Composers and songwriters Books

Book SynopsisFor more than fifty years, Chicago drummer Jimmi Mayes served as a sideman behind some of the greatest musicians and musical groups in history. This sideman to the stars witnessed music history from the best seat in the house - behind the drum set.

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Book SynopsisFeatures twenty-one conversations with musicians who have had at least fifty years of professional experience. Appealing to casual fans and jazz aficionados alike, these interviews have been carefully, but minimally edited by Peter Zimmerman for sense and clarity, without changing any of the musicians' actual words.

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Book SynopsisRediscovers the career of Black activist E. Azalia Hackley (1867-1922), a concert artist, nationally famous music teacher, and charismatic lecturer. Juanita Karpf reclaims Hackley's legacy and details the talent, energy, determination, and unprecedented worldview she brought to the cause of racial uplift.

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Book SynopsisWhy did the Stalin era, a period characterized by bureaucratic control and the reign of Socialist Realism in the arts, witness such an extraordinary upsurge of musical creativity and the prominence of musicians in the cultural elite? This is one of the questions that Kiril Tomoff seeks to answer in Creative Union, the first book about any of the professional unions that dominated Soviet cultural life at the time. Drawing on hitherto untapped archives, he shows how the Union of Soviet Composers established control over the music profession and negotiated the relationship between composers and the Communist Party leadership. Central to Tomoff''s argument is the institutional authority and prestige that the musical profession accrued and deployed within Soviet society, enabling musicians to withstand the postwar disciplinary campaigns that were so crippling in other artistic and literary spheres.Most accounts of Soviet musical life focus on famous individuals or the campaTrade ReviewTomoff deftly challenges the mythology of the martyred Soviet artist. His thoroughly researched study explores not only the institutional structures and bureaucratic processes of the Composers' Union but also the personal and professional networks within it that protected members and preserved artistic values. Tomoff ably balances high politics and personal relationships to show how Soviet composers successfully negotiated shifting ideological terrain.... This study provides a much-needed corrective to the traditional interpretation of Stalinist musical life and makes an important contribution to Russian cultural and political history. It will fascinate all those interested in the complex relationship between music, society, and the wielders of political power. * Russian Review *Impressive.... Tomoff has given us both detail and a broad new way of thinking about the mechanisms of Soviet ideological control. It undermines many of the broad, standardized approaches to Soviet culture and provides a nuanced appreciation of the opportunities and constraints that shaped Soviet music during the years when Stalin was alive. It is a text that should be read by anyone interested in the cultural dynamics of the Soviet Union. * European History Quarterly *Tomoff's book is precisely the kind that historians of Soviet musical culture most need right now: a repository of solid documented facts, interpreted with a light touch that strives only to outline general observations from the evidence he presents.... It is invaluable to have such a wealth of concrete detail at one's fingertips at long last. * Music and Letters *Tomoff's most significant achievement is to have taken full advantage of newly opened archives: the argument in each of his ten chapters is backed up by exhaustive documentation from previously unpublished sources.... [A] considerable contribution to the field of Soviet cultural history.... Musicologists and historians have much cause to be grateful to the author for the assiduous way in which he has compiled the detailed case study presented here. * The Journal of Modern History *This excellent book fills an important void in the diverse and growing body of literature on Stalinist culture.... Based on diligent, exhaustive archival research in Moscow, this study also develops a sophisticated conceptual apparatus.... Remarkably well researched, with every minute detail of the composers' everyday life and work duly clarified and placed in its proper context.... An excellent and innovative book that explains many intricate facts related to the functioning of Stalinist culture. It will be read widely by historians of the Soviet Union and historians of music. * Ab Imperio *A level-headed yet provocative examination of the creation, structure, and workings of the Composers' Union in the USSR at the end of the Stalin period. Tomoff provides the most detailed discussion thus far of the official organization that allowed Soviet composers and musicologists to practice their trades, and the sobriety with which he evaluates his rich archival materials is much appreciated.... A valuable contribution to our understanding of musical production in the USSR; it will undoubtedly help foster productive debate about the politics and practices of the Composers' Union and Soviet music in general. * The American Historical Review *A fascinating read. * American Journal of Sociology *One of the finest books written on Soviet music life. This work will be of interest not only to specialists on Soviet musical life but also to those who want to gain an insight into the relationship between artists and organs of state and into how an elite was created and perpetuated during the Stalin period. Creative Union is therefore a book that successfully challenges long-held preconceptions about Soviet musical life in the period 1939-1953. * Slavic Review *Kiril Tomoff's Creative Union represents a milestone in the literature on the musical life of the Stalin-era Soviet Union by addressing for the first time the need for a comprehensive study of the Soviet Composers' Union. An excellent and most welcome study of an institution that stood as one of the cornerstones of Soviet musical life. Many a scholar will benefit from Tomoff's excellent work, particularly those interested in broad issues of music and politics, as well as those concerned with more specific issues of Stalinist culture and the enormous impact of World War II on Soviet cultural life. * Notes: Quarterly Journal of the Music Library Association *Tomoff's detailed interpretation moves brilliantly beyond the heroic narrative and disaggregates the idea of a unified 'state' to tell the story of Soviet music production in a much broader and complicated context. In analyzing the evolving relationship between artistic production and political power in the USSR, Tomoff provides a fresh and convincing account of the intricate workings of the post-war Stalinist system. * Social History *

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Book SynopsisThroughout the 1990s, Prince feuded with his record label, Warner Bros., over his rights as an independent recording artist—and made some of the most brilliant music of his career. During that time, Jim Walsh covered Prince for the St. Paul Pioneer Press and wrote about him passionately, thoughtfully, exhaustively. Here, in real time, is that coverage: a clip-by-clip look back at Prince in the ‘90s. Walsh’s newly unearthed interviews, essays, columns, and reviews make Gold Experience an essential slice of history for fans, scholars, and latecomers to the Minneapolis-born musical genius Prince Rogers Nelson (June 7, 1958–April 21, 2016).Join Walsh at the 1994 NBA All-Star game after party and release bash for the single “The Most Beautiful Girl in the World.” Accompany him to the after-hours clubs Erotic City, Glam Slam, and, of course, Paisley Park. Meet Prince’s wife and bandmate Mayte (and while you’re at it, take in the wedding and reception). Enjoy a two-hour sit-down interview with Prince. Explore Prince’s veganism, talk to fans in line for a Target Center show, preview the “Jam of the Year” concert and check in at the after party. The passions and influences, from Mozart to funk godfather Larry Graham; the gigs and the Paisley Park garage sale; Walsh’s open letter to the artist and his reflections on religion and spirituality. This is Prince as few have seen him, reported as only Jim Walsh can: a portrait of the artist from a dizzying array of angles, captured in living color for all time. Trade Review"Jim Walsh was front and center for one of the most prolific and controversial eras in Prince’s career, and Gold Experience offers an intimate, real-time account of this critical chapter in the evolution of a generation's greatest musician."—Alan Light, music journalist and author of Let’s Go Crazy: Prince and the Making of Purple Rain"A revealing look at Prince and his relentless quest for self-realization and truth during his most fascinating and misunderstood era."—Kevin Cole, Chief Content Officer, Host of the Afternoon Show KEXP"During a controversial era of Prince’s career that left most in the industry cynically scratching their heads and rolling their eyes, Jim Walsh kept a steady hand and a wide-open heart, covering the purple beat with passion, curiosity, and something sorely lacking in most newspaper reports: love. Walsh’s words don’t just sing and dance, they do the splits. It’s easy to envision Prince himself cracking a smile and leaping up to sing along."—Andrea Swensson, host at 89.3 The Current and author of Got to Be Something Here: The Origins of Minneapolis Sound"There was a time when Prince asked Jim, ‘Why are you my only friend in the media?’ You can feel his answer in this collection: Here is the most important artist in Minnesota's history, regularly playing in the middle of the night for 300 people or less, and here's the only reporter open hearted enough—everybody else was referring to TAFKAP as ‘Symbolina’ or worse—to serve as the Boswell of Paisley Park."—Steve Marsh, senior writer, Mpls.St.Paul Magazine"[Gold Experience] is wonderful reading for Prince fans and for those who like solid non-fiction writing and who appreciate the music scene."—Looking for a Good Book"Walsh showcases Prince as a complex musician and individual. As with Prince’s music, this title commands multiple readings and analysis."—Library Journal"Vividly capturing the hope and heartbreak of this waning musical epoch, Walsh’s Gold Experience paints a poignant portrait of the artist formerly known as Prince."—Star Tribune"Gold Experience is full of fascinating details about life with Prince (or, rather, the Artist Then-Formerly Known as Prince) in the '90s."—The Current"Walsh covers the Artist (sometimes known only as a symbol) with a music critic’s expertise and a fan’s unbridled enthusiasm."—Crave Online"Gold Experience is presented in a real-time fashion, bringing the reader back to the ‘90s."—Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

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Book SynopsisThe raw material and interviews behind Anthony Scaduto’s iconic biography of Bob Dylan draw an intimate and multifaceted portrait of the singer-songwriter who defined his era When Anthony Scaduto’s Bob Dylan: An Intimate Biography was first published in 1971, the Nobel Prize–winning songwriter, at thirty, had already released some of the most iconic albums of the 1960s, including Highway 61 Revisited and Blonde on Blonde. Scaduto’s book was one of the first to take an investigative journalist’s approach to its subject and set the standard for rock music biography. The Dylan Tapes, compiled from thirty-six hours of interviews, is a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Scaduto’s landmark book—and a close-up encounter with pivotal figures in Dylan’s life. These reel-to-reel tapes, found in a box in Scaduto’s basement, are a never-bootlegged trove of archival material about Dylan, drawn from conversations with those closest to him during the early years of his career.In the era of ten-second takes, these interviews offer uncommon depth and immediacy as we listen to friends and lovers recall the Dylan they knew as he created his professional persona and perfected his craft—from folk music, protest songs, and electric rock through the traumatic impact of a motorcycle crash to his later, more self-reflecting songwriting. Echo Helstrom, Dylan’s “Girl from the North Country,” is here, as are Suze Rotolo, who graced the cover of the Freewheelin’ album, and Joan Baez, remembering her relationship “to Bobby.” We hear from Mike Porco, who gave Dylan his first gig in New York City; Sid and Bob Gleason, who introduced him to his hero Woody Guthrie; folk artists from Greenwich Village, like Phil Ochs and Ramblin’ Jack Eliot; John Hammond Sr., who gave him his first record contract; plus a host of musicians, activists, folk historians, and archivists—and, of course, Dylan himself.From these reflections and frank conversations, many published here for the first time, a complex, finely observed picture emerges of one of the best known yet most enigmatic musicians of our time.Trade Review "Tony Scaduto was my teacher. As a young reporter I was awed by his ability to find new angles others had missed. To enlighten and move within the confines of the newspaper style. Later, I saw how he applied obsessive concern with accuracy, meticulous research, and the revelatory probings of a brief interview to fashion what remains the definitive biography. (And Dylan's favorite.) Anyone interested in journalism should read the book and the tapes together to get an insight into the methods of a master."—Heywood Gould "Anthony Scaduto’s seminal biography on Dylan was the first one I read. I’ll never forget coming across the line, ‘He created a new identity every step of the way in order to create identity.’ For me it was a eureka moment, this idea of Dylan creating and recreating identity, and of identity itself as something mutable and ever-changing, that would lead to the concept for my film biography, I’m Not There."—Todd Haynes "Scaduto’s Bob Dylan is considered one of the best biographies of the iconic singer/songwriter. These insightful interviews are like pieces to a puzzle that the author ably wove together. For Dylan fans, it’s like revisiting an old friend."—Kirkus Reviews "The Dylan Tapes is a behind-the-scenes view of one of modern music’s true legends- and of one of the first long-form pieces of music journalism. "—Foreword "The life and music of the now 80-year-old Bob Dylan has been analyzed, dissected, dug into, debated, argued about and postulated on perhaps more than any other musical artist. But what The Dylan Tapes has that most of them don’t are the raw and then-relatively recent thoughts and memories of those where there, and early on in the journey."—Houston Press "This how-the-sausage-is-made collection has some illuminating comments from Joan Baez, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott and the elusive bard himself that will intrigue Dylanologists."—StarTribune "Written in a Q&A format, the book provides a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Scaduto's landmark book, as well as close-up encounters with a couple dozen key figures in Dylan's life."—Minnesota Alumni "The raw material and interviews behind Anthony Scaduto’s iconic biography of Bob Dylan draw an intimate and multifaceted portrait of the singer-songwriter who defined his era. "—KTNF AM Table of ContentsContentsIntroduction: Anthony Scaduto’s Basement Tapes -- Stephanie TrudeauGirl from the North Country -- Echo Helstrom, Martha HelstromFree Wheelin’ Dinkytown -- Gretel Hoffman, David Whitaker, Spider John KoernerBlowin’ in the Wind -- Mike Porco, Dave Van Ronk, Terri ThalHey, Hey Woody Guthrie -- Sid and Bob GleasonMr. Tambourine Man -- The Clancy Brothers (Pat and Tom Clancy), Phil Ochs, Ramblin’ Jack ElliottBoots of Spanish Leather -- Suze Rotolo, Carla Rotolo, Peter KarmenPositively 4th Street -- Miki Isaakson, John Hammond, Sr.Bringing It All Back Home -- Carolyn Hester, Eric Von Schmidt and Barry KornfeldLike a Rolling Stone -- Izzy Young, Carl OgelsbyVisions of Johanna -- Joan BaezAnother Side of Bob Dylan -- Bob DylanAfterword: New Morning -- Stephanie TrudeauAcknowledgments

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Book SynopsisEagle Minds - a selection from the correspondence between the Canadian composer and scholar Istvan Anhalt and his American counterpart George Rochberg - is a splendid chronicle and a penetrating analysis of the swerving socio-cultural movements of a volatile half-century as observed by two highly gifted individuals. Beginning in 1961 and spanning forty-four years, their conversation embraces not only music but other forms of contemporary art, as well as politics, philosophy, religion, and mysticism. The letters chronicle the deepening of their friendship over the years, and the openness, honesty, and genuine warmth between them provide the reader with an intimate look at their personalities. A fascinating intellectual tension emerges between the two men as they record their individual responses to musical modernism, to changing political and social realities, and to their Jewish heritage and sense of place, one as a son of Ukrainian immigrants to the United States, the other as a refugee from war-torn Hungary. Allowing us a privileged glimpse into the private lives and thoughts of these fascinating men, Eagle Minds is a valuable tool for scholars interested in North American composers in the late twentieth century and essential reading for anyone interested in the cultural and social history of that era.

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Book SynopsisExamines literary, philosophical, and cultural influences on Mahler's thought and work from the standpoint of the composer's position in German-Jewish culture. Gustav Mahler's music is more popular than ever, yet few are aware of its roots in German literary and cultural history in general, and in fin-de-siècle Viennese culture in particular. Taking as its point of departure the many references to literature, philosophy, and the visual arts that Mahler uses to illustrate the meaning of his music, Reading Mahler helps audiences, critics, and those interested in musical and cultural history understand influences on Mahler's music and thinking that may have been self-evident to middle-class Viennese a hundred years ago but are much more obscure today. It shows that Mahler's oeuvre, despite its reliance on texts and images from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, is far more indebted to fin-de-siècle modernism and to an eclectic, proto-avantgardist agenda than has been previously realized. Furthermore, Reading Mahler is the first book to make Mahler's position within German-Jewish culture its analytical center. It also probes Mahler's problematic but often overlooked relationship with the musical and textual legacy of Richard Wagner. By integrating newer approaches in humanistic research - cultural studies, gender studies, and Jewish studies - Reading Mahler exposes the composer's critical view of German cultural history and offers a new understanding of his music. Carl Niekerk is Professor in the Department of German, the Program in Comparative and World Literature, and the Program in Jewish Culture and Society at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.Trade ReviewThought provoking . . . . Should be a part of all serious academic and public classical music collections. * AMERICAN JEWISH LIBRARIES REVIEWS *Although the Mahler literature is extensive and growing, one can find nothing quite like this volume.. Highly recommended. * CHOICE *Carl Niekerk's Reading Mahler is a notable addition to the composer's bibliography because it counters conventional images of Mahler as a 'nostalgic modernist' or a 'neoromanticist' . . . . Niekerk investigates Mahler in a rewarding and challenging way. His study also provides readers with a solid grounding in texts and sources that are not always considered in the field of Mahler studies. MUSICA JUDAICA ONLINE REVIEWS 'Riveting . . . . [A] compelling book, an example of interdisciplinary scholarship at its finest. It is a major contribution to our understanding of this pivotal epoch in Western civilization and represents an invaluable resource for any future research into the period as a whole'. -- Andrew Barker * MODERN LANGUAGE REVIEW *

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Book SynopsisMakes available in reliable English translation Wagner's original Siegfried libretto and his early essay on the Nibelung myth. In 1848 Richard Wagner began what would become the largest stage work of his career, the Ring of the Nibelung. In preparation for the task he composed an overview of the Nibelung myth designed to lead to a drama; he then composed the verse "libretto" Siegfried's Death. Although he abandoned the idea of a single opera on Siegfried in favor of the huge project that developed out of it in the succeeding years -- the Ring cycle -- he did consider the two early documents important enough to include them in his collected works. The present volume seeks to inform the English-speaking reader in three ways: by providing modern, reliable translations of the two Wagner texts, which are otherwise not available (the German original is provided on facing pages); by furnishing an overview of German scholarship available to Wagner and others working on the Nibelung legend in the first half of the nineteenth century; and by making available a bibliography of further reading. The volume will be useful to students of musicology, to students and historians of myth and legend, and to all Wagnerians interested in the genesis of the Ring cycle. Accessible to the general reader, it maintains scholarly rigor and provides information about materials not available in English. Edward R. Haymes is Professor in the Department of Modern Languages atCleveland State University.Trade Review[S]omething of a scholarly tour de force of historical exegesis. [Haymes] gives an absorbing and detailed account of how the Nibelung legend became part of the lingua franca of the developing sense of national identity that fed the heady revolutionary fervor of 1848. . . . [S]heds interesting new light on familiar material. . . . In making these primary texts available to the English reader in accessible translations and by giving an overview of German scholarship available to Wagner and others working on the Nibelungen legend in the first half of the nineteenth century, Haymes has done the cause of English-speaking Wagner research an essential and enduring service. * MUSIC & LETTERS *A gem of a book.. The introduction convincingly answers crucial questions Ring enthusiasts are forever asking: Which Icelandic, Old Norse . and Middle High German sources was Wagner familiar with? What sources were in Wagner's own library? Which . contemporary or German Romantic writers may have inspired Wagner? . Excellent English translation. * WAGNER NOTES *Excellent scholarship is evident, yet the book is accessible and interesting to the general reader.. Haymes's footnotes provide a superb bibliography for studies of the Ring. . Recommended. * CHOICE *

