Composers and songwriters Books

Book SynopsisTrade Review"Unexpectedly moving . . . Well-written and researched . . . Goldsmith's sweeping view of twentieth-century popular culture tells a fascinating story of how a regional banjo style journeyed from rural North Carolina to the American mainstream, and of the musician and his iconic composition that took it there." --Journal of American Folklore "Goldsmith packs his narrative with not only numerous facts but interesting anecdotal evidence. . . . All told, the author skillfully succeeds in weaving together an explanation of how Scruggs and his tune became legendary. " --North Carolina Historical Review "Those who are already fans of 'Earl' and his astounding banjo work will certainly want to own this volume. . . . Earl Scruggs and Foggy Mountain Breakdown is a worthy addition to the library of any bluegrass, country, and acoustic-music enthusiast." --Journal of Folklore ResearchTable of ContentsCoverTitleCopyrightContentsAcknowledgments1. Out to Follow Scruggs’s Path2. “I grew up around a banjo”3. The Piedmont’s Rich Musical Soil4. Early Professional Days5. Joining Bill Monroe6. Working as a Blue Grass Boy7. Flatt and Scruggs Build a Career8. Recording “Foggy Mountain Breakdown”9. “Like a Jackhammer” — How the Tune Works10. The Number-One Banjo Player11. The Beverly Hillbillies Welcomes the Banjo12. Riding with Bonnie and Clyde13. Scruggs without Flatt: A Period of Transition14. Scruggs’s Banjo Gains a Cult Following15. Reaping the HarvestNotesIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisBook Prize Winner ofthe International Alliance for Women in Music of the 2022 Pauline Alderman Awards for Outstanding Scholarship on Women in MusicThe Heart of a Woman offers the first-ever biography of Florence B. Price, a composer whose career spanned both the Harlem and Chicago Renaissances, and the first African American woman to gain national recognition for her works. Price's twenty-five years in Chicago formed the core of a working life that saw her create three hundred works in diverse genres, including symphonies and orchestral suites, art songs, vocal and choral music, and arrangements of spirituals. Through interviews and a wealth of material from public and private archives, Rae Linda Brown illuminates Price's major works while exploring the considerable depth of her achievement. Brown also traces the life of the extremely private individual from her childhood in Little Rock through her time at the New England Conservatory, her extensive teaching, and her struggles with raTrade Review"A rich contribution to Arkansas cultural history." --Arkansas Historical Quarterly "The Heart of a Woman thus conveys the tenacity and resilience of two groundbreaking practitioners: it is the culmination of a lifetime's scholarship and the first monograph to tell Price's story in such depth and breadth. . . . A call to take Brown's work forward, to make audible the fullness of Price's compositional voice, and to render this resurgence into permanent visibility." --Journal of American Musicological Society "The Heart of a Woman is more than a biography. It is an interdisciplinary work whose analytical explorations of race, gender, and class in American classical music is anchored by extensive musicological, archival, and oral history research on one of America's most prolific twentieth-century composers." --Journal of African American History"Brown's work has reached wider audiences and inspired new research that is expanding the narratives of music scholarship to explore how marginalized people have shaped history in the US and beyond." --Notes"Brown's commentary on Price's life flows seamlessly with information on African Americans involved in and around Price's lifetime and African American experience. . . . Groundbreaking." --ARSC Journal "This is a real biography, not a data dump of a writer's note cards. . . . Her analyses of Price's major works are technically well done with useful musical examples that don't bog down in theoretical chloroform. . . . Like any good musical writer, she makes you want to hear the music itself." --American Record Guide "Highly recommended." --Choice "The Heart of a Woman is a book that educates in the best way: by bringing to life in bold strokes Price, her contemporaries, and her times. As such, it stands as a fitting capstone to Brown's decades-long devotion to her subject and, more broadly, of giving voice to the rich complexity of the African American cultural experience." --The Arts Fuse "Rae Linda Brown offers an in-depth and meticulously researched portrait of Florence B. Price. Brown expertly weaves the details of Price’s life with examinations of race, poverty and sexism in the musical and social history of her time. " --Ms. Magazine "Brown recovers the legacy of a cultural hero while providing a fascinating glimpse of African American cultural life in the early twentieth century." --Booklist "In The Heart of a Woman: The Life and Music of Florence B. Price, Rae Linda Brown exceeds the expectations of a typical biographer. . . . If we view her life and compositional output in the way Brown suggests, Price disrupts and challenges the gatekeepers and Eurocentric framing of the classical canon altogether." --Current Musicology "A fascinating study of an overlooked Chicagoan, the first African American woman to have a musical composition played by a major orchestra, and the early stages of black feminism."--Chicago Magazine "The Heart of a Woman is a complex and engaging read of the life and music of Florence B. Price that illuminates how the cultural and intellectual lives of African Americans are deeply embedded in the tapestry of America’s social and musical history. Rae Linda Brown’s work extends beyond the conventional biography as it offers an analytical narrative that interrogates Price’s negotiation of the politics of race and gender, her role in advancing the black symphonic aesthetic, and her dedication to social change and racial equality on and off of the concert stage. The timeliness of this book and the revival of Price’s music are reflective of how the world’s consciousness has finally caught up with intellectual labor offered by both Florence Price and Rae Linda Brown.”—Tammy L. Kernodle, author of Soul on Soul: The Life and Music of Mary Lou Williams"The Heart of a Woman is a much needed and long awaited biography of Florence Price by the leading scholar—Dr. Rae Linda Brown—who devoted her career to carefully constructing the life history of this pathbreaking composer. Not only do we now have the go-to reference for the important dates and events in Price’s life along with the most comprehensive list and analyses of her works. Brown also places Price within the larger context of her times. Starting with the Civil War era and carefully excavating the history of life for African Americans during Reconstruction, the formation of the Jim Crow environment, the Harlem Renaissance and through the first half of the twentieth century, we learn the details of Price’s upbringing and formation of her career. Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, one of the early principal centers for black achievement in the south, Price trained in the leading music conservatories in Boston, and moved on to a cosmopolitan life in Chicago—one of the primary destinations of the Great Migration. In this beautifully constructed narrative, Brown takes the pieces we know about Price and embroiders them within a richly textured tapestry that reveals Price in her well known roles as groundbreaking composer, performer, and mentor as well as a fully fleshed out woman who experienced a difficult marriage, was a loving mother, and modeled a path of uplift that brought together respectability and excellence. Especially helpful is the way Brown diligently integrates Price into the network of well-known people around her, including William Grant Still (they both grew up in Little Rock), George Chadwick, Margaret Bonds, Marian Anderson, Emma Azalia Hackley, Clarence Cameron White, and so many others. Brown reveals how the philosophies of W. E. B. Dubois and Booker T. Washington shaped the environment of achievement that nurtured Price as she was coming of age. Her education was shaped both by historically black colleges and universities as well as predominantly white institutions, and we see Price as a woman of her times and a pioneer showing the way forward.”—Naomi André, author of Black Opera: History, Power, Engagement "A major achievement." --Classical Voice North America

