Entertainment Books

Book SynopsisA blend of musical history and criticism, this study of jazz includes chapters on King Oliver, Jelly Roll Morton, John Coltrane and Ornette Coleman. In addition to an expanded essay on Count Basie, this edition includes pieces on Eric Dolphy, Bill Evans and the World Saxophone Quartet.Trade Review'Jazz as a music provides writers with a deep well as a subject matter. Add this book to the collection if you missed it the first time round, it is among the best.' Claudia Caprez, Weekly Journal'it is never less than stimulating' Brian Glasser, Q

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Book SynopsisNew York in the 1950s. On the stage at Birdland is the midget master of ceremonies, 3''9 Pee Wee Marquette, dressed in a zoot suit and loud tie, smoking a huge cigar and screeching mispronounced introductions into the microphone. Pee Wee is just one of the many characters that have made Bill Crow''s forty years in jazz seem like an instant. In the same key as his acclaimed Jazz Anecdotes, this collection of revealing, hilarious, and sometimes moving stories runs the full gamut of New York''s nightspots, introducing us along the way to the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Goodman, Stan Getz, Judy Holliday, Yul Brynner, and Simon and Garfunkel.Trade Review`Oxford University Press is to be congratulated on recognising the historical value of these memories of a man who has been there' Jazz Times, April 1993`Crow's lively style perfectly illuminates his insider's view of the jazz scene of the '50s and '60s' Russ Neff, The Patriot-News`From Birdland to Broadway is a book that is difficult to put down, in both senses of the term.' Macon Telegraph`From Birdland to Broadway is autobiographical, and the writing flows smoothly.' Times Literary Supplement`there are some interesting yarns and insights ... Bogside fare at best.' Brian Glasser, Q`The book bristles with insider's tales about musicians he has met in 40 years of gigging around. Bill Crow's book keeps you smiling from the first page to the last ... eminently readable book ... Here is a fine bassist dipping into a deep well of reminiscence and showing that he can write as well as he can play.' Reginald Brace, Yorkshire Post`the best and possibly the only book I have read about the life of a jobbing jazz musician ... one feels that if he had been a star he could never have written a book as fascinating as this one, which digs deep into the jazz life' Peter Hepple, Stage & Television Today"In From Birdland to Broadway, Crow shares insightful anecdotes from his long career and writes in a style that's as relaxed, friendly, and straight ahead as a Mulligan baritone sax solo....He never skimps on the humorous asides and telling details. What's more, he renders most of the technical stuff, such as flugelhornist Clark Terry's method of rotary breathing, understandable to even the most unrhythmic or tonedeaf reader. Bop lives in Crow's colorful account."--Cleveland Plain Dealer"Providing some fascinating social history, [Crow] has written a book of intimate and entertaining vignettes about some modern jazz masters."--Library Journal'he has plenty to tell and his book sparkles with humour ... It is often deeply moving too.' Chris Searle, Morning Star'Whether as bystander or musician, Crow was often in the right place at the right time and recalls many priceless incidents. His book is entertaining and readable - don't miss it.' Peter Vacher, Jazz Magazine

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Book SynopsisFanny Brice was arguably the greatest American stage comedienne and the first truly great torch singer. Best known today through the Broadway and Hollywood versions of Funny Girl, the vehicle that catapulted Barbara Streisand to super-stardom, her most famous role was as `Baby Snooks'' the `incorrigible tot of network radio from 1936 to 1951''.This meticulously researched biography chronicles her entire stage career from childhood amateur shows to national fame. Full of colourful anecdote, it covers her personal life, including three broken marriages - one two a notorious gangster - and also includes four appendices detailing every aspect of her stage, film, radio, and recording careers.Trade Review'Fascinating account of the Funny Girl's career.' Peter Hepple, Stage & Television Today

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Book SynopsisIf Benny Goodman was the King of Swing, then Fletcher Henderson was the power behind the throne. Not only did Henderson arrange the music that powered Goodman''s meteoric rise, he also helped launch the careers of Louis Armstrong and Coleman Hawkins, among others. Now Jeffrey Magee offers a fascinating account of this pivotal bandleader, throwing new light on the emergence of modern jazz and the world that created it. Drawing on an unprecedented combination of sources, including sound recordings, obscure stock arrangements, and hundreds of scores that have been available only since Goodman''s death, Magee illuminates Henderson''s musical output, from his early work as a New York bandleader, to his pivotal role in building the Kingdom of Swing. He shows how Henderson, standing at the forefront of the New York jazz scene during the 1920s and ''30s, assembled the era''s best musicians, simultaneously preserving jazz''s distinctiveness and performing popular dance music that reached a widTrade Review"Magee does an excellent job of placing his subject in the context of uncertain social changes in the African American community. Well researched and highly readable."--Library Journal "An invaluable survey of Henderson's life and music. Detailed analyses of numerous musical scores are juxtaposed against a view of the roller-coaster progress of Henderson's career in the midst of the Harlem Renaissance. Perhaps most important, Magee deals with the complex issue of Henderson's identity as both a creative facilitator of other musicians' efforts and the frustrated composer-arranger of music that was a foundational element in the Swing Era--bringing triumphs that had eluded his groups to leaders such as Goodman, the Dorsey Brothers and Isham Jones."--Don Heckman, Los Angeles Times "Magee paints a vivid portrait of the central figures of early jazz and swing (Louis Armstrong is a 'strong streak of color in a crazy quilt') as well as the business of recording and touring in the 1920s and '30s. While Benny Goodman is lauded as the major force behind the Big Band sound, Magee argues convincingly that Henderson was equally important in 'building the kingdom of swing.''--Publishers Weekly "An invaluable survey of Henderson's life and music. Detailed analyses of numerous musical scores are juxtaposed against a view of the roller-coaster progress of Henderson's career in the midst of the Harlem Renaissance. Perhaps most important, Magee deals with the complex issue of Henderson's identity as both a creative facilitator of other musicians' efforts and the frustrated composer-arranger of music that was a foundational element in the Swing Era--bringing triumphs that had eluded his groups to leaders such as Goodman, the Dorsey Brothers and Isham Jones."--Don Heckman, Los Angeles Times "Magee does an excellent job of placing his subject in the context of uncertain social changes in the African American community. Well researched and highly readable."--Library Journal "Magee paints a vivid portrait of the central figures of early jazz and swing (Louis Armstrong is a 'strong streak of color in a crazy quilt') as well as the business of recording and touring in the 1920s and '30s. While Benny Goodman is lauded as the major force behind the Big Band sound, Magee argues convincingly that Henderson was equally important in 'building the kingdom of swing.''--Publishers Weekly

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Book SynopsisA well researched account of gospel blues that encompasses the broader cultural and religious histories of the African-American experience between the late 1890s and the 1930s. Harris skilfully contextualizes sacred and secular music styles within African-American religious history and significant social developments of the period.Trade Review'In a text that is rich in historical, cultural and musical data and analysis, the discussion of the conflict over music in the 'old line' churches comes across strongly.' David Horn, University of Liverpool, Popular Music, Volume 13, Part 3 - 1994

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Book SynopsisIn Chicago Jazz, William Howland Kenny offers a wide-ranging look at jazz in the Windy City, revealing how Chicago became the major centre for jazz in the 1920s, one of the most vital periods in the history of the music.Trade ReviewWilliam Howland Kenney ... writes vividly and effectively ... Chicago Jazz remains the definitive account for the foreseeable future * Times Literary Supplement *a meticulously researched and minutely detailed work of jazz scholarship that impressively enhances our understanding of how jazz developed, and the mileu in which it prospered. Aficionados will find this fascinating. * Trevor Hodgett, Irish News *CHICAGO JAZZ is a good example of the new historical writing in the field. This is a well written and thoroughly researched book, and ought to appeal to anyone interested in the general history of jazz and popular music. * Jim Burns, Beat Scene , No. 23 *

