Entertainment Books

Book SynopsisA biography of Hoagy Carmichael, composer of classic American songs such as "Georgia on My Mind", "Rockin' Chair", "Skylark", "Lazybones", and "Star Dust". The book follows Carmichael from his roaring-20s Indiana youth to Hollywood legend.Trade Review"Meticulous, admiring, perceptive and informative.... A first-rate job of showing that Carmichael's mind was deeper and tougher than first impressions might suggest." --Jonathan Yardley, The Washington Post"A thorough, superb and evocative biography."--Tom Nolan, San Francisco Chronicle"Musically knowledgeable and truly dedicated to his subject, Sudhalter writes for a general audience with passion, enthusiasm, and a fine understanding of the subtleties of the songwriter's craft."--Baltimore Sun"An engaging bio."--US News & World Report"An apt and able bio of a singular talent."--Kirkus Reviews"Hailed by critics as the definitive look at the Hoosier songwriter."--Indianapolis Star"Highly readable and thoroughly researched."--William F. Gavin, The Washington Times"Sudhalter is a dedicated researcher who has to admit that his hero sometimes made a few things up, tricked cold facts into a wry story and generally saw himself in a smoky light akin to that of movies."--David Thomson, Los Angeles Times Book Review"Sudhalter's entertaining yet straightforward style propels the narrative forward, and the musical examples are a plus. The exhaustive research, including interviews with Carmichael's relatives and colleagues, makes this essential for all popular music, American culture, or Indiana collections."--Library Journal (starred review)"Richard Sudhalter's new book is undoubtedly the most well-researched biography of Hoagy Carmichael available. Anyone interested in this fine American composer should get hold of a copy immediately." --Artie Shaw"Sudhalter writes with the voice of a novelist, the eye of a historian, and the heart of the superb jazz musician he is known to be. Stardust Melody sets a new standard of literary excellence for all celebrity biographies to come." --Max Morath"Richard Sudhalter has written an elegant, carefully etched portrait of Hoagy Carmichael, his life and music, with so much history and wealth of detail in every anecdote that each one comes alive for the reader. No one but a jazz musician could have shown such insight as Sudhalter does, revealing the many secrets of the man and his music and making Hoagy's songs glow forever in the mind and heart." --Marian McPartland"With the instinct and insights of a discerning musician, Dick Sudhalter is a sensitive researcher, he's hip to how songwriters think, and he knows how to write about history and make it sing. Even Hoagy Carmichael, salty and critical as they come, would have probably pumped the author's hand and said, 'You got it, buddy.'" --Dave Frishberg

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Book SynopsisPaul Taffanel (1844 - 1908) is essentially the father of modern flute playing. Drawing on previously unavailable material from a provate archive in Paris, Blakeman describes and evaluates Taffanel's life, career, and works, with particular reference to his influence as founder of the modern French School of flute playing.Trade Review...a book that will appeal to the aficionado as well as the proletariat, a highly readable documentation that balances the composer's achievements against the cultural institutions of the Belle Epoque. * Mark Tanner, Musical Opinion *...a good read, but the book will also prove invaluable as a reference tool...fascinating...[an] important book * Richard Langham Smith, Open University *Edward Blakeman...lucidly tells the story of this fascinating, important, and kindly man who influenced flute playing indelibly over the later decades of the nineteenth century and into the early twentieth. This makes for a good read... [An] important book. * Richard Langham Smith, Music and Letters, Volume 88, Number 4 *Table of ContentsPreface and Acknowledgments Introduction 1: Early Life 2: The Conservatoire and After 3: Advances and Retreats 4: New Beginnings 5: Composing for the Flute 6: The Wind Society 7: The Magic Flute 8: From Russia to the Paris Exhibition 9: Toward a New Career 10: Wielding the Baton 11: Teaching the Flute 12: Last Words on the Flute Conclusion Appendixes 1: Papiers Paul Taffanel 2: Paul Taffanel Works List 3: Music Dedicated to Paul Taffanel 4: Société classique 5: Société de musique de chambre pour instruments à vent 6: Paris Conservatoire Flute Class Notes/Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisJ.S. Bach's sonatas and partitas for solo violin have been central to the violin repertoire since the mid-18th century. This introduction to these works explores their place within Bach's music, focusing on their structural and stylistic features as they have been perceived since their creation.Trade Review"The volume thus has a quadruple purpose, providing an analytical study and historical guide to Bach's solo-violin works, an introduction to Bach's style and its evolution and a forum for authoritative discussion of selected performance issues....will certainly assist violinists, students, scholars and other listeners to develop new perspectives on this music...and encourage the cultivation of more informed and more vivid performances." --The Strad"Serious violinists and theorists will applaud the thoroughness of Lester's work."--Choice"Joel Lester is one of America's leading theorists and analysts of music, as well as a professional violinist. He is therefore uniquely qualified to write a serious analytical and interpretive study of J. S. Bach's violin music. . . . It's quite incredible that, despite the stature and importance of this music, there has never been a serious full-length study of its repertoire. That is, until now. . . . This book is richly informative and insightful, abundantly displaying Lester's learning and analytical talents. It is also engagingly written."--Robert L. Marshall, Brandeis University"Performers will find this book's discussion of recordings invaluable, its performance-oriented analyses helpful in understanding the logic behind interpretation, and its historical excursuses informative. . . . Lester has the reputation of being an excellent performer, is a recognized scholar in the history of theory, and has written a harmony textbook. Who better to bring all of these talents and accomplishments to a book of this sort?"--Lee A. Rothfarb, University of California at Santa BarbaraTable of Contents1. The History of Bach's Solo-Violin Works ; 2. The G-minor Adagio ; 3. The G-minor Fuga ; 4. The Siciliana of the G-minor Sonata ; 5. The G-minor Presto ; 6. The Partitas ; 7. Closing Thoughts