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"Starring Women: Celebrity, Patriarchy, and American Theater, 1790-1850 engagingly straddles celebrity theory and theater history research." --Journal of American Culture"As Sara A. Lampert ably shows, the most prominent female actors often outmatched their male peers in fame, reputation, and--most importantly--income. . . . Starring Women takes a deeply researched look at the lives and careers of the major actresses of the first half of the nineteenth century, most forgotten, even by theater historians. . . . This is a fascinating book." --Journal of American History"Highly recommended." --Choice​"Sara E. Lampert offers a valuable new study of women performers on the early American stage that brings the concerns of women's history to bear on histories of theater and drama in the early United States. . . . The insights of this fine work of scholarship open exciting new avenues in nineteenth-century theater history." --American Nineteenth Century History "Starring Women builds on much-needed expansion of the role women played in the development of North American theatre. These works all call for further examination of women and their role in early American theatre." --Theatre Survey​​"An excellent intervention in women's history and theater history, with significant new insights into the precarious gender politics that accompanied star female actors' appearance and the ways the economic underpinnings of the business of theater colored those politics. This is an important book."--Carolyn Eastman, author of A Nation of Speechifiers: Making an American Public after the Revolution"Starring Women illuminates how female celebrity culture bloomed within the newly forming middle-class structures of patriarchal America. With vivid prose and a keen sense of theory, Lampert establishes how early female stars employed 'public intimacy' to assert domestic femininity in the midst of what was an undeniably male world of entertainment. Lampert's book should be required reading for anyone interested in gender, early American history, celebrity, and the nineteenth-century stage."--Renée M. Sentilles, author of American Tomboys, 1850–1915Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction Chapter 1. Between Stock and Star: Theater and Touring in the United States, 1790-1830 Chapter 2. Dis/Obedient Daughters and Devoted Wives: The Family Politics of Stock and Star Chapter 3. The Promise and Limits of Female Stage Celebrity: Fanny Kemble in America, 1832-1835 Chapter 4. Bringing Female Spectacle to the “Western Country,” 1835-1840 Chapter 5. Danger, Desire, and the Celebrity “Mania”: Fanny Elssler in America, 1840-1842 Chapter 6. The American Actress’ Starring Playbook, 1831-1857 Conclusion Notes Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"Katherine Preston, accomplished and admired historian of the musical institutions of nineteenth-century America, has impeccable credentials to serve as Bristow's biographer. . . . Her story is compelling and authoritative." --Music & Letters"Katherine K. Preston's book on George Frederick Bristow, the thirteenth in the series, is an important expansion of the coverage and a welcome addition to the literature on American musical culture before 1900. . . . This book should serve as essential reading for scholars of nineteenth-century European music -- I can think of no book that gives such a broad introduction to the musical culture of nineteenth-century America in a similarly compact and focused way." --Nineteenth-Century Music Review"A critical edition of Bristow's Second Symphony introduced by an outstanding monograph-length essay by Katherine Preston, vigorously challenges us to reassess our collective opinion of Bristow by offering a new interpretive perspective on his life, his music, and the roles played by each within the broader development of orchestral music in the United States. Preston's introductory essay alone is worthy of extended commentary." --Notes"Preston does a wonderful job bringing to light this early composer of American music and describing the musical culture of the time. . . . Recommended." --Choice"This remarkable book makes an essential contribution not only to our understanding of Bristow's life, but to the landscape of nineteenth-century American music in all its multi-dimensionality. It is the definitive biography for years to come."--Douglas Shadle, author of Orchestrating the Nation: The Nineteenth-Century American Symphonic Enterprise"Katherine Preston’s biography of George Frederick Bristow gives the most thorough and authoritative study to date of this important composer’s life and works. On a broader level, it opens new windows of insight into a vibrant era in American musical history through the experiences of one of its most active participants."--E. Douglas Bomberger, author of MacDowellTable of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction Chapter 1 "The Life of a Musician: Troubles & Trials & Emergence as a Composer Interlude A Pedagogy I: Private Teaching Chapter 2 Fry and Willis: Bristow Becomes an Americanist Chapter 3 The 1850s: During Which Young Apollo Becomes a Jack-of-All-Trades and a Renowned Musician Interlude B Sacred Music: Church Music Director and Sacred Composer Chapter 4 The 1860s: Personal and National Agony and Triumph Interlude C Pedagogy II: Teaching in Schools Chapter 5 The 1870s: “A Manly and Patriotic” Composer of “Native Independence and Originality” Interlude D George Bristow as Businessman and Musical Authority Chapter 6 The Stalwart Educator and Composer Conclusion Notes Discography Works Cited Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"Lydia Hamessley's book Unlikely Angel: The Songs of Dolly Parton offers a welcome addition to the scholarly discussion of Parton's oeuvre." --Journal of American Folklore"Dolly Parton herself has said numerous times that she wants to be taken seriously for her music, and this book, well written by a musical expert with academic credentials provides convincing proof that she deserves to be. . . . Not one of those puff pieces." --Visual Parables"Hamessley focuses on Dolly Parton's songwriting, paying specific attention to the music. . . . Unlikely Angel is a unique look at a globally iconic figure. . . . An in-depth discussion of songwriting and thematic analysis." --Journal of Appalachian Studies​"Recommended." --Choice​"Parton's world-class skills as a songwriter have never been the subject of such a precise and unique analysis as this. . . . Hats off to Hamessley for shining a light on the less familiar but perhaps most important aspects of the timeless artistry of Dolly Parton." --The Nashville Musician"I’m so excited about the book Unlikely Angel: The Songs of Dolly Parton spotlighting Dolly's unmatched gift as a songwriter. Always honoring and forgiving, Dolly shines only the best light on circumstances that would've taken the rest of us out. She's the hero who continues to encourage those who wanted change or wished to go back, bringing to life a part of the country and an existence most of us didn't know or understand, all while making hard living seem like heaven on earth. Her magical combination of heart and genius is a most awe inspiring thing to witness, having a beauty and delivery like no other. Dolly's tales of family, faith, and romance have created an American treasure who has continued to enrapture the world for decades. What a gift for us to see life through hers." --Alison Krauss​​​​"A dazzling close reading of Parton's songs and identity as a songwriter." --No Depression​​"Hamessley is especially attuned to the subtle ways in which Ms. Parton interweaves old and new musical strands—for instance, by ornamenting her verses with archaic flourishes and stock phrases from centuries-old ballads." –Wall Street Journal "A persuasive argument for taking Dolly Parton seriously as an artist. For folk and country music scholars, musicians, and fans." --Library Journal ​"Serious Dolly Parton fans and country music aficionados will be delighted by this in-depth gander into an icon's creative process. " --Booklist "By examining [Dolly] thoroughly through her musical creations, author and music professor Lydia R. Hamessley gives a dynamic view of this remarkable star." --Bookreporter.com "Meticulously researched . . . The fine, affectionate attention Hamessley pays to Parton's music offers all sorts of revelations: the old-world strangeness of Parton's lyrical diction, the Appalachian roots of the stirringly beautiful chest voice she employs on her 2002 song 'These Old Bones,' or how much more eerie her critically maligned tearjerker 'Me and Little Andy' becomes when you consider it within the tradition of the ghost story." --Lindsay Zoladz, Bookforum "Detailed and savvy analysis of Parton's songwriting." --KCTV5 "What Hamessley adds to the current Dolly Parton cultural boom is a page-turning deep dive into Parton’s artistry, borne out in her choices as a composer and performer. Unlikely Angel insists on her complexity and seriousness as a songwriter, celebrating an indelible body of work." --Chapter 16 “Lydia Hamessley invites us on a deep dive into the world of Dolly Parton as songwriter. The book weaves together insightful analyses of the musical forms, cultural roots, and meanings found in Parton’s vast catalog, with Parton’s own accounts of her music. Hamessley unveils these songs as the heart and substance of Parton’s contributions to popular culture, and will inspire every reader to take yet another listen.”--Jocelyn R. Neal, author of Country Music: A Cultural and Stylistic HistoryTable of ContentsForeword by Steve Buckingham Preface and Acknowledgments Introduction: Hello, I’m Dolly 1. “In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad)”--Dolly’s Musical Life 2. “Coat of Many Colors”--Dolly’s Songwriting Workshop 3. “My Tennessee Mountain Home”--Dolly’s Appalachian Musical Heritage 4. “These Old Bones”--Dolly’s Mountain Identity and Voice 5. “I Will Always Love You”--Songs about Love 6. “Just Because I’m a Woman”--Songs about Women’s Lives 7. “Me and Little Andy”--Songs of Tragedy 8. “Light of a Clear Blue Morning”--Songs of Inspiration 9. “There’ll Always Be Music”--Final Thoughts Appendix A: Song List Appendix B: Timeline Appendix C: On Modes Appendix D: “Wayfaring Stranger” and Dolly’s Compositional Voice: A Case Study Notes Further Reading Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisWinner of the Leila Webster Memorial Music Awardfor the International Alliance for Women in Music of the 2022 Pauline Alderman Awards for Outstanding Scholarship on Women in Music Chen Yi is the most prominent woman among the renowned group of new wave composers who came to the US from mainland China in the early 1980s. Known for her creative output and a distinctive merging of Chinese and Western influences, Chen built a musical language that references a breathtaking range of sources and crisscrosses geographical and musical borders without eradicating them. Leta E. Miller and J. Michele Edwards provide an accessible guide to the composer's background and her more than 150 works. Extensive interviews with Chen complement in-depth analyses of selected pieces from Chen's solos for Western or Chinese instruments, chamber works, choral and vocal pieces, and compositions scored for wind ensemble, chamber orchestra, or full orchestra. The authors highlight Chen's compositional strategies,Trade Review"Chen Yi is a remarkable addition to biographies of living women composers essential for any library's collection. The book's appeal to a variety of readers and its uses from score study to music appreciation present a wealth of musical, cultural, and personal context about the composer's life and artistic voice." --Music Reference Services Quarterly"The publication of Chen Yi, an illuminating book by American scholars Leta E. Miller and J. Michele Edwards, is by no means a small accomplishment. . . . Chen Yi presents a captivating narrative of the composer's career and highlights her unique musical identity through concise and insightful readings of nearly thirty selected works. . . . Miller and Edward's examination of Chen Yi's life journey and compositional strategies is quite informative and revealing, drawing on current scholarship, the authors' own research and analysis, and their own extensive interviews with Chen Yi conducted in 2015 and 2016." --Notes"Leta E. Miller and J. Michele Edwards's book Chen Yi is a much-needed study of the composer's music and provides an excellent guide for those interested in programming and engaging in further research on her work." --Bulletin of the Society for American Music"To say that Chen Yi is the definitive guide to the life and works of Chen Yi is to say something true but not nearly enough. Not only is it a fascinating and insightful account of the journey of one extraordinary woman composer and her music, but it is also a primer on the history of twentieth-century China, a resource on Chinese music, and a volume to which readers will return again and again for both its utility as a reference book and the pleasure of a good read." --International Alliance of Women in Music"Chen Yi is a remarkable addition to biographies of living women composers and is essential to any library's collection. The book's appeal to a variety of readers and its uses from score study to music appreciation present a wealth of musical, cultural, and personal context about the composer's life and artistic voice." --Music Reference Service Quarterly"An intimate picture of Chen’s life and music. The incredible details, nuanced discussion, and dynamic analyses have made Chen Yi an invaluable resource for scholars, students, and enthusiasts of contemporary music." --Kapralova Society Journal“This welcome contribution to UIP’s landmark series chronicles Chen Yi’s inspiring journey from her childhood in Guangzhou and Shimen to her musical studies in Beijing and New York to her position as an internationally renowned composer and educator. A touching portrait of a remarkable person and a worthy guide to her incomparable music.”--Ellie M. Hisama, author of Gendering Musical Modernism: The Music of Ruth Crawford, Marion Bauer, and Miriam GideonTable of ContentsChapter 1. Introduction Chapter 2. Biography and Framework Chapter 3. Compositional Processes Chapter 4. Solo and Chamber Music Works Chapter 5. Works for Large Instrumental Ensembles Chapter 6. Choral and Solo Vocal Works Chapter 7. Issues Glossary List of Works Notes References Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade ReviewDottie Dodgion was honored during the "In Memoriam" segment of the Grammy Awards 2022 "Dodgion had a fascinating story to relate. She and Enstice produced a book that flows naturally and always maintains the reader's interest." --Jersey Jazz"This highly readable history says much about the demands upon someone determined to be a performer. . . . This book also contains an audio companion illustrating Dodgion's insufficiently celebrated playing, and she certainly knows how to tell a story, musically and verbally. " --Jazzwise"The Lady Swings undulates as much with dynamic rhythm as it does with delicious drama and laugh-out-loud storylines." --JazzTimes"Written in a breathtaking, breezy narrative that takes the reader on a musical journey that is reflected as if in the mirror of Ms Dodgion’s life itself. . . . This is what makes the book so exciting: the mere fact that you will discover a musician who gave – and continues to give – her life to the music she fell in love with as a child and one who remains its guardian, keeping the flame aglow even in the sunset of her life." --JazzdaGama"A pioneering woman in jazz and swinging drummer, Dottie Dodgion played with some of the great musicians of her time. She has a unique story to tell."--Quincy Jones​​"When I first caught Dottie Dodgion in action I was bowled over. I didn’t hear a great female drummer but a truly great jazz drummer, period, able, as you’ll be happy to learn from the story she tells with such insight, humor and complete honesty, to please both Charles Mingus and Wild Bill Davison. The lady's words swing as hard as her ride cymbal, and will keep your foot tapping all the way through."--Dan Morgenstern, Director Emeritus, Institute of Jazz Studies, Rutgers University​​​"Dottie Dodgion not only takes you on a dizzying ride through her incredible life, she teaches you some of the great secrets of jazz and unmasks the archaic attitudes toward female musicians that have marginalized great talents like hers. What a wonderful journey she’s had. What a wonderful book this is!"--Judy Chaikin, director and cowriter of The Girls in the Band“A unique and important contribution to the history of jazz."--Dee Spencer, composer, performer, educator ​​"An interesting book about an eventful life in music." --New York City Jazz Record "The Lady Swings belongs on the short list of essential jazz autobiographies." --All About Jazz "The Lady Swings is an entertaining and informative book, one that is easily recommended." --Syncopated Times "A full portrait of the obstacles American women faced in the 20th century jazz scene . . . Dodgion's pull-no-punches style and determination in the face of daunting situations bring an obscure figure to vivid life." --Library Journal "A compelling tale of a groundbreaking person from a memorable time in American cultural history." --FraNoi "A swinging tale that is more than a fascinating footnote in the annals of jazz." --Kirkus Finalist, Book of the Year About Jazz: Biography and Autobiography, Jazz Journalists Association (JJA), 2022 Table of ContentsForeword Acknowledgments Prefatory Notes Introduction Part I. The California Years Scene One: On the Road Scene Two: Spot Behind The Scenes One: The Giaimos Scene Three: Eleanor Powell’s Shoes Behind The Scenes Two: The Tiptons Scene Four: The Eight-Day Clock Scene Five: Polio Scene Six: Jail Bait Scene Seven: TD&L Scene Eight: Mingus Scene Nine: Apple Pie, Apple Pie, Apple Pie Scene Ten: A Little Help from My Friends Scene Eleven: The Drummer Was Always Late Scene Twelve: Monty Scene Thirteen: Jerry Scene Fourteen: 176 Steps Behind The Scenes Three: Eugene’s Lessons Scene Fifteen: First Time in Vegas Scene Sixteen: Followed by Myself in the Moonlight Scene Seventeen: The IT Club Scene Eighteen: Thunderbird Part II. The New York and East Coast Years Scene Nineteen: 14 Drummers Scene Twenty: Mount Airy Lodge Scene Twenty-One: Strollers Scene Twenty-Two: The Village Stompers Scene Twenty-Three: Eddie Condon’s Behind The Scenes Four: Pearls to Swine Scene Twenty-Four: Park Ridge Scene Twenty-Five: Piano Party Behind The Scenes Five: Ruby Scene Twenty-Six: Suburban Housewife Scene Twenty-Seven: In the Middle of the Brook Scene Twenty-Eight: Harold’s Rogue and Jar Scene Twenty-Nine: Melba Liston And Company Scene Thirty: Fazee Cakes Part III. California Redux Scene Thirty-One: The Best Kept Secret in Town Scene Thirty-Two: A Leader at Sixty-Five Scene Thirty-Three: Pacific Grove Scene Thirty-Four: Octogenarian Postscript Notes Discography Inde

Read more less

Book SynopsisFirst time in paperback and e-book! The jazz musician-composer-arranger Mary Lou Williams spent her sixty-year career working in—and stretching beyond—a dizzying range of musical styles. Her integration of classical music into her works helped expand jazz''s compositional language. Her generosity made her a valued friend and mentor to the likes of Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker, and Dizzy Gillespie. Her late-in-life flowering of faith saw her embrace a spiritual jazz oriented toward advancing the civil rights struggle and helping wounded souls. Tammy L. Kernodle details Williams''s life in music against the backdrop of controversies over women''s place in jazz and bitter arguments over the music''s evolution. Williams repeatedly asserted her artistic and personal independence to carve out a place despite widespread bafflement that a woman exhibited such genius. Embracing Williams''s contradictions and complexities, Kernodle also explores a personal liTrade Review"Recommended." --Choice"Diligently chronicles the life and times of the extraordinary innovator."--Jazz Times"Kernodle’s Soul on Soul serves as an essential text, working to set the record straight on one of the genre’s most significant—and conspicuously ignored—composers." --DownBeat"The music and life of Mary Lou Williams and [this] admirable biographie ought to be required material in American history, music, and women’s studies courses. Maybe then the jazz Williams created will receive the universal embrace it deserves." --Women's Review of Books

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"A welcome contribution to the literature of modern music. . . . Highly recommended." --Choice"An astonishing book, a virtual encyclopedia of James Tenney that threatens to leave no remaining scope for further scholarly work on his music. It answered many questions I've long had about Tenney's music, and has already acted as a spur to my own work. The amount of information one could currently find on Tenney's work would comprise only a small fraction of what is included here."--Kyle Gann, author of The Arithmetic of Listening: Tuning Theory and History for the Impractical Musician"Wannamaker's essential, extraordinary work on the music of James Tenney is a brilliantly detailed and exhaustively researched addition to our comprehensive understanding of Tenney's music and compositional ideas, and to our conception of music of the second half of the twentieth century."--Larry Polansky, Emeritus Strauss Professor of Music, Dartmouth CollegeTable of ContentsPreface xiConventions and Abbreviations xv1. Introduction 11.1. A Summary Chronology 31.2. Aesthetic and Methodological Bases: Music in Sound 102. Early Works and Influences (1934–59) 182.1. Stan Brakhage and Interim (1952) 192.2. Manhattan and Meeting Carolee Schneemann 212.3. Lionel Nowak, Carl Ruggles, and Charles Ives’s Concord Sonata 232.4. Seeds (1956/1961) 253. Tape Music and “Meta/-Hodos” (1959–61) 313.1. Lejaren Hiller and Harry Partch 313.2. The University of Illinois Electronic Music Studio 323.3. Collage #1 (“Blue Suede”) (1961) 343.4. “Meta/-Hodos” (1961) 414. Computer Music and Ergodicity (1961–64) 484.1. Edgard Var se, D’Arcy Thompson, and “Growth to Form” 514.2. John Cage, Variety, and Ergodicity 544.3. Max Mathews and MUSIC 594.4. The Acoustic Correlates of Timbre 624.5. Algorithmic Composition 634.6. Analog #1 (Noise Study) (1961) 684.7. Phases (1963) 765. Performance and the Social (1964–68) 835.1. Downtown in the 1960s 835.2. Tone Roads and an American Experimental Tradition 865.3. Fluxus and Friends 895.4. Carolee Schneemann, Antonin Artaud, Wilhelm Reich 935.5. Choreogram (1964) 975.6. Fabric for Che (1967) 1016. Process and Continuity (1969–71) 1106.1. Gradual Processes 1126.2. For Ann (rising) (1969) 1186.3. Postal Pieces (1965–71) 1247. Interlude: Harmonic Theory 1357.1. The Meaning of Harmony 1377.2. The Harmonic Series 1407.3. Interval Tolerance and “The Language of Ratios” 1447.4. A History of Consonance and Dissonance 1477.5. Roughness and Beating (CDC-5) 1487.6. Toneness and Harmonicity (CDC-2) 1497.7. Harmonic Space (CDC-1) 1557.8. Harmonic Measures and Their Applications 1658. Canons and the Harmonic Series (1972–79) 1698.1. The Harmonic-Series Music 1708.2. Clang (1972) 1728.3. Spectral CANON for CONLON Nancarrow (1974) 1768.4. Harmonium #1 (1976) 1838.5. Three Indigenous Songs (1979) 1899. Harmonic Spaces (1980–85) 1939.1. The Harmonic-Space Music 1939.2. Harmonium #3 (1980) 1959.3. Bridge (1984) 1999.4. Koan for String Quartet (1984) 21610. Transition and Tradition (1986–94) 22410.1. Critical Band (1988) 22510.2. Flocking (1993) 23111. Spectra and Diaphony (1994–2006) 23711.1. Dissonant Counterpoint and Statistical Feedback 23711.2. In a Large, . . . (1994–95) 24111.3. Diaphonic Study (1997) 24611.4. Arbor Vitae (2006) 25012. A Tradition of Experimentation 259Appendix A. Acoustics, Sensation, and Logarithmic Models 261Appendix B. Spectrographic Analysis 265Notes 271References 301Index 315

