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My Musical Notes

A Journey in Classical Piano between the World Wars and Beyond

Gaby Casadesus - Translated by Lawrence Lockwood - With Thérèse Casadesus Rawson

Chronicling nearly a century of music, Gaby Casadesus’ MyMusical Notes, recounts the French pianist's remarkable career as half of one of the most extraordinary husband and wife teams in twentieth century classical music, with her husband Robert Casadesus. Told in a lively conversational tone, she evokes the delicate balance between touring and family life, maintaining her own solo career and traveling the world while raising three children. Her decades-long teaching imparted the stylistic legacy of Debussy, Fauré and Ravel, a personal friend to both Robert and Gaby, to generations of young pianists.

In this memoir, we experience the bustling Paris of the 1920s and 30s as well as numerous adventures touring North and South America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia while championing French piano repertoire as the internationally recognized duo Robert and Gaby Casadesus. She also details her encounters and collaborations with the greatest names of 20th century classical music: Fauré, Ravel, Stravinsky, Poulenc, Bruno Walter, Toscanini, Szell, Boulez, Bernstein as well as other celebrities of the era such as Albert Einstein, with whom she played Mozart, Elsa Schiaparelli, Joan Miró and more.

Translated and republished in English for the first time as My Musical Notes: Gaby Casadesus,

A Journey in Classical Piano Between the World Wars and Beyond, this 2024 edition brings this legendary story to a larger audience.

  • Details
  • Details
  • Author
  • Author
  • TOC
  • TOC
  • Reviews
  • Reviews
Hamilton Books
Pages: 230 • Trim: 6 x 9
978-0-7618-7458-4 • Paperback • September 2024 • $24.99 • (£18.99)
978-0-7618-7459-1 • eBook • September 2024 • $23.50 • (£17.99)
Subjects: Biography & Autobiography / Music, Music / Genres & Styles / Classical, Music / Musical Instruments / Piano & Keyboard

Gaby Casadesus (1901–1999) was a French classical pianist and teacher born in Marseilles, France.

Thérèse Casadesus Rawson, PhD, is the daughter of the late French pianists Robert and Gaby Casadesus. She taught French language, literature, and diction for singers at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and lectures on all topics pertaining to French culture. https://www.robertcasadesus.com/

List of Illustrations

Foreword by Thérèse Casadesus Rawson

Acknowledgments

A Note on Translations

Chapter 1: First Meeting and Our Beginnings

Chapter 2: The Casadesus Tribe

Chapter 3: Entering the Profession

Chapter 4: The American Conservatory at Fontainebleau

Chapter 5: Two Pianos and Four Hands

Chapter 6: Building a Repertoire Intended for Tours: Our First Trip to Russia

Chapter 7: 1931: En Route to South America

Chapter 8: 1931: Finding Adventures in Each Corner of a Country

Chapter 9: At Work

Chapter 10: Discovering the New World

Chapter 11: 1937–1939: Pre-War Tours

Chapter 12: Exile in America

Chapter 13: United States, Continued: A Daughter Is Born

Chapter 14: Introducing Jean Casadesus, the Family’s Third Pianist

Chapter 15: Da Capo

Chapter 16: The First Family of the Piano

Chapter 17: A Tragic Ending

Chapter 18: Life After Robert: Continuing the Legacy

Appendix: Genealogy

Chronology of tours

Discography

About the Collaborators

Index

Consummate pianist, musician and teacher, Gaby Casadesus truly rises to the level of a musical legend. She represents a direct musical lineage to Chopin and transmitted through her playing and her teaching, the complete understanding of musical utterance from Bach to Debussy and Ravel. Distinctively French, Gaby in her exquisite refinement, made an indelible mark on the world of music.


— Philip Lasser, distinguished professor at The Juilliard School


Knowing and studying with Gaby Casadesus was one of the greatest privileges of my life. Gaby Casadesus was a major figure in the music world of the 20th century. She and her husband Robert got to know many of the most important composers and musicians of their time. In addition to being a fabulous pianist, Gaby Casadesus dedicated her entire life to transmission and she did it with the elegance and the generosity of a beautiful soul. A great lady!