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Book SynopsisThis volume includes over a hundred interviews, critical essays, reviews and memoirs, as well as Ellington's own writings, to provide an historical anthology about this leading American jazz musician. It provides insights into Ellington's work and reveals the profound impact his music has made.Trade Review`gripping, constantly fascinating miscellany of writings about and by Ellington...Tucker's book is full of classic descriptions of him at work, in a swaying train compartment or on a bus, with a manuscript pad on his knee and his hat tilted back on his head.' Humphrey Carpenter, Sunday Times`meticulous collation of critical responses' Times Literary Supplement'It would have been possible to put together a perfectly decent anthology of pieces from easily available sources, but Mark Tucker has done much better than that' Observer'A valuable book has just been published: The Duke Ellington Reader.' Alun Morgan, Kent Today/Kent Messenger'comprehensive collection of writings on the composer' Andy Hamilton, The Wire'Mark Tucker's splendid volume ... offers a rich harvest of information and insight without attempting a final appraisal - which is just how Duke would have wanted it.' Geoffrey Smith, Country Life, April 1994'All his admirers will want to own The Duke Ellington Reader, admirably selected and edited by a professor of music at Columbia University.' The London Review of Books. Nov '94a carefully selected anthology of well-known and fugitive pieces, offers multiple perspectives on an elusive reader, sardonic and mocking genius who transcended the constraints of white racism and paternalism...deserves serious attention. Mark Tucker, an authority on Ellington's early life, provides succinct introductions to this and another hundred 'Selections' in a compilation which is both a joy to read and an indispensible addition to American Studies, Ellingtonia and jazz criticism. * American Studies vol 29 part 1 *this mighty tome on a giant of jazz will please new and old aficionados ... "any book that brings together a selection of articles and reviews from these magazines, and some lesser known ones, is to be welcomed, and THE DUKE ELLINGTON READER is a must for fans of his music." * Colin Cooper, Beat Scene, No. 23 *

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Book SynopsisThis collection of essays and reviews offers an evaluation of the early music movement, in an attempt to transform the debate about "early music" and "authenticity".Trade ReviewSuperlative value...presents virtually all Taruskin's major writing on performance criticism. * Early Music *He is the most devastatingly acute of the growing band of critics and philosophers who question the whole idea of authentic performance practice. * Music Magazine *A splendid and heartening book. * Music Magazine *...the most devastingly acute of the growing band of critics and philosophers who question the whole idea of authentic performance practice. Taruskin has been engaged in a war of words, every blow and counter-blow of which is recorded in this entertaining and wonderfully stimulating book. I found this a splendid and heartening book. * BBC Books *Another one from Taruskin, 'the most devastatingly acute of the growing band of critics and philosophers who question the whole idea of authentic practice. A splendid and heartening book' * BBC Music Magazine *

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Book SynopsisArt Tatum defined the limits of the possible in jazz piano. Gunther Schuller called Tatum''s playing a marvel of perfection.... His deep-in-the-keys full piano sonority, the tone and touch control in pyrotechnical passages...are miracles of performance. Whitney Balliett wrote no pianist has ever hit notes more beautifully. Each one--no matter how fast the tempo--was light and complete and resonant, like the letters on a finely printed page. His famous runs have been compared to the arc left against the night sky by a Fourth-of-July sparkler. And to have heard him play, one musician said, was as awe-inspiring as to have seen the Grand Canyon or Halley''s Comet. Now, in Too Marvelous For Words, James Lester provides the first full-length biography of the greatest virtuoso performer in the history of jazz. Before this volume, little was known about Tatum, even among jazz afficionados. What were his origins, who taught him and who provided early pianistic influences, how did he break into Trade Reviewexcitingly depicts the New York City jazz scene during the rise of be-bop and the enormously rich activity of the 1930s and '40s. * Publishers Weekly *

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Book SynopsisA comprehensive volume on all facets of vocal performance, On the Art of Singing considers in detail established comparative vocal techniques, the specifics of interpretation and communication, the factors that contribute to career preparation and maintainance, and the application of functional information to the art of singing. Topics that most frequently concern singers and teachers at all levels of accomplishment are reviewed. These include an examination of pedagogical approaches to breath management, to laryngeal freedom, and to resonance balance, advice on career building, considerations of style and interpretation, and information on the physiology and acoustics of the singing voice. Data from diverse sources, otherwise inaccessible to the singer, are assembled and interpreted in the light of performance artistry. From his own long and distinguished career as a performer, teacher of singing, and vocal researcher, the author aims at making practical the relationship of technical Trade ReviewThe content of the book is commendable, useful and illustrated with plenty of amusing anecdotes. * Elin Harries, Music Teacher, May 1997 *On the Art of Singing is undoubtedly a labour of love, the fruit of years of dedicated training of voices. * Martin Bussey, B J Music 14/3 *Richard Miller's eminence as a vocal pedagogue, is securely rooted in considerable performance experience, masterful teaching and extensive scientific research. Everything presented in this book is excellent, thoroughly researched and practised material. It should be required reading for every singer and teacher. This book is a compendium of authoritative. justified and distilled wisdom. Those of us who have sat humbly at the feet of the master are able to hear his voice clearly speaking and demonstrating throughout this text. Written by a cultured and refined teacher/artist and writer, this is the soundest and liveliest book on vocal pedagogy published recently. * the singer, December/January 1997/1998 *The content of the book is commendable, useful and illustrated with plenty of amusing anecdotes. * Elin Harries, Music Teacher, May 1997 *Table of ContentsIntroduction PART I: On Trainining the Singing Voice PART II: On Musical Style and Interpretation PART III: On Preparation for the Professional Life PART IV: On the Singing Voice and Vocal Function Index

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Book SynopsisThis study looks at the music and history of progressive rock, a genre criticized for its privileged, upper-middle class roots. By using an interdisciplinary approach it shows how progressive rock served as a vital cultural expression of the counterculture of the late 1960s and 1970s in England.Trade ReviewFor unreconstructed admirers of prog-rock this is a long overdue defence of a too-easily maligned genre, reason enough, if nothing else, to play those Genesis albums with pride. * Simon Evans, Birmingham Post *there is no getting away from its sheer vastness, tackling the quintessentially English subject with all the authority of a great American tome ... Macan's insight and detail is first-rate * Record Collector *

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Book SynopsisOffering a fascinating examination of the explosion of black television programming in the 1980s and 1990s, this book provides, for the first time ever, an interpretation of black TV based in both journalism and critical theory. Locating a persistent black nationalist desire--a yearning for home and community--in the shows produced by and for African-Americans in this period, Zook shows how the Fox hip-hop sitcom both reinforced and rebelled against earlier black sitcoms from the sixties and seventies. Incorporating interviews with such prominent executives, producers, and stars as Keenan Ivory Wayans, Sinbad, Quincy Jones, Robert Townsend, Charles Dutton, Yvette Lee Bowser, Ralph Farquhar, and Susan Fales, this study looks at both production and reception among African-American viewers, providing nuanced readings of the shows themselves as well as the sociopolitical contexts in which they emerged. While black TV during this period may seem trivial or buffoonish to some, Sly as a Fox rTrade ReviewZook's analysis is both judicious and fascinating. A journalist by profession, Zook integrates a decade's worth of behind-the-scenes reporting and interviews into a cogent and fluid writing style ... Zook arrays a wealth of material and admirably struggles with the polysemy of black television. * Dale A Bertelsen, Critical Studies in Mass Communication 16 (1999) *

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Book SynopsisAn exploration of the music, players, and recordings that changed American culture. Vivid portraits of bebop's personalities - among them Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Miles Davis - are combined with an instrument-by-instrument look at the key players and their innovations.Trade Reviewa book that deserves a place on the shelves of all jazz lovers * Stage & Television Today *

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Book SynopsisGeorge Schuyler, a renowned and controversial black journalist of the Harlem Renaissance, and Josephine Cogdell, a blond, blue-eyed Texas heiress and granddaughter of slave owners, believed that intermarriage would invigorate the races, thereby producing extraordinary offspring. Their daughter, Philippa Duke Schuyler, became the embodiment of this theory, and they hoped she would prove that interracial children represented the final solution to America''s race problems. Able to read and write at the age of two and a half, a pianist at four, and a composer by five, Philippa was often compared to Mozart. During the 1930s and 40s she graced the pages of Time and Look magazines, the New York Herald Tribune, and The New Yorker. Philippa grew up under the adoring and inquisitive eyes of an entire nation and soon became the role model and inspiration for a generation of African-American children. But as an adult she mysteriously dropped out of sight, leaving America to wonder what had happeneTrade ReviewThis enthralling, heartbreaking book restores to attention Philippa Schuyler, child prodigy of the 1930s, pianist, composer, Harlem's Mozart, "the Shirley Templey of American Negroes" ... This tragic tale is a stimulating addition to the record of race relations in America, as well as a monument to an extraordinary woman.' The New York Times Book Reviewan incisive and readable biography of an intriguing figure * Publishers Weekly *