Read more less

Book SynopsisA work-by-work guide to the composer's groundbreaking music Robert Wannamaker's monumental two-volume study explores the influential music and ideas of American composer, theorist, writer, performer, and educator James Tenney. Delving into the whole of Tenney's far-ranging oeuvre, Wannamaker offers close, aurally grounded analyses of works linked to the artist's revolutionary theories of musical form, timbre, and harmonic perception. Written as a reference work, Volume 2, A Handbook to the Pieces, presents detailed entries on Tenney's significant post-1959 experimental works (excepting pieces covered in volume 1). Wannamaker includes technical information, an analysis of intentions and goals, graphs and musical examples, historical and biographical context, and thoughts from Tenney and others on specific works. Throughout, he discusses the striking compositional ideas found in Tenney's music and, where appropriate, traces an idea's appearance from one piece to the next to reveal the evTrade Review"An astonishing book, a virtual encyclopedia of James Tenney that threatens to leave no remaining scope for further scholarly work on his music. It answered many questions I've long had about Tenney's music, and has already acted as a spur to my own work. The amount of information one could currently find on Tenney's work would comprise only a small fraction of what is included here."--Kyle Gann, author of The Arithmetic of Listening: Tuning Theory and History for the Impractical Musician"Wannamaker's essential, extraordinary work on the music of James Tenney is a brilliantly detailed and exhaustively researched addition to our comprehensive understanding of Tenney's music and compositional ideas, and to our conception of music of the second half of the twentieth century."--Larry Polansky, Emeritus Strauss Professor of Music, Dartmouth CollegeTable of ContentsPreface xiii1. 1952–59 (Early Works) 11.1. Monody (1959) 32. 1959–61 (Tape Music) 72.1. Improvisations for Medea (1960) 72.2. Collage #1 (“Blue Suede”) (1961) 83. 1961–64 (Computer Music) 93.1. Analog #1 (Noise Study) (1961) 93.2. Entrance/Exit Music (1962) 93.3. Five Stochastic Studies (1962) 133.4. Stochastic String Quartet (1963) and Stochastic Quartet (1963) 163.5. Dialogue (1963) 223.6. Radio Piece (1963) 273.7. Ergodos I (1963) 283.8. Phases (1963) 303.9. Music for Player Piano (1964) 303.10. Ergodos II (1964) 363.11. String Complement (1964) and Instrumental Responses (1964) 384. 1964–68 (Performance and the Social) 424.1. Choreogram (1964) 424.2. Chamber Music (1964) 424.3. Maximusic (1965) 474.4. Metabolic Music (1965) 474.5. Three Theater Pieces (1965) 494.6. Collage #2 (“Viet Flakes”) (1966) 514.7. A House of Dust (1967) and Letters to Gertrude Stein (1968) 604.8. Fabric for Che (1967) 664.9. Swell Piece (1967) 665. 1969–73 (Process and Continuity) 675.1. For Ann (rising) (1969) 675.2. Quiet Fan for Erik Satie (1970/1971) 675.3. Hey When I Sing These 4 Songs Hey Look What Happens (1971) 745.4. Postal Pieces (1965–71) 755.5. For 12 Strings (rising) (1971) 975.6. In the . . . Mode (1971, 1973) 996. 1972–79 (Canons and the Harmonic Series) 1036.1. Clang (1972) 1036.2. Quintext: Five Textures (1972) 1036.3. Canon (1973) 1176.4. The Chorales Series (1973–75) 1186.5. Spectral CANON for CONLON Nancarrow (1974) 1246.6. Orchestral Study: The “Creation Field” (1974) 1246.7. Three Harmonic Studies (1974) 1266.8. Three Pieces for Mechanical Drum (1974–75) 1346.9. Three Pieces for Drum Quartet (1974–75) 1456.10. Symphony (1975) 1606.11. Harmoniums #1, #4, and #5 (1976–78) 1616.12. Saxony (1978) 1696.13. Three Indigenous Songs (1979) 1727. 1980–85 (Harmonic Spaces) 1737.1. Harmoniums #2, #3, #6, and #7 (1980–2000) 1737.2. Chromatic Canon (1980/1983) 1787.3. Band (1980/1983) 1907.4. Septet (1981) 1937.5. Glissade (1982) 1997.6. Two Koans and a Canon (1982) 2177.7. Voice(s) (1982/1984) 2207.8. deus ex machina (1982) 2267.9. Bridge (1984) 2297.10. Koan for String Quartet (1984) 2297.11. Changes: 64 Studies for 6 Harps (1985) 2297.12. Water on the mountain . . . Fire in heaven (1985) 2578. 1986–94 (Transition and Tradition) 2598.1. The Road to Ubud (1986) 2598.2. Rune (1988) 2648.3. Critical Band (1988) 2758.4. Tableaux Vivants (1990) 2758.5. Three New Seeds (1991) 2888.6. Pika-Don (1991) 2908.7. “Ain’t I a Woman?” (1992) 2988.8. Flocking (1993) 3008.9. Cognate Canons (1993) 3018.10. Forms 1–4 (1993) 3078.11. Ergodos III (1994) 3159. 1994–2006 (Spectra and Diaphony) 3189.1. In a Large, . . . (1994–95) 3189.2. Three Pages in the Shape of a Pear (1995) 3189.3. The Spectrum Series (1995, 2001) 3209.4. Diapason (1996) 3339.5. ’Scend for Scelsi (1996) 3379.6. Diaphonic Study (1997) 3409.7. Diaphonic Toccata (1997) 3419.8. Diaphonic Trio (1997) 3429.9. Song ’n’ Dance for Harry Partch (1999) 3439.10. Seegersong #1 and Seegersong #2 (1999) 3499.11. Last Spring in Toronto (2000) 3529.12. Prelude and Toccata (2001) 3579.13. (Fontana) Mix for Six (Strings) (2001) 3599.14. To Weave (a meditation) (2003) 3619.15. Essay (after a sonata) (2004) 3649.16. Just Another Bagatelle (2004) 3679.17. For Piano and . . . (2005) 3689.18. Panacousticon (2005) 3709.19. Arbor Vitae (2006) 37210. Music in Popular Styles 37310.1. Three Rags for Pianoforte (1969) 37310.2. “Listen . . . !” (1981/1984) 37510.3. Blues Canon (from “Listen . . . !”) (1981) 37610.4. Nathan’s Song (1983) 37610.5. Sneezles (an encore) (1985/1995/2000) 37611. Arrangements 37711.1. Maple Leaf Rag 37711.2. Stoptime Rag 37711.3. General William Booth Enters into Heaven 37711.4. Blues for Annie 37811.5. Beatles Song Arrangements 37811.6. Five Studies for Player Piano 378Notes 379References 407Index 417

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"Well-written, thoroughly researched, and altogether engaging. . . Homer Rodeheaver and the Rise of the Gospel Music Industry is a work of substantial scholarship, which will come as no surprise to those familiar with Yeo's previous work." --Historic Brass Society "Well-written, thoroughly researched, and all together engaging. . . Homer Rodeheaver and the Rise of the Gospel Music Industry is a work of substantial scholarship, which will come as no surprise to those familiar with Yeo's previous work." --Historic Brass Society Journal "Mungons and Yeo's book, Homer Rodeheaver and the Rise of the Gospel Music Industry, combines painstaking research with insightful sociological and musicological analysis. Although co-authored, the book has a unified narrative. . . . Even if one has only marginal interest in Home Rodeheaver as a person, this scholarly description of American society at the turn of the 20th century proves fascinating and illuminating." --International Trombone Association "Refreshingly free of academic speak. . . . Homer Rodeheaver and the Rise of the Gospel Music Industry is more than a tale about the emergence of gospel singing and revivalism, it's a quintessentially American story about a quintessential American." --ARSC Journal "Like virtually all books in the University of Illinois's much-honored Music in American Life series, Homer Rodeheaver and the Rise of the Gospel Music Industry fills in significant blanks in our understanding of different aspects of music history. Mungons and Yeo elevate their contribution with meticulous detail and research; a penchant for finding fascinating, revealing stories and anecdotes; and a sparkling, highly readable prose style that's all too rare in most academic books. " --Robert Darden, Christianity Today"Kevin Mungons and Douglas Yeo’s biography of Homer Rodeheaver brightens an important corner of gospel music history that has gone unexplored for far too long. What they reveal in their remarkable portrait of 'Reverend Trombone' is a man both of his time and ahead of his time. It’s more than a tale of the emergence of gospel singing and revivalism, it’s a quintessentially American story about a quintessential American."--Robert Marovich, author of A City Called Heaven: Chicago and the Birth of Gospel Music"I am truly taken by the book. It is good, informative, comprehensive, and free of the usual assortment of clichés, academic hems and haws, and over-spiritualization. It takes the often over-simplified view of music and revivalism and exposes it to a fascinating cross-weave of thought, content, and context which, to my embarrassment, I thought I had already had a handle on. I recommend it without reservation. There is no doubt in my mind that general readers and specialists alike will benefit from reading this book."--Harold Best, emeritus professor of music and dean emeritus of the Wheaton College Conservatory of Music"Mungons and Yeo have rescued a former icon of American religious life from undeserved historical obscurity, placing Homer Rodeheaver in the complex context of his times. . . . If you care about the Christian music industry and an era largely lost to history, you’ll want to read this book." --Stan Guthrie

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"This books is well conceived, well written, and a great companion text to Robin Moore's books on Cuban music. . . . A major contribution to the scholarship of Afro-Cuban and Afro-Latin women composers and musicians, but also transcends these categories by showing how a woman of color navigated exile and migration to make a new life while maintaining her identity and growing personally and artistically." --New West Indian GuideWinner of the Bronze Medal in the category of Best Biography in English at the 2022 International Latin Book Awards "The story Madrid tells is not only coherent, but also captivating, opening new avenues of scholarly inquiry about Léon's life, work, and the worlds she has inhabited. I look forward to seeing those kernels sprout in different and unexpected directions and develop into still more fascinating narratives." --Journal for the International Alliance of Women in Music"Madrid's biographical counterpoint masterfully portrays the polyrhythmic life of Tania León. His use of photos and personal interviews vividly tells León's life story. The prevalence of this intimacy adds flavor -- a taste of memoir -- inviting readers to devour the book like linear notes. The juxtaposition of firsthand accounts with historical context and political drama creates a page turner -- a biography containing strides that many outside of music will find illuminating." --Notes"Highly recommended." --Choice"There is incredible beauty and power in the way this book attends to aesthetics and artists with rigor and care. What sets it apart are Madrid's stunning interviews conducted over several years with León and her family, peers, and students. An essential document about an extraordinary artist."--Alexandra T. Vazquez, author of Listening in Detail: Performances of Cuban MusicTable of ContentsList of Figures ix List of Music Examples xiAcknowledgments xiiiIntroductionNotes on a Biographical Counterpoint 1Chapter 1 Tonic: The House on Salud Street 11Chapter 2 Modulation and Displacement: cubana de adentro . . . cubana de afuera 33Chapter 3 Syncopation and Color: Adapting to New Life Rhythms 59Chapter 4 Direction: Leading in Music, Leading in Life 93Chapter 5 Voice: Style and Idea in the Music of Tania León 126Chapter 6 Canon: Representation, Identity, and Legacy 166Epilogue Tania León’s Stride: An Echo that Reaches Our Ears 181Appendix A List of Works 185Appendix B Tania León’s Life 193Notes 203Bibliography 229Index 241

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"Starr's approach is fresh and stimulating. . . . Highly recommended." --Choice "Starr’s deep passion for helping listeners hear the intricate musical patterns of Dylan’s songs and albums provides the foundation for this out-of-the-ordinary guide to Dylan. The best way to read this book, of course, is to have Dylan’s music playing in the background to hear the patterns and sounds Starr encourages us to hear." --No Depression "Compact and cogent, Listening to Bob Dylan is directed to the general public, not musicologists. Starr describes Dylan’s sophisticated development of nuances, musical stress points that shift the tone of his performance and the meaning of his words. " --Shepherd Express Table of ContentsPreface vii 1 Not by Words Alone 1 2 Folksinger, Bluesman, Rocker, Crooner: The Many Voices of Bob Dylan 11 3 His Other Voice: Bob Dylan’s Essential Harmonica 33 4 Bob Dylan as Composer, I: Melody, Harmony, and Rhythm 47 5 Bob Dylan as Composer, II: Musical Form 65 6 Accompanying Bob Dylan: Instruments, Instrumentalists, Singers 81 7 Arranging an Album 89 8 Bob Dylan in Live Performance: Documenting a Musical Shape-Shifter 97 9 Bringing It All Back Home (Pulling It All Together) 111 Acknowledgments 121 A Very Selective Bibliography 123 Subject Index 125 Song Index 131

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"A unique time capsule of recent history of the state of the field of art music composition in the United States in 1972. Virginia Anderson presents Childs’s interviews as-is, warts and all. As such, each interview is revealing of the character of the times and of the protagonists."--Chris Brown, Professor Emeritus and former Co-Director of the Center for Contemporary Music, Mills College

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn his nearly forty-year career, Johann Scheibe became Leipzig's most renowned organ builder and one of the late Baroque's masters of the craft. Johann Sebastian Bach and Johann Kuhnau considered Scheibe a valued colleague. Organists and civic leaders shared their high opinion, for Scheibe built or rebuilt every one of the city's organs. Drawing on extensive research and previously untapped archival materials, Lynn Edwards Butler explores Scheibe's professional relationships and the full range of his projects. These assignments included the three-manual organ for St. Paul's Church, renovations of the organs in the important churches of St. Thomas and St. Nicholas, and the lone surviving example of Scheibe's craft, a small organ in the nearby village of Zschortau. Viewing Scheibe within the context of the era, Butler illuminates the music scene of Bach's time as she follows the life of a gifted craftsman and his essential work on an instrument that anchored religious musical practice anTrade Review"A pioneering book with no equivalent in the field. It is packed with fascinating facts about Leipzig and its history that will interest not only musicians and musicologists but scholars of history, religion, and many other disciplines. At the same time, Butler's coverage of Scheibe's professional, personal, and domestic life will engage anyone at all interested in J. S. Bach and his milieu."--Russell Stinson, author of J. S. Bach at His Royal Instrument: Essays on His Organ Works

