Composers and songwriters Books

Book SynopsisPresents an award-winning examination of Beethoven's music.Trade ReviewThis remarkable book should be seized upon by everyone looking to brush up their Ludwig. . . . Written so well, and with so little resort to classical music jargon, that it can be read in short amusing stretchesor long, engrossing sections. Read a few pages and you, too, can be humming him now. * huffingtonpost.com *Table of ContentsForeword by David LidovPrefaceIntroductionPart I. Interpretation and TheoryI. A Case Study for InterpretationThe Third Movement of Op. 106 (Hammerklavier)II. Correlation, Interpretation, and the Markedness of OppositionsIII. From Topic to Expressive GenreIV. The Pastoral Expressive GenreThe Four Movements of Op. 101V. The Thematic Level and the Markedness of Classical MaterialVI. Thematic MarkednessThe First Movements of Op. 130 and Op. 131VII. Beyond the Hierarchies of CorrelationTroping, Irony, Levels of Discourse, and IntertextualityVIII. Analysis and SynthesisThe Cavatina from Op. 130IX. From the Aesthetic to me SemioticX. Further Perspectives on Musical Meaning and CognitionConclusionAppendix: Abnegation and the New GenreGlossaryNotesBibliographyIndex of ConceptsIndex of Names and Works

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Book SynopsisPresents a close-up on one of Africa's most popular and controversial stars.Trade Review"A true African genius whose influence had an indelible influence on thousands of musicians, especially me personally. I miss his raucous laughter, irreverent courage, robust comedy, and love for humanity.... Fela's legacy will live forever." -- Hugh Masekela"[Arrest the Music!] is written with both thoroughness and a very readable prose..." * Mmegi Online *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments1. Introduction: "Living in the Interregnum": Fela Anikulapo-Kuti and the Postcolonial Incredible2. The "Apolitical" Avant-Pop Hustler 3. The Afrobeat Moralist4. Dissident Tunes: The Political Afrobeat 5. Fela, Lagos, and the Postcolonial State 6. On the Shop Floor: The Social Production of Afrobeat 7. Pedagogue, Pedagogy, and the Pedagogic Form 8. The Cosmopolitan Nativist: Fela and the Antinomies of Postcolonial Modernity9. The Political, The Libidinal 10. Conclusion: Afrobeat After Fela NotesBibliographyDiscographyIndex

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Book SynopsisExplores the allure of Cash's contradictory personaTrade ReviewEdwards' exploration . . . is nothing short of fascinating. The book provides in-depth analyses and challenges readers to think critically about 'Johnny Cash' (as well as Johnny Cash), a symbol that has been extremely important and influential in pop culture, but one that has not been widely written about as such.May 27, 2009 -- Jason Buel * PopMatters *[T]his volume is an important contribution to the theoretical literature connecting country music with the American character. . . . Recommended.August 2009 * Choice *Johnny Cash . . . is a captivating, deeply analytical . . . portrait of the paradox of American identity and Johnny Cash. Edwards illustrated how the model of ambivalence is a vital paradigm for American popular music and American identity in general. June 19, 2009 * SirReadaLot.org *In Edwards's hands, Johnny Cash . . . is transformed into a mirror through which we can examine southern, working-class identity. What emerges is a reflective portrait of our own contradictions. . . . This book richly deserves exploration, less for what it can teach its readers about Johnny Cash than for what it invites its readers to contemplate about themselves. * Southern Cultures *Leigh H. Edwards's Johnny Cash the Paradox of American Identity offers a wideranging study of a compelling figure in American popular culture, and will be of interest to both fans of Johnny Cash and scholars in the fields of popular music studies, gender studies, and American studies.... Edwards aims to show that Cash's long and multifaceted career exists along the fault line of 'key foundational contradictions in American thought'. . . . It says much of both Cash's career and Edwards's skill as a writer that Johnny Cash and the Paradox of American Identity manages to deliver on that ambitious premise. * Journal of American Studies *One book representing the new wave of country music studies is Leigh H. Edwards's Johnny Cash and the Paradox of American Identity. Edwards takes an American icon of country music and places him solidly in the field of American cultural history, dealing with such timeless subjects as class, masculinity, and religion. Keenly engaged in interdisciplinary work, Edwards is speaking to a wide range of scholars, and cultural historians have much to learn from this approach. Of particular interest is her discussion of audiences – long a difficult subject for scholars of all stripes to write about effectively – and how those audiences have responded to Cash's very American persona.... In short, Cash makes for an intriguing subject of analysis, and Edwards's nuanced treatment reveals the work of a practiced cultural historian. * History Compass *Edwards' astute study reveals how Cash transcended the role of singer/musician and transformed into an iconic representation of America itself, full of contradictions, bluster, and large-than-life imagery.June 2010 * The Journal of American Culture *This is a fascinating book, one of very few in the immense outpouring of ink on Cash to take a fully analytical stance toward his work . . . and certainly the most comprehensive and cohesive. Covering fifty years' worth of texts by an artist as prolific as Cash is an ambitious project, particularly if one hopes, as Edwards does, to read them in socio-historical context. She does a remarkable job of placing Cash in larger American studies and media studies frameworks . . . * Journal of Popular Music Studies *Edwards's Johnny Cash and the Paradox of American Identity is an exemplary study, setting a new standard for popular music scholarship that calls for a fundamental reassessment of the common tropes of country music and country music scholarship. December 2010 * Notes *Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction: Cash as Contradiction1. "What Is Truth?" Authenticity and Persona2. "A Boy Named Sue": American Manhood3. Gender and "The Beast in Me": Ramblers and Rockabillies4. Race and Identity Politics5. Man in Black: Class and National Mythologies6. The Gospel Road: Cash as Saint and SinnerConclusion: "God's Gonna Cut You Down": Cultural LegaciesNotesWorks CitedIndex