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Book SynopsisDesigned for general readers and scholars, this study explores the Lutheran commentary in Bach's St. John Passion and suggests that fostering hostility to Jews is not its subject or purpose. Also included are a literal, annotated translation of the libretto and an appendix discussing anti-Judaism and Bach's other works.Trade ReviewThe most important and lasting item to have emerged from this Passion season ... may turn out to be a little book of great complexity by Michael Marissen. ... [It] provides a model of how to deal with a piece of music grown controversial: not through avoidance, not through bowdlerization, but by supplying the richest and most provocative context in which to understand and interpret the work. * James R. Oestreich, The New York Times *The value of having the libretto, German and English, printed after the essay part of the book, quite apart from the supplementary and supporting material, is considerable * Jewish Culture and History *Particularly deserving of praise is the fine translation of the Passion text from German * Religious Studies Review *

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Book SynopsisWoody Herman was a central figure in the development of jazz - a musical giant whose career spanned the big band and bebop eras. Gene Lees has spent close to a decade interviewing Herman's friends and fellow musicians, to produce a vivid portrayal of the triumph and tragedy of a life in jazz.Trade Reviewthe kind of book that makes you want to go and listen to all the records * New York Times Book Review *

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Book SynopsisMusic listeners who understand what they hear are thinking in music. Music readers who understand and visualize what they read are thinking in music. This book investigates the various ways musicians acquire those skills through an examination of research in music perception and cognition.Trade ReviewAn excellent book that makes many contributions, the most groundbreaking of which is a synthesis of cognitive research, pedagogical and other more qualitative studies... * Music Perception *

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Book SynopsisThe first comprehensive study of the relationship between music and language, this book challenges the widespread belief that music and language are processed independently. It argues that music and language share deep and critical connections, and that comparative research provides a powerful way to study the cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying these uniquely human abilities.Trade Reviewa fascinating synopsis of the current, young state of scientific research in cross-domain language-music comparative study. The book transverses with ease the disciplinary lines of linguistics, music and neuroscience. This impressive work of scholarship will serve as a reference of the topic for years to come. * Phonology *...an intellectual tour-de-force...[the book] requires focused engagement, but the rewards are rich...this definitive analysis of music cognition and its relationship to language [is] a work of exceptional scholarship and clarity. * Nature *...this book undoubtedly provides the best attempt so far to synthesize theory and research findings, and in doing so highlights the many advantages of applying a holistic approach to the study of music and language. * Brain: A Journal of Neurology *Table of Contents1. Introduction ; 2. Sound Elements: Pitch and Timbre ; 2.1 Introduction ; 2.2 Musical Sound Systems ; 2.3 Linguistic Sound Systems ; 2.4 Sound Category Learning as a Key Link ; 2.5 Conclusion ; Appendixes ; 3. Rhythm ; 3.1 Introduction ; 3.2 Rhythm in Music ; 3.3 Rhythm in Speech ; 3.4 Interlude: Rhythm in Poetry and Song ; 3.5 Non-Periodic Aspects of Rhythm as a Key Link ; 3.6 Conclusion ; Appendixes ; 4. Melody ; 4.1 Introduction ; 4.2 Melody in Music: Comparisons to Speech ; 4.3 Speech Melody: Links to Music ; 4.4 Interlude: Musical and Linguistic Melody in Song ; 4.5 Melodic Statistics and Melodic Contour as Key Links ; 4.6 Conclusion ; Appendix ; 5. Syntax ; 5.1 Introduction ; 5.2 The Structural Richness of Musical Syntax ; 5.3 Formal Differences and Similarities between Musical and Linguistic Syntax ; 5.4 Neural Resources for Syntactic Integration as a Key Link ; 5.5 Conclusion ; 6. Meaning ; 6.1 Introduction ; 6.2 A Brief Taxonomy of Musical Meaning ; 6.3 Linguistic Meaning in Relation to Music ; 6.4 Interlude: Linguistic and Musical Meaning in Song ; 6.5 The Expression and Appraisal of Emotion as a Key Link ; 6.6 Conclusion ; 7. Evolution ; 7.1 Introduction ; 7.2 Language and Natural Selection ; 7.3 Music and Natural Selection ; 7.4 Music and Evolution: Neither Adaptation nor Frill ; 7.5 Beat-Based Rhythm Processing as a Key Research Area ; 7.6 Conclusion ; Appendix ; Afterword ; References ; List of Sound Examples ; Lis of Credits ; Author Index ; Subject Index

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Book Synopsis'Something to Live For' investigates and analyses the entire oeuvre of Billy Strayhorn, who, for over 30 years, was the musical collaborator of Duke Ellington. Nearly 70 music examples, drawn directly from his original autograph scores, provide insight into the development of Strayhorn's own musical language and style.Trade Review"An epochal work--groundbreaking, fearless, sensitive, and exquisitely modulated, much like the music it illuminates. Something to Live For is the best possible book about Billy Strayhorn's art and a highwater mark of music scholarship."--David Hajdu, author of Lush Life: A Biography of Billy Strayhorn "The celebration of Billy Strayhorn's life and legacy continues with Walter van de Leur's magnificent new book. Something to Live For immediately takes its place as an absolutely indispensable addition to the history of the Ellington orchestra and American music in general."--Ellingtonia "Richly provocative.... There is a real intellectual hunger in this exploration to identify the unique glory and lasting contribution Strayhorn made to the art of jazz.... Jazz musician and historian Van de Leur subjects Billy Strayhorn's musical arrangements to deep scrutiny and credibly finds them original, undervalued, frequently misattributed, and tasting of the sublime."--Kirkus Review "In this exemplary work, combining meticulous, dedicated research and brilliant analytic illumination, Van de Leur has brought Strayhorn, the musician, and his legacy into full and unobstructed view at last, thus deepening our understanding of Ellingtonia. Indispensable!"--Dan Morgenstern, Director, Institute of Jazz Studies, Rutgers University "For lovers of Ellingtonia, jazz, and twentieth-century music, Walter van de Leur's new book is indeed Something to Live For. The first in-depth study of the music of composer-arranger Billy Strayhorn, this volume is meticulously researched, clearly written, and enriched with excerpts from Strayhorn's autograph scores. For the first time, we can learn the details of Strayhorn's monumental 28-year contribution to the Duke Ellington Orchestra and music he wrote for other contexts. Something to Live For: The Music of Billy Strayhorn sets a new standard of excellence for jazz musicology."--Bill Kirchner, Composer-arranger, saxophonist, jazz historian, producer, educator, and editor of The Oxford Companion to Jazz "Richly provocative.... There is a real intellectual hunger in this exploration to identify the unique glory and lasting contribution Strayhorn made to the art of jazz.... Jazz musician and historian Van de Leur subjects Billy Strayhorn's musical arrangements to deep scrutiny and credibly finds them original, undervalued, frequently misattributed, and tasting of the sublime."--Kirkus Review "The celebration of Billy Strayhorn's life and legacy continues with Walter van de Leur's magnificent new book. Something to Live For immediately takes its place as an absolutely indispensable addition to the history of the Ellington orchestra and American music in general."--Ellingtonia "This scholarly evaluation of Strayhorn's compositions still manages to pay homage to the visionary force behind some of the 20th century's greatest music."--Publishers Weekly "An epochal work--groundbreaking, fearless, sensitive, and exquisitely modulated, much like the music it illuminates. Something to Live For is the best possible book about Billy Strayhorn's art and a highwater mark of music scholarship."--David Hajdu, author of Lush Life: A Biography of Billy Strayhorn "Van de Leur posits that Strayhorn was not merely Ellington's alter ego but a distinctly different composer who had a direct influence on Ellington's music...this evaluation of Strayhorn's compositions manages to pay homage to the visionary force behind some of the 20th century's greatest music."--Publishers Weekly "In this exemplary work, combining meticulous, dedicated research and brilliant analytic illumination, Van de Leur has brought Strayhorn, the musician, and his legacy into full and unobstructed view at last, thus deepening our understanding of Ellingtonia. Indispensable!"--Dan Morgenstern, Director, Institute of Jazz Studies, Rutgers University "For lovers of Ellingtonia, jazz, and twentieth-century music, Walter van de Leur's new book is indeed Something to Live For. The first in-depth study of the music of composer-arranger Billy Strayhorn, this volume is meticulously researched, clearly written, and enriched with excerpts from Strayhorn's autograph scores. For the first time, we can learn the details of Strayhorn's monumental 28-year contribution to the Duke Ellington Orchestra and music he wrote for other contexts. Something to Live For: The Music of Billy Strayhorn sets a new standard of excellence for jazz musicology."--Bill Kirchner, Composer-arranger, saxophonist, jazz historian, producer, educator, and editor of The Oxford Companion to JazzTable of Contents1. Fantastic Rhythm: The Pittsburgh Years ; 2. The Renaissance of Arranging: First Works for and with Duke Ellington ; 3. The Strayhorn Effect: A New Way of Writing for Jazz Orchestra ; 4. Thinking with the Ear: Strayhorn's Musical Fingerprints ; 5. Writing and Arranging Companions: Credited and Uncredited Collaborations ; 6. "He is He and I am Me": The Ellington-Strayhorn Collaboration ; 7. Wounded Love: Away from the Ellington Organization ; 8. Masterpieces by STrayhorn: Writing for Albums ; 9. The Whodunnit Game: The Mature Style of Billy Strayhorn ; 10. North by Southwest: The Final Years ; 11. Conclusion ; Appendix A: Score of Scores: Manuscripts at the Duke Ellinton and Billy Strayhorn Collections ; Appendix B: Billy Strayhorn's Works on Record ; Appendix C: Billy Strayhorn's Works on Record (posthumously premiered) ; Appendix D: The Compositions of Billy Strayhorn

