Composers and songwriters Books

Book SynopsisThe dramatic story of a legendary American composerTrade 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 KernTable of Contents1.From Street Kid to Wunderkind; 2.Falling in Love With Kay; 3.A Piano Concerto; 4.Ira Takes a Wife; 5.Porgy; 6.Paris; 7."That Long Drip of Human Tears"; 8.The Losing Streak Begins; 9."Something Big"; 10."Don't Make It Too Good, George!"; 11.Kay

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Book SynopsisThis first biography of Jimmy McHugh captures a lively and significant contributor to American songwriting. Creator of favorite tunes such as 'I''m in the Mood for Love' and 'On the Sunny Side of the Street,' McHugh was a one-man history of twentieth-century popular music: in his prolific composing career, he wrote songs for Duke Ellington, Shirley Temple, Bobby Breen, Carmen Miranda, Deanna Durbin, Frank Sinatra, Ethel Waters, Adelaide Hall, and scores of other entertainers, and his last works were turned into smash hits by Pat Boone and Fats Domino. Following McHugh from humble Irish-American beginnings in Boston to eventual success in New York, Europe, and Los Angeles, Alyn Shipton deftly evokes the lively milieus of Tin Pan Alley, the Cotton Club, Broadway, and Hollywood. McHugh crossed the color line frequently, writing revues for both black and white entertainers, and he and his songwriting partner Dorothy Fields were also among the first to create Hollywood musical films. InTrade Review"A brilliantly researched biography that ... details the activities of Tin Pan Alley in its golden age of song-plugging glory. . . . You will be fascinated by this 280-page amalgamation of musical education and entertainment."--MOJO"Highly recommended ."--Choice "An overdue recognition of his tireless song plugger who fashioned enduring hits for Tin Pan Alley and Hollywood.--The Miami Herald"[Shipton] effortlessly weaves in lots of background and research to illustrate McHugh’s gradual rise from a humble Boston-Irish milieu to considerable wealth, which he lost in the Wall Street crash. His mainstream success from then on and eventual emergence as a ‘personality’ in his own right clearly involved a lot of hard graft, but the great songs kept coming on.”--Jazzwize"From Tin Pan Alley to Beverly Hills, this book has vintage dish and vibrant back-stories about one of the giants of the American songbook."--David Friend, editor of creative development, Vanity Fair"It's a great joy to read and learn about the life of marvelous Jimmy McHugh. This book is meticulously researched and spills over with fascinating and important information about a rich and seminal era, much of which has not been previously documented. If you care about the Great American Songbook, you'll love this book!"--Michael Feinstein"A treasure trove of material on Jimmy McHugh and an important contribution to the scholarship on American popular song. Alyn Shipton's book is a well documented portrait of a songwriter very much at the center of the music business, Broadway theater, and Hollywood."--Philip Furia, coauthor of The Poets of Tin Pan Alley: A History of America's Great Lyricists"This valuable work includes numerous insights into the slightly mysterious process of pop song-writing and the music business in general. It will appeal to Tin Pan Alley music aficionados, American studies specialists, Hollywood historians, and music fans in general."--Thomas L. Riis, author of Frank Loesser "Jimmy McHugh has written many of the most memorable and enduring melodies in the Great American Songbook. To paraphrase the song: I can't give you anything but love, Jimmy!"--Vic Damone "Jimmy McHugh is the pure, unadulterated hit songman--I am always in awe at the genius of Jimmy McHugh."--Bob Crewe, composer, producer, and Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee "Jimmy McHugh's collection of songs resonated with an entire generation, and his contribution to Broadway, Hollywood, and popular music as a whole continues to this day. This book is a fascinating study of a prolific hit-maker and a revealing glimpse into the priceless art of songwriting."--Roger Faxon, chairman and CEO, EMI Music PublishingTable of ContentsIntroduction; Acknowledgements; List of illustrations 1 "Home Before Dark" A Boston Childhood 2 "When My Sugar Walks Down The Street" Arriving in New York 3 "Everything Is Hotsy Totsy Now" A sequence of hit songs 4 "I Can't Give You Anything But Love (Baby)" Meeting Dorothy Fields 5: "Livin' In A Great Big Way" Fields and McHugh on Broadway and in Hollywood 6: "Goodbye Blues" The Split from Dorothy Fields 7 "Dimples" A sequence of child stars 8 "My Kind of Country" Movies, Romance and World War Two 9 "A Lovely Way to Spend An Evening" The great years in Beverly Hills 10 "Reach For Tomorrow" Final years in Los Angeles, and a growing legacy Notes and abbreviations; Bibliography; Index