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Book SynopsisA book on jazz's central modern music style: bebop. Focusing on jazz drumming, it shows how deftness, speed, fury, precision, and adventure changed the music's beat and was instrumental in establishing bebop, Korall weaves an account of the music that makes it one of the classic books on the subject.Trade Review"Korall's eagerly awaited sequel to his swing-era treatise is a lively, fascinatingly detailed text composed of narrative, exegesis, interviews and musical examples. Korall tells you exactly what these tub-thumpers did to make their music sound the way it did, from the obscure Lou Fromm to the familiar Kenny Clarke."--Seattle Times/Post-Intelligencer"If you want to know what modern drumming is all about, this is your book. Burt Korall has done a remarkable job, and I strongly recommend it."--Artie Shaw"Nobody writes about jazz drumming like Burt Korall. He gets inside the important drummers, the jazzmen who played with them, the arrangers and the leaders, to capture the excitement, the feel, even the sound of the Bebop Era. What an achievement!"--Dom Cerulli, The Jazz Word"Attention drummers, jazz lovers, bebop lovers, and students of jazz history! Run--I repeat, run--do not walk to your local bookstore and purchase this absolutely wonderful book."--Allegro"Korall digs deep into the hippest period in drumming history. A fascinating must-read for any drummer of style or lover of modern jazz."--William F. Miller, Editorial Director, Modern Drummer Magazine"Burt Korall uses the topic of bebop drumming to range across the larger territory of music. Masterly in concept, scope and detail, his book tells the stories of the great bop drummers, and Korall is a superb story teller."--Doug Ramsey, author of Jazz Matters: Reflections on the Music and Some of its Makers"Unexpected coverage of artists like Tiny Kahn, Stan Levey, Shadow Wilson, and Don Lamond provide diversity and a greater understanding of how bop drumming evolved. It is a readable tome that would appeal to jazz enthusiasts and jazz scholars alike."--Library Journal

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Book SynopsisAdvice to young singers often follows the standard line of the great French singer Claire Croiza: Study the poem away from the music, so that you know what the words really mean. But Croiza''s advice is notoriously difficult to follow when performing French mélodies. Just how do you approach a French poem? In the lyric poetry on which the mélodie is based, meaning is conveyed not just through the words but also through the poem''s formal structure. Understanding French Verse: A Guide for Singers explains this formal structure and sets out the basics of French versification, using examples drawn from a wide range of well-known song settings. Its chapters examine French meters, stanzaic forms, sonnets, rondels and other fixed forms, rhyme and sound patterning, and free verse poems. Written in a clear and concise way, it explains the Alexandrine, how to distinguish different meters by counting syllables, and how to identify stresses in French verse. The book also illustrates how rhyme woTrade Review...very useful... * Dorothee Mertz-Weigel, French Review, vol. 80.1 *Table of Contents1: Why This Guide? 2: The Basics of the French Line 3: Common French Meters 4: Stanzas 5: Sonnets, rondels, and other fixed forms 6: Rhyme 7: Free verse Appendix 1. Commentaries on four poems Adieux de l'hôtesse arabe Le colibri En sourdine Montparnasse Appendix 2. Poems and songs discussed in the guide Appendix 3. A brief history of French versification Glossary of technical terms Notes Suggestions for further reading Index

