Xaver Scharwenka (1850-1924) was considered one of the finest pianists of his era by professional musicians and audiences alike, akin to famous virtuosos such as Anton Rubinstein, Franz Liszt, and Moritz Rosenthal. He was also well respected as a composer of considerable talent, producing music with rhythmic vitality, strong melodic content, sound construction, and wit. Scharwenka's autobiography, Sounds From My Life: Reminiscences of a Musician, first published in German in 1922, is now available for the first time in English. Music students, teachers, performers, and admirers may now read for themselves about the life, travels, and relationships of this musical personality. This charming and amusing autobiography contains extensive annotations that identify people, places, and events. A lengthy introduction gives an overview of Scharwenka's life while providing comments from contemporary and modern writers about the man, his music, and his performing. An audio CD of representative musical selections brings Scharwenka to life as both performer and composer, while a comprehensive discography provides useful information to readers interested in pursuing his music further.