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Book SynopsisA comprehensive biography of one of the twentieth century's greatest conductorsTrade ReviewReceived the Best Historical Research in Recorded Classical Music Award from the Association for Recorded Sound Collection (ARSC), 2012. "Reading this book would serve as a manual of music appreciation. Charry's tribute reflects the scope and brilliance of Szell's career, in the careful detailing of his performances and music critics' opinions of them."--Ohioana Quarterly"A discerning and highly informed new biography. Charry makes a convincing case for admiring his subject's skill in musical matters without concealing Szell's many personality flaws."--Forward"Charry not only gives us invaluable insights into his leadership style and musical tastes ... but details some of the financial and political issues facing the orchestra during that era. . . . Perhaps the book’s greatest value lies in humanizing a man whom many have come to see as a humorless (or perhaps joyless) martinet."SymphonyNow"A magnificent achievement. I was especially impressed by Mr. Charry's skill in conveying a deep admiration for his subject without falling into the trap of fawning or idol-worshipping--a quality seldom encountered in biographies of great conductors."--Stephen C. Hillyer, past president of the Fritz Reiner Society"A fine biography of one of the 20th century's greatest classical conductors. This thorough biography of one of the most important figures on the American classical scene in the post-World War II era is a valuable contribution to the literature on classical music."--Library Journal"Charry’s achievement is unlikely to be surpassed for a long time, if ever, and the reader will come away with a real depth of insight into this towering, complex figure, which can only enhance our appreciation of his extraordinary accomplishment and artistic legacy."--Fanfare"Charry examines Szell's personal life in greater detail than has been afforded before, with a trove of previously unpublished letters. . . . Straightforward and erudite."--The Wall Street Journal"Musicians, concertgoers, and general readers will be captivated by the author's behind-the-scenes look at what goes into shaping a world-class orchestra."--The Washington Times "An excellent job of chronicling the everyday life of professional musicians."--HuffingtonPost.com "Given the conductor's close identification with a symphonic orchestra, the extent of Szell's operatic experience may come as a surprise to some readers. Charry has done excellent work in illuminating this overshadowed facet of Szell's career."--Opera News "A lively and balanced portrait of Szell's life and work."--Opera America "Very well written and will surely appeal to anyone with an interest in George Szell."--American Record Guide "There is surely no one more qualified than Michael Charry to write Szell's biography."--Musical OpinionTable of ContentsPreface ix Acknowledgments xv Abbreviations xix Chronology xxi Introduction 1 1. The New Mozart (1897-1929) 3 2. The Conductor Spreads His Wings (1930-38) 23 3. Musical Pioneering in Australia (1938, 1939) 42 4. New World, New Beginnings (1939-46) 56 5. Cleveland: Contest and Commitment (1942-47) 78 6. Szell, the Orchestra Builder (1947-54) 105 7. George Szell and Rudolf Bing (1953-54) 141 8. Keeping the Promise: "Second to None" (1954-57) 149 9. The Golden Years (1957-65) 172 10. The Cleveland Orchestra in the World (1965-68) 223 11. Summers at Home 254 12. Finale: Cleveland, Japan, Korea, Anchorage, Cleveland (1968-70) 270 Epilogue 289 In Szell's Words 291 Appendix A. "On the 150th Anniversary of Schumann's Birth," by George Szell 295 Appendix B. Staff and Kulas Foundation Conductors under George Szell 299 Appendix C. Apprentice Conductor Qualifications 301 Appendix D. 1957 European Tour Repertoire 303 Appendix E. 1965 European Tour Repertoire 305 Appendix F. Szell's Repertoire 307 Discography 331 Notes 355 Bibliography 397 Index 399Illustrations follow page 104

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Book SynopsisBeyond Blackberry Vines and Winter Fruit - the life and works of an important woman composerTrade Review"Recommended."--Choice"Marga Richter has long been a highly respected contributor to classical repertoire, and this volume is significant as the first focused examination of her life and oeuvre. It will be valued by musicians and nonmusicians alike who are interested in contemporary classical music."--Ellen K. Grolman, author of Joan Tower: The Comprehensive Bio-Bibliography

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Book SynopsisA valuable portrait of one of the most powerful managers in American musical history.Trade ReviewCertificate of Merit for Best Historical Research in Classical Music, Association for Recorded Sound Collections (ARSC), 2014. "This informative, interesting biography sheds new light on one of the most powerful eminences in the history of American concert music, presenting Arthur Judson's progress from teaching in a small Ohio college to managing simultaneously two of the greatest American orchestras, the Philadelphia Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic, as well as being a founder of Columbia Arts Management, Inc. (CAMI) and a pioneer in radio broadcasting."--Michael Charry, author of George Szell: A Life of Music"A work of exemplary scholarship covering a significant and too little-known figure in music history: Arthur Judson, the classical instrumental music impresario, musician, teacher, orchestral administrator, artist manager, promoter, and media mogul. Doering admirably places Judson's life and career in the context of the changing orchestral industry from 1900 to the 1970s, showing how Judson was a catalyst for these developments."--Mark Clague, director, American Music Institute, University of Michigan "Doering's insightful depiction of 'the great orchestrator' should serve as a model for scholars who wish to expand their coverage of music history and explore what goes on behind the scenes of the performing arts."--Notes"A much needed contribution to our knowledge of this history and should become required reading for aspiring classical music manager."--American Journal of Arts Management "No doubt will become a classic in the literature of arts management. Highly recommended."--Choice