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Book SynopsisChet Atkins called Lenny Breau (1941-1984) ""the greatest guitarist who ever walked the face of the earth."" Breau's astonishing virtuosity influenced countless performers, but unfortunately it came at the expense of his personal relationships. Ron Forbes-Roberts analyzes Breau and his recordings to reveal an enormously gifted man and the inner workings of his music.Trade Review"Forbes-Roberts walks the line between adulation and research, music nerd and general interest reporter, with aplomb, and most importantly delivers a very readable account of a personality most readers should find endearing (if heart-breaking)." - Boston Phoenix "[A] thorough and fascinating biography, which includes a discography and analysis of Breau's recordings." - Toronto Globe and Mail "Forbes-Roberts does a credible job of depicting the variables that fostered Breau's total devotion to his instrument and subsequent descent into heroin addiction. Where Forbes-Roberts does his best work, though, is in his technical explanations of Breau's unique guitar system and his comprehensive critical analyses of the artist's recording sessions." - All About Jazz"

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Book SynopsisWilliam Vacchiano (1912–2005) was principal trumpet with the New York Philharmonic from 1942 to 1973, and taught at Juilliard, the Manhattan School of Music, the Mannes College of Music, Queens College, and Columbia Teachers College. While at the Philharmonic, Vacchiano performed under the batons of Arturo Toscanini, Bruno Walter, Dimitri Mitropoulos, and Leonard Bernstein and played in the world premieres of almost 200 pieces by such composers as Vaughan Williams, Copland, and Barber. Vacchiano was important not only for his performances, but also for his teaching.His students have held the principal chairs of many major orchestras and areprominent teachers themselves, and they have enriched non-classical music as well. Two of his better known students are Miles Davis and Wynton Marsalis. Last Stop, Carnegie Hall features an overview of the life of this very private artist, based on several personal interviews conducted by Brian A. Shook and Vacchiano's notes for his own unpublished memoir. Shook also interviewed many of his students and colleagues and includes a chapter containing their recollections. Other important topics include analyses of Vacchiano's pedagogical methods and his interpretations of important trumpet pieces, his 'rules of orchestral performance,' and his equipment. A discography, a bibliography of Vacchiano's own works, and lists of his students and the conductors and players with whom he performed round out this richly illustrated examination of one of the most influential trumpet players and teachersof the twentieth century.

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Book SynopsisThe previously unpublished autobiography and additional essays by the orchestrator-composer of some of America's most important musical theatre productions. The remarkable career of composer-orchestrator Robert Russell Bennett [1894-1981] encompassed a wide variety of both "legitimate" and popular music-making in Hollywood, on Broadway, and for television. Bennett is principally responsible for what is known worldwide as the "Broadway sound" and for greatly elevating the status of the theater orchestrator. He worked alongside Jerome Kern, Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Richard Rodgers, and Frederick Loewe on much of the Broadway canon, eventually providing orchestrations for all or part of more than 300 musicals between 1920 and 1975. This work is the first publication of Bennett's autobiography, which was written in thelate 1970s. It also includes eight of his most important essays on the art of orchestration. George J. Ferencz is Professor of Music at the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater.Table of ContentsThe Bennett Family Tree Growing Up in Freeman To New York, 1916 To Paris, 1926 Rodgers and Hart in London To Hollywood, 1930 Hollywood Beckons Again Russell Bennett's Notebooks and Other Adventures in Network Radio Victory at Sea The Sound of Music Remembrances "The Bohemians" Eight Selected Essays by Robert Russell Bennett

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Book SynopsisThe first English translation of the correspondence between two composers and friends. Désiré-Emile Inghelbrecht was a conductor and composer. His friendship with Claude Debussy began in 1911 (although they had met previously), and he soon became one of the Master's closest friends. This book is the first publication, in the original French and in English translation, of the correspondence between these two musicians. Beginning rather formally in 1912, with the salutation "Mon cher Inghelbrecht," the correspondence soon became much moreintimate, with Debussy addressing Inghelbrecht as "Mon cher ami" or "Cher Inghel." Although Debussy had a reputation for being cold and distant and for avoiding strangers, this was just his way of maintaining his privacy. This aloofness enabled him to express in private the warmth he felt toward those few close friends whose intimacy he needed and cherished. Inghelbrecht was in the forefront of this group. Their friendship was based not only on a mutual respect for each other's talents as artists and musicians, but also on the sharing of intimate secrets and warm feelings. Inghelbrecht's wife would later write that her husband retained the mark Debussy left on him. "For him, he was a beacon, a guide. And he had the deep joy of being able, up until his last days, to bring to life with passion, with all his talent-the works of a man who had been for a few years his friend." Margaret G. Cobb, the"doyenne of Debussy scholars," brings to life these two talented men. She enriches Richard Miller's idiomatic translation of the letters with copious notes and wonderful illustrations to illuminate a great musical friendship. Margaret G. Cobb is also the author of The Poetic Debussy, available from the University of Rochester Press. In 2002 she was awarded the title of Officier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Government'sMinistère de la Culture et de la Communication.Trade ReviewA wonderful book, one that will be welcomed by everyone interested in French modernist music. The richness of the lives that unfold from the pages of these letters is engrossing, and the translation is superb. Margaret Cobb's meticulous work on Debussy has long been deeply admired by her devotees, and this book adds so much to our understanding of an enigmatic composer and of one of his close collaborators. -- -- Carolyn Abbate (Princeton University), author of Voices: Opera and Musical Narrative in the Nineteenth Century .The friendship recounted in this book is one that echoes in the legendary Debussy recordings of the 1950s and 1960s conducted by D. E. Inghelbrecht. Among the many endearing glimpses here of two strong artistic personalities is their shared love of Musorgsky and Chabrier, and a telling blend of wit with uncompromising artistic aims. This is a book to put an extra spring into our playing of Debussy. -- -- Roy Howat, pianist, author of Debussy in Perspective: A Musical Analysis , and Editorial Board member of the Oeuvres Complètes de Claude Debussy .Elegant and easily accessible. . . . By 1914 [the composer-conductor Inghelbrecht] had become the recipient of some of Debussy's wonderful revelations, such as the Jacques-Émile Blanche portrait showing him like 'a cream cheese that has had too many late nights' [p. 47]. . . . Beautifully produced and illustrated, and should be owned by all who love Debussy. -- Robert Orledge * MUSIC AND LETTERS *Table of ContentsList of Letters List of Illustrations Preface Acknowledgments D.E. Inghelbrecht: A Biography Letters from Debussy to Inghelbrecht Appendix A: Letter from Inghelbrecht to Debussy Appendix B: Letters from Inghelbrecht to d'Annunzio Appendix C: Letters from Chouchou Debussy to Inghelbrecht Biographies Bibliography Discography Index

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Book SynopsisFor the Enrichment of Community Life is the first part of the history of the Eastman School of Music, beginning with the events that led to the establishment of the school in 1921 and ending in 1932 with the death of the school's benefactor, George Eastman. It was Eastman -- the founder of Eastman Kodak, and Rush Rhees -- the remarkable president of the University of Rochester, who really made it all possible. The story related here is not simply that of a music school. It also involves a symphony orchestra, an American opera company, a ballet company, a school of dance and drama, a music library, and a commercial radio station dedicated to broadcasting live classical music. It includes efforts to support the musical education of Rochester's elementary and secondary school children and the involvement of the symphony orchestra in their musical education. It is the story of the school's Eastman Theatre, which became the location of concerts and recitals by the world greatest musicians. Upon the facade of the Eastman Theatre is the inscription "For the Enrichment of Community Life," words selected by Rush Rhees to dedicate the theater to that purpose. In a broader sense also, these words embody the mission of the Eastman School of Music.

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Book SynopsisLetters I Never Mailed: Clues to a Life, by Alec Wilder, in a new, annotated edition with introduction and supplementary material by David Demsey, foreword by jazz pianist Marian McPartland, and photographs by Louis Ouzer. Letters I Never Mailed: Clues to a Life, by Alec Wilder, in a new, annotated edition with introduction and supplementary material by David Demsey, foreword by jazz pianist Marian McPartland, and photographs by Louis Ouzer. Alec Wilder is a rare example of a composer who established a reputation both as a prolific composer of concertos, sonatas, and operas, and as a popular songwriter [including the hit "I'll Be Around"]. He was fearsomely articulate and had a wide and varied circle of friends ranging from Graham Greene to Frank Sinatra and Stan Getz. Letters I Never Mailed, hailed at its first publication [in 1975, by Little, Brown], tells the story of Wilder's musical and personal life through unsent "letters" addressed to various friends. In it, he shares his insights -- and sometimes salty opinions -- on composing, musical life, and the tension between art and commercialism. Thisnew, scholarly edition leaves Wilder's original text intact but decodes the mysteries of the original through an annotated index that identifies the letters' addressees, a biographical essay by David Demsey, and photographs by renowned photographer and lifelong friend of Wilder, Louis Ouzer. David Demsey is Professor of Music and coordinator of jazz studies at William Paterson University and an active jazz and classical saxophonist. He is co-author of Alec Wilder: A Bio-Bibliography [Greenwood Press] and has contributed to The Oxford Companion to Jazz.Trade Review[This] is an excellent book that may well rekindle a broader interest in the composer, a Rochester icon. . . . The letters in Letters I Never Mailed were, of course, a literary device. Wilder hated writing about himself and used supposed correspondence as a way to discuss his life obliquely. For that reason, Demsey's introductory biography is helpful since it clarifies details that Wilder often left deliberately vague. The new edition includes one other welcome addition, the photos of Wilder's dearest friend, Lou Ouzer, the famed Eastman photographer. DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE, Dec. 2005 [John Pitcher] In Letters I Never Mailed: Clues to a Life, Alec Wilder wanted to reveal himself, but not entirely. And so he left unidentified the individuals to whom many of the letters were written. The detective work of David Demsey gives us a much better understanding of the enigma that was Alec Wilder. -- -- Marian McPartland, renowned jazz pianist, recording artist, and host for over 25 years of Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz (National Public Radio)Alec Wilder was one of the great composers of modern times. He wrote a suite for me with concert band. Nobody could play the last movement. When I asked him about all the difficult notes in my part, he said, 'That's what you would have played if you had improvised!' In this new edition, David Demsey has been responsible for allowing people to understand some of Alec's equally mysterious letters, helping readers to better know one of my favorite people. -- -- Jazz Trumpeter Clark TerryThis memoir is as odd, curmudgeonly, imaginative, funny, and charming as its author, who was one of the glorious eccentrics of American music. First published in 1975, five years before Wilder's death, it has now been annotated by David Demsey, who has managed to identify almost everyone addressed by Wilder. * WHOLENOTE *Table of ContentsForeword by Marian McPartland Preface to the Annotated Edition by David Demsey Introduction to the Annotated Edition: A Brief Wilder Biography by David Demsey Letters I Never Mailed Annotated Addressee List Selected Compositions by Alec Wilder Selected Discography Selected Bibliography

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Book SynopsisInterdisciplinary perspectives on the life and work of the esteemed "ultra-modern" American composer and pioneering folk music activist, Ruth Crawford Seeger (1901-1953). Ruth Crawford Seeger's Worlds offers new perspectives on the life and pioneering musical activities of American composer and folk music activist Ruth Crawford Seeger (1901-1953). Ruth Crawford developed a unique modernist style with such now-esteemed works as her String Quartet 1931. In 1933, after marrying Charles Seeger, she turned to the work of teaching music to children and of transcribing, arranging, and publishing folk songs. Thiscollection of studies by musicologists, music theorists, folklorists, historians, music educators, and women's studies scholars reveals how innovation and tradition have intertwined in surprising ways to shape the cultural landscape of twentieth-century America. Contributors: Lyn Ellen Burkett, Melissa J. De Graaf, Taylor A. Greer, Lydia Hamessley, Bess Lomax Hawes, Jerrold Hirsch, Roberta Lamb, Carol J. Oja, Nancy Yunhwa Rao, Joseph N. Straus,Judith Tick. Ray Allen (Brooklyn College) is author of Singing in the Spirit: African-American Sacred Quartets in New York City. Ellie M. Hisama (Columbia University) is author of Gendering Musical Modernism: The Music of Ruth Crawford Seeger, Marion Bauer, and Miriam Gideon.Trade ReviewBroad intellectual sweep. . . . Raises questions of great importance to folklorists. . . . Fine scholarship and often elegant writing -- a model of verbal clarity and intellectual complexity. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in twentieth-century American music. -- Jean R. Freedman * JOURNAL OF AMERICAN FOLKLORE *Fresh and perceptive. . . . These important chapters [i.e., the whole book] advance feminist musicology by venturing into the lion's den of binary thinking that seems to have shaped Ruth Crawford Seeger's life and work so fundamentally. -- Beverley Diamond * WOMEN & MUSIC *Hisama, Tick, Straus, and Rao. . . address reception and performance history and offer detailed analysis that points toward a clearer assessment of compositional innovations and Seeger's independent and creative brilliance. . . . Chapters about Mike Seeger and Peggy Seeger are especially welcome. -- J. Michele Edwards * CHOICE *The level of scholarship is impeccable with solid writing throughout. . . . Those interested in American musical culture, feminism, modernist composition, or folk music will greatly appreciate its multiple perspectives and sophistication. -- Sharon Mirchandani * NOTES, March 2008 *This collection does full justice to the breadth of Crawford Seeger's accomplishments. Writers with backgrounds in music theory, education, folklore, history, and women's studies take various viewpoints. . . . There are thorough notes, score samples, a discography and a detailed index. The beautiful jacket, binding and endpapers seem fitting. -- Pamela Margles * WHOLENOTE *Well-written and insightful. * SING OUT *Pursues in depth the documentary context relevant to Crawford Seeger. . . . Salutary and poignant reading. -- Arnold Whittall * MUSIC & LETTERS *What a joy to finally be able to read a set of intelligent essays about Ruth Crawford Seeger's pieces, theoretical ideas, and folk music scholarship. It might be said that all scholarship on Ruth Crawford is, by definition, too late. But with this collection we are a bit closer to catching up. --Larry Polansky, Jacob H. Strauss Professor of Music, Dartmouth College, and editor of Ruth Crawford Seeger's 'The Music of American Folk Song' and Selected Other Writings on American Folk Music * . *Table of ContentsWriting the Music of Ruth Crawford into Mainstream Music History - Judith Tick Ruth Crawford's Precompositional Strategies - Joseph N. Straus Linear Aggregates and Proportional Design in Ruth Crawford's Piano Study in Mixed Accents - Lyn Burkett In Pursuit of a Proletarian Music: Ruth Crawford's "Sacco, Vanzetti" - Ellie M. Hisama The Receptioin of an Ultramodernist: Ruth Crawford in the Composers' Forum - Melissa J. de Graaf Ruth Crawford's Imprint on Contemporary Composition - Nancy Yunhwa Rao Reminiscences on Our Singing Country: The Crawford Seeger/ Lomax Alliance - Bess Lomax Hawes Philosophical Counterpoint: A Comparison of Charles Seeger's Compositioin Treatise and Ruth Crawford Seeger's Folk Song AppendixAppendix - Taylor A. Greer Composing and Teaching as Dissonant Counterpoint - Roberta Lamb "Cultural Strategy": The Seegers and B.A. Botkin as Friends and Allies - Jerrold Hirsch Performing Dio's Legacy: Mike Seeger and the Urban Folk Music Revival - Ray Allen, Book Reviews Peggy Seeger: From Traditional Folksinger to Contemporary Songwriter - Lydia Hamessley