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Book SynopsisIn The Symphony, renowned critic Michael Steinberg offers music lovers a monumental guide to this most celebrated of musical forms, with perceptive commentaries on some 118 works by 36 major composers.Trade Reviewa treat for those addicted to reading the program notes before the concert begins * Booklist *an essential book for any concertgoer and any new or veteran fan of classical music * Michael Tilson Thomas, Music Director, The San Francisco Symphony *

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Book SynopsisUsing sketches and other documentary evidence, this study is an investigation of composition in Renaissance music. It sets out the indispensable background to an inquiry and into the fundamental processes of Renaissance composition.Trade Reviewthe most comprehensive and enlightening study of Renaissance musical compostion yet written ... This excellent book is important not only for its general theory but for its illumination of the everyday * Anthony Pryer, TLS 29/10/99 *

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Book SynopsisThis work offers a complete system for training each type of soprano voice based on historic vocal pedagogy coupled with modern-day research on the singing voice. The book places emphasis on the special nature of the physiological functioning for the establishment of vocal proficiency.Trade ReviewMiller has produced another must-have book for professional voice libraries....Everything this reviewer expects from one of Miller's books is here: clarity, scientific support, practicality, proven exercises, relevant extracts from the literature, and, of course, strong opinions. With his books Miller is leaving a legacy of a lifetime of study and learning pursued with rigor and passion. * Choice Print *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. Categories of Female Voice ; 2. Registration Events in Female Voices ; 3. Making a Beginning ; 4. Breath Energy in Singing ; 5. The Agility Factor ; 6. Resonance in Soprano Voices (Supraglottic Considerations) ; 7. Nasal Continuants as Assists in Adjustment of the Resonator Tract ; 8. Non-nasal Consonants as Assists in Adjustment of the Resonator Tract ; 9. The Sostenuto Factor ; 10. Soprano Vocal Registration and Vowel Modification ; 11. Accomplishing Dynamic Control ; 12. The Daily Regimen ; 13. The Wedding of Emotion and Skill ; Appendix: Several Matters Concerning Female Vocal Health

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Book SynopsisThis book provides the first independent examination of Dick Clark''s landmark television show, American Bandstand. It is both a history of the show and the changing styles of rock ''n'' roll music over four decades, and an examination of the business behind the show, revealing how Clark used his unique position as America''s only nationally televised disc jockey to fashion a financial empire from within the pop music industry. Based on extensive interviews with music business figures, recording stars and Dick Clark himself, American Bandstand reveals what took place behind as well as in front of ABC-TV''s cameras, and shares a story that few outside the show''s inner circle knew existed.Trade Review"Valuable and authoritative."--Publisher's Weekly "John A. Jackson's fascinating book shows how Clark worked the biz side of pop music to become a multimillionaire and how his show fit into 1950s American culture and society."--Jon Wiener, The Los Angeles Times Book Review

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Book SynopsisUnder a totalitarian regime, can art and artists be innocent? This questions and its implications are explored in Michael Kater's broad survey of musicians, and the music they composed and performed during the Third Reich.Trade ReviewThe merit of the book lies in its detailed factual picture of the background for music and musicians in those troubled times. * Ralph F. Wells, Richard Strauss Society *A very readable and intriguing book for those interested in the impact of Nazism on cultural life in Germany. * Ralph F. Wells, Richard Strauss Society *Mr. Kater...has extracted masses of information from far-flung sources, including public and private archives in Germany and elsewhere, and has drawn level-headed, intelligent conclusions from his research....The broadest and clearest study of classical music in Hitler's Germany that has appeared to date....Mr. Kater's treatment of the complicated--and hotly debated--case of the conductor Wilhelm Furtwangler is thorough and convincing....A great deal more is packed into [this book], including fresh looks at the Wagner family's complicity with the Nazis and the cases of Paul Hindemith...and Herbert von Karajan....Anyone interested in the depressing but fascinating subject of art and politics will find this book exceptionally worthwhile. * The Wall Street Journal *Kater...has done prodigious primary research, much of it in hitherto unexamined files, to emerge with a mountain of fresh material....Anyone seriously interested in the interface of art and a peculiarly threatening political culture will find [this book] endlessly fascinating. * Publishers Weekly *[Gives] more analytical attention to the entire [Nazi] era's secrets. Kater...has combed newspaper archives, studied economic statistics, interviewed surviving composers and meticulously correlated information from denazification proceedings. His account...is the most throrough and nuanced now available of Nazi musical alliances, allegiances and ambiguities....Brings us to a more complicated understanding without tolerating latent defenses of old friends or 'Vissi d'Arte' alibis. * New York Times Book Review *Fills a conspicuous lacuna in 20th-century musicology. Kater...presents a detailed, disturbing, but always compelling account....There is a great deal here to engage scholars and professional musicians as well as general readers interested in the study of music and ideology. Highly recommended for all libraries. * Library Journal *The best source of information about conductors and other musicians in the Third Reich is now Mr. Kater's book, dense with facts, many of them newly unearthed. * New York Times *[An] impressive new book...far and away the finest and canniest treatment of the Nazi musical nightmare to date, presents an excellent case study of two conductors who were judged not ideologically but aesthetically. * The New Yorker *This absorbing study provides a painful reminder of the degree to which musicians were prepared to compromise their artistic integrity in order to appease the political hierarchy during the Third Reich. * Music Magazine *This work, with its emphasis on the social and political nature of music and the political attitude of musicians during the Nazi regime, is the first of its kind. It will be of interest to scholars and general readers eager to understand Nazi Germany, to music lovers and to anyone interested in the interchange of music and politics, and culture and ideology. * Avid-Magazine *...a well informed study of the state of serious or classical music....Kater is extemely knowledgable about the varieties of political allegiances deployed by the musical fraternity....[His] almost-encyclopedic study of these musicians' activities in the Third Reich reveals a great deal more than was hitherto documented about the least desirable sides of these men's characters. * Vancouver Sun *The most authoritative account to date of music and musicians in the Third Reich. * American Historical Review *This book bears many of the hallmarks of Kater's earlier work on jazz: resourceful research, copious documentation, straightforward writing, and a good working knowledge of music. Perhaps of even greater importance is that this book, like the one on jazz, succeeds brilliantly in conveying a sense of the ambiguities and contradictions of musical life in Nazi Germany...never before has the readiness of large numbers of German musicians, both major and minor, to acquiesce or cooperate actively in the purge of their colleagues, been as thoroughly and persuasively documented...offers fascinating portraits of several of the century's most important musical figures, such as Bruno Walter, Arnold Schonberg, Otto Kelmperer, and Kurt Weill. Kater has performed a valuable service by bringing their stories together in one place, integrating them into a study whose main focus is on what took place inside Germany's borders. * Central European History *In assembling this material, Kater has surely written the definitive study of the musician in the Third Reich (carefully documented with sixty-nine pages of detailed notes). It will prove indispensable for students of the culture of the period. * German History *Table of Contents1: National Socialism, The Third Reich, and the Music Scene 2: Musical Professionalism and Political Compromise 3: Persecuted and Exiled Jewish and Anti-Nazi Musicians 4: Music in the Institutions 5: Dissonance and Deviance