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Book SynopsisWith personal anecdotes and sometimes surprising intimacy and humour, these wide-ranging conversations represent the diversity of women composing music in the United States from the mid-twentieth century into the twenty-first.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

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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

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Book SynopsisCorrects much of the misinformation and myth about one of the most influential musicians of the twentieth century.Trade Review"Impressive detail, a notable addition to the extensive Music in American Life Series."--Booklist"A well-researched and rapidly consumed book."--AllAboutJazz.com"As comprehensive and appreciative as any of the past Parker literature."--The Santa Fe New Mexican"This is a wonderful, loving, yet unsparing look at Bird's life. Haddix's research is stunning."--Kim Parker"I couldn't put this book down! This is a must read! A very important book. Congratulations to Chuck Haddix for bringing more clarity to the life of Charlie Parker."--Bobby Watson, Director of Jazz Studies, UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance"Finally, a biography that includes a detailed account of Bird's formative years. One feels that Haddix's research may open new discussions about this flawed genius, and the wonderfully detailed aspects of Parker's early life present a hitherto unknown aspect of a tragically short but immensely influential existence. Almost sixty years since Parker's death, this book is surprisingly the first comprehensive account of the life of one of the last century's foremost and yet enigmatic musicians. Essential reading for any jazz musician."--Llew Walker, creator of www.birdlives.co.uk"Balancing historical research and anecdotal information, Haddix artfully crafts a rich context for understanding the musical genius—-and enigma—that was Bird. . . . the book's pacing, numerous quotes from other musicians, and references to legal practices of the time make it hard to put down. Highly recommended."--Choice"A detailed and well-proportioned linear narrative. Assiduous about assigning dates, where possible, to previously vague areas of chronology."--Jazzwise "Clearly the most complete account of the saxophonist's early life and career. What emerges from Bird is a much more human tale that we have not heard before."--Popmatters.com "Bird makes extensive use of primary-source material, much of it hitherto unknown. . . . It sets forth the known facts of Parker's brief life in a way that is unusually thorough for so concise a book."--Commentary "A straightforward, no-frills chronicle of the alto saxophonist. Thanks to diligent research, it pieces together the disparate fragments of Parker's turbulent private life into a persuasive, coherent and convincing narrative."--Record Collector Magazine "A studiously researched overview of the man, it underscores how Parker's life was as concise as his influence was infinite."--Los Angeles Magazine

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"It is all too rare to have such a comprehensive account of a living composer, one, in fact, of a composer who is still at the height of his creative powers. So Leta Miller's fascinating new book about Aaron Jay Kernis is extremely welcome, not only because it shines light on many of his important compositions, but because it is also a really good read! In revealing that the life of a present day composer can be every bit as compelling as the biographies of the so-called old masters, hopefully it will encourage authors and publishers to further mine the life stories of other leading music creators of our time."--Frank J. Oteri, composer and founding editor of NewMusicBox"Aaron Jay Kernis is one of the most important and original voices in contemporary music. Writing about a living composer and explaining contemporary music present enormous challenges. Leta Miller meets them with uncanny skill. Illuminating Kernis' life and getting to the core of his music, she finds fascinating and important links between them."--Hugh Wolff, Director of Orchestras and Chair of Orchestral Conducting, New England Conservatory"In Leta Miller's wonderfully intimate and detailed portrait of Aaron Kernis, she chronicles his personal and professional progression to become one of the world's leading voices in new music. Her book inspires me to revisit the works I know with new insight, to listen to the works I have missed and to anticipate many years of amazing new creations."--David Shifrin"Enjoyable and readable. The sections on the Pulitzer and Grawemeyer; his studies with Wuorinen; the accounts of rehearsals of his music by Jacob Druckman, Zubin Mehta, and Kurt Masur; the music itself; the variety of styles that he drew from; brief connections to minimalism, rap, jazz, and popular music--all were interesting to read. I found her discussion of turning points within his career, and consistencies within his style (including eclecticism itself), to be strongly supported by the presentation and analyses of his music. Not only does she point out Judaic, popular, and personal references in the music, she provides a wider context of understanding about their meaning in his output as a whole."--Sharon Mirchandani, author of Marga RichterTable of ContentsACKNOWLEDGMENTS vii 1. Introduction 1 2. Learning the Craft: Early Years and Training (1960-1983) 7 3. Kernis Meets the New York Philharmonic 26 4. Coming to Grips with History (1984-1991) 43 5. War, with Interludes (1991-1995) 71 6. Triumphs and Tribulations: Big Commissions, Big Risks, Big Rewards (1995-2001) 100 7. Family Matters (2002-2009) 126 8. Looking to the Future 152APPENDIX: CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF WORKS 163SUGGESTED LISTENING 171NOTES 173INDEX 185

