Offering a unique glimpse into the rich primary sources of such interdisciplinary historical dialogue and musical works, Paradigm War: Lessons Learned from 19th Century Piano Pedagogy presents this story from a synoptic multidimensional viewpoint, integrating developmental-musical, as well as psychological-educational and aesthetic, perspectives. Thus, this book provides an intellectual map for critically evaluating these authentic early contributions to the field in terms of the two conflicting methodological paradigms that governed piano pedagogy of the time – mechanism and holism – which had emerged, respectively, from Enlightenment and Romantic philosophies.

The paradigm war reached its climax and resolution in Robert Schumann’s works that, following Jean Paul Richter’s ideas on aesthetics and education, offered a methodological modification transcending both paradigms. Schumann’s innovative music for the young and his revolutionary pedagogical ideas—mostly ignored in the literature—are proposed here as the foundation for liberal and artistic piano pedagogy for our time, inspiring music teachers and piano pedagogues to partake in research that combines music, pedagogy, aesthetics, and education.