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Book Synopsis'Holy Chord Within Sacred Walls' examines musical culture both inside and outside 17th-century Sienese convents. The nuns produced motets, lamentations, theatrical plays and even an opera. As a result, the convent became an important cultural centre in Siena that enjoyed the support and encouragement of its clergy and lay community.Trade ReviewColleen Reardon's study of nuns and music in late sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Siena is a welcome addition to the burgeoning body of scholarship illuminating the lives of early modern religious women ... the book powerfully evokes convent life, rounding out its accounts of music-making together with occasionally surprising and piquant details of the daily matters that concerned female monastics. * Music & Letters *The book's structure allows Reardon to produce both engaging narrative and thick description, deftly combining archival reporting, musicological observation, and insightful interpretation with an energetic and good-humoured style. * Music & Letters *Holy Concord within Sacred Walls is an adept and fascinating account of many facets of early modern life, both within and without the cloister, refracted through the prism of musicology. * Music & Letters *The great strength of her book is its contextual richness, and its importance lies too in the way in which she reveals that convent music played an intrinsic part not only in monastic but also in secular existence, and how it came to be a prized expression of civic culture in early modern Siena. * Music & Letters *Reardon's robust, contextualized view of convent life subtly deconstructs ... simplistic views.... Historically acute. * Anthony Pryer, Times Literary Supplement *

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Book SynopsisThis is an authoritative English-language biography of Dmitriy Shostakovich (1906-75), the internationally acclaimed composer who was the foremost musical "voice" of Soviet Russia. It includes never-before-published details on the composer's life, works, and times. A detailed worklist, a glossary of names, an extensive bibliography, and pictures are also supplied.Trade ReviewLaurel E. Fay's painstakingly researched Shostakovich: A Life has given us the long-awaited authoritative biography, taking full advantage of the post-Soviet Opening-up of archives to provide the best assemblage of factual information on Shostakovich's life and work in any language."--David Fanning, Music and Letters Laurel E. Fay's painstakingly researched Shostakovich: A Life has given us the long-awaited authoritative biography, taking full advantage of the post-Soviet Opening-up of archives to provide the best assemblage of factual information on Shostakovich's life and work in any language."--David Fanning, Music and Letters "Rather than continue a debate in which "the true-believing Communist citizen-composer is inverted into an equally unconvincing caricature of a lifelong closet dissident," Fay sets out to describe the composer based on the existing factual record of is life. It is a remarkably straightforward, non-sensationalized treatment of the composer's life and work. As such, it is a sorely needed contribution to a field that has been overheated with controversy. One may now approach his oeuvre and see it for what it is: an embittered, poignant and ultimately compelling musical diary of our time."-The Nation "The rest of us can nevertheless be grateful for [Fay's] humble and herculean efforts, thanks to which Shostakovich can no longer be discussed in terms of black or white; her work has begun to make it possible to focus on the lasting inner life of the music and to think of the music's creator in fuller human terms."--The Boston Sunday Globe "The combined effects of scholarly incompetence, deliberate obfuscation, and the imposition of political agendas have made it nearly impossible to get a clear picture of the life of Shostokovich, one of the most fascinating figures in the cultural life of the twentieth century. Laurel Fay, the most patient of scholars, has done an amazing job of getting the material sorted out so as to be able to tell the compelling story of this troubled life. She is calm, bound by no political parti pris, and when even she has been defeated in her research she is not afraid to say 'I don't know'. Long awaited, this is an immensely important book and hugely welcome."--Michael Steinberg, author of The Symphony: A Listener's Guide and The Concerto: A Listener's Guide (OUP). "Fay's Shostokovich is not only the best biography in English or in any other West European language, it offers readers a factual accuracy and balanced perspective unmatched in post-Soviet era publications by Shostakovich specialists in the composer's homeland. Undaunted by the lurid debates surrounding Shostakovich's purported lifelong dissidence and the covert meaning of his music, Fay has produced exactly what we need at this stage in Shostokovich scholarship; a reliable and basic life and works--clear-eyed, straightforward, copiously researched, sympathetic, objective, and uncluttered by Cold-War and post-Cold-War myths."--Malcolm Hamrick Brown, Professor Emeritus of Music, Indiana University, and Founding Editor, Russian Music Studies

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Book SynopsisAmy Marcy Cheney Beach (1867-1944), the most widely performed composer of her generation, was the first American woman to succeed as a creator of large-scale art music. Her Gaelic Symphony, given its premiere by the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1896, was the first work of its kind by an American woman to be performed by an American orchestra. Almost all of her more than 300 works were published soon after they were composed and performed, and today her music is finding new advocates and audiences for its energy, intensity, and sheer beauty. Yet, until now, no full-length critical biography of Beach''s life or comprehensive critical overview of her music existed. This biography admirably fills that gap, fully examining the connections between Beach''s life and work in light of social currents and dominant ideologies. Born into a musical family in Victorian times, Amy Beach started composing as a child of four and was equally gifted as a pianist. Her talent was recognized early by BostoTrade ReviewAward-winning study... her music... is enjoying a revival of interest that is richly deserved and long overdue. Block's book is a thorough, academic study of Beach's life and work. She handles the musical elements with both sharp analytic skills and considerable sensitivity. It is a satisfying and illuminating read and hopefully will encourage more musicians to delve into the music itself - which, by the way, is strong, beautiful and filled with Beach's individual musical voice. * Jessica Duchen, Classical Music 17/06/2000. *Block's patient reconstruction of the complex mediations that shaped Beach's career is a refreshing change from the one dimensional revisionism of some recent biographies ... painstaking reconstruction of a career suspended awkwardly between genius and conventional restraint. * Brian Morton, Times Higher Education Supplement *Table of Contents1: A Prodigy's New England Upbringing 2: The Cheneys and the Marcys 3: A Prodigy Despite Her Mother 4: The Making of a Composer: I 5: Two Ways of Looking at a Marriage 6: The Making of a Composer: II 7: Becoming Mistress of Her Craft 8: Reaching Out to the World 9: "One of the Boys" 10: Amy Beach's Boston 11: The Composer at the Keyboard: Beach Plays Beach 12: "A Veritable Autobiography"?: The Piano Concerto 13: The Composer's Workshop 14: Choral Music 15: The Chambered Nautilus 16: Europe and a New Life 17: "Lion of the Hour" 18: My Old New Hampshire House 19: At the MacDowell Colony: "Solitude in Silence" 20: Caring 21: A Fascinating New York Life 22: Beach the Modernist? 23: Reckonings 24: Harvest Time Postlude: The Legacy Appendix: Catalog of Works Music's Ten Commandments as Given for Young Composers

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Book SynopsisRuthe Seeger was a prominent American avant-garde composer of the 1920s. After her marriage, she became involved in the American folk song movement of the 1930s and 1940s. Caught in domestic life, this creative woman never fully realised her potential.Trade ReviewJudith Tick's sympathetic and vastly detailed study of her protagonist's works, life and times already reads like a classic. * BBC Music Magazine *