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThe title of this book suggests it covers all the songs Rodgers (1897-1933) performed and wrote. This is not the case. Instead Neal (Univ. of North Carolina, Chapel Hill) gives the reader an overview of the career and music of this remarkable 'father of country music,' paying considerable attention to musical genres he represented and influenced. The book's in-depth studies of three of Rodgers's most famous songs, 'Mule Skinner Blues,' 'In the Jailhouse Now,' and 'T for Texas,' include helpful musical analysis. The author's research is admirable and carefully documented. She shows how Rodgers, credited as composer of many songs he performed, actually made arrangements of songs he learned from various traditions, a practice not unusual for early recording artists. Neal also provides a sometimes-surprising look at the wide influence some of these songs have exerted on people who never even heard of Jimmie Rodgers. What is perhaps most significant is the author's deep love of the music she writes about, which brings her subject matter to life for readers as no mere scholarly exercise can. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers. -- ChoiceD. Arnold, University of North Texas, December 2009"Culture and history comes to life in a study offering a new perspective on Rodgers and how his music influenced the course and choices of country music as a genre, making this an indispensable reference for any serious music history library." —California Bookwatch, September 2009"Neal combines thoughtful, meticulous, razor-sharp analyses of songs and performances with an encyclopedic knowledge of country music history and of the connections between songs and performers." —Peter LaChapelle, author of Proud to Be an Okie: Cultural Politics, Country Music, and Migration to Southern California"A very special study.... In [Jocelyn Neal's] skilled hands, this rich history is not just about music but also about musicians, fans, publishers, the music industry and the environing society." —Richard A. Peterson, Vanderbilt University"All pop historians and analysts, indeed all fans of country music, will gain from this definitive study of Jimmie Rodgers' songs, performances, and recordings. Richly contextualized by references to artists from Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith to Gretchen Wilson and the Dixie Chicks, The Songs of Jimmie Rodgers shows what makes this music tick. By mixing biography, cultural perspective and style analysis with a few close readings, Neal—one of today's leading authorities of country music—easily convinces the reader as to why one yodeling hillbilly Mississippian active from 1927 through 1933 resides at the core of all country." —Walter Everett, University of Michigan School of Music, Theater, and Dance"The Songs of Jimmie Rodgers: A Legacy in Country Music is a classic study that ties the life and songs of Jimmie Rodgers to the history of country music in a powerful, memorable way. Through her study of "Muleskinner Blues," "In the Jailhouse Now," and "T for Texas," Jocelyn Neal shows how each generation of country singers--from the birth of country music, to rock and roll, to second-wave feminism, to rock musicians, to pop musicians, to the revival of old-time music—embraced and defined themselves through the musical legacy of Jimmie Rodgers. This book will be welcomed by all who love country music and the familiar sound of Jimmie Rodgers’s blue yodel." —William Ferris, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill"[This book] will speak not only to country music experts but also to scholars interested in an exemplary study of popular music." —Jrnl of Society for American Music"Any library in country music history and legends will consider The Songs of Jimmie Rodgers a mainstay....a powerful and well-detailed analysis key to any country music collection." —California Bookwatch, February 2010"The Songs of Jimmie Rodgers adds a significanly different perspective to country music studies.... [I]t is an enlightening and fascinating look not at the well-trodden path of the life of Jimmie Rodgers... but at how his songs have been used and altered in the decades since his death." —Notes, June 2010Table of ContentsIntroduction1. Creating History: Jimmie Rodgers and the Origins of Country Music2. Why Everybody Wanted to Be a Muleskinner3. Still in the Jailhouse4. T for Texas, Blues, and Southern Rock5. Old Songs, New Songs, Yodel SongsAppendix: List of Recordings by ChapterSelective BibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisSearching for the disappearing subject in Kid A and AmnesiacTrade ReviewThe book is well written and researched. Further, it builds on existing rock scholarship, especially that of James Doheny, Tim Footman, Martin Clarke, Allan Moore and Anwar Ibrahim. . . . It adds to the growing field of rock scholarship and should make a fine addition to any library that boasts such a focus. * Music Reference Services Quarterly *Marianne Tatom Letts's excellent new book returns to the origins of the band's subversive marketing strategies . . . Letts's smart, in-depth account reveals as much about Radiohead's ambivalent and conflicted relationship with popular culture and contemporary capitalism as it does about their musical appeal. 8/3/2011 * Rain Taxi *This is the kind of text that could likely transform a college-level music theory course for the better, prompting discussions about everything from the structure of modern rock music to the sometimes conflicted triangular relationship between performers, media and the masses. And, needless to say, it's required reading for Radiohead cultists. 2/8/2011 * PopMatters *Table of ContentsContentsAcknowledgmentsNote on Musical Examples1. Introduction2. Back to Save the Universe: The Reception of OK Computer and Kid A3. Everything in Its Right Place: Musical Elements in Kid A4. Cut the Kids in Half: The Second Death of Kid A5. After Years of Waiting, Nothing Came: Amnesiac as Antidote6. I Might Be Wrong: Amnesiac and Beyond7. We Are the Dollars and Cents: Radiohead as CommodityNotesBibliographySelect DiscographyIndex

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Book SynopsisA master and his student trace the history of bata drummingTrade ReviewCarlos Aldama's Life in Batá: Cuba, Diaspora, and the Drum, covers incredible history and tradition in its slender 150 pages. Vaughan captures everything the subtitle proclaims, but the heart comes directly from Aldama's own still-feisty voice. * www.eastbayexpress.com *Carlos Aldama's Life in Batá is a valuable addition to the growing literature on batá drumming, as a musical and historical phenomenon, [and] provides a snapshot of this period by a master drummer and preserves it for future generations. * Latin American Music Review *Vaughan and Aldama are well suited as coauthors: one is young and hungry; the other is mature and content to see the batá legacy passed on. Anyone taking the journey alongside them,whether just setting out on the drummer's path or seeking to reconnect with humanity and 'home,' will find this book to be an indispensable guide. * New West Indian Guide *This book is an important contribution to literature about the Afro-Cuban Lucumi tradition in its latest wave of expansion. As the bata player is a central figure in Afro-Cuban religious tradition, Vaughan and Aldama's book opens an ideal window from which to observe and learn about one of its most skilled proponents. * Journal of American Folklore *The chapter notes, list of references, and index are all quite thorough; the glossary is adequate. . . . Recommended. * Choice *[T]his book makes a compelling contribution to scholarship on bata as religious practice, folklore, and diasporic symbol, through the dialogue between a Cuban master drummer and his ethnographer-student. * Journal of Folklore Research *

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Book SynopsisThe first complete, English-language biography of the legendary Hungarian pianist, composer, conductor and pedagogue.Trade Review[This] engaging narration by Ilona von Dohnanyi presents a vibrant picture of a musician of exceptional stature, gifted with a resilient personality, incredible energy and admirable strength of character. 9/11/15 -- Guy Sauve * Passion Musique et Culture *Ilona von Dohnányi has written a very moving memoir of her famous husband. . . . She paints a compelling portrait of the man and his dramatic life and times. * Stringendo *. . . this first biography in English is intriguing and most welcome . . . and full of details about this brilliant musician and his time. Highly recommended to all readers. January 2003 -- —J. L. Patterson, University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire * Choice *Table of ContentsPreliminary Table of Contents: Editor's PrefaceIntroductionPrologue 1877-1894 Chapter 1. 1894-1897Chapter 2. 1897-1905Chapter 3. 1905-1919Chapter 4. 1919-1936Chapter 5. 1937-1944Chapter 6. 1944-1946Chapter 7. 1946-1948Chapter 8. 1948-1949Chapter 9. 1949-1953Epilogue 1954-1960Appendix A: Selected CorrespondenceAppendix B: Dohnányi's Lectures at Ohio UniversityAppendix C: Selected ArticlesAppendix D: Works List