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"Mandolin Man: The Bluegrass Life of Roland White tells of Roland White's musical life, from his youth as a member of a musical family through his days as a bluegrass band performer. The book successfully weaves together family, friendship, the bluegrass business and culture. The depiction of the life of Roland White and the descriptions of bluegrass players' constructed world combine to make Mandolin Man an important contribution to writing about bluegrass music." --Journal of Folklore Research Reviews"A warm and appreciative book that keeps White's presence alive." --No Depression"Black’s own relevant musical experience, alongside his interviews with White, his family, and country music icons such as Marty Stuart, make this biography a must-read for bluegrass aficionados. Although White may not be a household name to those outside the bluegrass scene, he richly deserves this long-awaited tribute." --Library Journal "Superb. . . . Bob Black has delivered another instant classic biography of one of bluegrass music’s most valuable, but perhaps under-appreciated, influencers and torch-bearers. If you read but one bluegrass history or biography this year, make it Mandolin Man: The Bluegrass Life of Roland White." --Bluegrass Unlimited​​"This book has many memorable stories and insights into the life of one of the most modest virtuosos you could ever meet. Kudos to Bob Black for shining a light on a great musician and even better person, and thanks to Roland White for all the great music. " --Nashville Musician"Roland White is bluegrass music royalty. He is, without question, the most dedicated soul I have ever known when it comes to playing and inspiring people to look into the beauty of the music Bill Monroe called 'the ancient tones.' Roland is especially gifted at encouraging young musicians to look deep into their hearts and play what they hear inside. He is a great professor. I know. He was mine. In reality, I owe my entire career to Roland White."--Marty Stuart, Congress of Country Music​"Bob Black tells how a musician of humble beginnings successfully rose to the top of the bluegrass music business. Roland White's story differs from other bluegrass biographies and autobiographies in its extended discussions of recordings, the deep historical era covered--from the postwar years to the present, and the depiction of a musician's working experiences."--Neil V. Rosenberg, author of Bluegrass Generation: A Memoir"In Mandolin Man: The Bluegrass Life of Roland White author and banjo player Bob Black gives us a book about a musician in which the music rings out--and is never drowned out." --Chapter 16 "Bluegrass is a musical genre, yes, but it is also a community, the beauty of which resides in the very details that Mr. Black, like any good storyteller, generously shares. Roland White picked his way through life with a singularity of purpose, not to mention a sense of timing and work ethic to match, that made him a colorful piece of the bluegrass community quilt. He was an accomplished, innovative musician, steady hand, and respected mentor." --NewCityLit

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"An enjoyable read. . . On the Bus with Bill Monroe provides authoritative details and entertaining commentaries about the person known as the father of bluegrass music, and also about members of the Blue Grass Boys." --Journal of Folklore Research Reviews"A quick read that is sure to enlighten and entertain." --Fiddler Magazine "Mormon Women at the Crossroads blends personal stories with theological considerations of women’s roles in contemporary Mormonism." --Foreword Reviews"A rollicking ride down the bluegrass road with the Father of Bluegrass and his band, and Hembree serves as a truly entertaining tour guide." --No Depression​​"A book that feels fresh and welcome despite the familiarity of the subject — not because we finally come to understand Monroe in all his complexities, but because we meet a young, wide-eyed musician trying to find his way in the great man’s considerable shadow." --Chapter 16"[Hembree] delivers his account of that time with the sort of lively, telling detail that can come only from someone who is reporting on lived-through experience. His book is a ride well worth taking." --Bluegrass Unlimited"I look for it to be a hit in the bluegrass world and among musicologists, as it adds to what we know about Bill Monroe from a human relationship perspective. It has nuts and bolts but also some slipped wrenches and busted knuckles. . . . I salute Hembree and this book about life on the bus. In a very articulate and pleasant manner, Hembree manages to take us along for the ride with him through an important period of Bluegrass history." --Bluegrass Standard​​​​"Do we need one more book on Bill Monroe? Yes, if it is as honestly written as this one, and by a musician who shared the road with him for five years, covering thousands of miles and thousands of shows."--Bill C. Malone, coauthor of Country Music USA: 50th Anniversary Edition "Enthralling." --BookReporter.com "It paints a very, very, very true picture of life on the road, so much less glamorous than fans imagine--and the bus Monroe had when I was a Blue Grass Boy was even older and less reliable! I think this is an extremely valuable insight for those who have never lived this life. It also paints exquisite pictures of both Monroe and Kenny Baker--the men, not the performers--and this is as close a look as any who are curious will ever get."--Douglas B. (Ranger Doug) GreenTable of ContentsFalse Start Foreword xiAcknowledgments xiiiPART I. INTRODUCTIONS1. William Smith Monroe 32. Mark Gilbert Hembree 10PART II. “MULESKINNER BLUES”3. “You Just Might Have a Job” 154. “Shh! Shh! It’s Bill!” 185. Monroe Enterprises 196. The Blue Grass Boys 217. Getting My Bedclothes 278. Learning the Vernacular 289. The Crucible of Chatom 3110. Comfort Level 1 3411. A Gentle Side of Bill 3512. “Back Home Again in Indiana” 3713. Uncle Birch 3914. “Doghouse Blues” 4015. Proper Grooming and a Tip of the Hat 41PART III. “BREAKING IN A BRAND-NEW PAIR OF SHOES”16. Glory Is Fleeting 4717. The Eye 5018. More on the Bus 5119. Road Cuisine 5220. A Need-to-Know Bassist 5521. The Beer Taboo 5722. Hangover Management 5923. Road Journal, February 1980 6024. Who Is That Guy? 6325. No, Really, Who the Hell Is That Guy? 64PART IV. “HEAVY TRAFFIC AHEAD”26. Kentucky Fried Festival, Louisville 6927. Taking My Time Capsules 7128. John Duffey 7229. On to Pocatello! 7330. Rooms/No Rooms 7431. Of Gloves and Bananas 7632. Pushing the Bus up Cumberland Gap 77PART V. “MY LAST DAYS ON EARTH”33. Master of Bluegrass 8134. Back in the Saddle 8435. Monroe Hangs Tough, But It’s Tough 85PART VI. “ROCKY ROAD BLUES”36. The Accidental Road Manager 10137. West Coast Routing and Canadian Customs 10338. Road Burns and the Right Rock 106 39. Rich Comes Along for the Ride 10840. The Poker to End All Poker 11041. Bill on Dolly, Wayne on Bill 11242. Winning in Tahoe 11343. Monroe Pays the Piper 11444. The First Thing I’m Going to Do 11545. Bean Blossom International 11646. All Day at the Record Table 11847. Bluegrass Death Trip 12148. Bill Keeps Grinding 12249. Checking on Paycheck 12650. Mule Day, April 3, 1982, Columbia, Tennessee 12851. Opening the Knoxville World’s Fair, May 1, 1982 12952. Uncle Birch and Southern Funerary Traditions 131PART VII. “PRECIOUS MEMORIES”53. Taking the Gospel Shot 13554. July 24–27, 1982 13755. Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, via the Emergency Room 13956. A Record-Breaking Diss 14157. River Ranch Resort 14358. Bill’s Birthday in Louisville 14459. Country Hardball 14660. McClure via Coeburn 14961. Roll On Buddy 152PART VIII. “OVER THE WAVES”62. Hello, Ireland! 15763. Bill Gets His Encore 16064. A Wonderful School of Music 16265. The Blue Grass Goys in Israel 163PART IX. “LIVE AND LET LIVE”66. Pittsburgh, Unplugged 16967. Feats of Magic 17068. PTL: Pass The Loot 17269. Bluegrass and the Hippies 174PART X. “ON AND ON”70. Just Be Ready 17971. Serving Notice 18172. The Road Is Clear 18373. Grand Ole Après 185At Last, Thanks 187Further Reading 193Index 195

Read more less

Book SynopsisBetween 1941 and 1963, Aaron Copland made four government-sponsored tours of Latin America that drew extensive attention at home and abroad. Interviews with eyewitnesses, previously untapped Latin American press accounts, and Copland’s diaries inform Carol A. Hess’s in-depth examination of the composer’s approach to cultural diplomacy. As Hess shows, Copland’s tours facilitated an exchange of music and ideas with Latin American composers while capturing the tenor of United States diplomatic efforts at various points in history. In Latin America, Copland’s introduced works by U.S. composers (including himself) through lectures, radio broadcasts, live performance, and conversations. Back at home, he used his celebrity to draw attention to regional composers he admired. Hess’s focus on Latin America’s reception of Copland provides a variety of outside perspectives on the composer and his mission. She also teases out the broader meanings behind revTrade Review“Among its many achievements, Aaron Copland in Latin America is a vital contribution to the study of U.S. cultural diplomacy. Carol Hess’s meticulously researched, beautifully written book is not only an essential work of history and biography; it chronicles and illuminates longstanding debates about the politicization and weaponization of music that inform policy to this day. As both a scholar and practitioner of cultural diplomacy, I will continue to turn to Aaron Copland in Latin America for edification and inspiration.”--Mark Katz, author of Build: The Power of Hip Hop Diplomacy in a Divided World“A noted scholar of classical composers in Latin America, Carol Hess once again delivers a deeply researched perspective on hemispheric history--this time focusing on the cultural diplomacy in Latin America of the composer Aaron Copland. With Copland’s internationalist spirit at center stage, his commitments to world peace are explored, as are his gifts as an open-minded cultural ambassador. Hess offers a richly contextualized and eminently readable book.”--Carol J. Oja, author of Bernstein Meets Broadway: Collaborative Art in a Time of WarTable of ContentsPART I. A Citizen Diplomat PreparesChapter 1. IntroductionChapter 2. Copland and the Beginnings of U.S. Cultural DiplomacyChapter 3. Copland as Good Neighbor: A Musical Diplomat and the OIAAPART II. Copland, Latin America, and World War IIChapter 4. Diplomat “in the Field”Chapter 5. Copland in ArgentinaChapter 6. Copland in BrazilChapter 7. Copland in ChileChapter 8. “The Fiery Trial Through Which We Pass”: The Americas at WarPART III.Copland, Latin America, and the Postwar Chapter 9. Copland, Latin America, and the Early Cold WarChapter 10. Shifting Ground: Copland, Latin America, and the Crisis of ModernismChapter 11. A “Living Refutation to Communist-Inspired Lies”: Copland in Latin America in the SixtiesChapter 12. Latin American Classical Music and MemoryRecommended ReadingIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"Following decades of fan engagement through road diaries and groundbreaking podcast predecessor Radio Zero, Poster Children bassist Rose Marshack has gathered stories and experience for this fast-paced and wide-ranging, but well-balanced rock/tech/spiritual memoir. Hard-won lessons, road stories, tech geekery, entertaining anecdotes and lessons from the Buddha are plentiful. . . . [A] stirring memoir." --Illinois Entertainer"For music fans in Central Illinois, I highly recommend Marshack’s book, which she finished after five years of writing and editing. It’s a phenomenal model of what music journalism should be, exemplified by comprehensive documentation and peer review — plus just enough swear words to keep you chuckling as you reach for the next page." --Pantagraph"For readers interested in the indie music scene, touring life, and female rockers." --Booklist"Reflective, humorous, and rousing, Play Like a Man is an exuberant memoir—a musical and feminist testament." --Foreword Reviews"A funny, warm, honest, and brilliant memoir from the bassist of American indie rock band Poster Children — a work to which all other music memoirs could aspire. . . . One of the all-time best music memoirs." --Louder than War"An inspirational account of changing times. " --Big Takeover“This kind of tour report from a female musician is so rare and essential in documenting women’s role in punk and music history. At the same time, the work that Poster Children did in contributing to the early use of the internet and social media and web design is important to think about around independent music and punk--really, around the music industry in general.”--Rebekah Buchanan, author of Writing a Riot: Riot Grrrl Zines and Feminist Rhetorics“The Poster Children were a smart, stubborn, self-reliant independent band that suddenly found itself surrounded by the ambitious puffery of hopeful tourist musicians. They navigated the problematic ocean of ‘Alternative Music’ that rose up in the 1990s and lived to tell the tale. Rose was central to that mission and should be considered a trustworthy and experienced reporter!”--Ian MacKaye, Fugazi and Minor Threat “I have seen Rose Marshack play with her band the Poster Children many times, and her presence onstage is precisely like her writing, energetic, warm, and completely involved. This memoir is beautiful and frank, and does a fantastic job of bringing the reader into the private thoughts of a woman coming of age in a vibrant music community, immediately finding things to cling to and battles that need fighting. Her story will resonate not just with everyone who lived through this era, but anyone who's ever found their passion and community in music. I admire Rose tremendously and I'm glad she decided to tell us her story.” --Steve AlbiniTable of ContentsList of Tour Reports PrefaceAcknowledgmentsPart One. 1980s: CollegeChapter 1. Origin StoryChapter 2. The Scene at CollegeChapter 3. Punk Bands in DormsChapter 4. ComputersChapter 5. Play Like a ManPart Two. 1987-1992: Pre-major Label LifeChapter 6. The Indie Code of EthicsChapter 7. LocalChapter 8. RegionalChapter 9. NationalPart Three. 1993-1996: Major Label LifeChapter 10. Mashed PotatoesChapter 11. RecordingChapter 12. TouringChapter 13. Radio SucksChapter 14. Computer ExperimentsChapter 15. ExpectationsChapter 16. Big ChangesPart Four. 1997: Post Major LabelChapter 17. Online ParticipationChapter 18. Life as a WomanChapter 19. How to Look at ThingsChapter 20. TeachingAppendix: List of Poster Children AlumniNotesIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisA pivotal twentieth-century composer, Samuel Barber earned a long list of honors and accolades that included two Pulitzer Prizes for Music and the public support of conductors like Arturo Toscanini, Serge Koussevitzky, and Leonard Bernstein. Barber’s works have since become standard concert repertoire and continue to flourish across high art and popular culture. Acclaimed biographer Howard Pollack (Aaron Copland, George Gershwin) offers a multifaceted account of Barber’s life and music while placing the artist in his social and cultural milieu. Born into a musical family, Barber pursued his artistic ambitions from childhood. Pollack follows Barber’s path from his precocious youth through a career where, from the start, the composer consistently received prizes, fellowships, and other recognition. Stylistic analyses of works like the Adagio for Strings, the Violin Concerto, Knoxville: Summer of 1915 for voice and orchestra, the Piano ConTrade Review"Howard Pollack's 'Samuel Barber: His Life and Legacy,' which continues his remarkable series of books on American composers and lyricists, may be the finest biography of an American classical musician since Anthony Tommasini's 'Virgil Thomson: Composer on the Aisle.'. . . Pollack is a master of writing about artistic creation without forbidding jargon, his explanations of Barber's music are just as arresting as the biographical passages." --Wall Street Journal"Will surely be the authoritative work on talented composer Barber for decades to come. This monumental book is both the account of a fascinating life and a detailed assessment of the composer's works." --Library Journal, starred review"Barber's music continues to be treasured for its melding of flawless craftsmanship and deep feeling. Barber himself was more complicated, as this fine biography reveals." --New Yorker"[Samuel Barber: His Life and Legacy] offers a more rounded picture of Barber the man, and doesn't shy away from shining the spotlight on his less admirable traits. . . . Pollack is [also] exceptionally conscientious in tracing the lives of Barber's musical works as well, discussing not only premieres, performances, recordings, and critical reactions but also the many ballets and dances that choreographers created to his work." --Gramophone“Richly detailed, beautifully written, and as humane as it is observant, Howard Pollack’s biography paints a convincing portrait not only of Samuel Barber himself, but of the unique milieu that shaped his music and character. Sam began as my mentor and later became my colleague and friend; I recognize him throughout this remarkable book.”--John Corigliano, Pulitzer Prize-winning composer“This critical biography will no doubt become a foundational text. Pollack humanizes Barber by providing new insights, information, and perspectives about him that include religious, political, social, and cultural issues, and details about his interactions with an array of artists, friends, and institutions. The author’s flowing style provides a meaty narrative for general readers while his use and interpretation of an exhaustive trove of sources will serve scholars for years to come.”--Sally Bick, author of Unsettled Scores: Politics, Hollywood, and the Film Music of Aaron Copland and Hanns EislerTable of ContentsIntroduction Samuel Barber and His Family A Musical Education Personal Matters: Early Years Other Formative Experiences Early Works Through 1932 More Adventures at Home and Abroad, 1933-1939 Music for a Scene from Shelley and One Day of Spring Songs and Choruses, 1934-1940 The First Symphony and the String Quartet Adagio for Strings and the First Essay The Violin Concerto and Second Essay In the Army The Second Symphony and Excursions Capricorn Concerto and the Cello Concerto Barber and His Contemporaries Medea Knoxville: Summer of 1915 and “Nuvoletta” The Piano Sonata and Mélodies passagères Personal Matters: Later Years A Composer’s Life Souvenirs and Hermit Songs Prayers of Kierkegaard, Adventure, and Summer Music Vanessa From the Nocturne to Die Natali The Piano Concerto and Andromache’s Farewell The Creation of Antony and Cleopatra Antony and Cleopatra in Performance From Chorale for Ascension Day to The Lovers From Fadograph of a Yestern Scene to the Canzonetta Epilogue and Conclusion Notes Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn this collection of musical portraits, jazz pianist and radio host Marian McPartland pays tribute to such beloved and legendary figures as Benny Goodman, Bill Evans, Joe Morello, Paul Desmond, Alec Wilder, Mary Lou Williams, and others. McPartland’s reminiscences and anecdotes about these jazz greats are informed by her encyclopedic knowledge of their music, making this richly detailed collection an important addition to the literature of jazz.In a preface to this edition, McPartland extends her commentary to include details of her long-running National Public Radio show “Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz” and memories of her late husband, famed Chicago trumpeter Jimmy McPartland.Trade Review“Marian McPartland has always been one of my favorite pianists, and this book shows that she is every bit as good a writer as she is a musician.”--Dave Brubeck“She has done her studying from the inside: as one of the few working jazz musicians to write about the music with any frequency, she offers a perspective on the men and women who play jazz for a living that seldom finds its way into print.”--New York Times“Marian McPartland is as wittily incisive a writer-memoirist as she is a pianist and radio sage. The new postscripts enhance a jazz classic--portraits of an era, from the other side of the footlights.”--Gary Giddins, author of Bing Crosby: A Pocketful of Dreams“I wonder if Marian McPartland fully realizes what an elegant prose stylist she is. But then, it’s only natural that her choices with language should be no less sensitive or discriminating than those she makes at the keyboard. In the truest sense these word portraits are McPartland compositions and remain among my most treasured music reading. What a joy to have an expanded and updated edition.”--Richard M. Sudhalter, author of Stardust Melody: The Life and Music of Hoagy Carmichael