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Book SynopsisMichael Steinberg''s 1996 volume The Symphony: A Reader''s Guide received glowing reviews across America. It was hailed as wonderfully clear...recommended warmly to music lovers on all levels (Washington Post), informed and thoughtful (Chicago Tribune), and composed by a master stylist (San Francisco Chronicle). Seiji Ozawa wrote that his beautiful and effortless prose speaks from the heart. Michael Tilson Thomas called The Symphony an essential book for any concertgoer. Now comes the companion volume--The Concerto: A Listener''s Guide. In this marvelous book, Steinberg discusses over 120 works, ranging from Johann Sebastian Bach in the 1720s to John Adams in 1994. Readers will find here the heart of the standard repertory, among them Bach''s Brandenburg Concertos, eighteen of Mozart''s piano concertos, all the concertos of Beethoven and Brahms, and major works by Mendelssohn, Schumann, Liszt, Bruch, Dvora''k, Tchaikovsky, Grieg, Elgar, Sibelius, Strauss, and Rachmaninoff. The book alTrade Review"A wide range of material--facts about the composers' lives, notable circumstances surrounding the first performances of the work--punctuate [Steinberg's] discussion of each work.... For the amateur with a musical background, this is a valuable and very interesting collection."--Library Journal "Each concerto is discussed with impeccable scholarliness an detailed historical information, but above all, the style of the writing is unfailingly entertaining."--Maestro Andre Previn "This collection of articles has a relaxed, easy charm that will most likely win over readers unfamiliar with the subject."--Publishers Weekly "Nobody can draw a reader into appreciation of a piece of classical music quite like Michael Steinberg.... Steinberg combines magisterial authority of a musicologist with the deeply personal point of view of a novelist."--St. Petersburg Times "The writing is often relaxed and virutuosic, and it always passes the acid test: after reading Steinberg's freshly considered thoughts on any piece, I immediately want to heari, or hear it again.... A few of the longer essays are almost short stories in themselves. Reading Michael Steinberg on music will definitley make you a better listener--it might even make some of us better, or at least humber, writers. More important, he'll remind you of what makes great music great."--City, Rochester "A wide range of material--facts about the composers' lives, notable circumstances surrounding the first performances of the work--punctuate [Steinberg's] discussion of each work.... For the amateur with a musical background, this is a valuable and very interesting collection."--Library Journal "Each concerto is discussed with impeccable scholarliness an detailed historical information, but above all, the style of the writing is unfailingly entertaining."--Maestro Andre Previn "This collection of articles has a relaxed, easy charm that will most likely win over readers unfamiliar with the subject."--Publishers Weekly "Nobody can draw a reader into appreciation of a piece of classical music quite like Michael Steinberg.... Steinberg combines magisterial authority of a musicologist with the deeply personal point of view of a novelist."--St. Petersburg Times "The writing is often relaxed and virutuosic, and it always passes the acid test: after reading Steinberg's freshly considered thoughts on any piece, I immediately want to heari, or hear it again.... A few of the longer essays are almost short stories in themselves. Reading Michael Steinberg on music will definitley make you a better listener--it might even make some of us better, or at least humber, writers. More important, he'll remind you of what makes great music great."--City, Rochester "In The Concerto, Michael Steinberg once again gives us essays on music that are love letters, overflowing with passion and intimate detail. What reader could fail to be seduced?"--Garrick Ohlsson "Those who have already discovered how useful and engaging the earlier book is will be happy to know that their is more of the same here.... [Steinberg's] style is elegant and informative, his commentaries do not shy away from a serious analysis of the music.... He has vast knowledge of European culture, yet there is an all-American directness and pace to his writing. He wears his scholarship lightly and chooses well what information to impart to the reader. His treatments are models of how program notes should be written for today's audiences, and it is wonderful to have them collected in so easily accessible a form."--Ted Libby, The Los Angeles Times Book Review "The Concerto: A Listener's Guide will send you running to the CD player....this lively, enthusiastic and detailed volume takes readers through more than 120 concertos, mainly for piano or violin and orchestra, but including works for cello, clarinet, oboe and horn. Steinberg is knowledgeable, literate and eloquent." --Frederic Koeppel, Commercial Appeal "In The Concerto: A Listener's Guide, Michael Steinberg once again proves his mastery in translating music to word. In this volume, he presents an excellent and thorough discussion of concerto repertory, providing readers with comprehensive, enlightening information that will definetly enhance their appreciation of this musical form." --Yo-Yo Ma

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Book SynopsisMusic in the USA: A Documentary Companion is an anthology of primary sources, which charts a map of American music and musical life through the words of composers, performers, writers and "the people." The anthology contains about 160 selections from 1540 to 2000 ranging from William Billings to Qbert, from psalmody to rap.Trade ReviewA treasure for anyone who is fascinated by America and its many streams of music. The selections are fresh and varied. The items treated include (to mention some that involve the letter C) Colonial hymns, Civil War marches, nineteenth-century prima donna and opera-company manager Clara Kellogg, Copland's Rodeo, Chuck Berry, and salsa musician Willie Colon. The annotations provide crisp information and context but also are studded with subtle, sometimes sly provocations. An ideal compendium for classroom use to complement - or perhaps even replace - a standard textbook on music in America. * Ralph P. Locke, Professor of Musicology, Eastman School of Music (University of Rochester) *The entire course of American music emerges from this judiciously selected and introduced collection of 159 examples. * Gramophone *A truly awesome and significant volume. * Alan Rich *Judith Tick has provided the field of American music studies with an eclectic body of source materials, a road map to our individual and collective pasts. This major contribution turns the volume up: it documents this country's unbridled obsession with her musical self. The experiences lived in America's hushed concert halls, smoky jam sessions, pious cathedrals, and rowdy theaters are embedded in the written cultures they inspired. Have readings ever sounded so good? * Guthrie P. Ramsey, Jr., Associate Professor of Music History and Africana Studies, University of Pennsylvania *Everyone who has an interest or a passion for this nation's music will want to become immersed in Music in the USA. Judith Tick weaves this collection of source readings and other writings into an ecstatic quil?- a portrait that could only be made in America. * George Boziwick, Curator, American Music Collection, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts *Table of ContentsPREFACE; INTRODUCTION; ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS; TABLE OF CONTENTS; LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS; FIGURES AND GRAPHICS; 1540-1770

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Book SynopsisSwing is back in style, and with it a renewed interest in the Big Band Era. And few players dominated that era more than Harry James, whose soaring trumpet solos and romantic hit tunes influenced popular music for a generation. Now, Peter J. Levinson, who knew Harry James personally, has written a revealing biography of this jazz icon, based on nearly 200 interviews with musicians and friends. Harry James led a truly colorful life, and in Trumpet Blues Levinson captures it all. Beginning with James''s childhood in a traveling circus, we follow the young trumpeter''s meteoric rise in the 1930s and witness his electrifying performances with the Benny Goodman Orchestra. We see how James formed his own band in 1939, an incubator for many pop music stars of the 1940s and ''50s, including Frank Sinatra, Connie Haines, Dick Haymes, Helen Forrest, and Kitty Kallen. Combined with James''s superb musicianship, peerless trumpet technique and talented sidemen, this stellar group dominated the war Trade Reviewexcellent biography ... Music biographies really don't come any better than this superb book. * Andrew Vine, Yorkshire Post *Table of ContentsPreface ; Acknowledgments ; Everette and Maybelle ; Louise and Ben ; The Kingdom of Swing ; Ciribiribin ; You Made Me Love You ; Trees, The Legs, and The Lip ; Hollywood Royalty ; The In-Between Years ; Back to Basie ; I Don't Want to Walk Without You ; Notes ; Bibliography ; Index

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Book SynopsisIntroducing a new theory of musical form for the analysis of instrumental music of the classical style. The book provides a broad set of principles and a comprehensive methodology for analysing phrases and themes to complete movements. Illustrated with over 250 annotated musical examples by Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven.Trade ReviewThis ambitious book offers nothing less than a new theory of form for the music of the Classical period ... In its combination of scholarship, musicality and sheer common sense, Caplan's Classical Form is a major achievement by any standards ... it should be read by anybody who teaches, studies or writes about this music. * Music and Letters *Table of ContentsIntroduction Part I. Preliminaries 1: Some Basic Formal Functions: An Overview 2: Fundamental Progressions of Harmony Part II. Tight-Knit Themes 3: Sentence 4: Period 5: Hybrid Themes and Compound Themes 6: Small Ternary 7: Small Binary Part III. Looser Formal Regions 8: Subordinate Theme 9: Transistion 10: Development 11: Recapitulation 12: Coda Part IV. Full-Movement Forms 13: Sonata Form 14: Slow-Movement Forms 15: Minuet/Trio Form 16: Rondo Forms 17: Concerto Form Glossary of Terms Notes Bibliography Index of Classical Compositions General Index

