In a testimonial to Konrad Wolff, Schnabel himself expressed his admiration for the author and this book: “Konrad Wolff . . . is a remarkable pianist, an excellent theorist, a learned historian, an outstanding teacher, a brilliant thinker and writer. . . . [His book] is a comprehensive elucidation of a complex and subtle problem.

Artur Schnabel’s reputation as a pianist and teacher has grown steadily, and his innovative approach to the pianist’s art has attracted increasing interest. This book―originally prepared while its author was studying with Schnabel, and supervised by the master himself―is unique for two reasons: it is the only detailed treatment of Schnabel’s “system” as such, and it is the first general survey describing the range of a pianist’s interpretive concerns to appear in this century. Formerly titled The Teaching of Artur Schnabel, this second edition includes a new preface by Alfred Brendel.