Read more less

Book SynopsisThrough revealing portraits of selected local artists and slice-of-life vignettes drawn from the city’s pubs and lounges,Chicago Bluesencapsulates the sound and spirit of the blues as it is lived today. As a committed participant in the Chicago blues scene for more than a quarter century, David Whiteis draws on years of his observations and extensive interviews to paint a full picture of the Chicago blues world, both on and off the stage.In addition to portraits of blues artists he has personally known and worked with, Whiteis takes readers on a tour of venues like East of Ryan and the Starlight Lounge, home to artists such as Jumpin’ Willie Cobbs, Willie D., and Harmonica Khan. He tells the stories behind the lives of past pioneers, including Junior Wells, pianist Sunnyland Slim, and harpist Big Walter Horton, whose music reflects the universal concerns with love, loss, and yearning that continue to keep the blues so vital for so many.Trade Review"An inside job, a first-hand account that treats the music not as a pile of dusty old records but as a living, breathing art form. By focusing the majority of his detailed profiles on the also-rans rather than the cornerstone artists, Whiteis is able to address the honest realities of the contemporary working blues musician. By reporting from within the funky neighborhood bars in which the venerable music is continually reborn, he ensures that the blues is no museum exhibit."--Mojo"An important document of the thriving Chicago blues scene, this fluidly written book is an essential addition for public libraries with blues and R&B-related collections as well as for academic libraries, especially those with collectiones geared toward the sociology of music and American studies. Highly recommended."--Library Journal"As an active participant in the Chicago blues scene and a Maxwell Street habitué for more than a quarter century, journalist David Whiteis offers some tellingly insightful sociological observations on the intrinsic power of the music and draws on his extensive catalog of interviews over the years to present a kaleidoscopic picture of the Windy City blues world, both on and off stage. . . . Must reading for blues fans everywhere."--Sing Out!

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn Bound for America, Nicholas Temperley documents the lives, careers, and music of three British composers who emigrated from England in mid-career and became leaders in the musical life of the American Federal era.Trade Review"A fascinating account of what happens when minor musicians are transplanted from routine careers in their native land to a New World fertile with opportunities for music-making. . . . The value of Bound for America not only as a work of first-rate scholarship but also as 'a good read' is clear."--Music and Letter"Through fastidious research, a knack for objective and yet sympathetic criticism, and an intimate knowledge of the conventions of British as well as Federal-era American society, Temperley has drawn well-balanced and detailed profiles . . . . Selby, Taylor, and Jackson have thus become, somehow, more American."--Nineteenth-Century Music Review"Temperley's study demonstrates what can be accomplished when traditional scholarly methods are applied with creativity, restraint, and elegance. . . . Temperley's careful analysis of [the composers'] careers and their music tells us much about a relatively unexplored time in the history of American music."--Eighteenth-Century Music"A much-needed work, filled with detailed analysis and valuable insights on the changes in style, acceptance, and cultural milieu that early composers experienced when they crossed the Atlantic. This revealing book will be an invaluable contribution to the literature on American and British music."--Anne Dhu McLucas, past president of the Society for American Music

Read more less

Book Synopsis This award-winning book, now available in paperback, is the first solid appraisal of the legendary career of the eminent Hungarian-born conductor Fritz Reiner (1888-1963). Personally enigmatic and often described as difficult to work with, he was nevertheless renowned for the dynamic galvanization of the orchestras he led, a nearly unrivaled technical ability, and high professional standards. Reiner''s influence in the United States began in the early 1920s and lasted until his death. Reiner was also deeply committed to serious music in American life, especially through the promotion of new scores. In Fritz Reiner, Maestro and Martinet, Kenneth Morgan paints a very real portrait of a man who was both his own worst enemy and one of the true titans of his profession. Trade ReviewRecipient of an ASCAP Deems Taylor award in the classical music category (2006). "A lively, polished, and succinct writer and scholar of the first rank, Kenneth Morgan has filled a critical gap left by Reiner's previous biographer, focusing as he does on Fritz Reiner's musicianship. Through impeccable research and revealing interviews, Morgan offers unprecedented insights into those distinctive characteristics that made Reiner one of the greatest conductors of all time. Especially welcome is his detailed discussion of the famous legacy of recordings that keeps Reiner's memory alive, even to those too young to have heard him in concert."--Steven Hillyer, editor of Podium"Kenneth Morgan's eminently readable Fritz Reiner is a highly provocative and well-researched biography of one of the most interesting musicians who worked in the United States. It will certainly be of great value to all those interested in this legendary conductor."--Leonard Slatkin, music director, National Symphony Orchestra "In the galaxy of brilliant Chicago Symphony maestri including such giants as Theodore Thomas, Frederick Stock, Georg Solti, and the incumbent Daniel Barenboim, Fritz Reiner was a masterful conductor in the great tradition, modest in demeanor yet fierce on behalf of the highest musical standards."--Danny Newman, Lyric Opera Chicago

Read more less

Book Synopsis Charles Ives Reconsidered reexamines a number of critical assumptions about the life and works of this significant American composer, drawing on many new sources to explore Ives''s creative activities within broader historical, social, cultural, and musical perspectives. Gayle Sherwood Magee offers the first large-scale rethinking of Ives''s musical development based on the controversial revised chronology of his music. Using as a guide Ives''s own dictum that 'the fabric of existence weaves itself whole,' Charles Ives Reconsidered offers several new paths to understanding all of Ives''s music as the integrated and cohesive work of a controversial composer who was very much a product of his time and place. Magee portrays Ives''s life, career and posthumous legacy against the backdrop of his musical and social environments from the Gilded Age to the present. The book includes contemporary portraits of the composer, his peers, and his teachers, as seen through arcTrade ReviewA Choice Outstanding Academic Title, 2009. “’Reconsidered’ is exactly the word here. Magee takes on the idolators and the revisionists with equal vigour, and in doing so, restores Charles Ives to a more nuanced and realistic place in the American canon: a man of his times, to be sure, but also an artist who continued to evolve and create. . . . Magee hasn’t just written a very good book about Ives, but a very good book about what Harold Bloom calls 'the anxiety of influence.'”--The Wire “Magee’s book is a model of contemporary musicology, sympathetically sober in its judgments and interdisciplinary in its methods.”--The Nation "Magee's provocative and insightful new biography of Charles Ives examines the man, his legend, his music, and its reception. An important work."--Journal of the Society for American Music "This is in every way an exemplary interpretive study of Ives's aesthetic and compositional career as considered against the background of his biography. . . . A first-rate exposition of current knowledge and thinking about Ives, and Magee's own views are a welcome contribution. Essential."--Choice "Anyone looking for new windows into the life of this unique composer will find here a rich source, clearly written and abundantly illustrated with photos and copies of musical transcripts."--American Record Guide

Read more less

Book SynopsisJohn Philip Sousa (1854-1932) is an American icon. Most famous for his military marches, the composer-bandmaster led a disciplined group of devoted musicians on numerous American tours and around the world, shaping a new cultural landscape. Paul E. Bierley documents every aspect of the 'March King''s' band: its history, its star performers, its appearances on recordings and radio, and the problems they faced on their 1911 trip around the world. Enhanced by more than 120 images and photographs, The Incredible Band of John Philip Sousa also contains six statistical appendixes detailing where the band played, a complete list of musicians, instrumentation of the band, program listings, and a discographyTrade ReviewReceived the 2007 Association for Recorded Sound Collections Award for Excellence in Historical Recorded Sound Research, under the heading of “Best Discography.” "A remarkable array of carefully arranged and meticulously detailed data. . . . Bierley opens doors to new arenas of American music research. . . . With this remarkable book, Sousa research is now ready to really begin."--Nineteenth-Century Music Review "The premier Sousa authority, Bierley caps his forty-year career with this admirably comprehensive tome on his--and many Americans'--favorite subject. . . . Highly recommended."--Choice"Solidly researched, the book provides a view of music in American life not found in other studies of Sousa or the period. Highly recommended."--Library Journal "If your personal library is missing this book, you cannot have a complete music section."--Circus Fanfare"This is the first major scholarly work to minutely detail the four-decade-long existence of the greatest and most influential concert band ever. A magnificent resource brimming with intriguing and detailed information, it is one of the best books ever in the field of band scholarship."--Craig B. Parker, professor of music history, Kansas State University

Read more less

Book Synopsis Woody Guthrie, American Radical reclaims the politically radical profile of America''s greatest balladeer. Although he achieved a host of national honors and adorns U.S. postage stamps, and although his song This Land Is Your Land is often considered the nation''s second national anthem, Woody Guthrie committed his life to the radical struggle. Will Kaufman traces Guthrie''s political awakening and activism throughout the Great Depression, World War II, the Cold War, the Korean War, the Civil Rights struggle, and the poison of McCarthyism. He examines Guthrie''s role in the development of a workers'' culture in the context of radical activism spearheaded by the Communist Party of the USA, the Popular Front, and the Congress of Industrial Organizations. Kaufman also establishes Guthrie''s significance in the perpetuation of cultural front objectives into the era of the New Left and beyond, particularly through his influence on the American and international protest song movement. Trade Review"A fresh, challenging look at Woody Guthrie's political life and musical contributions. Drawing on a rich, wide array of songs and other works that have so far been overlooked, Will Kaufman presents an unvarnished Guthrie, whose writings are incredibly stimulating."--Ronald D. Cohen, author of Work and Sing: A History of Occupational and Labor Union Songs in the United States"A much needed and extremely valuable book on Woody Guthrie. Examining Guthrie in this broader historical and cultural framework yields new insights into both Guthrie and radicalism."--Bucky Halker, musician-historian and author of For Democracy, Workers, and God: Labor Song-Poems and Labor Protest, 1865–95

Read more less

Book SynopsisA revealing portrait of a legend of American classical musicTrade Review"Thoroughly researched and accessible to the lay reader, the book will intrigue readers who wish to deepen their appreciation of this legendary composer."--Library Journal "The most complete picture of Carter's early life and career to date. Wierzbicki shows more clearly than anyone else how Carter's temporal techniques evolved over the course of his career."--Anne C. Shreffler, coeditor of Elliott Carter: A Centennial Portrait in Letters and Documents "A gratifying success. The story of Elliott Carter's life and work is succinctly told and is one that specialists and non-experts alike can read with great profit."--Arnold Whittall, author of Exploring Twentieth-Century Music: Tradition and InnovationTable of Contentsintroduction 1 1. Foundations (1908-45) 5 2. Three Seminal Works (1945-51) 32 3. Maturity (1950-80) 50 4. New Directions (1980-2010) 75 Epilogue 97 notes 101 index 117