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Book SynopsisOne of the twentieth century's most important musical thinkers, James Tenney did pioneering work in multiple fields, including computer music, tuning theory, and algorithmic and computer-assisted composition. From Scratch arranges, edits, and revises Tenney's hard-to-find writings into one indispensable collection. Selections focus on his fundamental concernswhat the ear hearsand include thoughts and ideas on perception and form, tuning systems and especially just intonation, information theory, theories of harmonic space, and stochastic (chance) procedures of composition.Trade Review"This collection of essays propels Tenney studies into the next critical stage, making publicly accessible the writings of one of the most compelling musical thinkers in the American contemporary music scene. In their well-selected diversity, these writings are a marvelous expression of the breadth of Tenney's aesthetic and theoretical thinking; surely this book will serve as an essential cornerstone to scholars for decades to come."--David W. Patterson, contributing editor of John Cage: Music, Philosophy, and Intention, 1933–1950"If you want to encounter one of the major thinkers of twentieth century music, James Tenney's writing is worth getting to know, and if you're at all interested in the history of music technology and its development, his writing is essential."--Sound Bytes Magazine"This new book is without doubt a landmark publication for those involved in Tenney scholarship,. . . . This collection of writings provides a superbly revealing insight into Tenney's work, and the couching of prominent texts alongside much less well-known ones helps to enrich the understanding of him and his work." --Tempo "A testament to avant-garde musical thought from the 1960s until the advent of postmodernism in the 1980s, and it also raises questions that are in many regards perennial. Recommended."--Choice"The intellectual and creative path chronicled here is inspiring, particularly as Tenney's questions about the experience of music-making remain deeply relevant today."--Computer Music Journal"Enables us to hear anew Tenney's deep musical resonances, and offers us the gift of Tenney's insights about music."--Notes"Tenney's writings provide an invaluable model for artists interested in connecting aesthetics to scientific understandings of human perception and the material world."--Chris Brown, composer and co-director of the Center for Contemporary Music at Mills College

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Beyer was a surprising question mark that demanded an answer. A lovely book."--Kyle Gann, author of Robert Ashley "In this much needed study Amy C. Beal, a professor at the University of California, seeks to redress. . . erasure while acknowledging the difficulties of trying to shed new light upon 'the enduring mystery of this prolific yet elusive composer.'"--The Wire "A wonderful introduction to the work of a sadly forgotten composer."--Soundbytes"Amy Beal writes, 'Johanna Beyer's work combines the confidence of an original thinker and the calculations of an analytical mind.' The same could be said of Beyer's biographer, whose amazing detective skills have enabled a troubled and fascinating artist and woman to be rediscovered. In her efforts to act as Henry Cowell's advocate, Beyer neglected to find one for herself. Beal explains why and simultaneously allows us to appreciate the musical rewards in bringing someone in from the cold margins of conventional history."--Judith Tick, author of Ruth Crawford Seeger: A Composer's Search for American Music"Despite not having written music until age forty-three, Johanna Beyer quickly became a composer of elegant and innovative contrapuntal, percussion, and even . . . electronic works. Given that she was almost totally forgotten for decades after her death, it is a musicological miracle that Amy Beal has been able to compile a record of her life as detailed and touchingly intimate as this one. I'm so thrilled to see this book come out--Beyer was a surprising question mark that demanded an answer. A lovely book."--Kyle Gann, author of Robert Ashley"Beal's groundbreaking study reveals that Johanna Beyer was a key figure in the modernist circle around Henry Cowell and an accomplished composer in her own right during a pivotal moment in American music. Johanna Beyer is an intelligently written and thoroughly engaging biography of this fascinating figure in modern music."--Gayle Sherwood Magee, author of Charles Ives Reconsidered

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Macleod adroitly documents both Fannie Bloomfield-Zeisler's tremendous musical accomplishments and zest for life. It seems the fire that burned around her as a girl became the woman's fire within."--Journal of Illinois History "Macleod's biography offers a valuable contribution to a limited collection of literature on female musicians performing in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The author's work not only gives meaning to a heretofore famous pianist's achievements but also provides a volume exploring the dichotomy of the "new woman" striving to have a family and a career."--Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society "The book is written in an informative, descriptive style and is not too academically dry or needlessly wordy. . . . For this reason, this book is very instructive to students in learning about nineteenth-century ways, attitudes, and lifestyles, as well as the prominence and musical stardom of an American Jewish woman."--The American Jewish Archives Journal"Will fill a void in the literature on this remarkable pianist. The author has done an excellent job."--Judy Tsou, coeditor of Cecilia Reclaimed: Feminist Perspectives on Gender and Music"An eloquently drawn portrait of Bloomfield-Zeisler, this volume examines the artist’s life as she strove to balance her fame and touring with the expectation that she be the 'ideal' mother and wife. With wonderful and imaginative attention to detail, Macleod brings the era to life, artfully weaving together a variety of disparate themes, from societal attitudes toward female artists, the blossoming of classical music in the United States, and anti-Semitism at home and abroad, to the cultural growth of Chicago, and even the vagaries of railroad travel in America at the time. This impressive work marks an important contribution to the often neglected study of women's role in music history."--Larry Ward, College of DuPage