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Book SynopsisA new, deeply researched biography of the great French organist, who composed some of the best-loved works in the organ repertory -- and the masterful Requiem. Maurice Duruflé: The Man and His Music is a new biography of the great French organist and composer (1902-86), and the most comprehensive in any language. James E. Frazier traces Duruflé's musical training, his studies withTournemire and Vierne, and his career as an organist, church musician, composer, recitalist, Conservatoire professor, and orchestral musician. Frazier also examines the career and contributions of Duruflé's wife, the formidable organist Marie-Madeleine Duruflé-Chevalier. Duruflé brought the church's unique language of plainsong into a compelling liaison with the secular harmonies of the modern French school (as typified by Debussy, Ravel, and Dukas)in works for his own instrument and in his widely loved masterpiece, the Requiem Op. 9 for soloists, chorus, organ, and orchestra. Drawing on the accounts of those who knew Duruflé personally as well as on Frazier's own detailed research, Maurice Duruflé offers a broad sketch of this modest and elusive man, widely recognized today for having created some of the greatest works in the organ repertory -- and the masterful Requiem. James E. Frazier holds advanced degrees in philosophy, organ, theology, and sacred music from St. Alphonsus College, Mt. St. Alphonsus Seminary, Hartt School of Music, the Yale University Divinity School, and the Yale Institute of Sacred Music. He served Episcopal churches in Hartford, Connecticut, and St. Paul, Minnesota, as organist and director of music. For ten years he was director of music for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.Trade ReviewA mine of information . . . a veritable tale of our times. -- Andrew Thomson * MUSICAL TIMES *Provides significant insight into Duruflé's works and the relatively secretive life he and his wife led. . . . Frazier's research is excellent. . . . An important contribution. -- Brian Doherty * CHOICE *Frazier's exploration of arabesque in architecture and music and his treatment of musical luminosity are memorably insightful and reveal a thoughtful understanding of Duruflé's work. . . . An interesting and well-constructed view of Duruflé's world, and a highly informative text as well. -- Steven Plank * CHOIR & ORGAN *A work of unprecedented scope and depth, . . . [Frazier's book] is a biography abundantly rich in detail; though it declines the tone of a hagiography, it is obviously a labor of love. . . . Frazier skillfully illuminates the contexts in which Duruflé's life unfolded . . . [and] Frazier's survey of Duruflé's compositions is particularly strong. . . . A special pleasure of the book is the chapter on [Duruflé's future wife, and a world-renowned organist,] Marie-Madeleine Chevalier . . . Frazier's book will no doubt stand as a defining work in Duruflé scholarship and nurture scholars of 20th-century French organ music for years to come. -- Lawrence Archbold * AMERICAN ORGANIST *One of the best musical biographies I have read for many years: sound in musical and, for the most part, in historical judgment . . . , sympathetic without being sycophantic, and most gracefully written. Duruflé deserves no less. -- Roger Nichols * GRAMOPHONE *[Frazier] sees Duruflé as a compelling figure, given over to the same foibles and doubts we all have. Frazier's ability to obtain primary sources lends credence to his observations. This is a superb work, one to be valued by music historians and organists alike. -- Donald Metz * AMERICAN RECORD GUIDE *This substantial study . . . although sympathetic . . . is not a work of hagiography. . . .[The author argues that] the somewhat short-lived revival of Gregorian chant in the French church . . . [during] Duruflé's composing life was a happy coincidence from which music was the main beneficiary [notably through the widely beloved Requiem]. . . . The very considerable value of this book lies in its personal evaluation of a man whose personality is likely to remain something of a mystery but whose music has already transcended his life. -- Bret Johnson * TEMPO *Table of ContentsDuruflé's Childhood and Early Education Life at the Cathedral Choir School Lessons with Charles Tournemire Lessons with Louis Vierne The Conservatoire Student Duruflé's Distinctions The Contested Successions at Notre-Dame and Sainte Clotilde Duruflé's Peforming Career The Orchestral Musician The Poulenc Organ Concerto Professor of Harmony at the Paris Conservatoire Marie-Madeleine Chevalier Overview of Duruflé's Compositions Duruflé's Compositions: Their Genesis and First Performance Duruflé's Role in the Plainsong Revival The Vichy Commissions The Requiem The Musical History of Saint Étienne-du-Mont The Organs at Saint Étienne-du-Mont Duruflé as Organist and Teacher Duruflé and Organ Design The Church in Transition The North American Tours The Man Duruflé

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Book SynopsisA celebration of Sinatra's enduring impact on American entertainment and cultural life. For nearly sixty years, Frank Sinatra [1915-98] triumphed in concert, in the recording studio, on television, and on the big screen, refashioning his image to suit the temper of the times. Sinatra did it "his way," remaining bothelusive and alluring, and appealing to men and women alike. This collection analyzes the qualities that ensured Sinatra's staying power: his impeccable musicality, his charisma, his tough-mindedness, and even his peccadilloes. The contributors to this volume evaluate Sinatra's impact on all areas of entertainment, and examine many of the cultural forces he influenced and was influenced by, including Bing Crosby, Elvis, the "Beats," the Beatles, and Rock 'n' Roll. What emerges is a portrait of an artist, entertainment icon, and legendary symbol of popular culture. This appreciation of the Sinatra phenomenon celebrates his enduring impact on American entertainment and cultural life. Contributors: Blaine Allan, Samuel L. Chell, David Finck, Joseph Fioravanti Jeanne Fuchs, Philip Furia, Roger Gilbert, Ruth Prigozy, Walter Raubicheck, Lisa Jo Sagolla, Ron Simon, Arnold Jay Smith, James F. Smith, Patric M. Verrone, David Wild Jeanne Fuchs is Professor Emerita of Comparative Literature and Languages at Hofstra University; Ruth Prigozy is Professor of English at Hofstra University.Trade ReviewThe breadth of topics, discussed with concision, makes this book surprisingly brisk reading for those wanting to revisit quickly a number of aspects of Sinatra's career. * RONSLATE.COM, March 11, 2008 *A long-awaited collection of essays gathered from a famed 1998 conference at Hofstra University . . . probes various aspects of Sinatra's influence in his long career. . . . David Finck and Samuel L. Chell dissect Sinatra's vocal artistry in two succinct and exceptionally precise pieces in this collection. -- Benjamin Schwarz * ATLANTIC MONTHLY, June/July 2007 *It is doubtful that there will be another book dedicated so heavily to the nuts and bolts of what went into being Frank Sinatra.! -- Robert W. Rice * SING OUT! March 2008 *A kaleidoscopic view of a multi-faceted man, this compendium benefits greatly from its various viewpoints and offers fresh insight into the Sinatra legend. -- -- Michael FeinsteinFrom musical phrasing to comic strips, this compact but wide-ranging book marks a new stage in an emerging field that must now be called 'Sinatra Studies.' The variety of perspectives and topics has something to offer everyone who listens to, watches, and thinks about American popular culture. -- -- Jeffrey Magee, Associate Professor of Musicology, University of Illinois, Urbana-ChampaignTable of ContentsThe Musical Skills of Frank Sinatra - David Finck Frank Sinatra's Artistry and the Question of Phrasing - Kathryn Crosby Hanging on a String of Dreams: Delirium and Discontent in Sinatra's Love Songs - Joseph Fioravanti Jazzin' Sinatra: Three "Understated" Arrangers: George Siravo, Johnny Mandel, and Quincy Jones - Arnold Jay Smith They Can't Take That Away from Me: Frank Sinatra and His Curious but Close Relationship with the Rock and Roll GenerationGeneration - David Wild Dick Haymes: Sinatra Stand-In or the Real Thing? - Ruth Prigozy Singing in the Moment: Sinatra and the Culture of the Fifties - Roger Gilbert Frank Sinatra Meets the Beats - Blaine Allan Sinatra in (Lyrical) Drag - Philip Furia Sinatra Meets Television: A Search for Identity in Fifties America - Ronald C. Simon Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley: The Taming of Teen Idols and The Timex Show - James F. Smith Frank Sinatra: Dancer - Jeanne Fuchs Dancing to Sinatra: The Partnership of Music and Movement in Twyla Tharp's Sinatra Suite - Lisa Jo Sagolla From Sam Spade to Tony Rome: Bogart's Influence on Sinatra's Film Career - Walter Raubicheck Sinatra Satire: Fifty Years of Punch Lines - Patric M. Verrone

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Book SynopsisPlaces the Swiss composer Schoeck, master of a late-Romantic style both sensuous and stringent, in context and gives insight into his increasingly popular musical works. The work of the late-Romantic Swiss composer Othmar Schoeck (1886-1957) has in recent years enjoyed a surge of interest. His 300 songs with piano accompaniment are now all on CD, as are his orchestral song cycles and five of his eight stage works. Yet despite an impressive discography featuring names such as Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Lucia Popp and Ian Bostridge, no biographical study of Schoeck has ever been available in English. Chris Walton, authorof Richard Wagner in Zurich: The Muse of Place, charts the turbulent course of Schoeck's life and career with care and candor, from a rampant youth to midlife monogamy and an old age ravaged by fears of neglect. He tracesSchoeck's relationships to musicians such as Max Reger, Ferruccio Busoni, Wilhelm Furtwängler, Paul Hindemith, and Igor Stravinsky, and to writers Thomas Mann, Hermann Hesse, and James Joyce. New light is also shed on Schoeck's uneasy relationship with Nazi Germany and its culmination, for him, in public humiliation and private catastrophe. As an accompanist, Schoeck was an arch-Romantic master of rubato; as a conductor, he was a fervent champion of the new; and in his compositions, he moved from late-Romanticism through a modernist vortex to emerge in full mastery of an individual musical language both sensuous and stringent. In this thorough new biography, Waltonplaces Schoeck the man and the artist squarely in the context of his time. Chris Walton is Extraordinary Professor at the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa and Managing Director of the Orchestre Symphonique Bienne in Switzerland. He is the recipient of the 2010 Max Geilinger Prize honoring exemplary contributions to the literary and cultural relationship between Switzerland and the English-speaking world.Trade ReviewWalton replaces [Schoeck's] bland self-portrait with a veritable fresco in bright, contrasting colors. The visual images he has chosen to reproduce are equally revelatory. -- Georges Starobinski * DISSONANCE: SWISS MUSIC JOURNAL FOR RESEARCH AND CREATION *Chris Walton's . . . most readable monograph . . . combines profound scholarship with humour and entertainment, [and] succeeds brilliantly in bringing to life every area of its wide-ranging subject matter: the complex psychology of the composer, his fine musical oeuvre, the stimulating cultural context, the menace of Nazism during the 1930s and 40s, and above all the underrated country of Switzerland itself. -- Andrew Thomson * MUSICAL TIMES *Schoeck achieved in his best works an astonishing synthesis of Romantic and modernist styles. . . . Walton narrates Schoeck's tale in highly readable, occasionally witty prose...[R]eads as easily as a novel. . . . He has incorporated materials only recently released from private archives and had exclusive access to family members' personal recollections. . . . An unvarnished portrait of the man, yet one that still champions Schoeck the artist. -- Arlo McKinnon * OPERA NEWS *[An] unjustly neglected 20th-century master. Walton unearths vital links between Schoeck's wayward personal life and his creativity and -- best of all -- makes you want to hear the music. * FINANCIAL TIMES *Chris Walton narrates the tale of this important Swiss composer with a light touch, yet also with ample authority, backed by complete command of all the documentary sources. The result is a major contribution to our understanding of the contexts and forces-including modernism and resistance to it, and the complex cultural politics of the Nazi era-that affected art music during the first half of the twentieth century. -- : Tradition and Innovation and the Cambridge Introduction to Serialism -- Arnold Whittall, author of Exploring Twentieth-Century Music: Tradition and Innovation and the Cambridge Introduction to SerialismWalton writes superbly; his is a compelling narrative convincingly told. It will be of interest . . . to anyone engaged with the music and literature of the first half of the 20th century. . . . Highly recommended for any music collections serving the post-secondary level or above. The volume has been carefully edited, and the text is generously supplemented with copious illustrations and carefully chosen musical examples. -- John Schuster-Craig * FONTES ARTIS MUSICAE *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Schoeck and the Swiss Childhood and Youth Wolf amidst the Sheep Leipzig, Munich, and an Awful Little Moustache Back in the Fold Hermann Hesse, via the Dentist Look Back in Melancholy Chamber Music The Art of Counterpoint Busoni The Picture on the Wall Touch of Venus Silent Bronze Sucking Sweet Folly Self Portrait, with Sandwich Elegy Goodbye to Geneva The Bee in the Rose Raging Queen Storms in the Pigeon Loft Into the Vortex Wrong-Note Rag Hildebill Variations and Fugue on an Age-Old Theme Put to the Wheel Gisela Lost in the Stars Whores and Madonnas ". . . he can write music all right . . ." Tea with (Ms.) Hitler Aryanizing Music Arms and the Man Castles in the Air Goering's Bullshit Collapse The People at Home The Reckoning Transfigured Summer Nights Silent Lights Fair Measure Rather Nice Horn Sleepless in Wollishofen Echoes and Elegies Running on Empty Epilogue Othmar Schoeck: Concise Work Catalogue and Discography Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThis contextual study of Janácek's operas reveals the composer's creative responses to a wide range of Czech and non-Czech traditions. Leos Janácek is increasingly recognized as one of the major operatic masters of the early twentieth century. In Janácek beyond the Borders, Derek Katz presents an interpretive and critical study of Janácek's major operas that questions prevailing views of the composer's relationship to the Czech language and to Slavic culture and demonstrates that the operas are deeply indebted to various existing operatic traditions outside of the Czech-speaking realm. Katz discusses the implications for Janácek's operas of the composer's notorious "speech-melody" theories and of his fascination with Russia. He also points out revealing and persuasive parallels to certain major operas in non-Czech traditions -- French, Italian, and German -- that deserve notice and that demonstrate how the composer developed a practical operatic aesthetic through emulation and creative adaptation. In this fresh and novel approach, Katz goes beyond the normal evidentiary record (letters, sketches, and published writings) and allows Janácek's works to speak for themselves. Derek Katz is Associate Professor of Music History at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He has written about Czech music for American and European academic journals and for the New York Times.Trade ReviewAn engaging and progressive work of musicology and music theory that is as thoughtful as it is thought-provoking. . . [This] meticulously researched monograph reads cleanly and swiftly. . . Katz's ability to trace Janacek's personal sense of being within the changing political climate of the Czech lands is uncanny. -- John K. Novak * MUSIC LIBRARY ASSOCIATION NOTES *Illuminating. . . Written in a broadly allusive but pleasingly unpretentious style. . . It's salutary to see a musicologist taking issue with the oft-revered pronouncements of Theodor Adorno, who managed to get Janácek conceptually wrong on every count. * OPERA NEWS *Absolutely fascinating. On each subject treated in one chapter after another, Derek Katz reveals remarkable creativity. . . The topic is ambitious, the author brilliant, the reading captivating. -- Nicolas Derny * FORUM OPERA *Derek Katz's fine book is must reading for anyone with a serious interest in the operas of Janácek and his place in the development of European operatic and musical traditions. Katz trenchantly deconstructs and reassesses all the oft-repeated generalizations about Janácek's obsession with speech melodies and his role as an 'old avant-gardist,' folkorist, or iconoclastic modernist. The result is a more complex understanding of Janácek's compositions as products of a dynamic mix of musical, dramatic, and textual imperatives created with a keen awareness of Czech and international operatic and compositional traditions. -- -- Gary B. Cohen, Professor of History, University of Minnesota, Twin CitiesTable of ContentsFinding a Context Beyond the Czech Language: Janácek and the Speech Melody Myth, Once Again Beyond the Czech Lands: To the East Beyond National Opera Beyond Western European Opera Beyond the Operatic Stage Harmony and Mortality in The Makropulos Case Bibliography Scores Discography Index

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Book SynopsisThe first detailed study of a prolific and influential early twentieth-century composer, critic, educator-a true sage of music. In the early 1900s, August Halm was widely acknowledged to be one of the most insightful and influential authors of his day on a wide range of musical topics. Yet, in the eighty years since his untimely death at age 59 (in 1929),Halm -- the author of six widely read books and over 100 essays -- has received much less attention than such contemporaries as Hugo Riemann, Heinrich Schenker, Ernst Kurth, and Arnold Schoenberg. Lee Rothfarb's engaging and deeply researched study provides the missing images that comprise the multifaceted life of this astute musical sage. August Halm: A Critical and Creative Life in Music begins by setting the cultural stage and examining Halm's life with rich details from unpublished personal letters, diaries, notebooks, and lecture notes. Further chapters explore Halm's notion of musical logic and his proposal that the evolution of compositional technique had, by hisday, culminated in three successive musical "cultures" epitomized in Bach (fugue), Beethoven (sonata), and Bruckner (symphony). Another chapter examines, for the first time anywhere, Halm's own compositions, their motivating aesthetic premises, and their connection with late twentieth-century postmodernism. The volume closes with an assessment of Halm's significance for present-day music theory, including its branches that deal with narrativity, plot theory, embodiment, and semiotics. Halm's subject matter and creative activities ranged widely, and he aimed at maintaining a style that would be accessible and intriguing to music amateurs and music educators at all levels. LeeRothfarb's book -- written in the same spirit -- will interest not only music theorists and musicologists but also composers and classroom and private music teachers. Lee Rothfarb is Professor of Music at the University of California, Santa Barbara. His previous publications include Ernst Kurth as Theorist and Analyst and Ernst Kurth: Selected Writings.Trade ReviewOffer[s] breadth and depth to the life and work of a figure . . . , in Adorno's words, 'disgracefully forgotten.' . . . A very lucid volume, and an excellent digest and (in places) extension of [Rothfarb's previous] work on Halm. -- Nicholas Attfield * MUSIC & LETTERS *[Halm] can be considered the 'musical conscience of his time.' His writings . . . promote a philosophy of listening and of musical analysis. . . . Rothfarb leads his readers on a journey in masterful manner. . . . The physical production of the book is beyond reproach. -- Marc Rigaudière * REVUE DE MUSICOLOGIE *Just as Halm wrote for a wide audience of musical amateurs and professions, so too will Rothfarb's book be of interest to students and scholars, and it is recommended for academic libraries that support comprehensive music programs. . . . One of the strenghts of Rothfarb's works is his comparison of Halm's principles to those of earlier, contemporary, and later theorists, which places his ideas in historical context. -- Brian Weiner * MUSICAL LIBRARY ASSOCIATION NOTES *[Reveals] a truly original corpus of writings of quite ambitious scope. Halm could be a bracing voice for so many of us who are trying to incorporate critical perspectives within our music analyses [and] provide an invigorating tonic to our ongoing disciplinary conversations. -- Thomas Christensen Read the full review at http://www.mtosmt.org/issues/mto.11.17.4/mto.11.17.4.christensen.html * MUSIC THEORY ONLINE *With this remarkable personal and intellectual biography, Lee Rothfarb continues work begun in his volumes on Ernst Kurth [Halm's best-known student]. , and, in the course of studying his work closely, Rothfarb also constructs for us a richer, more detailed, and more nuanced view of German music-intellectual life and practice in the early twentieth century. Meticulous and commanding in its scholarship and beholden to no current mythologies, this is historical writing on music theory at its best. * . *--David Neumeyer, Leslie Waggener Professor in the College of Fine Arts, The University of Texas at Austin * . *Table of ContentsAn Intellectual and Creative Life in Music Formal Dynamism and Musical Logic Analysis between Description and Explanation Two Cultures: Bach's Fugue and Beethoven's Sonata Third Culture: Bruckner's Symphony Aesthetic Theory and Compositional Practice: Tradition, Imitation, and Innovation Halm's Oeuvre: Wisdom and Prophecy

