buy new directly from the label:The Book of Sounds rediscovers the piano as an instrument of timbre and tuneful sound with all its possibilities of dynamics, color, and resonance. Consisting of twelve pieces composed in the minimalist style, the works are written in a simple consistent texture, without climax or development in the traditional sense. Hans Otte, a student of Hindemith and Gieseking, has received accolades for his solo piano recitals all over Europe. He gained recognition as a composer and pianist early in his career and, in 1959, became head of the music department of Radio Bremen. The demands of his career left him little time for composing, but he did manage to experiment with different music styles. His work has ranged widely from more conventional pieces to semi-minimal pieces, to sound/light environments to video productions, making it difficult for audiences to label him. Otte started composing The Book of Sounds in 1979, and did not complete it until three years later.