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe first in-depth look at a highly innovative jazz iconTrade Review“Beal’s prose is often lyrical and always dynamic, she instantly finds the appropriate pacing for the narrative and, just as quickly, demonstrates deep knowledge of and affection for her subject.”--Popmatters "Amy C. Beal responds with alacrity and intellectual force to the challenge of contextualizing the work of this uniquely important, yet academically underexplored twentieth-century American composer-performer. An important and salutary work that greatly enriches the field of jazz studies."--George E. Lewis, author of A Power Stronger Than Itself: The AACM and American Experimental Music"Accurate and kind, Carla Bley reveals with remarkable effectiveness the anatomy of the successive moments of Bley's musical life."--Clarin"Excellent."--New Yorker"Beal ... expertly contextualizes Bley's career within the landscapes of emergent avant-garde, free jazz, and experimental music while also exploring her creative relationships with the legendary Steve Swallow, Charlie Haden, and others. . . . Readers and researchers interested in women composers, American music history, music theory, or jazz from 1950 to the present will find this book invaluable."--Library Journal“Beal could have easily written a biography three or four times longer than the present volume. But it would be a mistake to consider Carla Bley something of a half-loaf, as it is more than enough to set the record straight.”--The Wire“Carla Bley is a marvel of concision, packing biography, musicology and cogent, descriptive analysis of her major work in barely 100 pages.”--Shepherd Express "An intelligent and sensitive compositional history of Carla Bley's music. Amy C. Beal honors Bley's famous humor and autodidactism without compromising a serious analysis of Bley's compositions over a very long and distinguished career."--Sherrie Tucker, coeditor of Big Ears: Listening for Gender in Jazz StudiesTable of ContentsList of Figures; Acknowledgements Introduction: "Like a Mockingbird"; 1. Walking Woman: Oakland, New York, Los Angeles, New York; 2. Sing Me Softly of the Blues: Early Short Pieces and Songs Without Words; 3. Social Studies: The Jazz Composers Guild and The Jazz Composers Orchestra; 4. "Mad at Jazz": A Genuine Tong Funeral; 5. Escalator Over the Hill: Jazz Opera as Fusion; 6. Copyright Royalties: New Music Distribution Service; 7: Big Band Theory: The Carla Bley Band and Other Projects; 8: The Lone Arranger: History and Hilarity; 9: End of Vienna: Fancy Chamber Music; 10. Dreams So Real: "Jazz is Where My Heart Now Lies" Notes; Suggested Listening; Sources; Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisA musical biography of one of bluegrass's true pioneersTrade ReviewReceived the Best Historical Research in Country, Folk or Ethnic Music Award from the Association for Recorded Sound Collections (ARSC), 2012. Received the Print Media Person of the Year Award from the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA), 2012. "This book is superbly written and once you start, you just can't put it down."--Cybergrass"Publication of this book is a major event. . . . Captivating and comprehensive."--Bluegrass Unlimited"For fans and historians, a book on the music and influence of J. D. Crowe was long overdue, and Marty Godbey's Crowe on the Banjo fits the bill wonderfully. This account puts Crowe's importance into clear perspective."--Bob Artis, third-generation mandolinist and member of the Allegheny Drifters "A stimulating and informative narrative of the life and work of J. D. Crowe, a seminal figure in the development of latter-day bluegrass music. Marty Godbey admirably pinpoints the importance of Crowe's influences as a banjo player and band leader and how his sound has become the standard for a sizeable segment of the bluegrass music industry."--Alan Munde, bluegrass banjoist and leader of the Alan Munde Gazette"This book covers it all. It begins with the story of Crowe's introduction to the five string banjo at a Flatt & Scruggs performance, and continues until arriving at the present day New South. . . . A must-read."--Bluegrass Today"Godbey covered the gamut of Crowe's career in her book complete with personal conversations, interviews, old-time photos, a discography, and list of additional reading material."--Kentucky Living Magazine"Bluegrass scholars, performers, and fans should welcome this book. Recommended."--Choice"A finely textured, multivocal account of musical apprenticeship and craft that does justice to the lives of both the biography's subject and its author."--The Journal of Southern History "This book is a major service to J. D. worshipers (like myself!). Thanks, Marty, we will miss you."--Béla Fleck, Grammy-winning banjoist

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe life and music of a bluegrass pioneer, in his own wordsTrade ReviewCertificate of Merit for Excellence for Best Research in Recorded Country Music, Association for Recorded Sound Collections (ARSC) Awards, 2013. Fred Bartenstein (editor), Bluegrass/Media Person of the Year, International Bluegrass Music Awards (IBMA), 2013. "Mesmerizing . . . especially for lovers of bluegrass."--Booklist "One comes away from this interesting read with a keen understanding of a man who influenced country music, dobro playing in particular, in a way few have. Recommended."--Choice "A fascinating look at the musical culture of the South. . . . Thoroughly Southern, spicy, real, and lots of fun." --Library Journal "The legendary musician provides interesting insight into the ways of his long-time boss, Earl Scruggs." --MountainTimes.com "Graves's name won't ring a bell for many outside musicians' circles, but Burkett "Uncle Josh" Graves helped take bluegrass from southern Appalachia to college campuses and beyond, to the world-music status it enjoys today. . . . Bluegrass Bluesman is unfiltered, off-the-cuff oral history."--The Wall Street Journal"In this welcome memoir, Graves proves himself a born storyteller. . . . Rarely is a guitarist's memoir such a rich read."--Vintage Guitar"Josh Graves inspired hundreds of musicians to pick up the steel bar and slide it over the strings of the Dobro. . . . It's good and fitting that the story of this talented and influential musician is being preserved in his own words." --from Neil Rosenberg's foreword to the book "Because Graves tells his own story in his own voice, readers do truly get a sense for whom Josh Graves was and what he and his dobro contributed to Bluegrass music." --Winchester Sun"Yet another must-read book from the University of Illinois Press."--Bluegrass Unlimited "An excellent autobiography of a highly creative musician. Graves was a first-rate storyteller with a discerning sense of what was important in his many memorable experiences." --John Wright, author of Traveling the High Way Home: Ralph Stanley and the World of Traditional Bluegrass Music"Fred Bartenstein has done a beautiful job in covering the career of one of the great figures in bluegrass. . . . A hard book to put down." --County Sales Newsletter

Read more less

Book SynopsisInside an original modern musical mindTrade Review"Presenting Christian Wolff as a quintessential American musical maverick, Michael Hicks and Christian Asplund compellingly argue that Wolff's stature will continue to grow as the historical dust settles. This book is beautifully written and aptly synthesizes discussions of specific works, details about Wolff's life, and the broader context within which he works."--David W. Bernstein, author of The San Francisco Tape Music Center: 1960s Counterculture and the Avant-Garde "Insightful and alert. . . . This book serves as a neat little primer for [Wolff's] work."--The WireDespite the fact that Wolff is listed in every music history textbook as a member of the so-called New York School alongside John Cage, Morton Feldman, and Earle Brown, he has received relatively little scholarly attention. Hicks and Asplund have made a significant effort to balance the scales with this excellent narrative."-- Notes

Read more less

Book SynopsisRepresenting a historical cross-section of performance and training in Western music since the seventeenth century, this book brings to light the private and performance lives of five remarkable women musicians and composers.Trade Review"A welcome contribution to the literature on women in music. Richly contextualized and engagingly written, Porter's book offers portraits of five women who lived lives full of music and whose music should enliven our concert halls more."--Anne MacNeil, author of Music and Women of the Commedia dell'Arte in the Late Sixteenth Century"An engaging book that draws readers into deep consideration of the complexities facing women—then and now—who forge careers in music. Highly recommended."--Choice

Read more less

Book SynopsisGifted harpist Edna Phillips (1907-2003) joined the Philadelphia Orchestra in 1930, becoming not only that ensemble's first female member but also the first woman to hold a principal position in a major American orchestra. This book traces Phillips' journey through the competitive realm of Philadelphia's virtuoso players.Trade Review"Transforms into a riveting tale that spans the period from Phillip's audition to the second World War. Recommended."--Library Journal"Welsh's book is pure gold."--Philadelphia Inquirer"Edna Phillips's story is significant and worth telling, and this work relates the trials, tribulations, and successes of this woman pioneer in orchestral performance. Set against the background of some of the prominent musicians of the twentieth century, One Woman in a Hundred will appeal to many general readers and music lovers."--J. Michele Edwards, professor emerita of music, Macalester College"There isn't a dull word in this book, which is difficult to put down once one opens it."--San Francisco Book Review"Welsh has produced a richly detailed biography that captures the insider's knowledge and unique voice of her subject. . . . thoroughly engaging."--SymphonyNow"The book was not only informative about both the personal and professional lives of Edna Phillips, but also about the inner workings of the Philadelphia Orchestra, and institution with much more drama and excitement than most would think."--The Villanovan"Welsh's book is filled with substantive detail about the life of a serious musician, along with anecdotes about colorful guest conductors. . . .Phillips's biography becomes in effect a history of the Philadelphia Orchestra from Phillips's perspective."--BroadStreetReview"A refreshing addition to the literature on women in music history. One Woman in a Hundred candidly shares the experience of one woman who broke gender barriers during a significant period in the U.S. and Western Europe. Finding herself at the nexus of the powerful social and artistic elite of the day, Edna Phillips contributed greatly to the musical world through her performances and commissions."--Ann Yeung, editor of World Harp Congress Review "Women playing in an orchestra? Unimaginable. Until Edna Phillips, just out of conservatory, innocently—but staunchly—took the stage with the Philadelphia Orchestra. The first woman to hold a principal position in a major American orchestra, opened the symphonic world to women. Hers was a life in music like no other, and Mary Sue Welsh takes us backstage for the start of a social and musical revolution."--Daniel Webster, former music critic, The Philadelphia Inquirer "Edna Phillips was an important figure not only in Philadelphia history but also in the history of the American symphony orchestra. Her biography by Mary Sue Welsh is of great value for the light it sheds on key musical personalities of the early to mid-twentieth century, as well as the attitude of orchestra members and managements toward women. It is also a delightfully frank portrait of a woman full of moxie, wit and warmth."--Diana Burgwyn, reviewer, classical music critic "More than providing an enthralling account of a remarkable woman, One Woman in a Hundred adds vivid portraits of such legendary titans as Leopold Stokowski and Arturo Toscanini in the context of a tumultuous period in our history. Music is the backdrop for a compelling picture of how this era of depression and war resonated throughout Philadelphia and the nation."--Harold I. Gullan, Ph.D., historian and author of Faith of Our Mothers: The Stories of Presidential Mothers from Mary Washington to Barbara Bush

Read more less

Book SynopsisA member of Muddy Waters'' legendary late 1940s-1950s band, Jimmy Rogers pioneered a blues guitar style that made him one of the most revered sidemen of all time. Rogers also had a significant if star-crossed career as a singer and solo artist for Chess Records, releasing the classic singles 'That''s All Right' and 'Walking By Myself.' In Blues All Day Long, Wayne Everett Goins mines seventy-five hours of interviews with Rogers'' family, collaborators, and peers to follow a life spent in the blues. Goins'' account takes Rogers from recording Chess classics and barnstorming across the South to a late-in-life renaissance that included new music, entry into the Blues Hall of Fame, and high profile tours with Eric Clapton and the Rolling Stones. Informed and definitive, Blues All Day Long fills a gap in twentieth century music history with the story of one of the blues'' eminent figures and one of the genre''s seminal bands.Trade ReviewBest Blues Book of the Year, Readers' Poll, Living Blues magazine, 2015. Certificate of Merit, Awards for Excellence, Historical Research in Blues, Gospel, or R&B, Association for Recorded Sound Collections (ARSC), 2015. "Wayne Everett Goins hasn't simply written a long-overdue biographical portrait of one of modern blues' most influential and gifted stylists; he's given us the context as well, with vivid, indelibly limned vignettes. . . . It brings to life not just musical history, but the feel, flavor and emotional resonance of the times during which this history was lived."--Living Blues“Blues All Day Long is suffused with the same spirit as Rogers’ style of guitar-playing: tasteful, relaxed and stylish. . . . A mature and worthy biography."--De Blueskrant "Great work. Long, long overdue."--Taj Mahal"For blues aficionados, Goins provides a wealth of information on one of the underacknowledged masters of the Chicago sound."--Kirkus"Goins gleans fresh facts and vivid memories from dozens of lively interviews to capture the energy and struggles of the Chicago Blues scene, from Maxwell Street to the Chess Records studios. . . . engrossing."--Booklist"Blues All Day Long is a compelling study of an artist whose trajectory went from informal networks in the black community to the rigid and grueling strictures of the music industry." --Journal of Folklore Research"A great read. I loved it. What a nice tribute to the great Jimmy Rogers."--Charlie Musselwhite"Jimmy Rogers was the most under-appreciated of all the postwar Chicago blues pioneers--until now. Deep, heartfelt, and immaculately researched, Blues All Day Long sets the record straight. A major contribution to blues lore."--Jas Obrecht, former editor, Guitar Player magazine "Blues All Day Long bestows Jimmy Rogers with all the respect and attention he has long deserved for his integral role in the development of classic Chicago blues. Author Wayne Goins is uniquely qualified to tell the story of the man and his music, not only because of his expertise as an academic and as a guitarist, but because of the cultural pride he carries as a native of the same vibrant South Side Chicago turf that was the home of Jimmy Rogers."--Jim O'Neal, blues producer and co-founder of Living Blues magazine and co-editor of The Voice of the Blues "Jimmy Rogers' life and music are critical parts of blues history. He was an affirmation of the beauty of true ensemble playing and the enduring power of simplicity and directness, and his repertoire has become central to the canon. Wayne Goins has done an exhaustive, diligent, and discerning job of shedding light on the contributions of a man who helped define Chicago blues. Both the subject and the treatment are worthy of celebration."--Dick Shurman, blues producer and historian "Since Paul Oliver established the accepted template for blues in regard to timeline, genre, and geographic location, the real work left to blues writers/researchers has been to profile the lives and careers of the individuals who played and sang the blues and those that recorded and distributed the music. With his book Blues All Day Long, Goins adds another valuable tile to the overall mosaic of postwar Chicago blues."--Steve Cushing, host of Blues before Sunrise and author of Pioneers of the Blues Revival