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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

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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

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Beverly Sills came along at the perfect moment, quenching the public's thirst for a bona fide STAR. Now this book comes along at the perfect moment to quench this generation's thirst for insight into what made her shine so radiantly."--Joyce DiDonato"Guy's study goes well beyond the operatic stage or record studio to consider her subject's broad appeal and popularity."--ARSC Journal "Guy's refreshing book offers a timely contrast between the cultural backdrop of the 20th century and that of the present… This is a captivating work on Sill's unique, spellbinding artistry. Highly recommended."--Choice "An exhaustively researched, thoughtful, well-written treatment of one of the most important and beloved musicians the U.S. has ever produced."--Timothy D. Taylor, author of The Sounds of Capitalism: Advertising, Music, and the Conquest of Culture"What stays with one most about Guy's study is the passion behind it, and the way it evokes a time in which an opera could be that relevant to so many."--Opera News“Nancy Guy’s The Magic of Beverly Sills couldn’t be more timely. In an era when opera needs stars, the author has given us a fascinating, comprehensive look at the elusive magic of an artist who enchanted not only opera devotees, but the entire nation."--Renée Fleming"Frequently, biographies of opera singers are basically gushing with enthusiasm and overstated personal opinions. This book avoids those pitfalls and adds important scholarly information about how to think about an opera singer, her roles, and her fans."--Naomi André, coeditor of Blackness in Opera"Guy's elegant biography gets to the heart of Sills's magnetic stage presence and parses the performer's power to mesmerize audiences with ineffable and poignant cultural magic."--Jill Dolan, author of The Feminist Spectator in Action: Feminist Criticism for the Stage and Screen

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Dr. Snyder is a good storyteller. Her words flow easily across the page and assure the reader that a rewarding journey lies ahead. . . . Snyder is to be congratulated for her biography of "this grand old man," and her efforts demand the immediate attention of readers."--The American Organist"The definitive biography of Burleigh, unlikely to be superseded in the near future."--Thomas Riis, author of Just before Jazz: Black Musical Theater in New York, 1890–1915"In prose that is both accessible and detailed, Snyder has written a biography that will appeal not just to musicologists and Burleigh specialists, but also to anyone wanting to learn more about the contributions of this historically significant musician, mentor, and activist."--Notes"The definitive biography of Burleigh. . . . worth reading for anyone interested in the cultural life of African American communities in the “Promised Land” after the Civil War. . . . a worthy addition to any library, personal or institutional, that collects information about black music and important figures in African American history."--Black Grooves"In addition to a detailed account of Burleigh's relationships with his contemporaries, his complex marital life, and his successful performing career, Snyder provides valuable musicological analysis of Burleigh's compositions and arrangements. Highly recommended."--Choice"Jean E. Snyder's brilliant encyclopedic evaluation of the life and legacy of Harry Thacker Burleigh reveals an intriguing lode of personal and professional detail about the iconic singer whose seminal influence in American compositional history is appreciated today by precious few."--George I. Shirley, Grammy Award winner and Director of the Vocal Arts Division, University of Michigan"By incorporating the unique perspective offered by members of Harry T. Burleigh's family, Jean Snyder makes a valuable and much-needed contribution to the literature on one of the greatest African-American musical figures of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Moreover, Snyder's work is timely since it coincides with the Burleigh sesquicentennial celebration."--Samuel A. Floyd, Jr., author of The Power of Black Music: Interpreting Its History from Africa to the United States