— Philippe Bianconi, Esteemed French concert pianist and prolific recording artist


My Musical Notes

A Journey in Classical Piano between the World Wars and Beyond

Cover Image
Paperback
eBook
Summary
Summary
  • Chronicling nearly a century of music, Gaby Casadesus’ MyMusical Notes, recounts the French pianist's remarkable career as half of one of the most extraordinary husband and wife teams in twentieth century classical music, with her husband Robert Casadesus. Told in a lively conversational tone, she evokes the delicate balance between touring and family life, maintaining her own solo career and traveling the world while raising three children. Her decades-long teaching imparted the stylistic legacy of Debussy, Fauré and Ravel, a personal friend to both Robert and Gaby, to generations of young pianists.

    In this memoir, we experience the bustling Paris of the 1920s and 30s as well as numerous adventures touring North and South America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia while championing French piano repertoire as the internationally recognized duo Robert and Gaby Casadesus. She also details her encounters and collaborations with the greatest names of 20th century classical music: Fauré, Ravel, Stravinsky, Poulenc, Bruno Walter, Toscanini, Szell, Boulez, Bernstein as well as other celebrities of the era such as Albert Einstein, with whom she played Mozart, Elsa Schiaparelli, Joan Miró and more.

    Translated and republished in English for the first time as My Musical Notes: Gaby Casadesus,

    A Journey in Classical Piano Between the World Wars and Beyond, this 2024 edition brings this legendary story to a larger audience.

Details
Details
  • Hamilton Books
    Pages: 230 • Trim: 6 x 9
    978-0-7618-7458-4 • Paperback • September 2024 • $24.99 • (£18.99)
    978-0-7618-7459-1 • eBook • September 2024 • $23.50 • (£17.99)
    Subjects: Biography & Autobiography / Music, Music / Genres & Styles / Classical, Music / Musical Instruments / Piano & Keyboard
Author
Author
  • Gaby Casadesus (1901–1999) was a French classical pianist and teacher born in Marseilles, France.

    Thérèse Casadesus Rawson, PhD, is the daughter of the late French pianists Robert and Gaby Casadesus. She taught French language, literature, and diction for singers at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and lectures on all topics pertaining to French culture. https://www.robertcasadesus.com/

Table of Contents
Table of Contents
  • List of Illustrations

    Foreword by Thérèse Casadesus Rawson

    Acknowledgments

    A Note on Translations

    Chapter 1: First Meeting and Our Beginnings

    Chapter 2: The Casadesus Tribe

    Chapter 3: Entering the Profession

    Chapter 4: The American Conservatory at Fontainebleau

    Chapter 5: Two Pianos and Four Hands

    Chapter 6: Building a Repertoire Intended for Tours: Our First Trip to Russia

    Chapter 7: 1931: En Route to South America

    Chapter 8: 1931: Finding Adventures in Each Corner of a Country

    Chapter 9: At Work

    Chapter 10: Discovering the New World

    Chapter 11: 1937–1939: Pre-War Tours

    Chapter 12: Exile in America

    Chapter 13: United States, Continued: A Daughter Is Born

    Chapter 14: Introducing Jean Casadesus, the Family’s Third Pianist

    Chapter 15: Da Capo

    Chapter 16: The First Family of the Piano

    Chapter 17: A Tragic Ending

    Chapter 18: Life After Robert: Continuing the Legacy

    Appendix: Genealogy

    Chronology of tours

    Discography

    About the Collaborators

    Index

Reviews
Reviews
  • Consummate pianist, musician and teacher, Gaby Casadesus truly rises to the level of a musical legend. She represents a direct musical lineage to Chopin and transmitted through her playing and her teaching, the complete understanding of musical utterance from Bach to Debussy and Ravel. Distinctively French, Gaby in her exquisite refinement, made an indelible mark on the world of music.


    — Philip Lasser, distinguished professor at The Juilliard School


    Knowing and studying with Gaby Casadesus was one of the greatest privileges of my life. Gaby Casadesus was a major figure in the music world of the 20th century. She and her husband Robert got to know many of the most important composers and musicians of their time. In addition to being a fabulous pianist, Gaby Casadesus dedicated her entire life to transmission and she did it with the elegance and the generosity of a beautiful soul. A great lady!


    — Philippe Bianconi, Esteemed French concert pianist and prolific recording artist


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