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Book SynopsisCollection of critical and analytical scholarly essays on the music of Ravel by prominent scholars. Unmasking Ravel: New Perspectives on the Music fills a unique place in Ravel studies by combining critical interpretation and analytical focus. From the premiere of his works up to the present, Ravel has been associated with masks and the related notions of artifice and imposture. This has led scholars to perceive a lack of depth in his music and, consequently, to discourage investigation of his musical language. This volume balances and interweavesthese modes of inquiry. Part 1, "Orientations and Influences," illuminates the sometimes contradictory aesthetic, biographical, and literary strands comprising Ravel's artistry and our understanding of it. Part 2, "Analytical Case Studies," engages representative works from Ravel's major genres using a variety of methodologies, focusing on structural process and his complex relation to stylistic convention. Part 3, "Interdisciplinary Studies," integratesmusical analysis and art criticism, semiotics, and psychoanalysis in creating novel methodologies. Contributors include prominent scholars of Ravel's and fin-de-siècle music: Elliott Antokoletz, Gurminder Bhogal, Sigrun B. Heinzelmann, Volker Helbing, Steven Huebner, Peter Kaminsky, Barbara Kelly, David Korevaar, Daphne Leong, Michael Puri, and Lauri Suurpää. Peter Kaminsky is Professor of Music at the University of Connecticut, Storrs.Trade ReviewSuccessful . . . for the variety, depth and novelty of its analyses, but also for the way it quietly invites readers to imagine a very different place for Ravel in the canon than the one he currently occupies. Compelling and intricate analyses abound in Unmasking Ravel. -- Jessie Fillerup * JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL MUSICAL ASSOCIATION *Drawing on a wealth of primary sources, [Barbara Kelly] reveals how early tensions regarding Ravel's fame softened into mutual respect, especially from members of Les Six. . . . [Gurminder Bhogal extends] her ground-breaking research on the French arabesque [in] nuanced analyses. . . . Kaminsky and his colleagues are to be commended for moving us closer to understanding what makes [Ravel's] oeuvre so rich and alluring. FONTES ARTIS MUSICAE [Keith E. Clifton] Compelling new approaches to Ravel's music. Gives the reader insight into what makes Ravel's music the way it is -- its sources of influence and inspiration, its engagement with traditional norms, its setting of text, and its reception. [Helbing's chapter is] memorable. . . .[That by Leong and Korevaar is] illuminating. -- Claire Sher Ling Eng, Full review at http://mtosmt.org/issues/mto.12.18.1/mto.12.18.1.eng.php * MUSIC THEORY ONLINE *A collection of exceptional creativity and innovation. . . . Provides exceptional insight into the complexity of Ravel's unique formal approaches. . . . A potent reminder of the power of biography and criticism, with implications beyond Ravel scholarship. -- Timothy B. Cochran * MUSIC LIBRARY ASSOCIATION NOTES *A superb, unique contribution to Ravel scholarship. . . Provide[s] both in-depth analysis and critical interpretation. SUMMING UP: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty and professionals. -- R. Pitts * CHOICE *This substantial and authoritative work contains state-of-the-art contributions in both the critical-historical and theoretical-analytical spheres. --Arnold Whittall, Professor Emeritus, King's College, London; author of Romantic Music: A Concise History from Schubert to Sibelius and coauthor of Music Analysis: In Theory and Practice. * . *Table of ContentsRavel's Poetics: Literary Currents, Classical Takes - Steven Huebner Re-presenting Ravel: Artificiality and the Aesthetic of Imposture - Barbara L. Kelly Adorno's Ravel - Michael J. Puri Ravel's Approach to Formal Process: Comparisons and Contexts - Peter Kaminsky Repetition as Musical Motion in Ravel's Piano Writing - Daphne N. Leong and David Korevaar Playing with Models: Sonata Form in Ravel's String Quartet and Piano Trio - Sigrun Heinzelmann Spiral and Self-Destruction in Ravel's "La valse" - Volker Helbing Diatonic Expansion and Chromatic Compression in Maurice Ravel's Sonate pour violonet violoncelle - Elliott Antokoletz Deception, Reality, and Changes of Perspective in Two Songs from Histoires Naturelles - Lauri Suurpää Not Just a Pretty Surface: Ornament and Metric Complexity in Ravel's Piano Music - Gurminder K. Bhogal The Child on the Couch; or, Toward a (Psycho)Analysis of L'enfant et les sortilèges - Peter Kaminsky

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Book SynopsisBiography of the late American composer Leon Kirchner (1919-2009), exploring his work and important personal associations. In this first biography of American composer, pianist, conductor, and teacher Leon Kirchner (1919-2009), Robert Riggs paints a vivid picture of an extraordinary, multifaceted musician. Refugees from Hitler's Third Reich (Schoenberg, Bloch, and Stravinsky) dominated Kirchner's early development, and he in turn became a transformative mentor for later generations at the University of Southern California, Mills College, and Harvard University. Kirchner's performance persona is brought to life by highlighting his appearances with top orchestras and at major festivals, especially his long tenure at the Marlboro Music Festival, where he worked with Rudolf Serkin and Pablo Casals. Currentchampions of his music (Yo-Yo Ma, Leon Fleisher, and James Levine) are also key protagonists. Kirchner's entire oeuvre is discussed within the chronological narrative, and six representative works are examined in detail. Inaddition to Riggs's extensive interviews with the composer, the biography is documented with Kirchner's colorful correspondence from a roster of luminaries: Saul Bellow, Leonard Bernstein, Edward Cone, Aaron Copland, Darius Milhaud, Isaac Stern, Roger Sessions, and many others. Excerpts from Kirchner's own elegantly written essays and speeches complete the portrait and reveal his highly personal, romantic view of music as powerful art capable of endowing humanity with an "aesthetic sensibility and protective wisdom, without which we cannot survive." Robert Riggs is Professor of Music at the University of Mississippi.Trade Review[Kirchner] taught a generation of musicians, including performers such as Yo-Yo Ma. . . . Riggs does an excellent job of describing the expressive content and technical aspects of the compositions. . . . The many extracts from primary sources, especially letters between Schoenberg, Sessions, Copland, and Kirchner, along with Kirchner's own eloquent statements and speeches, bring a fascinating period of history vividly to life. -- Jonathan Blumhofer * MUSIC LIBRARY ASSOCIATION NOTES *This in-depth study of the broad range of talents, achievements, friendships, statements, and creative activities of Leon Kirchner (1919-2009) is a treasure. . . . Admirably captures the essence of this lionhearted, in all ways creative, human being. -- Dorothy Lamb Crawford * AMERICAN MUSIC *[Kirchner] was, with Leonard Bernstein, the outstanding American composer of his generation. . . . Everything in Kirchner is expressive, passionate, full of emotional power. . . . A fine portrait . . . enlivened by personal details and anecdotes derived from Riggs's conversations with Kirchner. -- David Matthews * TEMPO *An insider's view of the development of American musical modernism throughout the 20th century. Topics of special interest include Kirchner's training with Arnold Schoenberg and Roger Sessions, relationships with other leading performers and composers (e.g., Aaron Copland), and personal philosophies of musical pedagogy and aesthetics. -- Stanley C. Pelkey * CHOICE *Contemporary American composers have few able defenders, . . . so it is good to have a biographical tribute . . . from University of Rochester Press to Leon Kirchner, who died in 2009 at age 90l. . . . Excellent and worthy appreciation . . . [of] a major and enduring talent. -- Benjamin Ivry Full review at http://blogs.forward.com/the-arty-semite/134623/ * THE ART SEMITE *This handsomely-produced book is the first to be published on Kirchner... details of Kirchner's rich musical life as composer, pianist, conductor and university teacher are assiduously spelt out and enlivened by personal details and anecdotes TEMPO, Vol. 65 No. 258, October 2011 * . *Informative and welcome introduction to a composer who balanced modernist leanings with an instinctive sense of the romantic. -- Michael Quinn and chosen as an Editor's Choice book of 2011 * CLASSICAL MUSIC *

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Book SynopsisThe first in-depth study of Mendelssohn's two settings of Goethe's Die erste Walpurgisnacht, in the context of scenes from Goethe's Faust and other works. This paperback edition of Mendelssohn, Goethe, and the Walpurgis Night addresses tolerance and acceptance in the face of cultural, political, and religious strife. Its point of departure is the Walpurgis Night. The Night, also known as Beltane or May Eve, was supposedly an annual witches' Sabbath that centered around the Brocken, the highest peak of the Harz Mountains. After exploring how a notoriously pagan celebration came to be named after the Christian missionary St. Walpurgis (ca. 710-79), John Michael Cooper discusses the Night's treatments in several closely interwoven works by Goethe and Mendelssohn. His book situates those works in their immediate personal andprofessional contexts, as well as among treatments by a wide array of other artists, philosophers, and political thinkers, including Voltaire, Lessing, Shelley, Heine, Delacroix, and Berlioz. In an age of decisive political and religious conflict, Walpurgis Night became a heathen muse: a source of spiritual inspiration that was neither specifically Christian, nor Jewish, nor Muslim. And Mendelssohn's and Goethe's engagements with it offer new insightsinto its role in European cultural history, as well as into issues of political, religious, and social identity -- and the relations between cultural groups -- in today's world. John Michael Cooper is Professor of Music at Southwestern University and author of Mendelssohn's "Italian" Symphony (Oxford University Press).Trade ReviewCommanding and authoritative. . . Will be particularly valuable to conductors and musicians performing the cantata. -- Peter Hoyng * GERMAN STUDIES *Stimulating and informative . . . generously illustrated by excerpts from the score. . . The book has much to offer, in particular, to English-speaking readers without a command of German and unfamiliar with the Walpurgis Night origins and legends, who will appreciate the historical frame and the generous translation of key texts. Scholars of German literature will profit from the rigorous musicological analysis. -- Meredith Lee * GERMAN QUARTERLY *[Mendelssohn, Goethe, and the Walpurgnis Night] seeks to . . . provide the foundation for a comprehensive overhaul of our view of the composer. . . Cooper's detailed discussions of the music are complemented by a wide-ranging investigation of the work's reception. . . It was an inspired move . . . to open the section on reception with a comparison of the posthumous reputations of Goethe and Mendelssohn. -- James Garratt * NINETEENTH-CENTURY MUSIC REVIEW *The lure of sorcery and witches' Sabbaths . . . [told by Cooper] with fluency, enthusiasm and an eye for detail. -- Hugh Macdonald * TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT *An outstanding piece of scholarship. . . .Entirely successful. . . . Argues convincingly for a Mendelssohn engaged with culture, informed about his thinking, and -- most important -- willing and eager to take artistic risks in order to not only state his opinions but also build bridges. . . The use of illustrations in early publications is especially illuminating. -- Siegwart Reichwald * MUSIC LIBRARY ASSOCIATION NOTES *Dozens of excellently selected illustrations. . . Thoughtful and warmly written. . . .Its] themes are interwoven in an imaginative, careful way, made to come alive for readers familiar or not with the book's topics. . . A rich vein indeed. -- Peter Williams * MUSICAL TIMES *A highly entertaining and authoritative account of the Walpurgis Night tradition in European culture, and of Mendelssohn's cantata, which Berlioz praised for the 'perfection' of its interweaving of voices and instruments. The author blends skillfully history, criticism, musical analysis, and source studies to shed new light on Mendelssohn's perhaps most provocative, and unjustifiably neglected, work. -- R. Larry Todd, Arts & Sciences Professor of Music, Duke University, and author of Mendelssohn: A Life in MusicTable of ContentsThe Cultural and Religious Prehistories Tolerance, Translation, and Acceptance: Goethe's and Mendelssohn's Voices in European Cultural Discourse to ca. 1850 Reality and Illusion, Past and Present: Goethe and the Walpurgisnacht The Composition, Revision, and Publication of Mendelssohn's Die erste Walpurgisnacht The Sources, Structure, and Narrative of Mendelssohn's Walpurgisnacht Settings At the Crossroads of Identity: Critical and Artistic Responses to Goethe's and Mendelssohn's Walpurgisnacht Treatments Preforming Identity and Alterity: Die erste WalpurgisnachtThen and Now

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Book SynopsisBrings to light the life and work of one of France's most distinguished musicians in the most complete biography in any language of Charles-Marie Widor. Widor: A Life beyond the Toccata brings to light the life and work of one of France's most distinguished musicians in the most complete biography in any language of Charles-Marie Widor. He is considered one of the greatestorganists of his time, a prolific composer in nearly every genre, professor of organ and composition at the Paris Conservatory, academician and administrator at the Institute of France, journalist, conductor, music editor, scholar, correspondent, inspired visionary, and man of deep culture. An appendix constitutes the most complete listing ever compiled of Widor's oeuvre. Each work is dated as accurately as possible and includes the publisher, platenumber, dedicatee, and relevant commentary. Another appendix lists Widor's complete published writings, other than the scores of press reviews he penned over several decades. Widor: A Life beyond the Toccata illuminates the life and work of one of France's most distinguished yet neglected musicians of the belle époque. JOHN R. NEAR is Professor Emeritus of Music, Principia College.Trade ReviewA book to treasure. -- John Henderson * CHURCH MUSIC QUARTERLY *Invaluable. . . . In Near's genial, well-paced narrative, a portrait of a highly erudite and humorous man emerges -- Widor's intimate recollections of such luminaries as Rossini, Anton Rubinstein and Liszt fizz with vitality. . . . A rich source of contemporary material and . . . a lively picture of Parisian musical life from the 1860s to 1937. . . . Beautifully produced and designed. -- Jeremy Nicholas * GRAMOPHONE *Excellent translation. . . . A fruitful resource for scholars and Francophiles alike. * CHOICE *Eminently readable [with] photographs not to be found in the published sources. . . . A treasure chest. . . . The final word on the life of a truly great man. . . . A standard of reference and essential reading for all devotees of the French Romantic school. -- Harold Fabrikant * ORGAN AUSTRALIA *John R. Near has honoured his subject by combining powerfully muscular English prose with research so staggeringly comprehensive as to be what fashionable circles would call 'a game-changer.' . . . New insights aplenty. . . . A pleasure to read and to own. -- R. J. Stove Complete review reprinted at http://www.rjstove.net/articles/Widor-Organ_Salisbury.pdf * THE ORGAN *The definitive work about the composer of one of the two most famous organ pieces in the world [the Toccata from Organ Symphony No. 5]. John Near struck pay dirt when he located a 103-page manuscript of an unpublished 'Souvenirs Autobiographiques' [that] allows Widor to speak for himself and allows his biographer many opportunities to elucidate those events. Absolutely indispensable! -- Rollin Smith * THE AMERICAN ORGANIST *John Near -- editor of the critical edition of Widor's ten organ symphonies -- is unquestionably the authority on the organist-composer. In this book he gives us an encyclopedic memoir, containing many new details about Widor's life and work. Without any doubt this biography will remain the definitive resource in the organ world and beyond. * . *Daniel Roth, Organiste-titulaire du grand orgue de l'Église Saint-Sulpice, Paris * . *The documentation is wonderfully rich -- would that we had something comparable for earlier composers. . . . A major achievement. . . . A wealth of revealing information. -- Peter Williams * TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT *Detailed, richly documented account of Widor's long and fascinating life. . . Definitive. * MUSIC LIBRARY ASSOCIATION *Table of ContentsForeword by Kurt Lueders Preface Introduction: "Sunday Morning in a Paris Organ Loft," by T. Carl Whitmer Widor's Ancestry, Musical Education, and Heritage (1844-63) The First Creative Period (1864-79) The Years of Mastery (1880-94) The Twilight of Widor's Compositional Career (1895-1909) Mr. Widor, Member of the Institute of France (1910-37) Appendix One: Published Literary Works Appendix Two: List of Musical Works Appendix Three: A Cross-Section of Musicians during Widor's Life Appendix Four: Chronology

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Book SynopsisThe fascinating letters of conductor-author Nicolas Slonimsky (1894-1995) to his wife, sharing his adventures as he traveled around the world to conduct new American music. In the mid-twentieth century renowned musicologist, conductor, and lexicographer Nicolas Slonimsky traveled to cities throughout the world to play and conduct music of the American avant-garde. From trips to Paris, Berlin, Havana,New York, Los Angeles, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, and Moscow, Slonimsky wrote letters to his wife, the art critic Dorothy Adlow, vividly and humorously describing his adventures. Dear Dorothy: Letters from NicolasSlonimsky to Dorothy Adlow is a collection of these missives. Though personal, they chronicle Slonimsky's work as an ambassador of modern music who introduced twentieth-century composers, particularly American composers, to audiences worldwide. Full of his admired wit and energy, the letters recount his performances, rehearsals, lectures, day-to-day activities in foreign cities and concert halls, and the anxieties of stretching limited funds to cover an ever-expanding itinerary. They also reveal a side of Slonimsky not seen from his other published writings: a man with deep devotion to his wife and family. Annotated and with an introduction by Slonimsky's daughter, Electra Slonimsky Yourke, this collection documents the meeting of historic musical cultures-Old World Europe, the Soviet Union, and the vibrant countries of Latin America-with the modernist music of the United States. Written in a lively, humorous style, these letters will be of interest to scholars and students of American music and social historians as well as musicians, music lovers, and concertgoers. Electra Slonimsky Yourke is the daughter ofNicolas Slonimsky and Dorothy Adlow, and editor of several collections of her father's work, including The Listener's Companion and the four-volume Writings on Music. Nicolas Slonimsky (1894-1995) was a Renaissance man in the modern-music world of the mid-twentieth century. Composer, conductor, critic, and lexicographer, he authored many books including Lexicon of Musical Invective: Critical Assaults on Composers since Beethoven's Time and a memoir, Perfect Pitch.Trade ReviewThese are delightful letters, elegantly written, fastidiously edited, and, in addition to the valuable contextual information they provide, create a picture of a uniquely positive and generous human being. -- Peter Dickinson * MUSIC & LETTERS *Even franker than Slonimsky's 1988 memoirs Perfect Pitch: A Life Story. . . . Slonimsky was alert to piano gossip during his trips. . . . A genial wit. -- Benjamin Ivry * INTERNATIONAL PIANO *Slonimsky (1894-95) was an important adjunct to the world of 'modern' music during much of the 20th century. . . . The letters . . . are affectionate, charming, . . . sometimes astonishing. They reveal much . . . about Slonimsky's travels and concert giving, and the difficulties composers faced (between 1931 and 1963). -- W. Metcalfe * CHOICE *This remarkable, edifying collection of letters vividly illuminates the personality, unique ideas, and musical journeys of Nicolas Slonimsky, one of the most eloquent musical figures of the twentieth century. -- -- Sabine Feisst, author of Schoenberg's New World: The American YearsReaders join Dorothy Adlow as her husband, the indefatigable Nicolas Slonimsky, regales her with his musicological adventures and journeys of self-discovery. Thanks to his epistolary habit and her archivist inclinations, we see the personal Slonimsky as well as the 'roving ambassador from the world of new music,' the proud linguist and humorist, the collector of scores and acquaintances, and one of the twentieth century's most beloved musical polymaths at work. -- -- Denise Von Glahn, professor of musicology, Florida State University.Table of ContentsForeword by Carol J. Oja Introduction Dorothy Adlow Conducting in Havana, Paris, Berlin, Budapest, San Francisco, New York, 1931-32 The Hollywood Bowl, 1933 Latin America, 1941-42 The Soviet Union and Surrounding Lands, 1962-63