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Book SynopsisDiscusses the life and times of Alexander Tcherepnin, a prolific and often emulated composer who produced four operas, 13 ballets, four symphonies, numerous orchestral and chamber works, and more than 200 piano pieces. This book focuses on the biographical elements of Tcherepnin's story, and also on his music and its technical innovations.Trade Review. . . Extensive extracts from Tcherepnin's articles, diaries, and letters offer detailed accounts of his compositional process. Among the attributes of this volume are the appendixes, which include, in addition to the one mentioned above, the composer's 'Basic Elements of My Musical Language,' e.g., 'rhythm liberated from pitch,' the nine—step scale, and bird calls used as musical material (appendix 2), and a chronological catalog of Tcherepnin's more than 100 compositions plus a discography of an even greater number of CD and LP recordings (appendix 3). . . . Recommended. * Choice *. . . first monograph-length study of the composer Alexander Tcherepnin, whose career, by force of history and personal circumstance, uniquely stretched from Russia to the Caucasus to Europe to Asia to America.Vol. 68.1 Jan. 2009 -- Anna Nisnevich * University of Pittsburgh *Korabelnikova's volume is an important contribution to the relatively sparse literature on Tcherepnin currently available in English. It shows Tcherepnin not only as a composer, but also as a critic, family man, and pedagogue. . . One hopes that the book will revive public interest in Tcherepnin the man and his music.Vol. 53.3 Fall 2009 -- Tony H. Lin * University of California, Berkeley *Korabelnikova's Saga of a Russian Emigré Composer succeeds in its goal of becoming an important first step toward assessing and coming to terms with the creative legacy of Alexander Tcherepnin. 65.2 Dec. 2008 * Notes *It is . . . a pleasure to be able to welcome the appearance of Ludmila Korabelnikova's account of the life of Aleksandr Cherepnin, which adds significantly to our knowledge both of the composer himself and of the fate of Russian music beyond the borders of the Soviet Union.July 2009 * Slavonic & East European Review *Table of ContentsForewordPrefaceList of Abbreviations1. Introduction2. In the Hills of Georgia3. Air and Bread of Emigration4. European Destiny: the Paris School5. The Four Corners of the Globe6. In the Composer's Workshop7. The Russian Composer8. FinaleAppendix I Introduction-Tcherepnin About Himself Alexander Tcherepnin, A Short AutobiographyAppendix II Introduction- Alexander Tcherepnin About His Compositional Technique Alexander Tcherepnin, Basic Elements of my Musical LanguageAppendix III Introduction-The Musical Heritage of Alexander Tcherepnin The Music of Alexander Tcherepnin: A Chronological Catalogue DiscographyNotesIndex

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Book SynopsisExplores Claude Debussy's musical responses to the World War I. This work encompasses not only the duration of the war but also the last four years of Debussy's life, and the works that emerged during this time that reflect both wartime events and the composer's self-conscious desire to define his musical legacy.Trade ReviewThis is a thorough review of Claude Debussy's later works (1914-18), which today's performers and audiences often overlook. In examining these pieces, Wheeldon (Univ. of Texas, Austin) draws from many resources, including writings by Debussy himself and by various critics and composers (both contemporaneous and later). She reveals how recognition of his own mortality and of the cultural and political crisis in France during this period, i.e., WW I, affected Debussy's musical intentions. The author's background in music theory is evident in her insightful analyses of several compositions, e.g., Debussy's later piano études and chamber music song cycles. She provides music notation and helpful tables and figures explaining the basic elements of the music. Chapter conclusions offer clear summaries of the author's perspective. Readers with a sincere interest in Debussy and his music will most appreciate this study, but even moderate enthusiasts will find Wheeldon's prose easy to read and clearly organized. The book includes a few photographs and extensive endnotes but unfortunately no discography or recording recommendations. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty. -- A. C. Shahriari * Choice *Marianne Wheeldon's recently relased IU Press book Debussy's Late Style explores composer Claude Debussy's musical responses to World War I. This period of compositions encompasses the duration of the war and the last four years of Debussy's life. The pieces from this time reflect wartime events and the composer's self-conscious desire to define his own musical legacy as he felt his life nearing its end. Debussy's complete wartime compositions comprise a small but significant body of works, some little known and some now acknowledged as among the masterpieces of his career. These include the Berceuse héroïque, En Blanc et noir, the Douze Études, the "Noël des enfants qui n'ont plus de maisons," and three instrumental sonatas (the Cello Sonata; the Sonata for Flute, Viola, and Harp; and the Violin Sonata). Through music analysis, musicology and cultural history, Wheeldon offers interpretive readings of Debussy's late works, focusing on how they reflect the unique cultural milieu of wartime Paris. Wheeldon is an associate professor of music theory at the University of Texas at Austin. Her research interests include the late works of Claude Debussy, musical culture in fin-de-siècle Paris and Schenkerian analysis. -- Steve Hinnefeld * IU News Room, Book Marks *This is a thorough review of Claude Debussy's later works . . . Wheeldon's prose [is] easy to read and clearly organized.May 2009 * Choice *Debussy's Late Style is truly multidimensional as it successfully maps the semiotic goals and cultural terrain of Debussy's final works. . . . Wheeldon's study is compelling in the way that it assesses Debussy's negotiation of his historical and political moment with an acute awareness of historical context, structural strategy, and intertextual correspondences. Her book should open up new avenues of inquiry into the representational goals of Debussy's music and the continuous transformation of his postwar reputation. * Twentieth-Century Music *The overarching lesson of Debussy's Late Style is that today, especially, we should be delighted but certainly not puzzled by the rich variety of Debussy's invention during his last years. 66.2 Dec. 2009 * Notes *Debussy's Late Style reads very easily, with elegant turns of phrase, clearly explained analyses, and generous use of examples. Readers will discover many insights that draw instructive parallels among the late works and lines of influence within them . . . all of which open new windows to comprehending Debussy's late style. Although, when all is said, these works remain atypical of the composer (at least to some degree), Marianne Wheeldon's book not only shows us why but gives us new ways to understand and appreciate them. * Music Reference Services Quarterly *Table of ContentsContentsAcknowledgments1. Defining Debussy's Late Style2. Public and Private: The Wartime Occasional Pieces3. Compositional Personae in the Piano Etudes4. Les Sonates Cycliques5. Tombeau de Claude DebussyNotesBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisReevaluates Jean-Jacques Rousseau through the lens of music theory to question his contribution to thinking about music as an aesthetic force in social life. Links Rousseau's understanding of concepts in music to the problem of the individual's relationship to the social order.Trade Review“The research in Rousseau Among the Moderns is excellent. The book is clearly written and deploys an interesting and puckish sense of relation to present-day music. It is an important contribution to Rousseau scholarship and brings together a lot of material that has been published in very different venues.”—Tracy B. Strong,Distinguished Professor of Political Science, University of California, San Diego“Julia Simon's Rousseau Among the Moderns is a fabulous book that adds something new and important to the field of Rousseau studies. In the past two decades or so, a number of studies have attempted to bridge a long-standing critical gulf between Rousseau's literary works and his social theory, Simon's included. But hers is perhaps the first study to integrate what are already interdisciplinary readings of works such as The Social Contract, the Discourse on the Origin of Inequality, and Julie with Rousseau's considerable writing about music.”—Patrick Riley,Colgate UniversityTable of ContentsContentsAcknowledgmentsA Note on the TextIntroduction1 Performance, Rhythm, and the Constitution of Community2 Singing Democracy: Music and Politics3 Rameau and Rousseau on Absolute and Relative Value: The Theory/Practice Problem4 Folk Music: Authenticity, Primitivism, and the Uses of Roots Music5 Rousseau and Aesthetic Modernity: Music’s Power of RedemptionConclusion: Rousseau Sings the BluesNotesBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisTracing the whole sweep of Mary J. Blige’s career through the critically acclaimed 2014 album, The London Sessions, this is the first serious look at the music and cultural impact of one of the most important musical artists to emerge in the past quarterTable of Contents 1. The Artist of a Generation 2. The Slow Bomb 3. Ladies, Ladies, It Is Our Turn 4. Uptown 5. What’s the 411? 6. Changes I’ve Been Going Through 7. Hip Hop a Go-Go 8. My Life 9. Natural Woman 10. Share My World 11. On the Road with MJB: Alyson Williams 12. The Tour 13. Sisters in the Studio: Channette and Channoah Higgens 14. Mary, the Album 15. No More Drama 16. Love & Life 17. Live from Los Angeles 18. Message in Our Music 19. The Breakthrough 20. Growing Pains 21. Stronger with Each Tear 22. Hard Times Come Again No More 23. My Life II . . . The Journey Continues (Act 1) 24. A Mary Christmas 25. Think Like a Man Too 26. The London Sessions 27. Being with You Selected Discography Acknowledgments

