Chris Baxter, Piano Professional magazine, January 2023
“…in this new book by John Pitts, we find a novel and very practical approach to unravelling and understanding this intricate and seemingly impenetrable world. …Although there are many descriptive textbooks and articles on Javanese Gamelan music, and pieces which are inspired by it and seek to evoke its main characteristics, this is the only book I have encountered to date that is designed both to give an
overview of the key concepts, the instrumentation, and the composition process as well as providing a hands-on approach to learning and playing the music. …The material in this book is certainly not a collection of simple piano pieces offering a superficial taste of the Javanese Gamelan style – it is an in-depth and detailed study, and users of this book will be generously rewarded by the investment of their time, effort and patience. John Pitts has done a very impressive job of providing a pathway into a clearer understanding of this remarkable world.”
The ancient art of Indian rāgas freshly reimagined for piano 