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Book SynopsisExamines Mendelssohn's relationship to the past, shedding light on the construction of historical legacies that, in some cases, served to assert German cultural supremacy only two decades after the composer's death. By upbringing, family connections, and education, Felix Mendelssohn was ideally positioned to contribute to the historical legacies of the German people, who in the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars discovered that they were a nation with a distinct culture. The number of cultural icons of German nationalism that Mendelssohn "discovered," promoted, or was asked to promote (by way of commissions) in his compositions is striking: Gutenberg and the invention of the printing press, Dürer and Nuremberg, Luther and the Augsburg Confession as the manifesto of Protestantism, Bach and the St. Matthew Passion, Beethoven and his claims to universal brotherhood. The essays in thisvolume investigate from a variety of perspectives Mendelssohn's relationship to the music of the past, including the significance of Bach's music for the Mendelssohn family, the homages to Bach in Mendelssohn's organ compositions,the influence of Beethoven in the Reformation Symphony, and Mendelssohn's reception and use of Handel's oratorios. Together, the essays shed light on the construction of legacies that, in some cases, served to assert German cultural supremacy only two decades after the composer's death in 1847. Contributors: Celia Applegate, John Michael Cooper, Hans Davidsson, Wm. A. Little, Peter Mercer-Taylor, Siegwart Reichwald, Glenn Stanley, Russell Stinson, Benedict Taylor, Nicholas Thistlethwaite, Jürgen Thym, R. Larry Todd, Christoph Wolff Jürgen Thym is professor emeritus of musicology at the Eastman School of Music and editor of Of Poetry and Song: Approaches tothe Nineteenth-Century Lied (University of Rochester Press, 2010).Trade ReviewThis book has on the one hand broad appeal because of the breadth of its coverage and on the other hand scholarly depth made possible by its commitment to specialized work. . . . [A]n important contribution to Mendelssohn studies that will remain valuable for many years to come. * AMERICAN ORGANIST *Breathtaking in its erudition and thoroughness. Though particularly of use to organists . . . this volume reflects the sort of full-orbed consideration of music that musicologists prize, music studied in terms of analysis, cultural history, and contemporary context. An excellent addition to academic music libraries as well as the private collections of musicologists. * MUSIC LIBRARY ASSOCIATION NOTES *An engaging and important collection of studies for anyone interested in Mendelssohn and his music. Jürgen Thym's Introduction 'Of Statues and Monuments' eloquently sets the scene. The reader will find many interconnections between the separate essays. . . . sections on registration, style and phrasing offer fresh insights on the interpretation of the sonatas. * ORGAN AUSTRALIA *[The chapters] illuminate and expand ideas of Mendelssohn's place as a composer, performer, and ultimately caretaker of musical history. [Davidsson's chapter,] a substantial look at Opus 65 in historical context, performance, and registrations [is] alone worth the price of the volume. This book displays the important of [Mendelssohn's] legacy in a new light. It should be on every musician's shelf. Highly recommended. * JOURNAL OF THE ASSOCIATION OF ANGLICAN MUSICIANS *An excellent compilation of [previously unpublished] essays on Mendelssohn, where his life and work are explored as well as his role in the recovery and preservation of musical traditions of the past from a musicological point of view. Perhaps the most remarkable feature of the work is its possible practical application, which is very evident in the extensive chapter [by Hans Davidsson] on the organ. Interesting connections are created between chapters, with some anticipating topics that are later developed further. * DOCE NOTAS *Brings together papers by a group of centrally important scholars. The book offers a diverse spread of topics covering background history, biography, and repertoire, employing a nice variety of approaches. These essays open up new areas for further work. -- -- Douglass Seaton, Warren D. Allen Professor of Music, Florida State UniversityTable of ContentsIntroduction: Of Statues and Monuments Mendelssohn and the Contrapuntal Tradition Mendelssohn and the Catholic Tradition: Roman Influences on His Kirchen-Musik, Op. 23 and Drei Motetten, Op. 39 Mendelssohn and the Legacy of Beethoven's Ninth: Vocality in the "Reformation" Symphony Mendelssohn and the Organ Some Observations on Mendelssohn's Bach Recital "He Ought to Have a Statue" : Mendelssohn, Gauntlett, and the English Organ Reform Mendelssohn's Sonatas, Op. 65, and the Craighead-Saunders Organ at the Eastman School of Music: Aspects of Performance Practice and Context The Bach Tradition among the Mendelssohn Ancestry Music History as Sermon: Style, Form, and Narrative in Mendelssohn's "Dürer" Cantata (1828) Mendelssohn's "Authentic" Handel in Context: German Approaches to Translation and Art and Architectural Restoration in the Early Nineteenth Century Beyond the Ethical and Aesthetic: On Reconciling Religious Art with Secular Art-Religion in Mendelssohn's "Lobgesang" Mendelssohn's Religious Worlds: Currents and Crosscurrents of Protestantism in Nineteenth-Century Germany and Great Britain List of Contributors Index

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Book SynopsisExamines the impact of contemporary ideas about the psyche and neglected yet crucial artistic influences on the psychological dimension of Wagner's operas, especially Die Feen, Der fliegende Holländer, Tannhäuser, Lohengrin, and the Ring. Wagner's Visions studies crucial influences on Wagner's dramatic style during the years before and just after the failed Dresden revolutionary uprising of 1849. Offering a detailed examination of Die Feen, Wagner's least-known complete opera, together with analysis of Der fliegende Holländer, Tannhäuser, Lohengrin, and the four Ring dramas, Katherine Syer explores the inner experiences of Wagner's protagonists. Sources ofparticular political significance include the fables of the eighteenth-century Venetian playwright Carlo Gozzi, the Iphigenia operas of Christoph Willibald Gluck, and the legacy of the martyr Theodor Körner, whose poetry became the lingua franca of the revolutionary movement to liberate and unify Germany. Syer's book offers fresh insights into the historical context that gave rise to Wagner's dramatic art, revealing how his distinct and powerful imagery is intimately bound up with the crises and instabilities of his era. Katherine R. Syer is associate professor of theatre and musicology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.Trade ReviewAn insightful analysis of Wagner's operas, which displays a profound understanding of the deep structure of operas and is impressive in its ability to draw together a wide variety of different phenomena. Not least because of the extremely skillful handling of language that leads to vivid and concise descriptions of both artworks and their historical and cultural environments, it is an enjoyable read. * MUSIC & LETTERS *Seldom, if ever, has Wagner's music been written about in such a lyrically beautiful way, with such penetrating insights. * WAGNERSPECTRUM *Accomplished and absorbing. . . . One of the strongest recent contributions to Wagner studies. * MUSICAL TIMES *Just when you think that scholarship has covered every angle of Wagner's work, along comes an author with yet another way of looking at it. In this wide-ranging study . . . [a]n impressive aspect of Syer's analysis is the frequency and skill with which she peels off the textual layers of Wagner's creations -- the revised accounts, different prose sketches, libretto revisions, staging comments etc. [This, along with the emphasis on live performance,] ensures Wagner's Visions a place among the most significant Wagner books of the decade. * WAGNER JOURNAL *Well-written narrative. With her unique insight into the early works, Syer sheds new light on the complex psychological elements of their characters and the creative strategies that set the political tone for the later works. Recommended [for] upper-division undergraduates through faculty. * CHOICE *Syer's new study is a major contribution to the scholarship on the first half of Wagner's career; let us hope that a study of the second half is forthcoming. * WAGNER NOTES *[A]n outstanding book on Wagner's literary roots in fairy tale, German Hellenism, and German patriotic Romanticism. Syer also brings further illumination to the phenomenon of psychological drama in Wagner's stage works, showing how these three-pronged roots played a role in the formation of Wagner's dramatic -- even fantastical -- protopsychology. This excellent contribution places Syer firmly among the leading Wagner scholars of her generation. -- -- Bryan Gilliam, Duke UniversityTable of ContentsTo Be Born in Leipzig in 1813 Fairytale Madness: Wagner and Gozzi Senta the Somnambulist Opposing Worlds: Tannhäuser and Lohengrin Hunding's Horns, Wotan's Storms, Sieglinde's Nightmare Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisFirst English-language study of Anton Heiller (1923-1979), one of the twentieth-century's most influential organists Anton Heiller is one of the twentieth century's most renowned and influential organists. Born in 1923, Heiller was trained in Vienna and rose to prominence quickly, giving his first solo recital at the age of twenty-two. Before concentrating on the organ exclusively, he was a successful conductor of the symphonic repertoire, and, from 1945 until his untimely death in 1979, he was professor of organ at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna.His interpretations of Bach, which included registration and articulation, as well as a consideration of the theological underpinnings, would change the way Bach is played. Anton Heiller: Organist, Composer, Conductorprovides an assessment of Heiller's works and teaching, while also examining his complex personality, one torn between strong religious devotion and the world of artistry. The narrative also offers a unique view of the organ worldin the decades after World War II, featuring the important organs, builders, and organists across North America and Europe. Peter Planyavsky was Anton Heiller's successor as an organ professor in Vienna, and organist of St. Stephan's Cathedral in Vienna from 1969 through 2004. He is also a prolific composer, improviser, and conductor. Christa Rumsey, a former student of Heiller's, translated the book from the original German.Trade ReviewHistory has already recognized Anton Heiller as a significant figure in 20th-century music, probably the most influential organist of his time. . . .Through his genius and personal charisma, he achieved what others could not: he brought the organ into the mainstream of music where it belongs. Planyavsky's biography delivers this message, while giving a complete picture of Heiller's life and work. . . . Belongs in the personal library of any serious organist. Through this book a great organist continues to interest and also to teach later generations of organists. A comparison . . . demonstrates not only an accurate but sensitive treatment of the original [German text]. * THE AMERICAN ORGANIST *The biographical chapters make . . . fascinating reading . . . [No chapter] is more gripping than the chapter devoted to 'Haarlem and the Rest of Europe.' . . . Christa Rumsey has done a sterling service for English-speaking readers by her elegant translation of an important book. -- Bruce Steele * ORGAN AUSTRALIA *A remarkable book [about] one of the greats of the mid-twentieth century. Packed with facts and stories. Christa Rumsey's excellent, flowing translation [is] a pleasure to read. * SYDNEY ORGAN JOURNAL *The text flows effortlessly. . . . The story is vibrant and gives extremely good insight into life between World War II and 1979 in Austria and life in Vienna in particular. Of interest to any interested in organ music and, in particular, developments in the early to mid-twentieth century. * ORGAN MUSIC SOCIETY OF ADELAIDE NEWSLETTER *Peter Planyavsky's book accomplishes a difficult task: that of doing justice to the life of a monumental musician. Planyavsky, himself an organist of international prominence, avoids the pitfall of presenting Heiller as primarily an organist, instead presenting a compelling picture of Heiller as the complete musician, giving ample room to a discussion of his career as a conductor as well as to a discussion of his many compositions. The result is a comprehensive and engaging account of a person who was a dominant figure in European musical culture for several decades of the twentieth century and whose influence was felt far beyond the circle of the Viennese musical scene. -- -- William Porter, Eastman School of Music (University of Rochester)Table of ContentsVery Early, Very Fast, Very Steep Beginning in the Golden West: Tyrol, Vorarlberg, Switzerland Haarlem and the Rest of Europe Heiller and America Short Midday, Long Sunset All the Registers of a Soul Compositions before ca. 1956 Compositions after ca. 1956 What He Thought, How He Played Appendix: Organ Specifications Chronology Notes List of Compositions Discography Bibliography Index of Names Index of Subjects

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Book SynopsisThis collection of letters to and from the eminent harpsichordist, scholar, and early-music pioneer Ralph Kirkpatrick provides a portrait of the musician from the beginning of his career in Paris in the 1930s to its end in the early 1980s. This collection of letters to and from the eminent harpsichordist, scholar, and early-music pioneer Ralph Kirkpatrick provides a portrait of the musician from the beginning of his career in Paris in the 1930s to its end in the early 1980s, offering new insights into his work and scholarship. The volume contains letters from Europe to his family as well as correspondence with harpsichord makers, performers, and composers, including Nadia Boulanger, Alexander Schneider, John Kirkpatrick, Elliott Carter, Henry Cowell, John Challis, Kenneth Gilbert, Serge Koussevitzky, and Vincent Persichetti. In addition, two former students of Kirkpatrick, the guitarist Eliot Fisk and the harpsichordist Mark Kroll, write about their experiences studying with Kirkpatrick in a foreword and an afterword. The volume also includes a bibliography of publications by and about the musician, as well as a discography. MeredithKirkpatrick is a librarian and bibliographer at Boston University and is the niece of Ralph Kirkpatrick.Trade ReviewFascinating, behind-the-scenes details. Provides much biographical insight. The photographs . . . are an excellent addition. Kirkpatrick's letters reveal a richness of detail that, while history from today's vantage point, shows the vibrancy of the musical world he inhabited less than a century ago. * MLA NOTES *Offers fascinating insights into the life and work of a highly significant figure. The book, excellently edited and organised by Kirkpatrick's niece Meredith . . . is beautifully produced, containing many photographs of Kirkpatrick throughout his career, as well as others with whom he worked. . . . One of the most invigorating aspects of his letters is their directness; he pulls no punches...The range of subjects covered is vast, and the exchanges give every impression of being frank and honest. Kirkpatrick himself always wrote courteously, but stated his views trenchantly. . . . This book goes a long way to reaffirming Kirkpatrick's seminal role in our present-day understanding of early keyboard music. . . . A significant publication that should be read by everyone with an interest in early keyboard music especially. . . . [The letters to harpsichord builder John Challis] are full of interesting insights and repay careful study. -- John Kitchen * EARLY MUSIC PERFORMER *Engrossing picture of a brilliant and passionate man working to establish a place for what he loved, against many handicaps, in a world that was barely ready. The correspondents include musical and artistic luminaries of the age, such as Nadia Boulanger, Serge Koussevitzky, Roger Sessions, Elliott Carter, [and] Thornton Wilder. * EARLY MUSIC AMERICA *Goes a long way toward fleshing out our knowledge about one of the most prominent and respected figures in the 20th-century American harpsichord revival. Important correspondence with American composers Roger Sessions, Elliott Carter, Otto Luening, Quincy Porter, Vincent Persichetti, Henry Cowell, and Mel Powell, as well as Europeans Frank Martin and Bengt Hambraeus. Carefully selected and annotated. -- Larry Palmer * DIAPASON *Scrupulously edited. Sympathetic yet honest appraisals by Mark Kroll and guitarist Eliot Fisk bookend a fascinating document that chronicles not just a life lived through scholarship and performance, but also a revolution that was profoundly indebted to Kirkpatrick in how we experience the music of the past. Letters to family . . . prove the most vivid. * BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE *Table of ContentsForeword: "The Glowing of Such Fire" -- A Tribute to Ralph Kirkpatrick - Eliot Fisk Acknowledgments Introduction Selected Letters to Family Nadia Boulanger Alexander Mackay-Smith Wanda Landowska John Challis Serge Koussevitzky Oliver Strunk Roger Sessions Harold Spivacke Steinway & Sons New York Times Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge John Kirkpatrick Alexander Schneider Otto Luening Donald Boalch John Hamilton Thornton Wilder Lincoln Kirstein Arthur Mendel Edward Steuremann Frank Martin Olin Downes Albert Fuller Elliott Carter Quincy Porter Vincent Persichetti Henry Cowell Mel Powell Bengt Hambraeus Alec Hodson Paul Fromm Wolfgang Zuckermann Kenneth Gilbert Mr. and Mrs. George Young Colin Tilney Oliver Daniel Eliot Fisk Wilton Dillon William Dowd Meredith Kirkpatrick Afterword: Lessons with Kirkpatrick - Mark Kroll Appendix A: Publications by and about Ralph Kirkpatrick Appendix B: Ralph Kirkpatrick Discography Index