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Book SynopsisAn expert's guide to the skills of the greatest conductorsTrade Review“Holden’s strong suit is his practical experience as a professional conductor. Abundant enthusiasm and love of the craft ensures a stimulating book.”—Cyril Ehrlich -- Cyril Ehrlich

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Book SynopsisKay Swift (1897-1993) was one of the few women composers active on Broadway in the first half of the 20th century. Vicki Ohl describes a remarkable life, which included being the first woman to write a Broadway musical and eloping to Oregon with a rodeo cowboy she met at the 1939 World's Fair.Trade Review"This first full-scale biography of Kay Swift is a comprehensive examination of her life and work in all its phases." Geoffrey Block, author of Richard Rodgers, Yale Broadway Masters"

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Book SynopsisThe essential companion to musical London

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Book SynopsisIgor Stravinsky was a towering composer of the twentieth century and closely linked to dance. His early commissions for Diaghilev's Ballets Russes - "The Firebird", "Petrouchka", and "The Rite of Spring" - put him on the international map. This survey analyses each of Stravinsky's ballet pieces.Trade Review"This excellent source offers a unique approach to analysis of ballet, recording its history—as seen through the life and work of Stravinsky—and reflecting the impact of Russian culture on ballet and music of the 20th century. With its 33 pages of endnotes and 4-page bibliography of primary sources, this book is a scholarly delight."—C.T. Bond, Choice -- C.T. Bond * Choice *

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Book SynopsisTells the story of the life and musical work of Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865-1957). Drawing on Sibelius' own correspondence and diaries, contemporary reviews, and the remarks of family and friends, this book presents an account of the events of the musician's life.Trade Review"Andrew Barnett is unfailingly perceptive and has the ability to engage the interest of both the less informed and the more expert reader. Few would be better qualified to undertake a new book on the Finnish master."—Robert Layton, author of Sibelius (Master Musicians Series) -- Robert Layton"A book of great importance: a fresh, evenhanded account of the composer, especially of his early years. . . . A welcome antidote to the seesaw of critical attention from uncritical admirers and excessively harsh critics. . . . Highly recommended."—Choice * Choice *“Barnett neatly dispels other myths, explaining how from around 1930 to his death, Sibelius completed briefer works while striving, unsuccessfully, to complete his Eighth Symphony. . . . A warmly humanizing, informed biography.”--Benjamin Ivry, The Newark Star-Ledger -- Benjamin Ivry * The Newark Star-Ledger *

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Empathic. . . . As long as there are hearts to swell, ‘Always’ and ‘How Deep Is the Ocean’ will swell them.”—Eric Grode, New York Times Book Review“Propulsive and appealing.”—Brad Leithauser, Wall Street Journal“James Kaplan’s Irving Berlin is just like its subject: taut, vibrant, and thrumming with the irresistible words and music of America’s songwriter laureate. It’s by turns a buoyant and poignant trip across the tumultuous 20th century, through the eyes of an artist who helped define its popular taste. Kaplan reclaims the proud Jewish identity of the patriotic immigrant who knew that his country was blessed, because he had been.”—Todd S. Purdum, author of Something Wonderful: Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Broadway RevolutionPraise for James Kaplan: “This is biography at its very best—the story of a fascinating character brought to life as never before through superb writing, impeccable research and penetrating insight. It is a terrific book.”—Doris Kearns Goodwin, on Frank: The Voice

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Book SynopsisThe production of Wagner's operas is fiercely debated. This book evokes the - often scandalous - great productions that have left their mark not only on our understanding of Wagner but on modern theatre as a whole. It concludes with a critique of the iconoclastic interpretations by Patrice Chereau, Ruth Berghaus, and Hans-Jurgen Syberberg.Trade Review“[A] massive undertaking… This book is truly epic in its scope, and it will certainly become one of the standard reference works in English, not only in Wagner but on twentieth-century stagecraft.” - Patrick O’Connor, Literary Review -- Patrick O'Connor * Literary Review *"...long meditated as well as meticulously researched...its overview is magisterial, and, despite its considerable length, the crisply organised structure and unfailing lucidity of the prose make it worth the effort of a thorough and continuous reading."---Rupert Christiansen, The Spectator -- Rupert Christiansen * The Spectator *"...one of the most marvellous books I have read this year...Patrick Carnegy recounts with deep scholarship combined with good humour, Wagner's obsession with special effects."---A.N. Wilson, The Daily Telegraph -- A.N. Wilson * The Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisEvery year, Johann Sebastian Bach's major vocal works are performed to mark liturgical milestones in the Christian calendar. Written by a renowned Bach scholar, this concise and accessible book provides an introduction to the music and cultural contexts of the composer's most beloved masterpieces, including the Magnificat, Christmas Oratorio, and St. John Passion. In addition to providing historical information, each chapter highlights significant aspectssuch as the theology of loveof a particular piece. This penetrating volume is the first to treat the vocal works as a whole, showing how the compositions were embedded in their original performative context within the liturgy as well as discussing Bach's musical style, from the detailed level of individual movements to the overarching aspects of each work. Published in the approach to Easter when many of these vocal works are performed, this outstanding volume will appeal to casual concertgoers and scholars alike.Trade Review'Markus Rathey provides concise and very readable introductions to six of Bach’s greatest works. Apart form the sheer power of the music, the meditation that Bach intended them to inspire is greatly assisted and deepened by an understanding of the rich traditions of theology and liturgy from which they grew. Bach lovers, people approaching Bach for the first time, and particularly people outside these traditions will find this book an enriching companion.' - David Ledbetter, author of Unaccompanied Bach: Performing the Solo Works 'Rathey achieves something that is rare in writing about Bach: a book that is fully informed by scholarship but also one that is relevant and understandable for virtually any interested reader, at any level of musical education. Rathey's particular contribution is to explain what initially appear to be arcane expressions in the texts of Bach’s major sacred works, bringing out the significance of the many references to love. This helps us to experience Bach’s music as far more sensual and emotional than many may hitherto have believed.’ - John Butt, author of Bach's Dialogue with Modernity: Perspectives on the Passions