Read more less

Book SynopsisBrings together forty years of passionate research by scholar and record label owner. This book provides fans and scholars alike with a guide for immersion in the long career and breathtaking repertoire of two legendary American musicians.Trade ReviewBest Discography, Association for Recorded Sound Collections (ARSC), 2016. Bluegrass Print/Media Person of the Year, International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA), 2015. "Authoritative. With its publication, Music of the Stanley Brothers becomes one of the most important sources about one of history's most important bluegrass groups."--Journal of Folklore Research"An important link in bluegrass history. The amount of information is staggering, and this will be the encyclopedia of the Stanley Brothers, the best source of information about their musical legacy."--Country Standard Time"An excellent reference for anyone interested in the Stanley Brothers years."--The Lonesome Road Review"This book is a must for any Stanley Brothers fan. You've cast light into what was a dark place of much-needed information. Thanks for your research. Long live the Stanley Brothers!!!"--Ricky Skaggs"Say hello to the Boyhood of bluegrass music journalism, a book that has taken Gary Reid some 40 years to piece together. . . . As an all-encompassing guide to their music, this is indispensable."--Mojo"Reid has amassed, and shared, a massive number of facts which is testimony to the depth of his research and knowledge. . . . It appears as if nothing escapes Reid's attention."--Bluegrass Today"The Music of the Stanley Brothers is an essential entry in the work of chronicling the history of bluegrass and its practitioners."--Music Tomes"Gary Reid's Music of the Stanley Brothers brings together a lot of information about one of the most important first-generation bluegrass groups. The level of detail and completeness of the discography make the listings authoritative. . . . With its publication, Music of the Stanley Brothers becomes one of the most important sources about one of history's most important bluegrass groups."--Journal of Folklore Research "This session-by-session examination of the Stanley Brothers recorded output is, therefore, the result of more than 40 years of research and faultless in its attention to detail. . . . The definitive work."--Country Music People "The present fact-filled book offers a complete discography and discusses every recording session and every recording the Stanleys made. . . . contributing to the history of bluegrass on record during the genre’s first 20 years. Recommended"--Choice "The Music of the Stanley Brothers handily accomplishes its goal, greatly expanding the historical accuracy of and context behind this group's acclaimed legacy of commercial recordings. It represents an indispensable reference for any scholar or enthusiast interested in bluegrass music history and culture."--Indiana Magazine of History "Gary Reid has written as thorough a history of the Stanley Brothers' recording and touring career as anyone could want. Complete with an exhaustive discography and a colorful narrative, this addition to the University of Illinois Press's Music in American Life series will delight any fan of the Stanleys, and prove useful to any researcher interested in the band's musical activities and significance to the bluegrass music."--Notes "Likely to become the definitive work on the music made by this pioneering bluegrass band. An enjoyable work for any Stanley Brothers fan, and absolutely essential for everyone who desires to understand the development of bluegrass." --Thomas A. Adler, author of Bean Blossom: The Brown County Jamboree and Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Festivals "The Stanleys recorded in many different places, their supporting musicians changed frequently, and . . . the sources of their material can be a bewildering labyrinth. Gary Reid has untangled this labyrinth and everything else connected with it with admirable dexterity, though one cannot say he has done it easily: his book is the result of decades of hard work. . . . A splendid work of scholarship."--John Wright, author of Traveling the High Way Home: Ralph Stanley and the World of Traditional Bluegrass Music

Read more less

Book SynopsisOffers a collection of interviews with twenty-five accomplished female composers substantially advances our knowledge of the work, experiences, compositional approaches, and musical intentions of a diverse group of creative individuals.Trade Review"This collection of interviews with women composers presents an exquisite picture of the power and beauty of human creativity. Each woman speaks with an eloquence, a force, or a poetry that distinguishes her as a vibrant, compelling artist."--Kristina G. Boerger, associate professor of music and director of choral activities, Carroll University"This book significantly advances knowledge of female composers and their works. . . . Kelly demystifies the individual creativity of composers whose works reflect compositional commonalities and differences within contemporary art music. Recommended."--Choice"A telling exploration of the role of women composing in the US across the last half-century and more, and a discussion of the status afforded them in a still largely androcentric industry. Jennifer Kelly brings an informed sensibility to bear that prompts much revealing commentary by her individual subjects in an intelligently structured volume ... it is an essential read."--Classical Music"The depth and breadth of Jennifer Kelly's impressive project is matched by the intellectual power, spirituality, dedication, and sheer honesty of the interviewees. Moreover, it serves as an indispensable resource for scholarly research and for university-level gender studies and women in music classes."--Journal of the International Alliance for Women in Music

Read more less

Book SynopsisComposer, performer, instrument builder, teacher, and writer Gordon Mumma has left an indelible mark on the American contemporary music scene. A prolific composer and innovative French horn player, Mumma is recognized for integrating advanced electronic processes into musical structures, an approach he has termed ''Cybersonics.'' Musicologist Michelle Fillion curates a collection of Mumma''s writings, presenting revised versions of his classic pieces as well as many unpublished works from every stage of his storied career. Here, through words and astonishing photos, is Mumma''s chronicle of seminal events in the musical world of the twentieth century: his cofounding the Cooperative Studio for Electronic Music; his role in organizing the historic ONCE Festivals of Contemporary Music; performances with the Sonic Arts Union; and working alongside John Cage and David Tudor as a composer-musician with the Merce Cunningham Dance Company. In addition, Mumma describes his collaborations witTrade Review"What counts here is the spirit of it, the inventiveness springing from an independence of imagination as well as the willingness and financial necessity to work outside the given conditions of the time. Mumma shows us how that spirit is in fact crucial and, always, of essential value."--Christian Wolff, from the foreword"An excellent and engaging book that can take its readers to a dizzying array of places, real and metaphoric. It is an admirable introduction to the mind and spirit of Gordon Mumma as well as a vivid and loving remembrance of an amazing time in the history of music."--ARSC Journal"The firsthand histories flowing from this book are precious, provided by one of the unsung heroes of the American electronic music scene, Gordon Mumma... A valuable resource."--Neural"Mumma's energetic perspectives on so many topics--as a scholar, inventor, technician, performer, composer, photographer, historian, and documentarian--richly enhance our perspective on this period of rapid change and fruitful innovation. A beautiful and much-anticipated achievement."--Amy C. Beal, author of Johanna Beyer and Carla Bley"Widely known as a multi-talented composer/performer and inventor of handmade circuits and various forms of electronic wizardry that revolutionized live electronic music, Mumma is far more than the prototypical American 'maverick.' His fierce dedication to his own artistic vision has always been coupled to a voracious interest in the work of the pathbreaking composers, performers, dancers, architects, and visual artists who inhabit his music world and with whom he has often collaborated. This elegantly edited and annotated book is thus not only an invaluable overview of Mumma's extraordinary creative output and ideas, but also an intimate insider’s telling of the history of experimental music during the last half century."--David W. Bernstein, editor of The San Francisco Tape Music Center: 1960s Counterculture and the Avant-Garde"A treasure trove of primary source material on American, and to a lesser extent Latin-American, music, especially of the experimental kind. The reader is repeatedly struck by the genuineness of Mumma's writing; whether in passages from his diary or accounts of now-significant events, he writes with the authority of one who was actually there."--Bob Gilmore, editor of Ben Johnston's "Maximum Clarity" and Other Writings on Music"A very wonderful collection of essays, with its first-person witnessing of a scene that was critical for the development of the music technology we have today, and I highly recommend it."--Soundbytes"A wonderful resource for music and the arts, the book can be read as narrative or used as reference. Highly recommended."--Choice "As all great books about music lead you to do, I couldn't help but reach up to my CD shelves, where various Mumma discs releases on lables like New World and Tzadik are housed."--Gramophone "Part memoir of a remarkable life at the center of 20th and 21st century American experimental music, and partly a collection of Mumma's thoughtful, provocative, and influential essays, the book introduces this pioneer to a new generation of sonic explorers"--Electronic Musician "A contemporary history of a particularly fertile and disruptive time in the advanced arts. . . . Mumma's book bears articulate witness to how this flexible discipline played itself out in concrete situations over the decades."--Avant Music News

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade ReviewBelmont Country Music Book of the Year Award, 2013."A detailed account of the life and career of country music superstar Marty Robbins. Anyone interested in Robbins or the country music world of his long era will enjoy Diane Diekman's refreshing, compelling narrative." --Ronnie Pugh, author of Ernest Tubb: The Texas Troubadour"A well-told and informative biography of a great but over looked country star."--Country Music People"A top country & western artist who crossed over to the pop charts, Marty Robbins deserves this well-written, well-researched account of his life and music. Diekman's expert history is a welcome addition to the oeuvre of classic country music biography."--Holly George-Warren, author of Public Cowboy No. 1: The Life and Times of Gene Autry"Diekman propels the narrative with impressive detail and energy, leaving the reader with an impression that can only echo the admiration and respect of those who knew him."--The Austin Chronicle"In her excellent new, 2012 biography, Diane Diekman explores the personal, more nuanced side of this unique and gifted talent and explains how he was painfully shy by nature."--American Cowboy

Read more less

Book SynopsisGeorge Gershwin lived with purpose and gusto, but with melancholy as well, for he was unable to make a place for himself--no family of his own and no real home in music. He and his siblings received little love from their mother and no direction from their father. Older brother and lyricist Ira managed to create a home when he married Leonore Strunsky, a hard-edged woman who lived for wealth and status. The closest George came to domesticity was through his longtime relationship with Kay Swift. She was his lover, musical confidante, and fellow composer. But she remained married to another man while he went endlessly from woman to woman. Only in the final hours of his life, when they were separated by a continent, did he realize how much he needed her. Fatally ill, unprotected by (and perhaps estranged from) Ira, he was exiled by Leonore from the house she and the brothers shared, and he died horribly and alone at the age of thirty-eight.Nor was Gershwin able to find a satisfyTrade Review"More thorough biographies than Mr. Rimler's slender volume exist ... but for those of us interested less in the technical details of Gershwin's music and its performance than in the comet called George Gershwin that blazed briefly across American skies, Mr. Rimler is the astronomer of choice."The Wall Street Journal"Compact in length and voluminous in its details, Walter Rimler's study of Gershwin is freighted with melancholy—an appropriate parallel with Gershwin's own life."--TLS "An engrossing, well-written look at Gershwin, the composer and the man, with emphasis on the man."--Choice"For those of us interested less in the technical details of Gershwin's music and its performance than in the comet called George Gershwin that blazed briefly across American skies, Mr. Rimler is the astronomer of choice."--Wall Street Journal"Rimler shines in weaving together anecdotes, correspondence and a wealth of interviews with the composer and his contemporaries to create a vibrant, flesh-and-blood picture of the man and his music in a readable and enjoyable book."--Jerusalem Post"Engagingly written, lavishly illustrated. . . . With this volume, we get a focused portrait of George Gershwin, a genius plagued by self-doubt and a wandering eye."--Opera News"A dynamic, fast-paced biography of George Gershwin that has the verve and staccato drive of a book the composer himself might have written. Rimler gives us a fuller, more complex, more humorous, and more vulnerable picture of Gershwin than has yet appeared in print."--Philip Furia, coauthor of The Poets of Tin Pan Alley: A History of America's Great Lyricists"A hugely enjoyable read, this neat, polished package is a skillful condensation of the vast literature on Gershwin but also offers a new critical angle on the composer's achievement."--Stephen Banfield, author of Jerome Kern

Read more less

Book SynopsisJohn Philip Sousa''s mature career as the indomitable leader of his own touring band is well known, but the years leading up to his emergence as a celebrity have escaped serious attention. In this revealing biography, Patrick Warfield explains how the March King came to be by documenting Sousa''s early life and career. Covering the period 1854 to 1893, this study focuses on the community and training that created Sousa, exploring the musical life of late nineteenth-century Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia as a context for Sousa''s development. Warfield examines Sousa''s wide-ranging experience composing, conducting, and performing in the theater, opera house, concert hall, and salons, as well as his leadership of the United States Marine Band and the later Sousa Band, early twentieth-century America''s most famous and successful ensemble. Sousa composed not only marches during this period but also parlor, minstrel, and art songs; parade, concert, and medley marches; schottisches, Trade Review"Making the March King is chock full of fresh and previously unpublished details about John Philip Sousa's early years, his influences, his formative experiences, and his strategies for promoting his career and reputation. Recommended for anyone interested in music history and the full story of one of the giants of early American popular culture."--Thomas L. Riis, author of Frank Loesser"Thorough, engaging and fun. Musicians interested in the evolution of music in the US will be riveted by this study of one of America's most beloved musical icons. Highly recommended."--Choice"An engaging book, easy to read, full of facts and footnotes."--American Record Guide"Warfield has brilliantly illuminated how Sousa managed his nascent career to become the March King, providing readers with a remarkable look at how an artist can shape his or her career."--American Music"Like Sousa's musical programs, the book is both educational and entertaining."--Washington History"A terrific new book on the early life and times of a composer who has long been as enigmatic as he is familiar."--Kenneth R. Kreitner, author of Discoursing Sweet Music: Brass Bands and Community Life in Turn-of-the-Century Pennsylvania

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade ReviewExtremely stimulating. Clifton's early life, interests, and talents led him into many dramatic situations, which are masterfully described in Malone's biography. Bill Clifton made a wise choice in tapping Malone as his biographer.--Fred Bartenstein, editor of Bluegrass Bluesman: A MemoirA marvelous and wide-ranging biography of Bill Clifton by Bill Malone, the acknowledged dean of country music historians. Malone has added rich detail to our understanding of Clifton's musical context, particularly in bluegrass.--Ronald D. Cohen, co-author of Roots of the Revival: American and British Folk Music in the 1950s

