Every Good Boy Does Fine

In this searching and funny memoir, based off his popular New Yorker article, renowned pianist Jeremy Denk traces an implausible journey. Life is difficult enough as a precocious, temperamental, and insufferable six-year-old piano prodigy in New Jersey. But then a family meltdown forces a move to New Mexico, far from classical music’s nerve centres, and he has to please a new taskmaster while navigating cacti, and the perils of junior high school. Escaping from New Mexico at last, he meets a bewildering cast of college music teachers, ranging from boring to profound, and experiences a series of humiliations and triumphs, to find his way as one of the world’s greatest living pianists, a MacArthur ‘Genius’, and a frequent performer at Carnegie Hall. There are few writers working today who are willing to eloquently explore both the joys and miseries of artistic practice. Hours of daily repetition, mystifying early advice, pressure from parents and teachers who drove him on – an ongoing battle of talent against two enemies: boredom and insecurity. As we meet various teachers, with cruel and kind streaks, Denk composes a fraught love letter to the act of teaching. He brings you behind the scenes, to look at what motivates both student and teacher, locked in a complicated and psychologically perilous relationship. In his imaginative prose, Denk explores how classical music is relevant to ‘real life’, despite its distance in time. He dives into pieces and composers that have shaped him – Bach, Mozart, Schubert, and Brahms, among others – and gives unusual lessons on melody, harmony, and rhythm. Why and how do these fundamental elements have such a visceral effect on us? He tries to sum up many of the lessons he has gotten, to repay the debt of all his amazing teachers; to remind us that music is our creation, and that we need to keep asking questions about its purpose.

Review

A treasure . . . Denk addresses quite complex issues with extraordinary clarity, illustrating musical points with (frequently very witty) similes and metaphors. He informs, reminisces and entertains in equal measure. -- Steven IsserlisWonderful . . . a lesson for the reader in how to listen with more care and wonder to what’s behind the notes we hear. It also makes a strong case for why classical music, with its beauty and ecstasy, matters more than ever. -- Stephen HoughJeremy Denk really is that rarest of finds . . . An absolute must read for beginners and experts alike who wish to further explore the soul of the greatest music ever written in the company of a fine and virtuoso guide. -- Edward DocxA love letter to the art of paying deep attention. -- Susan TomesA one-of-a-kind musical autobiography by one of our most brilliant and perceptive classical musicians. -- John Adams, composer of Nixon in ChinaAmong the many virtues of this funny and moving book - its frankness, its generous preservation of wisdom from mentors past, its breathtaking insights about how and why music affects us - one stands out above the rest: it makes me want to practice. -- Conrad TaoSometimes you read the first paragraph and know you’ll read to the end. They say writing about music is like dancing about architecture. Jeremy Denk’s book reminds us that dancing about architecture sounds sort of great. -- John Jeremiah Sullivan, author of Pulphead

About the Author

Jeremy Denk is one of America's foremost pianists. Winner of a MacArthur 'Genius' Fellowship and the Avery Fisher Prize, Denk is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Denk returns frequently to Carnegie Hall and in recent seasons has appeared with renowned ensembles including the Chicago Symphony, New York Philharmonic, and Los Angeles Philharmonic. His recordings have received critical acclaim, including reaching No. 1 on the Billboard classical charts and featuring on many 'best of the year' lists. His writing has appeared in the New Yorker, New Republic, Guardian, and the New York Times Book Review. Denk graduated from Oberlin College, Indiana University, and the Juilliard School. He lives in New York City.

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