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Book SynopsisA fresh appreciation of the great musical figure that gives him his due as composer as well as conductorTrade Review“Excellent.”—David Denby, New Yorker“An engrossing portrait of a gifted—and conflicted—man.”—Jerusalem Post“There were, and are, critics who believe that Bernstein’s facility and fecundity was merely dilettantism. Allen Shawn’s suave new biography hopes to give them pause.”—Christopher Bray, The Spectator“Immensely valuable as a concise study of a major figure; sympathetic in its account of his life and its artistic and social context, and illuminating in its critical judgements.”—Anthony Burton, BBC Music“I can’t imagine a better biography of Leonard Bernstein. His intensity, complexity, and personal charm come across fully; so do his manifest importance to twentieth-century American culture and his intimate relation to the music he produced. Bravo!”—Wendy Lesser

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Book SynopsisThe life of a beloved American composer reflected through his music, writings and letters.Trade Review"The author offers many such evocative descriptions in his scholarly account of Gershwin’s tragically short life. The works are covered in exhaustive detail, with in-depth analysis, plots and character summaries..." -- The Economist

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Book SynopsisFrom one of the leading scholars of the composer’s works, an exploration of the unswerving artistic vision underlying Beethoven’s symphonies.Trade Review"The bulk of his [Lockwood's] new book introduces each of the composer’s nine symphonies, all individual and different in their magisterial genius, and paints a vivid picture of the creative context of each." -- James Macmillan - Standpoint

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Book SynopsisThe story of conductor extraordinaire Gustavo Dudamel, and the music education program, El Sistema, that led him to success.Trade Review"Starred Review. This passionate and inspiring story should be read by all those interested in music education, community building, and advocacy for the disadvantaged. An essential purchase." "Tunstall soundly probes how it is that classical music has played such a powerful role in the protection, education, and elevation of so many children born into poverty. The author does a noble job tracing the history of El Sistema, while managing to keep the narrative as much in the immediate present as possible."

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Book SynopsisAn intimate portrait of Handel's life and inner circle, modelled after one of the composer's favourite forms: the fugue.Trade Review"...a sequence of thematic chapters, each with its own timeline, charting the composer's career through others' eyes and ears, evoking more vividly than most the society in which Handel moved." -- Hugh Canning, Sound Choices 2014 - The Sunday Times

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Book SynopsisA revelatory history of the operatic masterpiece that both made and destroyed Rouben Mamoulian, its director and unsung hero.

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Book SynopsisBeethoven’s political ideals, inspired by the French Revolution and Napoleon, radiate through his ground-breaking compositions.Trade Review"Clubbe’s biography is a thorough account of Beethoven’s inspirations, collaborators, and his turbulent times. It frames his work with political events and makes a compelling argument for their impact on the man." -- New Statesman"A thoughtful cultural history that takes into account the times in which Beethoven lived and worked—and they were times of revolution." -- Tim Page - The Washington Post

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Book Synopsis"The two sides of Shaw…are at the center of…[this] compulsively readable biography." —Daniel Akst, Wall Street JournalTrade Review"Makes sense of a turbulent life that even Artie Shaw himself had given up on explaining." -- Ted Gioia - San Francisco Chronicle"Tom Nolan proves himself valiantly…It’s not simply the first-hand research, the careful investigation of the facts, the easy, approachable prose style…The portrait is thorough, providing a deep study of a man both complicated and coarse, creating beauty through his clarinet and creating turmoil through his actions." -- Michael Steinman - Jazz Lives"Compelling…scented with understanding and charm." -- Michael D. Langan - Buffalo News"A beautifully measured, unforgiving account…an exemplary work of jazz biography." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)"Every great artist deserves a great biography, and Swing Era bandleader and clarinetist Artie Shaw finally has one.…Nolan has crafted a well-written, highly entertaining, and informative biography." -- Peter Thornell - Library Journal"Enthralling…[Artie Shaw] gives the satisfactions of a true rags-to-riches story…and plausibly accounts for Shaw’s huge character faults without obscuring his charm and prodigious talent." -- Ray Olson - Booklist"At last, the lively, continually imaginative life of the most creative clarinetist in jazz history." -- Nat Hentoff, author of At the Jazz Band Ball: Sixty Years at the Jazz Scene

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Book Synopsis“Reminds us of how arts education can change lives.” —Gary Stager, Huffington PostTrade Review"Essential reading for every one of us who cares passionately about our neediest children." -- Quincy Jones "Starred Review. This passionate and inspiring story should be read by all those interested in music education, community building, and advocacy for the disadvantaged. An essential purchase." "We are fortunate to have the story of El Sistema related so eloquently." -- Deborah Borda, president and CEO, Los Angeles Philharmonic "Tunstall soundly probes how it is that classical music has played such a powerful role in the protection, education, and elevation of so many children born into poverty. The author does a noble job tracing the history of El Sistema, while managing to keep the narrative as much in the immediate present as possible."