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Book SynopsisPresents a translation of the third volume of Syntagma musicum, a multi-volume work by a German composer and theorist. This volume deals with terminolgy and performance practice, and offers us a detailed commentary available from the 17th century about the performance of particular pieces of music.Trade Review...contains valuable commentary * William E Hettrick, Music and Letters *

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisThe Grateful Dead are one of the most fascinating rock bands and cultural phenomena of the twentieth century. This book collects the most important and illuminating writings by and about the band, its members, and its fans (known as Deadheads), providing a rich account of the Dead and their importance in rock music and popular culture.Trade ReviewGrateful Dead literature is approaching Beatles-lit in volume, and this gathering about the band and its fans attests to how vast and dedicated the nation of the Deadheads is ... A must for Dead-heavy collections, the book is also a nice addition to any popular culture collection. * Booklist *

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Book SynopsisCharles Mingus was one of the most innovative jazz musicians of the 20th century. This new biography by the acclaimed music critic Gene Santoro argues that Mingus was not only a great musician and composer but a central character in the postwar American cultural renaissance.Trade ReviewReview from previous edition Physically bearish and imposing, Mingus always seemed even larger psychically, a figure to fill the room, alter the vibes, suck up all the air - a cross between Falstaff and Othello. In his marvellous hall of mirrors, Myself When I Am real, Gene Santoro has grasped him whole, or at least as whole as one can expect from mere prose. Some passages suggest the hammering rhythms of a drum solo, others the sprawl of a Mingusian piano meditation. It is a stunning achievement. * Gary Giddins, author of Visions of Jazz *Mingus's creative turbulence comes alive. we see how his life and times, including his battles with racism and the musci business and himself, were intimately entwined with his remarkable music. * Cassandra Wilson *An admirably objective attempt to come to terms with the personal and musical complexity that was Charles Mingus. Gene Santoro's comprehensively researched and critically insightful book makes Mingus as fascinating and as outrageous as Mingus himself seemed to have always wanted to be. * Albert Murray, author of Stomping the Blues *Table of ContentsPreface ; Introduction ; Prologue: Better Get It In Your Soul ; 1. Growing Up Absurd ; 2. Black Like Me ; 3. Making the Scene ; 4. Life During Wartime ; 5. Portrait of the Artist ; 6. The Big Apple, or On the Road ; 7. Pithecanthropus Erectus ; 8. Mingus Dynasty ; 9. Camelot ; 10. The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady ; 11. One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest ; 12. Beneath the Underdog ; 13. Let My Children Hear Music ; 14. Changes ; 15. Don't Be Afraid, the Clown's Afraid, Too ; Notes ; Bibliography ; Discography ; Acknowledgements ; Index

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Book SynopsisThis text addresses the central problem of music cognition. Equally important, the work offers an analysis of the relationship between the psychological organization of music and its internal structure.Trade ReviewWe have before us a summary of some 12 years of assiduous and intelligent work by one of the very best minds in cognitive science. I have followed Carol Krumhansl's research for years with enthusiasm; it is a joy to see it reported so well ... Go read this excellent book! * American Scientist *Table of Contents1. Objectives and Methods ; 2. Quantifying Tonal Hierarchies and Key Distances ; 3. Musical Correlates of Perceived Tonal Hierarchies ; 4. A Key-Finding Algorithm Based on Tonal Hierarchies ; 5. Perceived Relations Between Musical Tones ; 6. Perceptual Organization and Pitch Memory ; 7. Quantifying Harmonic Hierarchies and Key Distances ; 8. Perceived Harmonic Relations ; 9. Perceiving Multiple Keys: Modulation and Polytonality ; 10. Tonal Hierarchies in Atonal and Non-Western Tonal Music ; 11. Music Cognition: Theoretical and Empirical Generalizations

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Trade ReviewIf one were to describe this impressive book in a nutshell, one might simply say that it is a thorough and rigorous account of the medieval tone-system in its theoretical and practical aspects; but this would do scant justice to its depth and complexity * Music and Letters *Table of ContentsPROLOGUE; PART I. THE EIGHTH AND NINTH CENTURIES; PART II. THE SYNTHESIS OF ANCIENT GREEK THEORY AND MEDIEVAL PRACTICE; EPILOGUE: PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS; BIBLIOGRAPHY; INDEX

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Book SynopsisGamble, Huff, and Bell were the pre-eminent soul music producers of the 1970s. This book tells the story of their meteoric rise, their years of unstoppable success, and their demise from payola, competition, a tough economy, and the inevitability of changing popular tastes.Trade Review"The definitive account of Philadelphia Soul. John Jackson's five years of research have resulted in a fascinating study of the hit sound that left lasting impressions on both the recording industry and American culture. A House on Fire is a wonderful human drama set in the tumultuous world of pop music, and John Jackson expertly captures the full breadth of this rollicking story." --Gerald Posner, author of Motown: Music, Money, Sex, and Power

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Book SynopsisThis title provides a collection of the composer Steve Reich's writings on music, from his classic essay from 1968 on "Music as a Gradual Process," which was the founding call for the development of minimalism, to his work on non-western musics such as the Balinese and African music that contributed to "Drumming" and other compositions.Trade Review"Writings on Music 1965-2000, a new collection of Reich's writings...substantially enlarges upon, and in most senses supersedes, its slim predecessor. ... These works are, at one and the same time, radical and sensible, revolutionary and respectful of tradition, and offer extensions of techniques found in diverse forms of music-making around the world...This book seems to me not an ending but a beginning: it marks a point where new work, both creative and scholarly, can start...Steve Reich has consolidated his reputation as an internationally renowned artist of enormous distinction: this new book is a testament to his integrity and staying power, charting as it does a musical evolution, still in progress, that has permanently altered the course of new music in the West in the last third of the twentieth century."--Music and Letters

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Book SynopsisA seasoned jazz critic draws on his interviews of forty musicians, from Slide Hampton and Bucky Pizzarelli to Dee Dee Bridgewater and Diana Krall, illuminating their lives, careers, and art.Trade Review"W. Royal Stokes has contributed invaluably to jazz history from the inside. Living the Jazz Life is particularly unique because it focuses on how these diversified players became jazz musicians."--Nat Hentoff "Like a long jam session."--Kirkus Reviews "W. Royal Stokes has contributed invaluably to jazz history from the inside. Living the Jazz Life is particularly unique because it focuses on how these diversified players became jazz musicians."--Nat Hentoff "A pleasing...collection of generally insightful conversation, spawned by a nicely modest interlocuter."--Kirkus Reviews "Like a long jam session."--Kirkus Reviews

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Book Synopsis'Composers of the Nazi Era' is the final book in the trilogy on music and musicians in the Third Reich. This provides a detailed examination of the careers of eight prominent German composers who lived and worked among the dictatorship of the Third Reich.Trade ReviewA very impressive achievement - for two reasons above all. First, the range of Kater's research and documentation is awe-inspiring. Second, Kater sets out neither to canonise nor demonise ... Ultimately, this is a book which provokes thoughts rather than spelling them out ... Kater doesn't offer answers, but after reading his book, we can at least see the questions more clearly. * Stephen Johnson, BBC Music Magazine *Kater's background knowledge is impressive, and he refuses to oversimplify or to make facile judgements. * Times Literary Supplement *What do artists do in the face of tyranny, and how can creativity thrive under fascism? ... This last book of a trilogy of music and musicians in the Third Reich is intended to present a closer look at each of the people studied ... Especially compelling is the book's description of the Nazi Bureaucracy as regards art and culture before, during, and just after the Second World War. * Music Educators Journal *With this volume, Kater has completed a remarkable trilogy of books about music during the Nazi era ... Kater is rigorous in his attention to detail; his research is up-to-date, and his conclusions are persuasive. This book - indeed, the entire trilogy - should be a part of every collection. * Library Journal *A largely successful effort to clarify the motives and behaviors of some representative men during a fascinatingly ugly chapter of human history, without appearing to sit in judgment so much as to illuminate various noble, deplorable, and frequently contradictory phenomena of human character ... Meticulously documented. * The Washington Post *Table of ContentsPreface ; 1. Werner Egk: The Enigmatic Optimist ; 2. Paul Hindemith: The Reluctant Emigre ; 3. Kurt Weill: A Survivor on Two Continents ; 4. Karl Amadeus Hartmann: The Composer as Dissident ; 5. Carl Orff: Man of Legend ; 6. Hans Pfitzner: Magister Teutonicus Miser ; 7. Arnold Schoenberg: Musician of Contrasts ; 8. Richard Strauss: Jupiter Compromised ; Conclusion ; Notes ; Index

