up to date and even-handed book on the subject.
by Arthur Loesser
This book covers the development of the piano and its musical and social place from its 17th century origins in the harpsichord and clavichord to the middle of the 20th century. The narrative is divided into sections by country, looking at Germany, Austria, England, France, and the United States. It is very detailed and often fascinating. I particularly liked the way Loesser examined the effect of growing industrialization and the rise of the middle class and its sensibilities. He also did a great job of following the piano's different guises as high-class accoutrement, appliance of middle-class achievement and respectability, household music-maker, and conduit for both entertainment and high art.
However, this book has one giant flaw: Loesser's antiquated bigotry, especially his overwhelming misogyny (although there is no lack of classism and racism as well). Throughout the book, Loesser displays boatloads of contempt for female piano players. His sexism is primarily directed towards amateurs, but even well-regarded professionals get short shrift. This misogyny even becomes cruel irony when, towards the end of the book, Loesser bemoans the post-WWI decline in piano sales, despite the fact that this decline is largely due to the dropping off of interest among the very population (young girls studying piano as an accomplishment/pastime) whose skills and qualities he just spent a couple of hundred pages deriding. While the book was originally published in 1954, Loesser's attitude towards women seems a little excessive even for his times. This appalling level of sexism really detracts from what should be an really interesting book, and I really hope that another musicologist will eventually publish a more up to date and even-handed book on the subject.