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Book SynopsisA vibrant biography of one of the greatest rock 'n' rollers, the America that made him, and the America he made.Trade Review"A riveting profile of New Jersey's great bard. Dolan, the ultimate Springsteen fan, has an encyclopedic knowledge of his subject. And his infectious love of American popular music is nothing short of awesome. The best book on Bruce ever written!" -- Douglas Brinkley, author of Cronkite "Bruce Springsteen and the Promise of Rock 'n' Roll endeavors to get to the heart of its subject by viewing him through the economic, social, political, religious and family turmoil that formed a musician who found out early on how to make his guitar talk but spent painful decades refining what he needed to make it say. Springsteen's creative evolution and endurance as a populist American rock 'n' roll hero is, according to Dolan, "a slantwise way of telling the history of our times, how we have come together and divided over the last half-century, how we have changed what we think of ourselves as a people." -- Robin Finn "Those who are interested in the shaping of an American icon-and, more significantly, the creation of some lasting American music-may be directed safely to this book." -- Tim Page "The definitive Springsteen biography/musical analysis, finely written and meticulously researched... by an academic who can write for a popular audience... For fans, Dolan's book is a necessary addition to the Springsteen library. For more casual listeners, who often wonder just what the fuss is all about, this volume is a good place to start." -- Michael Riley "In an appreciative study that at times verges on the academic, Dolan traces Springsteen's journey through a song-by-song and album-by-album development..." "A unique biography of a great rock 'n roll artist drawn from 40 years of thrilling performances. If you're a Springsteen fan, this will deepen your appreciation. And if you're not a fan, what the hell is wrong with you?" -- William McKeen, author of Rock 'n Roll is Here to Stay: An Anthology "With the notable exception of Bob Dylan, no other singer-songwriter still active in the 21st Century has spawned as many academic studies as The Boss, and Dolan's book is among the very best. As a chronicler of our times, Springsteen has few equals... and the author's examination of an extraordinary body of work is as clear-headed and accessible as the music itself... By necessity, his book also serves as a history of America, outlining a nation's political conflicts, class disparity, prejudices and shortcomings... [T]he author is especially evocative in his descriptions of working class New Jersey in the 60s and early 70s. Where he scores his most emphatic bullseyes, however, is in his assessment of how Springsteen handled his wealth and stardom; of how his conscience and politics adapted to being one of the most famous men in the world without losing sight of the struggles of his core audience, the 'little' man on the street." -- Terry Staunton, record Collector "Readable and engrossing." "Marc Dolan has written a book of rock criticism at its finest. He brings to the story of Bruce Springsteen an encyclopedic knowledge, a clean, fast-moving prose style, and an irrepressible love of his subject. The Boss deserves no less, and he could ask for no better." -- John Matteson, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Lives of Margaret Fuller "Dolan makes a point of telling more than just the Boss' personal history, putting his putting his musical contributions in context with the country's political state." "Readable and engrossing."

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Book SynopsisThe life of a beloved American composer reflected through his music, writings and letters.Trade Review"The author offers many such evocative descriptions in his scholarly account of Gershwin’s tragically short life. The works are covered in exhaustive detail, with in-depth analysis, plots and character summaries…" -- The Economist"Summertime is a genial and enthusiastic book..." -- Times Literary Supplement

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Book SynopsisA centennial inventory of the career and legacy of one of the twentieth century's greatest musicians, the first made-in-America violin virtuoso.

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Book SynopsisAs his mother was dying, Philip Kennicott began to listen to the music of Bach obsessively. It was the only music that didn't seem trivial or irrelevant, and it enabled him to both experience her death and remove himself from it. For him, Bach's music held the elements of both joy and despair, life and its inevitable end. He spent the next five years trying to learn one of the composer's greatest keyboard masterpieces, the Goldberg Variations. In Counterpoint, he recounts his efforts to rise to the challenge, and to fight through his grief by coming to terms with his memories of a difficult, complicated childhood. He describes the joys of mastering some of the piano pieces, the frustrations that plague his understanding of others, the technical challenges they pose, and the surpassing beauty of the melodies, harmonies, and counterpoint that distinguish them. While exploring Bach's compositions he sketches a cultural history of playing the piano in the twentieth century. And he raises two questions that become increasingly interrelated, not unlike a contrapuntal passage in one of the variations itself: What does it mean to know a piece of music? What does it mean to know another human being?Trade Review"In short, this is a beautiful and unexpectedly uplifting read which will have you reaching for both Gould's Goldbergs and the Chaconne, and perhaps even looking at the world with renewed thoughtfulness." -- Charlotte Gardner - Gramophone

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Book SynopsisTrade Review...Daniel Stein's book is the first to examine Armstrong's autobiographical record carefully to see what it reveals about the man, his life, and his music. The result is a fascinating book that is likely to offer unexpected insights and information to even the best-read Armstrong researcher." — Robert Rawlins, Rowan University, Popular Music and Society"Meticulous citations and helpful appendixes enhance the strength of this important, though complex, work. Highly recommended." — T. E. Buehrer, Choice"The contributions of Stein’s book to the study of Louis Armstrong and his music are manifold. With a rare historical and contextual awareness, Stein illustrates the extent to which Armstrong’s autobiographical self-performances conflicted with and challenged appropriations of Armstrong by such jazz writers and critics as Horace Gerlach, Robert Goffin, Hugues Panassié, and Rudi Blesh, among others." — Mario Dunkel, Jazz Research News"It is really gratifying to find a study of a jazz performer that recognises so comprehensively the deeper historical and cultural framework of a music that has been so often deracinated or romanticised." — Bruce Johnson, Popular Music"Stein gives Armstrong's autobiographical performance a much more thorough, detailed analysis than has heretofore been attempted, and the resulting study shines a bright light not only on Armstrong the person but, more importantly, also on the identity of Louis Armstrong as an iconic public figure." — Ken Prouty, Fontes Artis Musicae

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Book SynopsisThe Beatles, the 1968 double LP more commonly known as the White Album, has always been viewed as an oddity in the group's oeuvre. Many have found it to be inconsistent, sprawling, and self-indulgent. The Beatles through a Glass Onion is the first-ever scholarly volume to explore this seminal recording at length.

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Book SynopsisLennie Tristano occupies a rare position in jazz history. Emerging from an era when modernism was the guiding principle in jazz, Tristano explored musical avenues that were avant-garde even by modernism's experimental standards. This title sheds light on the important role Tristano played in the jazz world.Trade ReviewIn Lennie Tristano: His Life in Music, Shim has provided a comprehensive biographical and analytical account of one of jazz's most important and most frequently misun-derstood figures. Her insights into Tristano's personality are well nuanced, and the focus on his teaching makes a unique contribution to the history of jazz. This vividly written study is likely to become a standard work. - Brian Priestley, author of Chasin' The Bird: The Life and Legacy of Charlie Parker and co-author of The Rough Guide to Jazz

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Book SynopsisEarle Brown (1926-2002) was a crucial part of the seminal group of experimental composers known as the New York School, and his work intersects in fascinating ways with that of his colleagues John Cage, Morton Feldman, and Christian Wolff. This book seeks to expand our view of Brown's work, addressing his practices as a painter and composer as well as his collaborations with visual artists.Trade ReviewOne of the best [multi-authored books] I’ve seen. . . . It makes a huge contribution. Earle Brown has long been neglected, and it’s nice to see his work receiving the attention it deserves."" - Amy Beal, University of California-Santa Cruz

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Book SynopsisNo composer contributed more to film than Bernard Herrmann, who in over 40 scores enriched the work of such directors as Orson Welles, Alfred Hitchcock, Francois Truffaut, and Martin Scorsese. This biography explores the interrelationships between Herrmann's music and his turbulent personal life.

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Book SynopsisTaking us into a composer's workshop, this title reevaluates what we call 'twentieth-century music' - a term used to refer to modern or contemporary music that represents a radical break from the tonal tradition, or 'common practice', of the preceding three centuries.