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Book SynopsisA singular resource, Exploring the World of J. S. Bach puts Bach aficionados and classical music lovers in the shoes of the master composer. Bach scholar Robert L. Marshall and veteran writer-translator Traute M. Marshall lead readers on a Baroque Era odyssey through fifty towns where Bach resided, visited, and of course created his works. Drawing on established sources as well as newly available East German archives, the authors describe each site in Bach's time and the present, linking the sites to the biographical information, artistic and historic landmarks, and musical activities associated with each. A wealth of historical illustrations, color photographs, and maps supplement the text, whetting the appetite of the visitor and the armchair traveler alike.Trade Review"Beautifully written and lavishly illustrated, with both modern photographs and 18th-century images, Exploring the World of Bach is an invaluable guidebook for any traveler wishing to explore Bach's Germany and Germany's Bach… A sophisticated and original piece of scholarship (including a superb bibliography and valuable appendix) which will be of great value to both Bach experts and novices for years to come."--Early Music America "An extraordinary accomplishment and an indispensable resource for anyone interested in the life and works of J. S. Bach. The authors combine in a single volume the results of the latest research and biographical studies in the form of an illustrated guide of the towns in which Bach lived and which he visited." --Don O. Franklin, The American Bach Society"For the academic, student, or aficionado who might not be able to travel to Germany, this resource provides an excellent gateway into the geopolitical world where Bach lived, produced music as performer and director, and composed."--Notes "It is equal parts social history, travelogue, memoir, and biography, making for a surprisingly engaging look at one of the most iconic musicians of all time." --RoguesPortal"The book is clear, intelligent, authoritative, and readable. Also, it is stocked with photos. . . . You may wonder whether Robert and Traute Marshall themselves have followed Back through Bach Country. They have. Every step. I wish I had done it with them. But you can do it, in a sense, through this book. . . . I esteem what the Marshalls have done."--Jay Nordlinger, The New Criterion"This book deserves a wide audience of both specialists and general readers." --BACH: Journal of the Reiemenschneider Bach Institute"This highly informative, practical, beautifully illustrated, and altogether inviting travel guide to Bach country has no equivalent. Robert and Traute Marshall describe both the principal stations and the lesser known places where Johann Sebastian Bach and members of this distinguished family of musicians lived and worked in a wonderful way. History is truly brought to life for the traveling music lover. Small as it is in terms of geographic extent, Bach's world becomes truly monumental and memorable in this extremely useful book."--Christoph Wolff, author of Johann Sebastian Bach: The Learned Musician"The vivid descriptions and images of the places where Bach visited or lived, and the latest in musicological research, make this book essential reading for everyone who wants to know more about his music, life, and world."--Mark Kroll, harpsichordist and author of Johann Nepomuk Hummel: A Musician's Life and World

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Book SynopsisThe most atypical of bluegrass artists, Bill Clifton has enjoyed a long career as a recording artist, performer, and champion of old-time music. Bill C. Malone pens the story of Clifton''s eclectic life and influential career. Born into a prominent Maryland family, Clifton connected with old-time music as a boy. Clifton made records around earning a Master''s degree, fifteen years in the British folk scene, and stints in the Peace Corps and Marines. Yet that was just the beginning. Closely allied with the Carter Family, Woody Guthrie, Mike Seeger, and others, Clifton altered our very perceptions of the music--organizing one of the first outdoor bluegrass festivals, publishing a book of folk and gospel standards that became a cornerstone of the folk revival, and introducing both traditional and progressive bluegrass around the world. As Malone shows, Clifton clothed the music of working-class people in the vestments of romance, celebrating the log cabin as a refuge from modernism tTrade 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

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Book SynopsisTrade Review”Peggy Seeger has lived her life at the sharp end of folk music. Jean Freedman tells the story of this free-spirited artist and agitator.”—Billy Bragg”Freedman, a professional folklorist, is the perfect biographer for the incomparable Peggy Seeger. She skillfully weaves together insights from the many interviews she conducted with family, friends, and Peggy herself, with her own expert observations about the musical gifts and accomplishments of the folk music icon. Those of us for whom Peggy Seeger and Ewan MacColl were living legends will especially savor this book, but everyone will be fascinated and moved by the life of a uniquely talented musician who bridged so many divides: classical and folk music, the British and American folk scenes, and her roots in one of America’s great musical families to the several lives she created in the UK and the US.”—Deborah Tannen, author of You Just Don't Understand and You're Wearing THAT?”O, how I love this book! It gives me everything I wanted to know about my friend, the salty and sweet Peggy Seeger and her unique and prolific family. All the pain is there, but so are the achievements and the joys. This book goes on my shelf next to The Mayor of MacDougal Street, and I can offer no higher praise than that.”—Tom Paxton”Freedman illuminates Seeger's life and career, creating a powerful, in-depth portrait of the woman, artist, activist, and champion of the folk music genre. . . . A must.”—Library Journal”An elaborately detailed investigation of Seeger's enduring musical legacy.”—Booklist"Jean R. Freedman's thoroughly researched book is the definitive biography--a masterpiece."--FolkWorks"This biography is at its best in evoking what it must have felt like to be Peggy Seeger, developing a political, feminist, consciousness while realizing her own loving and artistic self within a formidable family and political community. Recommended."--Choice"Her account will be welcomed by Seeger's perennial fan base while providing a fair, thoughtful introduction to new admirers."--Bookreporter

