Piano Books

“PIANO” by David Crombie: A stunning full-color showcase of how the piano has evolved over the past 300 years, transforming the world of music like no other instrument before or since. When Beethoven saw one of the first pianos in the late 1700s, he was looking at the very future of music. Here is a striking, colorful tribute to the instrument that changed western musical composition and orchestration forever. This handsome book captures the piano’s physical grace and beauty, as well as its technical and musical magic. It traces the piano’s 300 year evolution, from forerunners such as the clavichords and harpsichords made famous by Mozart but left behind by Beethoven, to today’s electric, electronic, and digital models. Lavish color photos and graphics illustrate the piano’s broad range of major landmark variations, including oddities such as the Giraffe piano. Detailed text explains how each of the various instruments function, with special emphasis on the great modern grand and upright pianos. Other topics cover master pianists, how to record a piano, amplification, maintenance, repair, and more.

The Hammond Organ follows the unique instrument on its unlikely 40 year trek to musical fame. Packed with anecdotes from legendary Hammond players, the book also offers key performance techniques from artists such as Paul Shaffer, Jimmy McGriff, Tom Coster, Keith Emerson, & others. Crisp photos show these B-3 masters at work, as well as Booker T. Jones, Sly Stone, Billy Preston, Greg Allman, Jimmy Smith, and many other Hammond greats.
The Hammond Organ provides insights from Alan Young, a 30 year Hammond engineer and friend of the late Laurens Hammond, and from Don Leslie, inventor of the famed Leslie rotary speaker. Readers discover the techniques behind the B-3’s drawbars,
presets, pedalboard, percussion, and other characteristics that made this electro-mechanical organ so unique.
The Hammond Organ: Beauty in the B includes a wide-ranging discography of essential Hammond B-3 recordings, such as “A Whiter Shade of Pale” by Procol Harum and “Dance to the Music” by Sly & The Family Stone.

From its remarkable conception by Italian harpsichord maker Bartolomeo Cristofori in the 1690s and its evolution through the industrial revolution to mass production to the present day, the piano was guaranteed its popular appeal. “The Piano”, by John Paul Williams, charts the instrument's historical development from its earliest days, revealing the close relationship famous composers had with particular makes. It also explores the anatomy of the piano in detail, and outlines what you should look for when choosing a piano of your own upright or grand, new or secondhand. There is a section on caring for your piano and, for extreme cases, reconditioning, restoration, and rebuilding.

The Pierce Piano Atlas is recognized as the world’s most authoritative publication on piano manufacturers, piano serial no., and piano history. The Pierce Atlas provides ready reference to a list of piano manufacturers, and piano names. Over 750 piano makers show serial numbers for thousands of piano brand names, dates pianos were made, factory locations, and a brief history of many piano companies. Books On Pianos is the exclusive distributor of the Pierce Atlas and stocks other piano books; ISBN 091138048, ISBN 091138056, ISBN 0879303727, ISBN 0823081516, ISBN 0879307056