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Book SynopsisHow could it when the same critics asking the question could hardly agree on a definition of jazz itself? Was West Coast jazz the last regional style or merely a marketing fad? Was there really ever any such thing as West Coast jazz? If so, was it better or worse than East Coast jazz? This title deals with this queries.Table of ContentsONE Central Avenue Breakdown TWO The Bird in the Basket THREE The Chase FOUR Dave Brubeck and Modern Jazz in San Francisco FIVE The San Francisco Scene in the 195os SIX Central Avenue Survivors SEVEN Big Bands out West EIGHT City of Glass NINE Chet Baker and the Pianoless Quartet TEN From the Lighthouse ELEVEN A Ring-tail Monkey TWELVE Martians Go Home THIRTEEN The Anti-drummer FOURTEEN Straight Life FIFTEEN LA Hard Bop SIXTEEN Something Else! SEVENTEEN West Coast Jazz: Final Considerations POSTSCRIPT: A Stroll Through California Jazz Nightspots APPENDIX: Fifty Representative West Coast Jazz Recordings 1945-1960 Notes Index

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Book SynopsisA biography of Paul Bowles, the famously enigmatic writer-composer. It questions the biographer's role, the subject's credibility, and the very nature of 'truth' in the telling of a life. It talks of Bowles' difficult childhood and of his grief over his wife's - the author Jane Bowles, who died in 1973 - illness, of exile, dreams, and madness.Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction Part One Part Two Part Three Afterimages Works Cited

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Book SynopsisTraces Beethoven's attraction to a constellation of heterogeneous ideas, drawn from Romanticism, Freemasonry, comparative religion, Eastern initiatory ritual, Mediterranean mythology, aesthetics, and classical and contemporary thought.Trade Review"[F]or sheer interpretive genius and an uncommon gift for rendering in prose the complex, humanly compelling subtleties of Beethoven's music and life, few approach Maynard Solomon.... [E]very chapter in Solomon's book is full of subtle, deeply satisfying accounts of what actually went into Beethoven's late-style works." - Edward Said; "With a bow to the immortal study by J. W. N. Sullivan, Late Beethoven could have also been called 'Beethoven: His Spiritual Development.' Solomon weaves amazingly diverse threads, chapter by chapter, into the fabric of Beethoven's belief system, his take on nature, divinity, human purpose, morality, and the mission of music. This is a book of surprises by an author whose combination of breadth of thought, imaginativeness, aesthetic sensitivity, and learning is really wonderful." - Joseph Kerman, author, with Alan Tyson, of The New Grove Beethoven "Maynard Solomon writes with an unrivaled control of a vast cultural and intellectual sweep that reaches beyond Ancient Greece, and with a graceful precision that disguises the rich complexity of his ideas. Distilling from the late works their sources in both the overarching themes of mankind and the troubled psyche of the composer, he has forever altered a familiar landscape." - Richard Kramer, author of Distant Cycles"Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Prologue: A Sea Change 1. The End of a Beginning: The "Diabelli" Variations 2. Beyond Classicism 3. Some Romantic Images 4. Pastoral, Rhetoric, Structure: The Violin Sonata in G, Op. 96 5. Reason and Imagination: The Aesthetic Dimension 6. The Seventh Symphony and the Rhythms of Antiquity 7. The Masonic Thread 8. The Masonic Imagination 9. The Shape of a Journey: The "Diabelli" Variations 10. Intimations of the Sacred 11. The Sense of an Ending: The Ninth Symphony 12. The Healing Power of Music Abbreviations Notes Index

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Book SynopsisExplores the female roles in Mozart's four most frequently performed operas, Le nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni, Cosi fan tutte, and Die Zauberflote. Each chapter looks at the music, libretto text, literary sources, and historical factors that give shape to a character, re-evaluating common assumptions and proposing fresh interpretations.Trade Review“An interesting, unique, well-written study.” * CHOICE *“Brown-Montesano has set out to write something that will be of value to directors and singers in search of a character and general opera lovers who simply want to understand more about Mozart. This lively, perceptive study succeeds brilliantly on all counts.” * Classical Music Magazine *Table of ContentsContents Acknowledgments Overture Act One: (Anti-)Heroines and Women on the Edge 1. Feminine Vengeance I: The Assailed/Assailant Donna Anna 2. Sisterhood and Seduction I: Abandonment and Rescue Donna Elvira 3. Class Survival Zerlina 4. Feminine Vengeance II: (Over)Powered Politics The Queen of the Night 5. Good Daughter, Good Wife Pamina 6. Woman's Identity I: Sacred and Profane The Three Ladies and Papagena Act Two: Sisterly Alliances and Sisters Subverted 7. Sisterhood and Seduction II: Friendship and Class Countess Almaviva and Susanna 8. Woman's Identity II: Loss and Legitimacy Marcellina and Barbarina 9. Sisterhood and Seduction III: Intimacy and Influence Fiordiligi and Dorabella 10. Survival Class Despina Notes Works Cited Index

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Book SynopsisPresents a different view of Richard Wagner based on research that does not shy away from some truths about this controversial composer. This book tells what Wagner did, said, and wrote. It suggests that an estimation of Wagner does not lie in an all too easy condemnation of his many provocative actions and ideas.Trade Review"Essential reading for all who take an intelligent, informed interest in Wagner." Wagner Journal "Engaging." Australian Book Rev "A solid and stimulating read." -- George Hall Opera "Wide-ranging and eclectic, this volume presents the latest Wagner scholarship and criticism." -- S. Edwards Choice "An engaging portrait" Music Educators JournalTable of ContentsPreface part i. a few beginnings 1. Wagner Lives Issues in Autobiography 2. "Pale" Senta Female Sacrifice and the Desire for Heimat 3. Wagner the Progressive Another Look at Lohengrin part ii. der ring des nibelungen 4. Fairy Tale, Revolution, Prophecy Preliminary Evening: Das Rheingold 5. Symphonic Mastery or Moral Anarchy? First Day: Die Walkure 6. Siegfried Hero Second Day: Siegfried 7. Finishing the End Third Day: Gotterdammerung part iii. the elusiveness of tragedy 8. Don Carlos and Gotterdammerung Two Operatic Endings and Walter Benjamin's Trauerspiel 9. Wagner's Greeks, and Wieland's Too Contents part iv. tristan und isolde 10. Dangerous Fascinations 11. Public and Private Life Reflections on the Genesis of Tristan and Isolde and the Wesendonck Lieder 12. Postmortem on Isolde part v. mature polemics 13. Strange Love, Or, How We Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Parsifal 14. Mendelssohn and the Strange Case of the (Lost) Symphony in C 15. Unfinished Symphonies part vi. Operatic Futures 16. Configurations of the New 17. Wagner and Beyond List of Abbreviations Notes Acknowledgments Index