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Book SynopsisLibby Larsen has composed award-winning music performed around the world. Her works range from chamber pieces and song cycles to operas to large-scale works for orchestra and chorus. At the same time, she has advocated for living composers and new music since cofounding the American Composers Forum in 1973. Denise Von Glahn's in-depth examination of Larsen merges traditional biography with a daring scholarly foray: an ethnography of one active artist. Drawing on musical analysis, the composer's personal archive, and seven years of interviews with Larsen and those in her orbit, Von Glahn illuminates the polyphony of achievements that make up Larsen's public and private lives. In considering Larsen's musical impact, Von Glahn delves into how elements of the personala 1950s childhood, spiritual seeking, love of nature, and status as an important woman artistinform her work. The result is a portrait of a musical pathfinder who continues to defy expectations and reject labels.Trade 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

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Book SynopsisTrade 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

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Book SynopsisSpanish émigré guitarist Celedonio Romero gave his American debut performance on a June evening in 1958. In the sixty years since, the Romero FamilyCeledonio, his wife Angelita, sons Celín, Pepe, and Angel, as well as grandsons Celino and Litohave become preeminent in the world of Spanish flamenco and classical guitar in the United States. Walter Aaron Clark''s in-depth research and unprecedented access to his subjects have produced the consummate biography of the Romero family. Clark examines the full story of their genius for making music, from their outsider''s struggle to gain respect for the Spanish guitar to the ins and outs of making a living as musicians. As he shows, their concerts and recordings, behind-the-scenes musical careers, and teaching have reshaped their instrument''s very history. At the same time, the Romeros have organized festivals and encouraged leading composers to write works for guitar as part of a tireless, lifelong effort to promote the guitar and expaTrade Review"For the protraction of my musical education and the great pleasure of their company, I am truly grateful to the family Romero."--Sir Neville Marriner, from the foreword"We are taken on a beautiful journey starting in the hills of southern Spain and traveling across the world in an exquisite poetic narrative that evokes the magic of the musical life of the Romero family. Their amazing guitar playing is central to this adventure, as they shared their passion with their audiences. The author gives us a wonderful insight into their lives and the enormous contribution they have made to the world of music."--David Russell, classical guitarist"It is impossible to overestimate the impact that the Romeros have had on the world of the classical guitar. They’ve enthralled millions of listeners and inspired generations of players with their brilliant technique, phenomenal musicianship, and joyous stage artistry. The LAGQ feels blessed to be part of their grand legacy, and we applaud the poetry and beauty that the author brings to this fascinating subject."--The Los Angeles Guitar Quartet (John Dearman, Matthew Greif, William Kanengiser and Scott Tennant) "To see Los Romeros play is to witness them making love to an instrument that, in their hands, is transformed into the most beautiful human voice."--Jesús López Cobos, from the foreword"All the Romeros form a very close family that has bestowed on our guitar honors, nobility, and the best music. This book tells their story in a fashion worthy of them."--Manolo Sanlúcar, flamenco guitarist

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Katherine Baber is to be commended for her careful research and deep analysis in Leonard Bernstein and the Language of Jazz . . . the patient and careful reader will discover that the challenge is a satisfying and rewarding one." --Jazz and Culture"Remarkable . . . Baber's work is a unique and important contribution to Bernstein scholarship, and can serve as a model for how to approach musical signification through style in a nuanced and thorough manner that considers wider cultural phenomena." --Music Reference Services Quarterly​"While jazz has been discussed as a component in Bernstein's musical style before, Baber's focus is more on the potential meanings of Bernstein's use of that jazz, both in what it might have meant for Bernstein and for the audiences listening to the music. A strong contribution to the field."--Paul Laird, author of Leonard Bernstein: A Guide to Research​"Baber offers compelling evidence of the composer's integration of jazz and blues into his wide-ranging work." --Library Journal"Recommended." --Choice"Greatly impressive." --Booklist"Baber's discussions of Bernstein's music are well-researched, cogent, and thoughtful. . . . A firm foundaton on which to further investigate Bernstein's music and from a variety of angles." --Arts Fuse