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Book SynopsisRevealing unpublished interviews with John Cage and some of his closest colleagues, including Virgil Thomson, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Pauline Oliveros, Merce Cunningham, and David Tudor. John Cage, one of America's most renowned composers from the 1940s until his death in 1992, was also a much-admired writer and artist, and a uniquely attractive personality able to present his ideas engagingly wherever he went. In CageTalk: Dialogues with and about John Cage, Peter Dickinson showcases a collection of vividly revealing and unpublished interviews given by Cage in the late 1980s for a BBC Radio 3 documentary. For this paperback edition, Dickinson presents a new preface noting developments in Cage criticism since the book's publication in 2006, updated comments from several of the original interviewees, and a new interview with Christian Wolff. CageTalk also features earlier BBC interviews with Cage, including ones by renowned literary critic Frank Kermode and art critic David Sylvester. In addition, there are discussions of Cage with Bonnie Bird, Earle Brown, Merce Cunningham,Minna Lederman, Otto Luening, Jackson Mac Low, Peadar Mercier, Pauline Oliveros, John Rockwell, Kurt Schwertsik, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Virgil Thomson, David Tudor, LaMonte Young, and Paul Zukovsky. Most of these interviews weregiven to Peter Dickinson but there are others in which with Rebecca Boyle, Anthony Cheevers, Michael Oliver, and Roger Smalley were the interviewers. Peter Dickinson, British composer and pianist, is Emeritus Professor,University of Keele and University of London, and has written or edited several books about twentieth-century music, including Copland Connotations [Boydell Press, 2002] and The Music of Lennox Berkeley [Boydell Press, 2003].Trade ReviewForeWord Magazine selected this title as one of its top music books from University Presses for 2006. * . *Ideal introduction to Cage. * TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT *The first-hand accounts related by Cage's colleagues offer new insights and a palpable vibrancy. . . . A sense of intimacy and richness of anecdotal detail. . . . Merit[s] study by all with an interest in the composer. -- Charles Madsen * BULLETIN OF THE SOCIETY FOR AMERICAN MUSIC *We hear Cage in his own words, in conversations conducted between 1966 and 1988, and put in the context of interviews with close colleagues such as pianist David Tudor, choreographer Merce Cunningham and fellow composers including Earle Brown and Virgil Thomson. . . . Dickinson's approach to collecting these interviews is methodical and fastidious. . . . [His] introductory chapter is . . . cogent. -- Philip Clark * GRAMOPHONE *This book is no eulogy compendium. Instead, the interviewees simply give us what we would all prefer to have, which is a diverse set of instructive, good-humoured accounts of their dealings with the book's subject. . . . Informative and entertaining -- often amusing: Stockhausen's thinly-veiled tetchiness makes for a diverting subtext, while Virgil Thomson refers to Cage's former wife Xenia as 'the Eskimo.' Technically, too, this book is a success, with its comprehensive references, its proper indexing and, joy of joys, footnotes . . . on the page you're actually on. A valuable and enjoyable read which I unreservedly recommend. Five stars (out of five). -- Roger Thomas * BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE *A lively compilation of dialogues with and about Cage . . . [opening with Dickinson's] useful introductory overview.. . . [Cage's] influence burns brighter than ever. -- Fiona Maddocks * THE SPECTATOR *Essential reading for anyone interested in the music of our time. * WHOLENOTE *Cage's engaging manner radiates from these pages. . . . CageTalk is excellent, leaving one with feelings of affection toward its subject. -- John Robert Brown * CLASSICAL MUSIC *A real treasure house of fascinating exchanges. . . . An entertaining perspective on [Cage's] inventive and imaginative world of sound, visual imagery and movement. -- Patrick Standford * MUSIC AND VISION DAILY *Recommended to all music libraries, [and] specialists concerned with...[Cage's] enduring work. -- Brett Boutwell * JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR AMERICAN MUSIC *Table of ContentsIntroduction by Peter Dickinson John Cage Merce Cunningham Bonnie Bird David Tudor Jackson Mac Low Minna Lederman Virgil Thomson Otto Luening Karlheinz Stockhausen Earle Brown Kurt Schwertsik La Monte Young John Rockwell Pauline Oliveros Paul Zukofsky Cage with David Sylvester and Roger Smalley Cage with Frank Kermode Cage with Michael Oliver About Musicircus, Cage with Peter Dickinson Introducing Roaratorio, Cage, Cunningham, and Peadar Mercier with Peter Dickinson Europeras and After, Cage with Anthony Cheevers

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Book SynopsisThis book reveals Czech composer Bedrich Smetana as a dynamic figure whose mythology has been rewritten time and again to suit shifting political perspectives. Interpretations of Czech composer Bedrich Smetana and his music have shifted as frequently as the political contexts in which they were written. This book examines not just Smetana, but also the scholar-politicians who have imagined and reimagined him and his works since the nineteenth century. During the 1870s, Smetana helped found a powerful nationalist organization called the Umelecká beseda ("Artistic Society," or UB), whose members produced the earliest scholarship on the composer as part of their calls for political action. Within the increasingly radicalized discourses of the twentieth century, individuals including future Minister of Culture and Education Zdenek Nejedlý attacked the UB for not being nationalistic enough, producing their own revisionist histories of Smetana and his works. Kelly St. Pierre investigates Smetana as both nationalist composer and national symbol, revealing the composer'slegacy as a dynamic figure whose mythology has been rewritten time and time again to suit changing political perspectives. Kelly St. Pierre is assistant professor of musicology at Wichita State University.Trade ReviewAn important book [that] investigates the creation of a collection of 'Smetana myths,' and the manner in which the composer's career and its reception were molded by a complex set of forces. Some of the most fascinating aspects of St. Pierre's book involve the sections dealing with the attempt on the part of various interlocutors to ascribe 'meaning' to specific moments of instrumental music. -- Michael Beckerman * SLAVIC REVIEW *St. Pierre brings together a wide range of published sources, such as articles and edited correspondence in translation (mostly her own). Particularly intriguing is [her] perspective on music history (and its making) as media history. The monograph's structure and appearance are impeccable, and its name index will serve as an essential companion for every future study on Smetana. * MUSIC LIBRARY ASSOCIATION NOTES *St. Pierre's book will need to be consulted by anyone interested in the subject. It is lucidly constructed and well written, and has been well served by Rochester Press [sic] in its editing of her prose . . . [and] is especially valuable in the lively details it gives of the Umelecká beseda and its members. * SLAVONIC AND EAST EUROPEAN REVIEW *A sorely needed and welcome foray not only into scholarship on the Czech composer Bedrich Smetana, but also into questions of composer biography and the role of propaganda in Central European nationalist movements...a valuable resource for scholars of European history and Czech music. * EUROPEAN HISTORY QUARTERLY *Kelly St. Pierre's concentrated and highly researched new study . . . closely examines the complex and politically controversial genesis of [Czech composer Smetana's] music, and its huge eventual significance in establishing a strong and clear national identity for that small if fiercely patriotic country contained within the 19th-century Austro-Hungarian Empire. St. Pierre has done well to cut a path through the forests of obscurantism generated by these ever-changing political perspectives, leading to a clearer picture of Smetana and his actual achievements. MUSICAL TIMES * MUSICAL TIMES *A significant work of scholarship, Kelly St. Pierre's Bedrich Smetana: Myth, Music, and Propaganda fills an obvious and important gap in the literature of musical politics in Prague from the last quarter of the nineteenth century to the end of the First Republic. With an excellent and thorough consideration of both Czech and English sources, including the most recent publications, this book will be indispensable for scholars and enthusiasts of Czech music, as well as scholars, students, and devotees of late nineteenth-century European cultural and intellectual history. -- -- Derek Katz, author of Janácek beyond the BordersTable of ContentsIntroduction Smetana Advocacy and Czech Nation-Building Smetana, Czechness, and the New German School Smetana, Czechness, and Wagner Smetana as a Proven Genius Writing the Smetana Myth: Historiography and Czechness Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisExamines the decline and resurgence of Haydn's reputation in an effort to better understand the forces that shape critical reception on a broad scale. By the 1840s Joseph Haydn, who died in 1809 as the most celebrated composer of his generation, had degenerated into the bewigged "Papa Haydn," a shallow placeholder in music history who merely invented the forms used by Beethoven.In a remarkable reversal, Haydn swiftly regained his former stature within the opening decades of the twentieth century. Reviving Haydn: New Appreciations in the Twentieth Century examines both the decline and the subsequent resurgence of Haydn's reputation in an effort to better understand the forces that shape critical reception on a broad scale. No single person or event marked the turning point for Haydn's reputation. Instead a broad resurgence reshaped opinion in Europe and the United States in short order. The Haydn revival engaged many of the music world's leading figures -- composers (Vincent d'Indy and Arnold Schoenberg), conductors (Arturo Toscanini), performers (Wanda Landowska), critics (Lawrence Gilman), and scholars (Heinrich Schenker and Donald Tovey) -- each of whom valued Haydn's music for specific reasons and used it to advance particular goals. Yet each advocated for a rehearing and rereading of the composer's works, calling for a new appreciation of Haydn's music. Bryan Proksch is Assistant Professor of Music History at Lamar University.Trade Review[Proksch goes beyond previous studies by Botstein and Garratt by illustrating] how the nineteenth-century degradation and the twentieth-century revival of Haydn's music are both linked to the championing of newer music by composers and critics. Proksch's historical narrative...is certainly compelling. Haydn enthusiasts and scholars alike will greatly appreciate this story told in a reasonably comprehensive, single-volume account. -- Melanie Lowe * FONTES ARTIS MUSICAE *Sensitively outlines the progression in which Haydn came increasingly to be viewed as a mere stepping-stone toward Ludwig van Beethoven. Heinrich Schenker's diverse approaches to the composer are explored . . . most persuasively. Proksch's drawing on diverse primary sources allows for precious insights into the American musical scene. A thoughtfully written and overall very useful addition to the Haydn literature. Forcefully reminds us that Haydn's historical and aesthetic relevance is not an absolute given, but something his advocates must fight for day by day in the concert halls, in the general press, and in scholarly publications. -- Balazs Mikusi * MLA NOTES *Proksch masterfully untangles the various agendas that marked Haydn's reception, especially those involved in rebuilding the composer's reputation in the post-Romantic era. Reception historians must take up the challenge to explore that mind and ferret out hidden significance and meaning; to do less is simply to report what has already been printed or said. Proksch answers the call admirably and tells a fascinating story in the process. -- Jess Tyre http://haydnjournal.org * HAYDN JOURNAL *Haydn scholarship has long been in need of a comprehensive account of the composer's reception. One of Proksch's most striking insights is that both the decline and the revival of the composer's critical fortunates were connected to the claims of new music. The case studies cover France, Austria and Germany, the United States, and Great Britain, and involve figures such as d'Indy, Saint-Sae'ns, Schenker, Schoenberg, and Tovey. Bryan Proksch offers plenty of fresh material to chew on, especially for his focal period of the first half of the twentieth century. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MUSICOLOGICAL SOCIETY [W. Dean Sutcliffe] -- W. Dean Sutcliffe * JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MUSICOLOGICAL SOCIETY *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction: A Revival in Context Haydn's Fall A Reputation at an Ebb Recomposing H-A-Y-D-N in Fin de Siecle France Eccentric Haydn as Teacher Haydn and the Neglect of German Genius Schoenberg's Lineage to Haydn Haydn in American Musical Culture Croatian Tunes, Slavic Paradigms, and the Anglophone Haydn The Genesis of Tovey's Haydn Conclusion: Haydn in the "Bad Old Days" Appendix: A Note on Methodology and the Russians Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThe first full-length analytic study devoted to the Concerto for Piano and Wind Instruments, combining sketch studies, musicological context, and straightforward analyses of all three movements. Stravinsky's "Great Passacaglia" marks the first full-length analytic study devoted to the Concerto for Piano and Wind Instruments, an important neoclassic piece composed by one of the most influential composers of the twentieth century. Donald Traut examines the complex significance of this piece for Stravinsky and his contemporaries. For the composer, the Concerto was both a major artistic accomplishment in his burgeoning neoclassic style and a vehicle for financial gain as a touring soloist, an endeavor that took him throughout Europe and was instrumental in bringing him to America for the first time. For many of Stravinsky's critics it came to represent all that was wrong with his new style, while for others it pointed the way forward through the past, taking on an important role in the Bach revival of the 1920s. By combining sketch studies, musicological context, and straightforward analyses ofall three movements, the book paints a comprehensive picture of the piece's creation, impact, and structure that will be of interest not only to musicologists and music theorists, but to pianists, conductors, and concert-goers aswell. Donald Traut is associate professor of music theory at the University of Arizona.Trade Review[S]hould provide a great resource for scholars, conductors, and performers interested in deepening their understanding of Stravinsky's concerto and his neoclassical style. * NOTES: JOURNAL OF THE MUSIC LIBRARY ASSOCIATION *Table of ContentsIntroduction Context and Composition Concerto as Catalyst Analytical Tools and Recurring Elements Counterpoint and Tonality in the First Movement Tetrachords and Tritones in the Largo Points of Imitation in the Finale Conclusion Appendix Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisExamines the remarkable career of leading soprano castrato Venanzio Rauzzini (1746-1810), the first castrato to make Britain his home. Venanzio Rauzzini (1746-1810), the celebrated Italian castrato, is best known for his performance in Mozart's Lucio Silla in 1772, with which Mozart was so pleased that he composed for the singer the famous motet Exsultate Jubilate. In 1774, Rauzzini moved to London where he performed three seasons of serious operas at the King's Theatre. From 1777 until his death in 1810, he was the director of the concert series in Bath, a series that matched the prestige of any that were given in London. In addition, he composed prolifically, writing music for eleven operas. This book is a study of Rauzzini's remarkable yet often overlooked career in Britain. Paul Rice chronicles Rauzzini's performances at the King's Theatre and examines his leadership of the Bath subscription concerts from 1780-1810, recovering much of the repertory. Rice shows in detail how Rauzzini responded musically to the social and political conditions of his adopted country, and analyzes the castrato's reception, as well as compositional choices, shedding new light on changing musical tastes in late eighteenth-century Britain. Paul F. Rice is Professor of Musicology at the School of Music, Memorial University of Newfoundland.Trade Review[Venanzio Rauzzini] was an intrepid survivor in a world that held Italians, and particularly Italian castrati, as highly suspect. Paul Rice has brought together a great deal of biographical detail about Rauzzini's life. He has made it possible for us easily to flesh-out the headline facts that are presented in the Grove and Oxford articles and the work of other authors. [Musical] extracts and analyses...give us an impression of Rauzzini's own evolving vocal abilities and those of his singers. The author seems to have left no stone unturned in seeking out his subject. -- Andrew Pink * BRIO *The scope of [Rauzzini's] influence enables Rice to...use Rauzzini's career as a focal point in a broader examination of social and cultural life in Brain, and specifically London and Bath. [Rice] attempts to glean information about the character of his sound, not only from contemporary descriptions but also from the music written for him by Mozart and Sacchini. Rice manages his materials admirably, and there is much here to interest scholars of eighteenth-century music, particularly those interested in concert culture and the practicalities of singers' lives. An engaging portrait of a man who left a considerable legacy across many areas of musical life. -- Chloe Valenti * AD PARNASSUM *Fascinating insights concerning Rauzzini's compositional techniques and the characteristics of the arias he wrote for himself. The musical analysis undertaken in the book, illustrated with a large number of music examples, reveals Rauzzini's accomplished compositional style for the different technical demands of domestic music-making. . . Broaden[s] the common picture of the virtuoso opera singer and demonstrate[s] his expertise in different fields and his acceptance at the heart of Britain's social and cultural life. -- Ingeborg Zechner * MUSIC & LETTERS *Rauzzini is unique among castratos for having spent more than half his life in England. Rice is the first to tackle in detail the whole of Rauzzini's professional life across the 36 years the singer spent in England. The programmes for these concerts give a fascinating picture of changing tastes. Rauzzini was a canny director, endeavouring to engage the best soloists. Rice provides a generous quantity of music examples that demonstrate Rauzzini's mastery of the galant style. A rich resource. -- Patricia Howard * MUSICAL TIMES *Table of ContentsPreface Rauzzini's European Career A Debut Season at the King's Theatre, 1774-75 Two Further Seasons at the King's Theatre, 1775-77 Concerts and Composing, 1774-81 A Continuing Relationship with the King's Theatre A Life in Bath The Bath Concerts Final Curtain Appendix A: Concert Programs, 1786-1810 Appendix B: Operatic Roles Performed by Venanzio Rauzzini Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisUp-close and personal views, by the renowned music critic and orchestra administrator, of musical luminaries from Alfred Brendel to Jessye Norman and beyond. Star Turns and Cameo Appearances is the entertaining and insightful memoir by veteran music critic Bernard Jacobson. Its pages are populated by eminent composers ranging from Hans Werner Henze to Andrzej Panufnik and by renowned performers, including Georg Solti, Daniel Barenboim, Sviatoslav Richter, and Jessye Norman. As a music critic and orchestra administrator, Jacobson has had the opportunity to observe these outstanding musicians andmany of their colleagues at close quarters. Assisting Riccardo Muti at the Philadelphia Orchestra for eight years, he saw sides of that maestro not visible to the music-loving public. Throughout Star Turns and Cameo Performances, Jacobson adds his own sensitive and sympathetic view to public perceptions of musical luminaries of yesterday and today, helping to explain and illuminate their artistry. Bernard Jacobson has worked in the music field for over fifty years, including stints as recording executive, music critic of the Chicago Daily News, artistic director and adviser for international orchestras in Holland, and visiting professor at Roosevelt University's Chicago Musical College. He has also performed and recorded as narrator of concert works and opera.Trade ReviewWill appeal to many different music professionals as well as a number of music-lovers. Without exception, Jacobson's remarks show knowledge and heart beautifully combined, the writing eloquent and perceptive. Star Turns and Cameo Appearances offers an intimate and rewarding look at one of the most distinguished music professionals of the 20th century and, perhaps more important, one for whom new music and the classics generally held equal value. -- Rob Haskins * ARSC JOURNAL *I have admired and continue to admire the great musical culture of Bernard Jacobson, whom I have known since my time in Philadelphia in the 1980s. His deep understanding of the world of the arts and his wit and elegant writing make Star Turns particularly interesting and charming. -- -- Riccardo Muti, conductor, music director, Chicago Symphony Orchestra[This] remarkable memoir is a musical journey from the perspective of a writer, music critic, music publisher, and a man who has been intimately involved with the classical music world. His extraordinary life's work, knowledge, and integrity have been a great inspiration to me, and this beautifully written memoir now affords others a window into his lifelong devotion to and love of music on the deepest level. -- -- Gerard Schwarz, conductor and composerAn extraordinarily vivid and intriguing glimpse of the humans inside the classical music giants, of the last fifty years -- an invaluable and rare account from a man who's heard it all. -- -- Roxanna Panufnik, composerBernard Jacobson has been one of the most illuminating writers about classical music over the past decades, a critical intelligence to reckon with -- the sort of critic (all too rare) with whom performers can engage in fruitful dialogue. His memoirs of a life in music are fascinating stuff. -- -- Ian Bostridge, tenorA fascinating tour through the classical music world from the 1960s to today. Jacobson has worked with and has stories to tell about most of the major and minor figures of music in England and America of the last fifty years. His analysis of Riccardo Muti as a man, a conductor, and a leader is worth the whole book. It's an involving book, and I feel privileged to have read it. -- -- Speight Jenkins, general director, 1983-2014, Seattle OperaTable of ContentsPreface Acknowledgments "Till Ready," to 1960 Inside the Record Industry, 1960-64 Freelance in London and New York, 1964-67 Chicago Years, 1967-73 Exchanging Criticizing for Supporting, 1973-76 The Pastoral Dream, 1976-79 Inside Music Publishing, 1979-84 Philadelphia, First Installment, 1984-91 Back to Holland, 1992-95 Philadelphia, Second Installment, 1996-2005 West Coast Years, 2005-14 Philadelphia, Yet Again, 2014-? Afterword Index