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Book SynopsisFrom his dazzling conducting debut in 1943 until his death in 1990, Leonard Bernstein's star blazed brilliantly. This biography examines Bernstein's career against the backdrop of cold war America - blacklisting by the State Department in 1950 and voluntary exile from the New York Philharmonic in 1951 for fear that he might be blacklisted.Trade Review"Almost two decades after Bernstein's death, this is the first in-depth look at the man with his politics. It was worth the wait." -- Carol Iaciofano Boston Globe Book Section "The book's greatest value ... lies not simply in shedding new and more nuanced light on the story of 'Our Lenny', but in its consistent demonstration-in accordance with Bernstein's own ideas-that any attempt to separate the musical sphere from the moral and political comes at an unconscionably high price." The Economist "A rich, thoroughly researched and immensely readable study." -- Stephen Brown Times Literary Supplement (TLS) "A major contribution." -- William R. Braun Opera News "A useful, revealing, and genuinely fascinating discussion of Leonard Bernstein's role in the melee of 20th-century American Politics." -- Eric A. Gordon Jewish Currents: A Progressive Monthly "[Bernstein's] legacy is one of struggle and engagement that will serve as an example for others who are sure to follow him. Seldes' work is a valuable contribution to understanding that legacy." -- Fred Mazelis World Socialist Web Site "In this insightful and creative study, Barry Seldes, a political scientist with a deep understanding of musicology, grapples with this powerful public artist by examining the lifelong interactions of his art with his politics." -- Michael Fellman Vancouver Sun "Compelling... Immaculately researched and extensively annotated... This is a really important book." Musical Opinion "A remarkable new book." -- Raphael Mostel Forward "The most enlightening portrait yet of the often romanticised American conductor and composer." -- Philip Clark The Wire "Seldes is insightful." -- Eric A. Gordon Today in HistoryTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgments Introduction 1. Young American: Bernstein at Harvard 2. The Forties: Ascent and Blacklist 3. American Biedermeier 4. The Long Sixties 5. Norton Lectures 6. Bernstein at Sea 7. Understanding Bernstein Epilogue: A Man in Dark Times Notes Index

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Book SynopsisBroadway star Ethel Merman's voice was a mesmerizing force and her vitality was legendary. This detailed biography tells the story of how the stenographer from Queens, New York, became the queen of the Broadway musical in its golden age.Trade Review"This well-written and psychologically astute portrait will satisfy musical theater fans and anyone who loves a snappy comeback." The Advocate "Masterfully analyzes Merman's work on stage, screen and TV with a sophisticated eye for detail that will delight theater buffs." Publishers WeeklyTable of Contentspreface vii 1 / Beginnings 1 2 / From Stenographer to Star 30 3 / The Early Thirties 67 4 / To Hollywood and Back Again 90 5 / Broadway's Brightest: The Early Forties 113 6 / Forging a Family 138 7 / What Comes Natur'lly: Annie Get Your Gun 150 8 / Call Me Madam 177 9 / A More Complex Image 192 10 / Madam in Hollywood 218 11 / Life with Six 239 12 / There's No Business Like Show Business 255 13 / From Mrs. Six to Mama Rose 278 14 / Gypsy: Ethel Merman's Musical Fable 293 15 / It's a Mad, Mad Schedule 333 16 / The Sixties and the Art of Love 347 17 / After the Big Stem--the Seventies 374 18 / Twilight and Transformation 401 19 / Afterlife 415 acknowledgments 429 a word on the scrapbooks 433 discography 437 stage work 443 filmography 463 notes 473 index 000

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Book SynopsisTells the story of Clark Terry, one of the most recorded and beloved jazz trumpeters. This title takes us from his impoverished childhood in St Louis, Missouri, where jazz could be heard everywhere, to the smoke-filled small clubs and carnivals across the Jim Crow South where he got his start, and on to worldwide acclaim.Trade Review"'Clark' chronicles, in endearing prose, Terry's personal and professional journey... Onstage and in the backroom, Terry and his trumpet shared a front-row seat to jazz history. "Clark" is nothing short of that remarkable story." -- Alexander Heffner San Francisco Chronicle "Terry's wonderful book is a true labor of love." -- Peter Vacher Jazzwise "Informative, detailed, intimate, and throughly absorbing, "Clark" is very strongly recommended." The Midwest Book ReviewTable of ContentsPreface by Quincy Jones Foreword by Bill Cosby Introduction by David Demsey 1. Big Dreams 2. First Instruments 3. Kicked Out 4. The Vashon High Swingsters 5. First Road Gig 6. Nigga 7. Ida Cox 8. Stranded 9. Lincoln Inn 10. On the Road Again 11. Tennis Shoe Pimp 12. Jailed 13. Len Bowden 14. Navy Days 15. Gray Clouds 16. The Big Apple 17. George Hudson 18. The Club Plantation 19. Galloping Dominoes 20. Tempting Offers 21. Lionel Hampton 22. Road Lessons 23. Pauline 24. Charlie Barnet 25. Count Basie 26. Big Debt 27. Duke Ellington 28. Leaving Basie 29. The University of Ellingtonia 30. Working with Duke 31. Duke's Team 32. Duke's Management Arts 33. Miles and Bird 34. Billy Strayhorn 35. Endurances 36. Flugelhorn 37. Europe 38. Norman Granz 39. Norman's Battles 40. Q 41. NBC 42. Jim and Andy's 43. Johnny and Ed 44. Mumbles 45. First House 46. Big Bad Band 47. Carnegie Hall 48. Etoile 49. Jazz Education Arena 50. Those NBC Years 51. Storms 52. Black Clouds 53. Keep on Keepin' On 54. New Love 55. Whirlwinds 56. Through the Storm 57. Second Chance 58. The Biggest Surprise Acknowledgments Honors and Awards Original Compositions Selected Discography Index Photographs follow page 186

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Book SynopsisPresents the study of Kurt Weill's complete stage works. This title shows how Weill's experiments with a range of genres - from one-act operas and plays with music to Broadway musicals and film-opera - became an indispensable part of the reforms he promoted during his brief but intense career.Trade Review"Eminently readable, with or without his music playing in the background. Professor Hinton is a fine writer who conveys what he knows and feels in terms insightful, intuitive and nuanced, yet accessible to those of us who are musically marginalized." Washington Ind Rev Of Bks "An in-depth view of the entire oeuvre of Weill's stage compositions... A scholarly and thoroughly researched work... Highly Recommended." -- E. C. Skiles, Lone Star College-Kingwood Choice "This is essential reading not only for Weill scholars but also those interested in twentieth-century opera and the history of the American musical... Its achievement will not soon be surpassed." Journal of the American Musicological Society "A majestic study." Journal of the Society for American MusicTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Preface and Acknowledgments 1. Biographical Notes 2. The Busoni Connection 3. One-Act Operas 4. "Songspiel" 5. Plays with Music 6. Epic Opera 7. Didactic Theater ("Lehrstuck") 8. Stages of Exile 9. Musical Plays 10. Stage vs. Screen 11. American Opera 12. Concept and Commitment Coda Appendix: Weill's Works for Stage or Screen Abbreviations Notes Credits Index

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