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Book SynopsisAs both composer and critic, Peggy Glanville-Hicks contributed to the astonishing cultural ferment of the mid-twentieth century. Her forceful voice as a writer and commentator helped shape professional and public opinion on the state of American composing. The seventy musical works she composed ranged from celebrated operas like Nausicaa to intimate, jewel-like compositions created for friends. Her circle included figures like Virgil Thomson, Paul Bowles, John Cage, and Yehudi Menuhin. Drawing on interviews, archival research, and fifty-four years of extraordinary pocket diaries, Suzanne Robinson places Glanville-Hicks within the history of American music and composers. P.G.H. forged alliances with power brokers and artists that gained her entrance to core American cultural entities such as the League of Composers, New York Herald Tribune, and the Harkness Ballet. Yet her impeccably cultivated public image concealed a private life marked by unhappy love affairs, stubborn poverty, and tTrade Review"The book proves to be well worth the wait. Thoroughly documented and beautifully written, it tells the fascinating story of a woman who survived--and thrived--in the professional music world of New York City in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s." --Notes"Peggy Glanville-Hicks: Composer and Critic is strongly recommended for all collections, academic and public. It is accessible to all." --Fontes Artis Musicae"Engaging and exceptionally well-written . . . Recommended." --Choice"Filling a huge canvas with immersive detail and impressive new research, Suzanne Robinson places an Australian-born woman in New York City at the very center of American music and modernism in the 1950s–60s. As Peggy Glanville-Hicks scrambled to earn a living as a composer through hard work, raw talent, persistence and wit, she became a discerning critic and indispensable colleague of Virgil Thomson at the New York Herald Tribune. Receptive both to the new experimental music and to ancient folk idioms of India and Greece, she delighted in creating music of textural simplicity, stylistic diversity, melodic elegance and charm, especially in songs and operas (notably Nausicaa, The Transposed Heads, and Sappho). Robinson tells the story of a musical maverick and feminist pioneer: shrewd and snarly, secretive and demanding, yet loyal in love and friendship with fellow artists like Paul Bowles, John Butler, Anais Nin, and Yehudi Menuhin. No one interested in American and Australian music and feminism will be without this fascinating book."--Elizabeth Wood, coeditor of Queering the Pitch: The New Gay and Lesbian Musicology"Robinson’s warm and authoritative prose is elegant, clear and engaging, and her scholarly rigour unpacking the multiple narratives Glanville-Hicks constructed around herself makes for absolutely fascinating reading." --Limelight"Robinson is especially good at making period and place come alive for the reader. The book should richly reward any reader who wants to explore American musical and literary history in this period—and the people who made it and lived it." --American Record Guide"The book proves to be well worth the wait. Thoroughly documented and beautifully written, it tells the fascinating story of a woman who survived--and thrived--in the professional music world of New York City in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s." --Notes

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Engaging and informative study of film scores by Aaron Copland and Hanns Eisler within the larger artistic, intellectual, musical, and political climate of midcentury America. Bick's work offers a significant contribution to the new wave of film music studies, which place equal emphasis on insightful and detailed music discussion."--Gayle Sherwood Magee, author of Robert Altman's Soundtracks: Film, Music, and Sound from M*A*S*H to A Prairie Home Companion

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Book SynopsisChicago blues musicians parlayed a genius for innovation and emotional honesty into a music revered around the world. As the blues evolves, it continues to provide a soundtrack to, and a dynamic commentary on, the African American experience: the legacy of slavery; historic promises and betrayals; opportunity and disenfranchisement; the ongoing struggle for freedom. Through it all, the blues remains steeped in survivorship and triumph, a music that dares to stare down life in all its injustice and iniquity and still laugh--and dance--in its face. David Whiteis delves into how the current and upcoming Chicago blues generations carry on this legacy. Drawing on in-person interviews, Whiteis places the artists within the ongoing social and cultural reality their work reflects and helps create. Beginning with James Cotton, Eddie Shaw, and other bequeathers, he moves through an all-star council of elders like Otis Rush and Buddy Guy and on to inheritors and today''s heirs apparent like RoTrade Review"[Whiteis's] spot-on assessments of the social and economic forces . . . are as essential as his encyclopedic knowledge of the artists’ backgrounds and discographies."--DownBeat"Whiteis's book offers a lively tour of the music that grew out of the streets and churches and clubs of Chicago and that continues to evolve and shape roots music around the world." --No Depression"Whiteis’ knowledge of and love for his subject is strong and unquestionable and the reader is sure to feel and share the author’s hope that the legacy continues." --Living Blues"Appealing to serious jazz fans, Whiteis’s history serves as a handy reference to Chicago blues." --Publishers Weekly"Whiteis understands the art of keeping readers engaged while he adds to their understanding of the current Chicago blues community. . . . A book well-worth reading." --Blues Blast Magazine"David Whiteis’ writing pulls you in exactly as sounds spilling out of a blues club on a summer night would pull you off the sidewalk to listen. He doesn’t divorce himself from the narrative, which gives this work an intimacy, never letting it dissolve into an academic assignment." --NewCity Lit"Even if you’ve previously read articles or heard interviews with the blues musicians profiled in Blues Legacy before, you are guaranteed to learn something new and interesting about them while reading this well-written and fastidiously researched book by Mr. Whiteis." --Chicago Blues Guide"It captures the changes that have confronted the Chicago blues community but also shows the continuity and affirmation of a viable, dynamic blues tradition. Whiteis remains one of the premier documentarians of the Chicago scene."--Barry Lee Pearson, author of Jook Right On: Blues Stories and Blues Storytellers "In his latest history on Chicago blues, Whiteis is as usual informative and stimulating, while addressing some considerably contentious issues. The author has long demonstrated that he is one of the best writers on blues. He has a way with words that can paint a vivid portrait of his subject or scene."--Robert Pruter, author of Chicago Soul "Whiteis' tale mirrors what fans and blues musicians alike have experienced. That hypnotic calling of the blues. These profiles are essential for all fans to understand the universal calling that these musicians felt." --Blues Music Magazine

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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