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Book SynopsisPresents previously unpublished memoirs (1933-77), lectures, and essays by the eminent harpsichordist and scholar Ralph Kirkpatrick. This collection of unpublished writings by the eminent harpsichordist and scholar Ralph Kirkpatrick contains his memoirs for the period 1933-77 as well as essays on a variety of topics, including his preparation for the first performance of Elliott Carter's Double Concerto, thoughts on editing Bach's Goldberg Variations, and reflections on recording, chamber music, performance, and harpsichords and their transport. The volume also contains five lectures from a Yale University lecture series presented between 1969 and 1971, a bibliography of publications by and about Kirkpatrick, a discography of his recordings, and a foreword by former Kirkpatrick student and renowned organist William Porter. Meredith Kirkpatrick, the niece of Ralph Kirkpatrick, is a librarian and bibliographer at Boston University and the editor of Ralph Kirkpatrick: Letters of the American Harpsichordist and Scholar (University of Rochester Press, 2014).Trade ReviewThe career of [harpsichordist] Kirkpatrick took place during a major developmental stage in the history of the harpsichord. Extremely enjoyable to read. Excellently produced and laid out on the page. * REVUE BELGE DE MUSICOLOGIE *[A]n exciting read not only for harpsichordists, but also for anyone interested in early music and the history of old keyboard instruments. * SZABÓ ERVIN LIBRARY MUSIC COLLECTION *His depth of thought, and skill in articulating his musical philosophy never disappoints, and I would buy the book if only for his outstandingly good essay, entitled 'The Performer's Pilgrimage to the Sources'...A writer who could evoke time and place with memorable clarity. * SOUNDING BOARD *Offers valuable insight into... the [early music] movement as well as considerable enjoyment along the way. * THE CONSORT *The writing style is elegant and captivating, often sprinkled with touches of humor. The pages...devoted to Scarlatti are particularly rich. * REVUE DE MUSICOLOGIE *[A] new and rich collection of writings by . . . Ralph Kirkpatrick (1911-1984). . . one of the principal shapers of the twentieth-century movement to return historical instruments to the practical uses of musical life. * AD PARNASSUM *[P]resents another pathway to understanding the stellar contributions of the most influential American harpsichordist of the mid-20th century after . Here is a book to treasure, and to share with fellow lovers of the harpsichord and its history. * DIAPASON *This special book is well made, beautiful to hold and captures this later period in the lifetime and place in history of this very eminent American musician and scholar. . . . Kirkpatrick's own Memoirs in this book have an elegant and engaging style of writing, displaying his erudite intelligence and charisma. . . . [His] Reflections . . . display the author's immense contribution and role in shaping music history. * FONTES ARTIS MUSICAE *Brilliant observations that apply to all fields of music. The fascinating writing itself is so elegant and polished. . . that the reader constantly wants to turn the pages. . . . Should be of interest to all lovers of keyboard instruments and the music written for them. * AMERICAN ORGANIST *Kirkpatrick's playing, at its best, is magnificent ... [This] entertaining and wittily written book ... [is] a beautiful complement to [Ralph Kirkpatrick: Letters of the American Harpsichordist and Scholar], which came out a few years ago. * OPUSKLASSIEK *Offers a fascinating view into the personality and worldview of Ralph Kirkpatrick. . . . The writing reveals scrupulous musical standards and a crunchy personality. * AMERICAN RECORD GUIDE *Meredith Kirkpatrick has selected wisely and edited meticulously. We are offered many insights into the life of a concert harpsichordist at a time when such individuals were rare indeed. [Kirkpatrick's] prose style is always elegant, but he expresses himself directly and vigorously. * EARLY MUSIC PERFORMER *Opens a window onto much of 20th-century cultural history. . . . Essential reading for anyone interested in the harpsichord, scholarship, and musical style. * EARLY MUSIC AMERICA *[From] a musician who was widely admired as one of the finest harpsichordists of his day [comes] this collection of memoirs, essays and lectures, all previously unpublished and edited sensitively by Kirkpatrick's niece...[The memoirs are] pleasingly anecdotal. * GRAMOPHONE *[A welcome new book of writings by] the trailblazing American harpsichordist...Humour and waspish observations gild memoir and polemic alike. Many of the issues pondered with characteristic clarity are no less relevant fifty years on...(Four stars, and Editor's Choice) * BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE *Table of ContentsIntroduction Memoirs, 1933-77 On Performing On Recording On Chamber Music On Harpsichords and Their Transport Elliott Carter's Double Concerto (ca. 1973) On Editing Bach's Goldberg Variations: For Arthur Mendel (March 31, 1973) RK and Music at JE (1983) The Equipment and Education of a Musician (1971) Bach and Mozart for Violin and Harpsichord (ca. 1944) The Early Piano (Broadcast on BBC Radio 3, Music Weekly, September 23, 1973) Bach and Keyboard Instruments In Search of Scarlatti's Harpsichord Style in Performance The Performer's Pilgrimage to the Sources Private Virtue and Public Vice in the Performance of "Early Music" Appendix A: Personal Names in the Text Appendix B: Publications by and about Ralph Kirkpatrick Appendix C: Ralph Kirkpatrick Discography

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Book SynopsisPublished for the first time: a rich epistolary dialogue revealing one master teacher's power to shape the cultural canon and one great composer's desire to embed himself within historical narratives. Nadia Boulanger and Igor Stravinsky began corresponding in 1929 when Stravinsky sought someone to supervise the musical education of his younger son, Soulima. Boulanger accepted the position and began what would prove to be a warmand lasting dialogue with the Stravinsky family. For fifty years, Boulanger exchanged letters with Igor Stravinsky. An additional 140 letters exist written to Boulanger from Stravinsky's immediate family: his wife Catherine, hismother Anna, and his sons Théodore and Soulima. Nadia Boulanger and the Stravinskys: A Selected Correspondence makes available a rich selection from this many-sided dialogue. The letters are published here in English translation (most for the first time in their entirety or at all). The little-known French originals are available on the book's companion website. The letters allow us to follow the conversation shared between Boulanger andthe Stravinskys from 1929 until 1972, the year following Igor Stravinsky's death. Through the words they exchanged, we see Boulanger and Stravinsky transition from respectful colleagues to close friends to, finally, distant icons, with music serving always as a central topic. These letters are a testament to one master teacher's power to shape the cultural canon and one composer's desire to embed himself within historical narratives. Their words touch upon matters professional and personal, musical and social, with the overall narrative reflecting the turmoil of life during the twentieth century and the fragility of artists hoping to leave their mark on the modernist period. Kimberly A. Francis is Associate Professor of Music at the University of Guelph, Canada.Trade ReviewReveals for the first time the full extent of the Boulanger-Stravinsky correspondence and allows us to set aside the errors and erroneous interpretations that [Robert] Craft introduced when he published forty of the letters in 1982. An indispensable complement to [Francis's] deeply researched study [Teaching Stravinsky]. . . . The translations from French into English are excellent. . . . The book has been well and carefully produced. H-FRANCE Full review: https://h-france.net/vol19reviews/vol19no258dufour.pdf * . *An extensive haul of letters spanning more than four decades (1929-41) [that] saw the continuation of the composer's remarkable contribution to 'modernist discourse. * MUSICAL TIMES *Draws on theories by Pierre Bourdieu and others to explore Nadia Boulanger's vital role in the promotion of Stravinsky's music in Europe...useful to scholars of both musicians as contextual reading. * FRENCH HISTORY *Deftly selected, edited and translated. The majority of these letters are appearing in English translation for the first time. They will fascinate readers interested by the emotional and professional lives of these mid-twentieth-century figures. Nadia Boulanger and the Stravinskys adds an important primary source to a growing body of scholarship that seeks to reassess the influential, and in many ways unique, role played by Boulanger in the history of twentieth-century classical music. * ROYAL MUSICAL ASSOCIATION RESEARCH CHRONICLE *A new springboard for further research on Boulanger and the Stravinskys, but even more importantly, illuminates the kinds of entitlements and expectations Stravinsky -- like many men of the period -- had of his supporters and the vast amounts of uncompensated emotional, intellectual, and physical labour Boulanger provided for him in their shared goals to make him the success that he became. * FONTES ARTIS MUSICAE *A model of scholarship. As a reference into the gestation and completion of works like Symphony of Psalms this book is indispensable...[Boulanger's] proof-reading notes to Stravinsky are astounding in their perception and detail....[The companion website] is a true research tool and keeps the length of the book manageable. * AMERICAN RECORD GUIDE *Reading it is an absorbing experience...sheds new light on an important relationship between two exceptional personalities. * GRAMOPHONE *The letters are often moving, and are undoubtedly vital for those studying either figure. * BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE *The correspondence between Nadia Boulanger and the Stravinsky family circle is well worth translating into English. No amount of reporting about their interchanges can substitute for actually following the letters chronologically and absorbing their tone, where personal matters are inextricably entwined with professional ones and Boulanger's absolute admiration for the composer shines through so often. Kimberly Francis's book documents an important moment in twentieth-century music, and also an important moment in the history of women in music. -- Steven Huebner, McGill UniversityTable of ContentsIntroduction October 1929-August 1938 Toward America: January 1939-June 1940 The American Years: November 1940-January 1946 After the War, 1946-1951 A Friendship Unravels, 1951-1956 Old Friends: 1956-1972 Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisCombines fresh approaches to the life and music of the beloved nineteenth-century composer with the latest and most significant ways of thinking about rhythm, meter, and musical time. Brahms and the Shaping of Time brings together essays by leading music scholars, each of which analyzes the music of Brahms with a particular focus on the music's temporality. The volume reveals numerous ways in which Brahms manipulates such basic elements as rhythm and phrase structure in pieces ranging from the Third Piano Sonata and the Double Concerto to a number of his most important and beloved songs. The first two essays examine aspects of rhythm and meter in Brahms's lieder, recognizing his meaningful deviations from temporal norms. The second two pick up the mantle from William Rothstein's landmark text Phrase Rhythm in Tonal Music. Rothstein's study focused on the music of other composers, but suggested how a future study might explore the music of Brahms; these essays contribute to such a study while also pivoting the book's focus from vocal to instrumental music. Each of the chapters of the third pair cross-examines and expands our understanding of the hemiola. The concluding trio of essays promotes, through further analysis of individual works, ways of hearing that encourage the reader to breach the confines of the score's metric notation. Together, the essays in this volume offer fresh approaches to the life and music of the beloved nineteenth-century composer and incorporate significant new ways of thinking about rhythm, meter, and musical time. CONTRIBUTORS: Eytan Agmon, Richard Cohn, Harald Krebs, Ryan McClelland, Jan Miyake, Scott Murphy, Samuel Ng, Heather Platt, Frank Samarotto Scott Murphy is professorof music theory at the University of Kansas.Trade ReviewWINNER of the 2019 Outstanding Multi-Author Collection Award from the Society for Music Theory * . *Table of ContentsForeword: Brahms, Analysis, and Time Expressive Declamation in the Songs of Johannes Brahms Temporal Disruptions and Shifting Levels of Discourse in Brahms's Lieder Phrase Rhythm and the Expression of Longing in Brahms's "Gestillte Sehnsucht," Op. 91, No. 1 On the Oddness of Brahms's Five-Measure Phrases Hemiola as Agent of Metric Resolution in the Music of Brahms Brahms at Twenty: Hemiolic Varietals and Metric Malleability in an Early Sonata Containment and Wave: Temporal Experiment in Brahms's Opus 2 Rhythmic Displacement in the Fugue of Brahms's Handel Variations: The Refashioning of a Traditional Device Durational Enharmonicism and the Opening of Brahms's "Double Concerto"

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Book SynopsisA new and wide-ranging collection of essays by leading international scholars, exploring the concept and practices of virtuosity in Franz Liszt and his contemporaries. In the annals of music history, few figures have dominated the discussion of virtuosity as much as Franz Liszt. A flamboyant performer whose hair-raising technical feats at the piano created a sense of awe-inspiring excitement andan icon whose star power radiated far beyond the realm of music, Liszt was, along with his early model, Paganini, among the first major performer-composers to define himself principally by virtuosity. Featuring new essays by an international group of preeminent scholars, Liszt and Virtuosity offers a reevaluation of the concept and practices of virtuosity as shaped and defined in Liszt's multifaceted oeuvre, as well as a reconsiderationof Liszt's relation to other major and lesser-known musical figures, including Czerny, Schubert, Chopin, Brahms, Debussy, and Marie Jaëll. Set in the context of larger trends within the fields of music history, musicanalysis, intellectual history, and performance studies, these capacious explorations demonstrate that Liszt's uniqueness and significance resided in his ability to transform virtuosity into a revolutionary musical force, pushingthe piano aesthetic to the limits of sound and poetic meaning.Trade ReviewThe book brings together these insights by the world's most important Liszt's scholars and performers. [...] [This book] deepen[s] our understanding of the concept of virtuosity and of different approaches [and] re-evaluates virtuosity, specifically its given definitions and practices, through Liszt's own understanding in connection to his contemporaries -- NINETEENTH-CENTURY MUSIC REVIEWSThis splendid volume dispels any lingering prejudices against nineteenth-century piano virtuosity and especially against Franz Liszt--often suspected of practicing a musical dark art. By casting new light on Liszt's singular virtuosity in essays on his instruments, technique, and teaching through to his revolutionary compositional aesthetic, the internationally distinguished authorship aspires to a level of understanding no less transformational than the work of the spectacular figure at center stage. * John Rink, Professor of Musical Performance Studies, University of Cambridge *There is a lot to think about in this volume. It is dense and rich, well researched, and thoughtful. Perhaps it is virtuosic in its own way, with its apparent casual command of fine detail. This is the kind of collection where single lines might spark new scholarship. * MUSIC & LETTERS *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Virtuosity and Liszt - Robert Doran Part One: Liszt, Virtuosity, and Performance Après une lecture de Czerny?: Liszt's Creative Virtuosity - Kenneth Hamilton Transforming Virtuosity: Liszt and Nineteenth-Century Pianos - Olivia Sham Spirit and Mechanism: Liszt's Early Piano Technique and Teaching - Nicolas Dufetel Paths through the Lisztian Ossia - Jonathan Kregor Brahms "versus" Liszt: The Internalization of Virtuosity - David Keep Part Two: Lisztian Virtuosity: Theoretical Approaches The Practice of Pianism: Virtuosity and Oral History - Jim Samson Liszt's Symbiosis: The Question of Virtuosity and the Concerto Arrangement of Schubert's Wanderer Fantasy - Jonathan Dunsby From the Brilliant Style to the Bravura Style: Reconceptualizing Lisztian Virtuosity - Robert Doran Part Three: Virtuosity and Anti-Virtuosity in "Late Liszt" Harmony, Gesture, and Virtuosity in Liszt's Revisions: Shaping the Affective Journeys of the Cypress Pieces from Années de pèlerinage III - Dolores Pesce Anti-Virtuosity and Musical Experimentalism: Liszt, Marie Jaëll, Debussy, and Others - Ralph P. Locke Virtuosity in Liszt's Late Piano Works - Shay Loya

