Vital Performance

Historically Informed Performance, or HIP, has become an influential and exciting development for scholars, musicians, and audiences alike. Yet it has not been unchallenged, with debate over the desirability of its central goals and the accuracy of its results. The author suggests ways out of this impasse in Romantic performance style. In this wide-ranging study, pianist and scholar Andrew John Snedden takes a step back, examining the strengths and limitations of HIP. He proposes that many problems are avoided when performance styles are understood as expressions of their cultural era rather than as simply composer intention, explaining not merely how we play, but why we play the way we do, and why the nineteenth century Romantics played very differently. Snedden examines the principal evidence we have for Romantic performance style, especially in translation of score indications and analysis of early recordings, finally focusing on the performance styles of Liszt and Chopin. He concludes with a call for the reanimation of culturally appropriate performance styles in Romantic repertoire. This study will be of great interest to scholars, performers, and students, to anyone wondering about how our performances reflect our culture, and about how the Romantics played their own culturally-embedded music.

"By contemplating and applying the precious knowledge in these pages, you will learn to make everything in your life easier . . . Relationships. Jobs. Family. Creativity. Happiness. And maybe even doing something more game-changing than you've ever thought possible." - Dave Asprey Why do some people thrive while others just get by? What's their secret to peak performance and maximum happiness? Some call it the zest, the gusto, or the extra edge in life. The ancient Indian spiritual tradition Vedanta calls it prana, or life force. We can call it vital force. By any name, it's the fundamental fuel that activates and optimizes all physical, emotional, and cognitive functions, including consciousness, perception, thinking, judgment, and memory. In modern life, we have forgotten the golden key-the higher our energy, the better our performance in everything we do. Energy naturally impacts mind-set and moves us toward greater happiness, success, and self-awareness. This book gives you back your power with simple tools to take hold of the limitless energy of life itself-more swiftly and easily than you ever thought possible. Rajshree Patel is a former federal prosecutor who discovered Vedanta by accident and went on to become an internationally renowned teacher of its deep wisdom and dynamic practice. In these pages, she reveals: • What vital force is, how it influences every single aspect of your life, how to enhance it-and how your mind, the biggest energy hog, can drain it; • Tools to dial down the chatter of your racing mind and resolve your personal energy crisis; • Why traditional mindfulness meditation may not be your best path to inner peace; • Easy biohacking techniques, from breath work to meditation to movement, that reduce stress and maximize joy; and • Ancient secrets to fuel your purpose and performance in every aspect of your life. The Power of Vital Force is a practical pathway to the unlimited source of energy and intelligence that exists beyond the thinking and reasoning mind.

In this handy reference for string teachers, Dr. Samuel Applebaum addresses the most frequently asked questions, ranging from the very basic to the most advanced. From his conversations with the greatest concert artists of our time, he covers topics such as positions, intonation, vibrato, bowings, sight reading, practicing and stage fright in a comprehensive question-and-answer format.

This is the first book of its kind to encourage a common understanding of competence and demonstrate the application of standards and practice in all aspects of forensic science including collection of evidence, interpretation of scientific analysis, and appropriate methods of testimony. The authors stress the standardization of proper training and testing procedures and give clear guidelines for effective training programs based on occupational standards. The book examines the importance of workplace assessments of competence and emphasizes the role of those involved in the assessment process. The authors include several case studies demonstrating competence in practice and the methods to ensure consistent high standards in the future.

Tweak It and Freak It A Killer Guide to Making Windows Run Your Way Hundreds of millions of people use Windows every day, and it’s a safe bet that some of them would not describe themselves as happy campers. Regardless of skill level, most people have something they dislike about Windows, and they often have a whole laundry list of Windows gripes. “Why can’t Windows do this rather than that?” “Why does Windows do X instead of Y?” “Wouldn’t it be great if Windows could do Z?” Most people think Windows is set in stone, but it isn’t! Strip off that veneer and a whole world comes into view, one that’s hackable, moddable, tweakable, customizable, and personalizable. This book shows you the tools and technologies that anyone can use to hack almost every aspect of Windows, from startup to shutdown, from the interface to the Internet, from security to scripting. • Speed up your tired PC with a fistful of easy-to-do, but oh so powerful tweaks! • Tired of looking at the same old Windows day in and day out? So are we! That’s why we show you how to give Windows a makeover! • Want to be more productive at work or home? This book is full of productivity tweaks that not only make Windows more fun to use, but also save you tons of time. • Create custom backup routines that safeguard your precious data. • Tighten the security of your PC and your network to stop would-be thieves in their tracks. • Dual-boot Windows XP and Vista on the same machine, or dare we say it, run MacOS on your PC! We won’t tell. Paul McFedries is a passionate computer tinkerer and Windows expert. He is the author of more than 60 computer books that have sold more than 3 million copies worldwide. His recent titles include the Sams Publishing books Windows Vista Unleashed, Second Edition, and Windows Home Server Unleashed, and the Que Publishing books Build It. Fix It. Own It. : Networking with Windows Vista, Formulas and Functions with Microsoft Excel 2007, Tricks of the Microsoft Office 2007 Gurus, and Microsoft Access 2007 Forms, Reports, and Queries. Paul is also the proprietor of Word Spy (www.wordspy.com), a website devoted to tracking new words and phrases as they enter the English language. CATEGORY: Windows Operating System COVERS: Windows Vista and XP USER LEVEL: Beginning-Intermediate

Traditional performance management processes are often ineffective in increasing workforce engagement and fostering a positive employer-employee relationship. The established method of annually scoring employees against a list of static objectives can make employees feel undervalued and frustrated and can hinder, rather than advance, staff development. Unlocking High Performance shows you how to transform this process to get the best out of your workforce. It presents a new model for performance management based on the three components of planning, cultivation and accountability, and situates this process within the wider aims of promoting work as a healthy relationship between employer and employee rather than a restrictive contract to be complied with. Unlocking High Performance equips you with the tools needed to create clear expectations and goals, deliver feedback effectively, and to develop a culture of coaching rather than criticism. This book also provides practical guidance on how to identify and remove obstacles, effectively manage underperformance, and how to get buy-in for change. Packed with tips, tools and examples from organizations including Vistaprint, NVIDIA and South Dakota State University, this book provides everything needed to design a performance management process which will improve employee experience, help them reach their full potential, and ultimately deliver exceptional business results.

Straightforward playbook for executing world-class strategy for tangible results Designed with three key ideas: leverage the tools that are working, simplify the model, and make the content readable for managers, Managing Performance in Turbulent Times is a road map for the modern strategy manager. Through their simplified execution process the authors—performance management experts—show executives how to get results and execute even in the most difficult conditions. Addresses importance of adaptability to change within today's business environment Explores the environmental turbulence that constantly confounds virtually all organizational systems, with workable solutions Provides a streamlined execution process any organization can use to improve business results Managers need tools to do their jobs better. Filled with proven solutions, this book reveals how to get results through successful strategy execution, presenting a process that will help your organization execute strategy in a simplified, efficient manner.