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review“Excellently researched, beautifully organized, and entertainingly written. Presents a sensitive, wonderfully collaborative portrait of an ‘exuberant,’ highly productive, and driven woman who dealt with all the turbulence, social change, and musical vicissitudes of her social and musical worlds.”--Ellen Koskoff, author of A Feminist Ethnomusicology: Writings on Music and Gender“A scholarly contribution of great importance. Fills in some of the gaps of a leading female composer of our time. Von Glahn’s ‘collaboration’ with Libby Larsen is surely a positive factor in ensuring an unprecedented level of detail.”--Kay Kaufman Shelemay, author of Soundscapes: Exploring Music in a Changing World"Undoubtedly, Von Glahn's scholarship and the insight with which she has framed her research are immensely valuable, and as a first biography of the master composer, her book holds even more significance. Anyone, musical or not, who wants to learn about Libby Larsen should read Von Glahn's well-researched and thorough portrayal of her subject." --Women and Music"Recommended for anyone who wishes to study the fascinating life of Larsen, her compositions, and her presence in American compositional life." --Choral Journal"Libby Larsen: Composing an American Life is a welcome addition to the growing number of biographies about women composers." --NOTES

Read more less

Book SynopsisAs charismatic and gifted as he was volatile, Jimmy Martin recorded dozens of bluegrass classics and co-invented the high lonesome sound. Barbara Martin Stephens became involved with the King of Bluegrass at age seventeen. Don''t Give your Heart to a Rambler tells the story of their often tumultuous life together. Barbara bore his children and took on a crucial job as his booking agent when the agent he was using failed to obtain show dates for the group. Female booking agents were non-existent at that time but she persevered and went on to become the first female booking agent on Music Row. She also endured years of physical and emotional abuse at Martin''s hands. With courage and candor, Barbara tells of the suffering and traces the hard-won personal growth she found inside motherhood and her work. Her vivid account of Martin''s explosive personality and torment over his exclusion from the Grand Ole Opry fill in the missing details on a career renowned for being stormy. BarTrade Review"Set in the heyday of bluegrass and country music, Don't Give Your Heart to a Rambler is filled with famous names . . . and sparkles with the excitement of those times."--Bookreporter.com"[Don't Give your Heart to a Rambler] stands as a testament to survival, the will to persist, and the importance of choices in forging a life."--Ted Lehman's Bluegrass, Books, and Brainstorms"Don't Give Your Heart to a Rambler offers a fascinating look into the world of bluegrass during the 1950s and 60s." --Bluegrass Breakdown"A rare insider's view of Nashville's music scene and of how life with a famous bluegrass musician used to be, this account also gives a good impression of what social roles women were expected to fulfill, no matter how their husbands acted."--popcultureshelf"I've often said I wanted to know more about performers lives, with all their warts showing. Barbara Martin Stephens has achieved that for Jimmy Martin. Human beings are complex. Our stories are never simple, and she has written her story, revealing a life and keeping it true."--No Depression"There is not another book as direct and revealing about the socioeconomic background of a major bluegrass artist. . . . Barbara Martin Stephens has given us a unique and intimate memoir of those years."--Marian Leighton Levy"A fascinating book. . . . There's never been a book quite like this in the bluegrass world."--Ken Irwin“After reading this book, fans should have a broader knowledge of Martin’s flamboyant personality and the complex, conflicted character he displayed away from the spotlight.”—Bluegrass Unlimited "For anyone who has ever yearned to know more about the man behind the boisterous King of Bluegrass personality, Don't Give Your Heart to a Rambler should certainly offer an intriguing perspective."--Bluegrass Today "While the music of Jimmy Martin is documented for the ages, his detailed personal life has never been so thoroughly told until now. Barbara Martin lived with the man, bore four of his children, and served as his manager and booking agent during the glory days when he was known as 'Mr. Good ‘N Country Music.' Brutally honest, this book runs the gamut of emotions giving us a first-person account of one the most talented—yet complicated—performers during the golden years of country and bluegrass music." —Eddie Stubbs, WSM Grand Ole Opry Announcer "Jimmy Martin was a sparkling stylist, both as a singer and a guitarist, a brilliant showman whom few could follow onstage, and a tortured soul who once, when I simply said hello to him at the Grand Ole Opry, threatened to whip my ass right there on the side of the stage. I met Jimmy early in my career and thought I knew him fairly well. After reading Barbara's painfully honest portrayal, however, I realize I hardly knew him at all."--Bill Anderson "I can't say enough good things about Barbara Martin and her influence on bluegrass music. She was an early pioneer with booking and representing her artist partner Jimmy Martin. The new venues she was able to put Jimmy into with his music was not easy in any way because Bluegrass is a music that is only appreciated by being watched and performed. Barbara was on the ground floor of all concerts and shows that was the forerunner of bluegrass festivals as we know them today. Thanks again Barbara for all your hard work, courage, many years of hearing no from promoters and telling us your story with this book."--Ronnie Reno "Barbara Martin has written a fascinating book about her years with Jimmy Martin, the King of Bluegrass. If you are a fan of Jimmy Martin—the artist or the man—buy this book to understand more about both."--Jesse McReynolds

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade ReviewPraise for Lilian Terry: “Lilian Terry is of the music and for the music and she has the talent to use what she has learned in telling a story. There are a mess of wannabees who try so hard to be hip that they end up in the corn field. The bonafides are few and far between. Lil is the real deal."--Ira GitlerPraise for Dizzy, Duke, Brother Ray, and Friends: “Lively, well-written, and engaging. Lilian Terry has written nuanced portraits gained from the affection and trust these artists placed in her personally, as a professional in her field, as well as being a talented jazz singer. These writings uniformly go beyond these artists as stars to what makes them human. There is a lot of jazz history here."--Tad Hershorn, author of Norman Granz: The Man Who Used Jazz for Justice“Terry’s book illuminates the artistic outlooks and personal values of well-known jazz musicians. Much of this book’s uniqueness and appeal comes from the author’s trusted relationships with her subjects. They opened up to her in ways that they did not to conventional interviewers.”--Carl Woideck, author of Charlie Parker: His Music and Life"This book contains a great deal of fascinating information, much of which has never been available elsewhere. Researchers of the seven subjects will find it very useful as yet another source that can be consulted and integrated into more focused projects. When the stores told are indeed each one-of-a-kind, they are priceless." --ARSC Journal"A jaunty memoir."--New York City Jazz Record"Dizzy, Duke, Brother Ray and Friends offers a positive glimpse into the world of beloved jazz artist personalities with amusing anecdotes. From Ellington’s poetry to conversations with Roach, Charles, Silver, and Gillespie, Terry’s shared experiences and interviews present a captivating look into the world of jazz and its private moments."--DownBeat

Read more less

Book SynopsisNeil V. Rosenberg met the legendary Bill Monroe at the Brown County Jamboree. Rosenberg''s subsequent experiences in Bean Blossom put his feet on the intertwined musical and scholarly paths that made him a preeminent scholar of bluegrass music. Rosenberg''s memoir shines a light on the changing bluegrass scene of the early 1960s. Already a fan and aspiring musician, his appetite for banjo music quickly put him on the Jamboree stage. Rosenberg eventually played with Monroe and spent four months managing the Jamboree. Those heights gave him an eyewitness view of nothing less than bluegrass''s emergence from the shadow of country music into its own distinct art form. As the likes of Bill Keith and Del McCoury played, Rosenberg watched Monroe begin to share a personal link to the music that tied audiences to its history and his life--and helped turn him into bluegrass''s foundational figure.An intimate look at a transformative time, Bluegrass Generation tells the inside stTrade ReviewBluegrass Print/Media Person of the Year from the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA), 2018 "Bluegrass Generation is a magnificent work whose significance radiates thoughtfully far beyond its own ambitions. In partitioning the early-sixties Jamboree from the larger bluegrass narrative, we are able to reclaim the limited historical visibility that these actors themselves encountered. Of the many pleasures this book affords, we can add Rosenberg's light-handed approach to the memoir genre." --Journal of Folklore Research"This work has historical import, not only for what it contributes to our understanding of the emergence of bluegrass music but also for highlighting the significant role that scholars have on recording music history." --Indiana Magazine of History"Bluegrass Generation: A Memoir is well worth the read. Rosenberg’s style is fluid, clear, and reader-friendly; it is detailed without being stuffy, interesting without being narrow, and factual without being opinionated." --Banjo Newsletter"Reading Bluegrass Generation was an enjoyable reminder of my time at Bean Blossom as a Blue Grass Boy. It brought back a lot of memories and reminded me of a few things I'd forgotten, too--and I even learned some things I never knew!"--Del McCoury​"Bluegrass Generation: A Memoir is highly recommended to all students of bluegrass, but especially anyone who has fond memories of the Bean Blossom Festivals in the 1960s, 70s and 80s." --Bluegrass Breakdown"His behind-the-scenes remembrances give valuable insight into the evolution of the bluegrass genre. This book is appropriate for both fans and researchers of bluegrass and country music. Recommended." --Choice"An ode to a time and a place when college kids and country folks bonded over a love of bluegrass." --Wall Street Journal"[Neil Rosenberg's] the perfect guide--our Virgil--to a unique place and time in bluegrass music. This memoir is as essential reading as Bluegrass: A History" --Bluegrass Unlimited "If you want the inside scoop on how bluegrass music came to be, this is it." --Inland Northwest Bluegrass Music Association "The audience for this book need not be limited to bluegrass scholars and enthusiasts. Students of ethnomusicology may find it invaluable as an informal guidebook for ethnography. Readers who are dual musician-scholars or arts administrator-scholars will appreciate the synergy between Rosenberg’s research and industry activities." --CAML Review "A wonderful snap shot of a place and time in the history of bluegrass music. Neil traces his transition from musician to scholar and along the way offers vivid personal, musical and business glimpses of bluegrass patriarch Bill Monroe and his now-legendary Bean Blossom park."--Gary B. Reid, author of The Music of the Stanley Brothers

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade ReviewTimothy White Award for Musical Biography, ASCAP Foundation and Virgil Thomson Foundation, 2016 "Mr. Rimler tells an important story, and he presents musical analysis of Arlen’s compositional style in nonacademic terms, so that all readers can grasp how inventive Arlen really was."--Wall Street Journal"An endearing yet clear-eyed assessment of Harold Arlen. . . . For lovers of the Great American Songbook and for anyone who ever dreamed beyond the confines of practicality."--Library Journal "Highly readable, this could easily count as the perfect biography, well-researched but never overladen with detail, the always modest Arlen’s ‘bittersweet life’, in critic John Lahr’s words, elegantly conveyed.”--Peter Vacher, Jazzwise"To the point, simple to grasp, and an engaging read. I was fully drawn to Arlen the man and Arlen the songwriter and by the end sad to relinquish his acquaintance."--Stephen Banfield, author of Jerome Kern"There is still room for a short, stylish book aimed at general audiences, and Walter Rimler's The Man That Got Away: The Life and Songs of Harold Arlen fills that bill as well as it could possibly be filled. The author . . . offers pithy and readable accounts of Arlen's personal and professional lives. If you want to know what Harold Arlen was all about, you'll find it here."--Terry Teachout,The Weekly Standard"Required reading for those interested in American song. Recommended."--Choice"Rimler's study ensures that Arlen's story and his contributions to music will not be forgotten."--Publishers Weekly"Reading Mr. Rimler's sympathetic but unflinching account of Arlen's travails gives one an enhanced admiration for his productivity and the grit and determination that enabled him to produce such jewels amid such turmoil."--Washington Times “Fascinating. . . . Rimler provides countless pieces of information not previously known. . . . Rimler's work remains refreshingly unacademic and is a real pleasure to read."--ARSC Journal "The title of Walter Rimler's study of songwriter Harold Arlen's life and work says it all! Yet, despite Arlen's elusiveness as a man and an artist, Rimler does a fine job of conveying an appreciation for and the context of the composer's memorable musical output. In meticulously researched, cool, readable prose, the author admirably recreates the historical milieu of Arlen's world, placing the composer in the context of the 20th century Broadway and Hollywood songwriting traditions."--Fanfare "Walter Rimler's biography is not only chock-full of information, but with intimate, carefully researched, and heretofore unknown details, making it one of the most entertaining and readable portraits of the wizard Arlen--one of songdom's greatest composers--that has ever been written. This book does a remarkable thing--it allows words to describe music."--Martin Charnin, Tony Award–winning creator and director of Annie "Refreshingly down to earth. The Man That Got Away does what no other single volume has done: it combines a succinct account of Arlen's life with a nontechnical but useful description of his idiosyncratic songwriting style."--Larry Hamberlin, coauthor of Tin Pan Opera: Operatic Novelty Songs in the Ragtime Era

Read more less

Book SynopsisEthnomusicologists have journeyed from Bali to Morocco to the depths of Amazonia to chronicle humanity's relationship with music. Margaret Sarkissian and Ted Solis guide us into the field's last great undiscovered country: ethnomusicology itself. Drawing on fieldwork based on person-to-person interaction, the authors provide a first-ever ethnography of the discipline. The unique collaborations produce an ambitious exploration of ethnomusicology's formation, evolution, practice, and unique identity. In particular, the subjects discuss their early lives and influences and trace their varied career trajectories. They also draw on their own experiences to offer reflections on all aspects of the field. Pursuing practitioners not only from diverse backgrounds and specialties but from different eras, Sarkissian and Solis illuminate the many trails ethnomusicologists have blazed in the pursuit of knowledge. A bountiful resource on history and practice, Living Ethnomusicology is an enlighteningTrade Review"Living Ethnomusicology is unlike any book in its field to date. . . . Solis and Sarkissian offer an insightful ethnography of some of ethnomusicology's ethnographers, allowing readers to understand the history and nature of the discipline through a more three-dimensional, biographical lens." --Western Folklore"It is appropriate and logical that Margaret Sarkissian and Ted Solis used interviews to create Living Ethnomusicology, a sweeping and celebratory survey of the discipline." --Oral History Review"Living Ethnomusicology: Paths and Practices is ultimately an interesting and unique contribution to the discipline." --Journal of Folklore Research "I’ve had to admit that probably the world of ethnomusicologists--not a very large world at that--in their backgrounds, their education, and even their activities of research and teaching, are probably more diverse than members of other academic endeavors. It’s to these very questions, 'who are the ethnomusicologists,' and 'what are they like,' that this book, Living Ethnomusicology, provides answers in a unique and comprehensive way. And for this reason it is one of the most important books to have appeared in a long time--it identifies and defines us in a concrete way."--Bruno Nettl, from the foreword "This is a brilliant and original idea for a volume. The book focuses on nearly all aspects of the field, including most of the possible careers. As such, it is extraordinary and makes conclusive statements about what ethnomusicology is and who ethnomusicologists are."--David Harnish, author of Bridges to the Ancestors: Music, Myth, and Cultural Politics at an Indonesian Festival

Read more less