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Book SynopsisWidor's pedagogical writings, translated for the first time, offer essential guidance for interpreting his organ compositions as well as those of his followers in the French Romantic organ school. Renowned organist, composer, and Paris Conservatory professor Charles-Marie Widor (1844-1937) was a leading figure of the French Romantic organ school. In the extensive Preface he wrote for his edition of the complete organ worksof J. S. Bach, Widor conveyed what he considered to be the essential maxims of organ performance practice and technique. Given that he felt that "the art of organ playing has not changed at all since Johann Sebastian Bach," the principles detailed in his highly articulate writings can be seen today as relevant to his own organ compositions as well as those of his circle of followers. In Widor on Organ Performance Practice and Technique,John Near translates for the first time all the statements from Widor's Bach Preface that reflect his distinctive and influential approach to performance style and artistic awareness. Correlative source material that clarifies andaugments these passages is included after the translations. To complement the pedagogical material and bring a broader view of Widor's involvement in all things pertaining to the organ, his four most significant writings about the organ and organ playing are included in the appendixes. JOHN R. NEAR is Professor Emeritus of Music, Principia College. His publications include Widor: A Life beyond the Toccata, available from theUniversity of Rochester Press.Trade Review[A] welcome investment by teachers and serious performers interested in Widor's music and late nineteenth-century French interpretations of JS Bach's organ music. -- David Ponsford * JOURNAL OF THE BRITISH INSTITUTE OF ORGAN STUDIES *Essential reading for any serious student of the French Romantic style. Another major milestone in the journey towards recognition of this undeservedly neglected genius. * ORGAN AUSTRALIA *Encapsulates all Widor's pedagogical philosophy, rules for organ playing, and practical advice . . . all translated into elegant English. The advice he gives is so astute that it works for music of all time. -- Rollin Smith * AMERICAN ORGANIST *Translated for the first time, Widor's pedagogical writings suggest crucial advice in interpreting his organ compositions as well as those of his contemporaries from the French Romantic organ school. * THE SYDNEY ORGAN JOURNAL *John Near's most recent study of Charles-Marie Widor, Widor's Maxims on Organ Performance Practice and Technique, has as its primary goal to bring together all of the available information, drawn from Widor's own writing and from that of his contemporaries, that illuminates Widor's views on organ playing. In this, he has been eminently successful. -- William Porter, Eastman School of MusicMany details on performance practice are packed into this slender volume; organists will have much to take away from it and to apply to late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century French organ repertoire. -- Annette Richards * BACH Journal *Extraordinarily useful in illuminating the Maître's mind...level-headed, impatient with dilettantish mystification, and unfailingly clear...This handsomely printed and meticulously produced volume [should] find a place on the shelves of anyone possessing the slightest interest in the organ. -- Robert James Stove * MUSICOLOGY AUSTRALIA *Table of ContentsIntroduction: "You know Bach, you know all" PART 1. BACKGROUND "Art does not know the absolute" "The art of organ playing has not changed at all since Johann Sebastian Bach" "In France we have neglected performance much too much in favor of improvisation" PART 2. MAXIMS Excerpts from Widor's Preface to Jean-Sébastien Bach-Ouvres complètes pour orgue, Vols. 1-4, and Correlative Commentary Pace Phrasing Registration The Use of the Manuals Changing Manuals Appendix 1: Symphonies pour orgue Appendix 2: Technique de l'orchestre moderne Appendix 3: Initiation musicale Appendix 4: L'orgue moderne; La décadence dans la facture contemporaine Appendix 5: Widor's Own Performance Indications in the Symphonie gothique Bibliography

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Book SynopsisExamines Liszt's piano arrangements of music originally created for other instruments, especially the symphony orchestra and the Hungarian Gypsy band. Liszt's adaptation of existing music is staggering in its quantity, scope, and variety of technique. He often viewed the model work as a source that he strove to improve, rival, and even surpass. Liszt's Representation of Instrumental Sounds on the Piano: Colors in Black and White provides a comprehensive survey of Liszt's reworking of instrumental music on the piano, particularly his emulation of tone colors and idiomatic gestures. The book relatesLiszt's sonic reproductions to the widespread nineteenth-century interest in visual-art reproduction. Hyun Joo Kim illustrates Liszt's diverse approaches to the integrity of the music in a detailed, vivid, and insightful manner through close study of his arrangements of Beethoven's symphonies and Rossini's Guillaume Tell Overture, his two-piano arrangements of his own symphonic poems such as Mazeppa and Hunnenschlacht, and his Hungarian Rhapsodies. By examining orchestral music and Hungarian Gypsy-style music as sources of Liszt's sound representations, this book reveals Liszt's musical discourse as straddling the musical, cultural, and aesthetic divides between mainstream and peripheral, art and folk, serious and popular. HYUN JOO KIM holds a PhD from Indiana University and is an independent scholar in Seoul, South Korea.Trade Review[Kim d]raws on an astounding range of sources for her analysis, always rooted in historical sources (art criticism, music reviews, Liszt's correspondence and notes, and more) and convincing theoretical analysis. Chapter 5 is most interesting to me, because it adds to the ever-present scholarly discussion about folk music['s influence on composers]. Kim offers a valuable discussion of the cimbalom and its similarities to the fortepiano's sound. Even more valuable, Kim's analysis suggests that 'folk' and 'art' overlapped often. This chapter will help people performing Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsodies on the piano. There are a lot of pictures and musical examples that make it easier to follow along. * AMERICAN RECORD GUIDE. *Liszt's Representation of Instrumental Sounds on the Piano: Colors in Black and White is a detailed study of Liszt's orchestral transcriptions. This book includes valuable insights into his evocation of the cimbalom in the Hungarian Rhapsodies and, more importantly, links Liszt's own conceptions about his music to complementary concerns shared by contemporary visual artists. Hyun Joo Kim joins the ranks of great scholars who can describe musical instruments and aspects of performance with scholarly rigor in precise, elegant writing. -- -- Rob Haskins, University of New HampshireCan an arrangement become as vibrant and alive as the original? This is one of the queries that H. J. Kim, musicologist of Indiana University, sheds light on in a convincing way in her book. The book's contents and its clear organization make this volume exemplary. Offers inspiring ideas[,] . . . it deserves to be read, especially by musicologists and musicians interested in the flourishing field of Liszt research. * MIN-AD: ISRAEL STUDIES IN MUSICOLOGY ONLINE *Kim is particularly keen to highlight the timbral dimensions of Liszt's arrangements, and thus brings analytical and hermeneutic techniques from musicology and art history to bear on his early partitions de piano, his symphonic poems, and his "Hungarian Gypsy-style" music. Kim's excellent coverage...reinforces the ingenuity with which Liszt was able to make the "sacred texts" of Beethoven and Berlioz his own. Kim ultimately expands Liszt's legacy, adding "translator" to his list of enviable accolades as pianist-composer. * STUDIA MUSICOLOGICA *Table of ContentsIntroduction Approaching the Reproductive Arts "Partitions de Piano" Between "Text" and "Event": Liszt's Guillaume Tell Overture Translating the Orchestra: Liszt's Two-Piano Arrangements of His Symphonic Poems Interpretive Fidelity to Gypsy Creativity: Representations of Hungarian-Gypsy Cimbalom Playing Conclusions: Recurring Techniques and Aesthetics Appendix: Liszt's Preface to his Piano Arrangements of Beethoven's Fifth and Sixth Symphonies in the Breitkopf & Härtel's edition, 1840 Bibliography

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Book SynopsisA deeply researched biography of the great French organist, who composed some of the best-loved works in the organ repertory -- and the masterful Requiem. Maurice Duruflé: The Man and His Music is a new biography of the great French organist and composer (1902-86), and the most comprehensive in any language. James E. Frazier traces Duruflé's musical training, his studies withTournemire and Vierne, and his career as an organist, church musician, composer, recitalist, Conservatoire professor, and orchestral musician. Frazier also examines the career and contributions of Duruflé's wife, the formidable organist Marie-Madeleine Duruflé-Chevalier. Duruflé brought the church's unique language of plainsong into a compelling liaison with the secular harmonies of the modern French school (as typified by Debussy, Ravel, and Dukas)in works for his own instrument and in his widely loved masterpiece, the Requiem Op. 9 for soloists, chorus, organ, and orchestra. Drawing on the accounts of those who knew Duruflé personally as well as on Frazier's own detailed research, Maurice Duruflé offers a broad sketch of this modest and elusive man, widely recognized today for having created some of the greatest works in the organ repertory -- and the masterful Requiem. James E. Frazier holds advanced degrees in philosophy, organ, theology, and sacred music from St. Alphonsus College, Mt. St. Alphonsus Seminary, Hartt School of Music, the Yale University Divinity School, and the Yale Institute of Sacred Music. He served Episcopal churches in Hartford, Connecticut, and St. Paul, Minnesota, as organist and director of music. For ten years he was director of music for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.Trade ReviewA mine of information . . . a veritable tale of our times. -- Andrew Thomson * MUSICAL TIMES *Provides significant insight into Duruflé's works and the relatively secretive life he and his wife led. . . . Frazier's research is excellent. . . . An important contribution. -- Brian Doherty * CHOICE *Frazier's exploration of arabesque in architecture and music and his treatment of musical luminosity are memorably insightful and reveal a thoughtful understanding of Duruflé's work. . . . An interesting and well-constructed view of Duruflé's world, and a highly informative text as well. -- Steven Plank * CHOIR & ORGAN *A work of unprecedented scope and depth, . . . [Frazier's book] is a biography abundantly rich in detail; though it declines the tone of a hagiography, it is obviously a labor of love. . . . Frazier skillfully illuminates the contexts in which Duruflé's life unfolded . . . [and] Frazier's survey of Duruflé's compositions is particularly strong. . . . A special pleasure of the book is the chapter on [Duruflé's future wife, and a world-renowned organist,] Marie-Madeleine Chevalier . . . Frazier's book will no doubt stand as a defining work in Duruflé scholarship and nurture scholars of 20th-century French organ music for years to come. -- Lawrence Archbold * AMERICAN ORGANIST *One of the best musical biographies I have read for many years: sound in musical and, for the most part, in historical judgment . . . , sympathetic without being sycophantic, and most gracefully written. Duruflé deserves no less. -- Roger Nichols * GRAMOPHONE *[Frazier] sees Duruflé as a compelling figure, given over to the same foibles and doubts we all have. Frazier's ability to obtain primary sources lends credence to his observations. This is a superb work, one to be valued by music historians and organists alike. -- Donald Metz * AMERICAN RECORD GUIDE, *This substantial study . . . although sympathetic . . . is not a work of hagiography. . . .[The author argues that] the somewhat short-lived revival of Gregorian chant in the French church . . . [during] Duruflé's composing life was a happy coincidence from which music was the main beneficiary [notably through the widely beloved Requiem]. . . . The very considerable value of this book lies in its personal evaluation of a man whose personality is likely to remain something of a mystery but whose music has already transcended his life. -- Bret Johnson * TEMPO *Table of ContentsDuruflé's Childhood and Early Education Life at the Cathedral Choir School Lessons with Charles Tournemire Lessons with Louis Vierne The Conservatoire Student Duruflé's Distinctions The Contested Successions at Notre-Dame and Sainte Clotilde Duruflé's Peforming Career The Orchestral Musician The Poulenc Organ Concerto Professor of Harmony at the Paris Conservatoire Marie-Madeleine Chevalier Overview of Duruflé's Compositions Duruflé's Compositions: Their Genesis and First Performance Duruflé's Role in the Plainsong Revival The Vichy Commissions The Requiem The Musical History of Saint Étienne-du-Mont The Organs at Saint Étienne-du-Mont Duruflé as Organist and Teacher Duruflé and Organ Design The Church in Transition The North American Tours The Man Duruflé

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Book SynopsisReveals how Aaron Copland's complex relationship with the music of Gustav Mahler shaped his vision for American music in the twentieth century. The iconic American composer Aaron Copland (1900-1990) is often credited with creating an unmistakably American musical style, a style free from the powerful sway of the European classics that long dominated the art-music scene inthe United States. Yet Copland was strongly attracted to the music of the late-romantic Austrian composer Gustav Mahler (1860-1911), whose monumental symphonies and powerful songs have captivated and challenged American audiencesfor more than a century. Drawing extensively on archival and musical materials, Aaron Copland and the American Legacy of Gustav Mahler offers the first detailed exploration of Copland's multifaceted relationshipwith Mahler's music and its lasting consequences for music in America. Matthew Mugmon demonstrates that Copland, inspired by Mahler's example, blended modernism and romanticism in shaping a vision for American music in the twentieth century, and that he did so through his multiple roles as composer, teacher, critic, and orchestral tastemaker. Copland's career-long engagement with Mahler's music, as Mugmon compellingly illustrates, intersected with Copland's own Jewish identity and with his links to such towering figures in American music as Nadia Boulanger, Serge Koussevitzky, and Leonard Bernstein. MATTHEW MUGMON is Associate Professor of Music at the University of Arizona.Trade ReviewIlluminating, thought provoking...well researched... it is certainly a very welcome addition to academic treatments of Copland's life and works as it fills a void that has not really been dealt with in the past...essential reading for Copland fans and scholars. * AARON-COPLAND.COM *Mugmon builds his argument superbly...there are revelations: Boulanger's attempt to make the French look objectively at an Austro-German in the spirit of post-war internationalism; Koussevitzky's championship of the Ninth Symphony (Copland's favourite purely orchestral Mahler) which involved grievous cuts; and how Bernstein virtually plagiarised Copland for his own educational projects.Fascinating and very much worth the general reader's time. * BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE *'Based upon extensive archival research, this book offers many fresh insights into American concert music from the 1930s to the 1960s, especially regarding Copland's role in promoting the music of Gustav Mahler in the United States. Matthew Mugmon has approached this significant topic with considerable savvy and integrity. -- Paul Laird, professor of musicology, University of Kansas'Persuasively argued and engagingly written, Matthew Mugmon's Aaron Copland and the American Legacy of Gustav Mahler sheds considerable light not only on Copland's artistic indebtedness to Mahler, but also on his important role as and advocate for Mahler's music in the United States. -- Howard Pollack, John and Rebecca Moores Professor of Music, University of HoustonThe relative brevity of [this] book belies the complexity and thoroughness of the discussion. Conversational in tone, Mugmon's contribution represents a very enjoyable and well-documented contextualized musicological look at Mahler's growing legacy in 20th-century American musical culture through the career of Aaron Copland. A fine addition to any music library, it counts as an essential for scholars of 20th-century American music. -- Gary Galván * Music Reference Services Quarterly *Table of ContentsIntroduction Mahler and Copland in New York Mahler in Nadia Boulanger's Studio and Beyond Copland in Defense of Mahler Mahler in Copland's Jewish Romanticism Mahler's Idiom in Copland's "American" Sound Copland, Koussevitzky, Mahler, and the Canon Copland's Role in Bernstein's Mahler Advocacy Conclusion Bibliography

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Book SynopsisThe first collection ever of essays and reviews by the renowned pedagogue, composer, and conductor, providing fresh perspectives on her musical influence and impact. The impact of Nadia Boulanger (1887-1979) on twentieth-century music was vast: as composer, keyboard performer, conductor, impresario, and pedagogue. Her extensive musical networks included figures such as Fauré, Stravinsky, and Poulenc, and her advocacy helped establish the compositions of her sister Lili Boulanger. Few today realize, though, that Boulanger wrote numerous essays and reviews at various times in her career. These offer unparalleled insight into her thinking and illuminate aspects of musical culture in Europe and America from the rare point of view of an internationally prominent female artist. Nadia Boulanger: Thoughts on Music provides a translation and critical edition of selected writings chosen for their quality and interest. The previously published articles and essays have never been reissued since their original appearance; the remaining materials are presented to readers here for the first time. The volume renders all these materials widely available, providing an important new resource for teaching and scholarship on twentieth-century music as well as an engaging collection of musical essays for the general reader.Table of ContentsIntroduction PART 1: JOURNALISM, CRITICISM, TRIBUTES Le Monde Musical, 1919-1927 Other critical writing, 1913-1929 "La musique religieuse," La Revue musicale (1922) "L'oeuvre théâtrale d'Albert Roussel," La Revue musicale (1929) Spectateur, 1946-1947 Tributes, 1924-1978 PART 2: LECTURES, CLASSES, AND BROADCASTS Course transcripts Lectures and speeches Broadcasts Thinking at the Close "Propos impromptus: Nadia Boulanger" Le Courrier musical (1978) Bibliography of Nadia Boulanger's published writing General Bibliography

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Book SynopsisA pathbreaking study of the Parisian press's attempts to claim Richard Wagner's place in French history and imagination during the unstable and conflict-ridden years of the Third Reich. Richard Wagner was a polarizing figure in France from the time that he first entered French musical life in the mid nineteenth century. Critics employed him to symbolize everything from democratic revolution to authoritarian antisemitism. During periods of Franco-German conflict, such as the Franco-Prussian War and World War I, Wagner was associated in France with German nationalism and chauvinism. This association has led to the assumption that, with the advent of the Third Reich, the French once again rejected Wagner. Drawing on hundreds of press sources and employing close readings, this book seeks to explain a paradox: as the German threat grew more tangible from 1933, the Parisian press insisted on seeing in Wagner a universality that transcended his Germanness. Repudiating the notion that Wagner stood for Germany, French critics attempted to reclaim his role in their own national history and imagination. Claiming Wagner for France: Music and Politics in the Parisian Press, 1933-1944 reveals how the concept of a universal Wagner, which was used to challenge the Nazis in the 1930s, was gradually transformed into the infamous collaborationist rhetoric promoted by the Vichy government and exploited by the Nazis between 1940 and 1944. Rachel Orzech's study offers a close examination of Wagner's place in France's cultural landscape at this time, contributing to our understanding of how the French grappled with one of the most challenging periods in their history.Trade ReviewA major contribution to our understanding of Wagner reception in France, Franco-German cultural relations during the 1930s, and musical life during the Occupation. -- Marie-Pier Leduc * REVUE MUSICALE OICRM *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Contents List of Figures Note on Translations and Referencing of Press Sources Introduction 1. A Universal Art: The Cinquantenaire, 1933 2. Ambassador of Peace: Rapprochement and Wagner, 1933-1939 3. Art and Patrie: The Bayreuth Festival, 1933-1943 4. A Sensitive Question: From Drôle de Guerre to Resistance, 1939-1944 5. Staging Collaboration: The Paris Opéra, 1939-1944 Conclusion: From Universalism to Collaboration Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisFor forty years, singer and songwriter Bruce Cockburn has been writing beautifully evocative music. Bestselling author and respected theologian Brian Walsh has followed Cockburn's work for years and has written and spoken often on his art. In this creative theological and cultural engagement, Walsh reveals the imaginative depth and uncompromising honesty of the artist's Christian spirituality. Cockburn offers hope in the midst of doubt, struggle, failure, and anger; indeed, the sentiment of "kicking at the darkness" is at the heart of his spirituality. This book engages the rich imagery of Cockburn's lyrics as a catalyst for shaping and igniting a renewed Christian imagination.Table of Contents1. God, Friendship, and Art2. Ecstatic Wonderings and Dangerous Kicking: Imagination and Method3. Cockburn's Windows: Getting a Big Picture4. Creation Dream5. At Home in the Darkness, but Hungry for Dawn6. Creation Dreams and Ecological Nightmares7. Into a World of Darkness8. Humans9. Broken Wheel10. Betrayal and Shame11. What Do You Do with the Darkness?12. Justice and Jesus13. Waiting for a MiracleDiscography

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