SKU: AP.6-851990

ISBN 9780486851990. UPC: 800759851997. English.

Discover a treasure trove of timeless piano pieces in one budget-friendly collection! Sixty masterpieces by renowned composers are featured, among them Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, Debussy, Haydn, Liszt, Mozart, Rachmaninoff, Schubert, Tchaikovsky, and Vivaldi. This impressive compilation includes the much-loved melodies of Beethoven's Für Elise and Moonlight Sonata, Chopin's classic Nocturne in E-Flat Major (Op. 9, No. 2), Rachmaninoff's Prelude in C-Sharp Minor, Schubert's Marche Militaire and Serenade, Tchaikovsky's Chanson Triste, and many others. With simple yet radiant pieces that are perfect for beginner and intermediate pianists, this book will challenge and inspire you with every keystroke. Each work is lovingly reproduced from authoritative editions and offers a rare opportunity to study, practice, and delight in the world's most beautiful and venerable compositions.

SKU: PR.114408650

UPC: 680160013180. 8.5 x 11 inches.

The Laurel Tree is rooted in the world of mythology, for it reflects the legend of Daphne and Apollo. As the story goes, Cupid, in a fit of spite, shot Apollo with an arrow that rouses love, then shot Daphne with an arrow that vanquishes love. Upon seeing Daphne, Apollo fell passionately in love. When he approached her, Daphne fled in terror, and Apollo chased after her. Just as she was about to be caught by Apollo, Daphne cried for help to her father, the river-god Peneus. She begged him to change her, to destroy her beauty, so that Apollo would no longer persue her. And so, Peneus turned her into a radiant laurel tree. The Laurel Tree looks at the legend of Daphne in psychological terms. In an essay titled Schizophrenia - the Inward Journey, Joseph Campbell refers to the image of Daphne turning into a laurel tree as the image of a psychosis, and shows that the imagery of the mythological hero journey matches that of schizophrenic fantasy. The movement titles and the structure of the piece are influenced by Campbell's writings on mythology, particularly his universal formula of the hero's journey. The first movement is based on the legend as described above, up to the moment Daphne is turned into a laurel tree. The second movement explores Daphne's inward retreat, deep into her psyche and backward in time, toward chaotic and terrifying experiences, to recover something missed or lost. The third movement tracks Daphne's return journey of rebirth to life, in harmony, at peace, richer, stronger, and more joyous.