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Trade Review[The author's] breezy prose and insight into the quintessentially American lives of his subjects make Drummin' Men well worth reading. * The New York Times Book Review *A brilliant account of a very important period in the history of American music. * Max Roach *A splendid achievement. * Artie Shaw *A book that illuminates not only the pantheon of jazz drummers in classical jazz but also makes clear the very essence of the jazz spirit. * Nat Hentoff *

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Book SynopsisDesigned for both the practicing choral director and the choral methods student, this is a compact and comprehensive overview of the many teaching methods, strategies, materials, and assessments available for choral sight-singing instruction. Sight-singing is an important, if sometimes neglected, facet of choral music education that often inspires fear and uncertainty in student and teacher alike. Written in an accessible style, this book takes the mystery out of teaching music reading. Topics covered include the history of sight-singing pedagogy and research, prominent methods and materials, and practical strategies for teaching and assessment. This is the only book to provide such a wealth of information under one cover and will become an essential part of every choral conductor''s library.Trade Review"Successful sight-singing instruction is perhaps a harbinger of choral success Building Choral Excellence will help the teaching and learning of sight-singing.Great ideas that stand the rigors of research are often left to research journals that ensemble directors and studio teachers rarely read. When an established researcher like Steven Demorest produces a book like Building Choral Excellence, designed to implement research finding into pedagogical practice, then we as a profession should embrace these efforts through purchase and use." --Choral Journal

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Book SynopsisIn 'Different Drummers', Michael Kater explores the underground history of jazz in Hitler's Germany using archival records and assembled interviews. He offers a frightening and fascinating look at life and popular culture during the Third Reich, showing that for the Nazis, jazz was an especially threatening form of expression.Trade Review"In this admirable and well-researched study, Michael Kater explores the ambiguous relationship that jazz had to the National Socialist state and society, and in the process problematizes the liberating qualities that jazz supposedly possesses. Even more significantly, the manner of the new cultural hsitory, Kater uses his study to illuminate and investigage a number of social, political and cultural issues that engage the interests of specialists in the period."--German Studies Review"Outstanding....a fine mix of archival research with the collection of oral and written testimonies. It is virtually encyclopedic in its effort to convey the life stories of so many contributors to German jazz; to evaluate the sound of particular musicians; to analyze the audience--generally urban, young, middle-class--and the business; to identify the personal connections and the main locales."--American Historical Review"Most people would assume that jazz was completely stamped out at home by the fascist government in the 1930s. Michael Kater's remarkable book paints a very different picture and deals in great detail with a little-known chapter in jazz history....There is not a jazz fan, no matter how knowledgeable, who will fail to learn a great deal by reading this important book."--Scott Yanow, Jazziz"Kater's superbly researched story is fascinating and horrifying, yet in a sense rewarding, since it shows the lengths to which young Germans would go to keep the faith with a music that was their common link."--The Los Angeles Times"Richly rewarding, challenging, provocative, and eminently insightful."--The Jazz Report"Meticulous scholarship and...astute use of oral testimony."--London Times Higher Education Supplement

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Book SynopsisOffers an in-depth look at the "Great Eighteen" organ chorales, among the most celebrated works for organ, and a milestone in the history of the chorale. Of interest to organists, scholars, and general listeners alike, this book examines the music from a wide spectrum of historical and analytical perspectives.Trade Review"Stinson is lucid and well organized, and he includes many high-quality facismiles of the original sources. He gives an up-to-date synthesis of recent scholarship on the collection, in particular of German writings that may be unfamiliar to English speakers."--Notes"A valuable introduction to these unique organ chorales." --Music and Letters"Stinson's treatment of the individual preludes is unfailingly just and sensitive, and abounds in valuable insights."--Early Music

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Book SynopsisThis is an essential book for all performers and students of Classical and Romantic music. This book is the first to examine the changing relationship, during the period 1750 - 1900, between what composers committed to paper and what performers were expected to play.Trade Review"This book will revolutionize the study of music...The book weaves strong patterns from the conflicting habits of different places, people and periods. It doesn't tell you exactly what to do, but inspires a confidence that your own decisions, thus informed, will work."--BBC Music Magazine"Brown has produced a work of the greatest scholarship and utility....Recommended--required!--for all libraries with music collections serving upper-division undergraduates and above."--Choice"His substantial book presents many new findings and demonstrates new approaches. Brown has contributed greatly to our understanding of period technique, especially for string instruments" --Notes"His book offers a wealth of advice and ideas, ideas which should be thought of as creative and enabling, not restrictive."--Early Music Review"Brown's grasp of primary sources is wide-ranging and scholarly, lavishly illustrated with musical examples, often of unfamiliar repertory. He uncovers many questions and and possible answers, which can hardly fail to stimulate the thinking performer."--Gramophone Early Music"The fact that the book focuses on notation will make it permanently useful, something to consult."--The Musical TimesTable of ContentsForeword ; Introduction ; 1. Accentuation in Theory ; 2. Accentuation in Practice ; 3. The Notation of Accents and Dynamics ; 4. Articulation ; 5. Articulation and Expression ; 6. The Notation of Articulation and Phrasing ; 7. String Bowing ; 8. Tempo ; 9. Alla Breve ; 10. Tempo Terms ; 11. Tempo Modification ; 12. Embellishment, Ornamentation, and Improvisation ; 13. Appoggiaturas, Trills, Turns, and Related Ornaments ; 14. Vibrato ; 15. Portamento ; 16. The fermata; Recitative; Arpeggiation; The Variable Dot and Other Aspects of Rhythmic Flexibility; Heavy and Light Performance ; Index

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Book SynopsisThe Muse That Sings is a collection of interviews with 25 various American composers, born between 1930 and 1960, who explain how they think in sound, mould musical ideas, and ultimately transfer sonic creations to the printed page.Trade ReviewThe effect on the reader is astonishing as one after another of these composers is revealed, warts and all, to be desperately and wonderfully human. * David McGowan, American Music Teacher *Engaging and inspirinig. * Chamber Music Magazine *The Must That Sings [is] a book which will prove fascinating to those with an interest in contemporary musical composition, and in the creative process in general ... Every decade needs a book like this, for ideas and tastes will always change and it will always require the work of scholars to document how the creative minds of an age think about their art. Ann McCutchan has provided such a work. * The Ithaca Times *These interviews with 25 composers are distilled to short, informal yet highly focused discussions ... [McCutchan] allows the voices of the composers--most of whom live and work in the U.S. and were born between 1930 and 1960--to come through with candor ... These intimate snapshots of creative artists contemplating their role and function at the end of the 20th century succeed not only in shedding light on the creative process, but in dispelling many of the negative stereotypes attached to contemporary music." --Publishers WeeklyTable of ContentsAlphabetical List of Composers ; Foreword by Leonard Slatkin (Music Director, National Symphony Orchestra) ; Introduction ; 1. Eric Stokes (b. 1930) ; 2. Steve Reich (b. 1936) ; 3. William Bolcom (b. 1938) ; 4. John Corigliano (b. 1938) ; 5. John Harbison (b. 1938) ; 6. Joan Tower (b. 1938) ; 7. John Adams (b. 1947) ; 8. Claude Baker (b. 1948) ; 9. Dan Welcher (b. 1948) ; 10. Daniel S. Godfrey (b. 1949) ; 11. Fred Lerdahl (b. 1949) ; 12. Shulamit Ran (b. 1949) ; 13. Christopher Rouse (b. 1949) ; 14. Steven Stucky (b. 1949) ; 15. Libby Larsen (b. 1950) ; 16. Lois V Vierk (b. 1951) ; 17. John Zorn (b. 1953) ; 18. Michael Daugherty (b. 1954) ; 19. James Mobberley (b. 1954) ; 20. Bruce Adolphe (b. 1955) ; 21. Bright Sheng (b. 1955) ; 22. Richard Danielpour (b. 1956) ; 23. David Lang (b. 1957) ; 24. Sebastian Currier (b. 1959) ; 25. Aaron Jay Kernis (b. 1960)

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