Five books on the love for piano

The Steinway Hunter — A Memoir

Author: Robert Friedman

The author calls himself a ‘Steinway Hunter’. He has spent years purchasing and maintaining pianos and finding them new homes. He has travelled from Canada to Florida looking for grand pianos that could be restored, the memoir says. The book brings together his love of music and magnificent pianos.

Chopin’s Piano - A Journey Through Romanticism

Author: Paul Kildea

Frédéric Chopin from Poland was a master pianist of the Romantic period. The book is set in the mid-19th century when Chopin along with French writer George Sand and her kids travelled by boat to Majorca in Spain to spend the winter. There, Chopin finished what are considered the most innovative compositions in musical Romanticism history — his 24 Preludes.

The Piano Shop on the Left Bank

Author: Thad Carhat

Every morning, while walking his children to school, Carhat strolls past a small store selling musical instruments in Paris. The arrogant store owner doesn’t let him enter the store initially but over time, they become friends. In the book, Carhat reflects on the history of pianos and the lives of those who take care of them, ranging from amateur pianists to tuners.

The Lost Pianos of Siberia

Author: Sophy Roberts

Piano music spread throughout Russia after it was introduced by Catherine the Great in the 18th century in a bid to westernise the nation. These pianos also made it into the snow-bound Siberia. This, journalist Sophy Roberts argues, is evidence of the courage of rulers and explorers. The book gives a peek into the piano culture of this far-off country.

The Weight of a Piano

Author: Chris Cander

The book is about two women and an unlikely connection between them. One of them is Katya. She misplaced her childhood Blüthner piano while migrating from the Soviet Union to America with her husband. The other protagonist is Clara Lundy, a mechanic from California. In sudden frustration, she decides to sell a piano her father had left behind. Transgenerational trauma is the larger theme of the book.

(All books are available online.)