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Book SynopsisThe twelve essays by Kendall Walton in this volume address a broad range of issues concerning the arts. Walton introduces an innovative account of aesthetic value, and explores relations between aesthetic value and values of other kinds. His classic ''Categories of Art'' is included, as is ''Transparent Pictures'', his controversial account of what is special about photographs. A new essay investigates the fact that still pictures are still, although some of them depict motion. New postscripts have been added to several of the reprinted essays.Trade ReviewThe collection is indeed a joy to read... Each essay gives the tangible impression hearing an outstanding philosopher in direct engagement with the issues... For all the freshness and directness of style, there is an extraordinary level of subtle nuance and fine distinction... It is a principal conclusion of the opening chapter, which gives the collection its title, that a distinctive mark of aesthetic pleasure is the fact we take pleasure, not just in the object itself, but also in our admiration for the object. Just such a pleasure will be occasioned by this admirable volume. Marvelous indeed. * Ian Ground, Philosophy *Table of ContentsIntroduction Part I: Aesthetic and Moral Values 1: "How Marvelous": Toward a Theory of Aesthetic Value Postscripts to "How Marvelous!" 2: The Test of Time 3: Morals in Fiction and Fictional Morality 4: On the (So-Called) Puzzle of Imaginative Resistance Part II: Pictures and Photographs 5: Pictures & Hobby Horses: Make-Believe Beyond Childhood 6: Transparent Pictures: On the Nature of Photographic Realism Postscripts to "Transparent Pictures" 7: On Pictures & Photographs: Objections Answered 8: Seeing In and Seeing Fictionally 9: Depiction, Perception, & Imagination: Responses to Richard Wollheim 10: Experiencing Still Photographs: What Do You See and How Long Do You See It? Part III: Categories and Styles 11: Categories of Art 12: Style and the Products and Processes of Art

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Book SynopsisTonal Pitch Space presents a model of diatonic space that quantifies intuitions of the relative distances of pitches, chords, and keys. The model assigns prolongational structure, represents paths through the space, and computers patterns of tension and attraction as musical events unfold.Trade Review"Tonal Pitch Space is one of the most important books to come along in music theory and music cognition in a while. The degree of detail that Lerdahl builds into his model is extraordinary, and the consistency with which he references not only the research literature of cognitive psychology but also that of the full breadth of the history of music theory will ensure its importance to both groups of scholars for some time to come."--Computer Music Journal"A Generative Theory of Tonal Music by Fred Lerdahl and Ray Jackendoff is one of the most important works in music theory in the last half of the 20th century, and likewise it has taken its place among the foundational texts in music perception and cognition. Thus the publication of Lerdahl's Tonal Pitch Space, a book which extends the GTTM project, is a significant event."--Music Perception"[Tonal Pitch Space] is an awe-inspiring achievement. It is bursting at the seams with interesting ideas and perceptive analytic insights. It breaks new ground in establishing rigorous, algorithmic procedures for sophisticated music theories and in forging strong connections between music theory and music psychology. It engages other work in the field in the most exemplary way (one can only marvel at the wealth of references, not only to music theory past and present but also to psychology and other disciplines)--building on the ideas of others but always offering fresh insights and perspectives."--Musicae Scientiae"This book assembles and fully systematizes Lerdahl's work of the past decade and in many ways completes the project begun with 'A Generative Theory of Tonal Music.' In its scope, the detail of its argument, and in its claim to very precisely model musical cognition on a grand scale, this work is virtually without precedent."--Christopher Hasty, Professor of Music, University of Pennsylvania"Fred Lerdahl's 'Tonal Pitch Space' is an extraordinary achievement in music theory. It promises to have a major impact on our understanding of how music works and how music is understood. It sketches a theory of enormous potential, with which theorists and cognitive scientists should be concerned for decades hence."--Jonathan Kramer, Professor of Music, Columbia University

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Book SynopsisJulian Budden, one of the world''s foremost scholars of Italian opera and author of a monumental three-volume study of Verdi''s works, now offers music lovers a major new biography of one of the giants of Italian opera, Giacomo Puccini. Blending astute musical analysis with a colorful account of Puccini''s life, here is an illuminating look at some of the most popular operas in the repertoire, including Manon Lescaut, La Boheme, Tosca, Madama Butterfly, and Turandot. Budden provides an illuminating look at the process of putting an opera together, the cut-and-slash of nineteenth-century Italian opera--the struggle to find the right performers for the debut of La Boheme, Puccini''s anxiety about completing Turandot (he in fact died of cancer before he did so), his animosity toward his rival Leoncavallo (whom he called Leonasino or lion-ass). Budden provides an informative analysis of the operas themselves, examining the music act by act. He highlights, among other things, the influence Trade ReviewA major book on Puccini by the supremely authoritative Julian Budden arouses the highest expectations, wonderfully fulfilled by this new volume of over 500 pages. * Philip Borg-Wheeler, Classical Music *"He makes one hungry to hear the operas once again and reconsider one's own response--what can be higher praise for music criticism?"--Tim Page, Washington Post Book World"At the least, Budden's book will stand as the bellwether of studies of Puccini's music, the starting point for further scholarly work and for informed amateurs alike. At the most, he has given us the best survey we have of Italian opera around 1900.... He has made a minor art form of operatic description in prose, expanding the old format of plot-summary-plus-favoritie-themes to include music analysis, critical response, and secure judgments as to the echoes of other composers heard at any moment. He joins all this is a prose that will engage even those who cannot follow all the musical particulars. There is more: Budden contrives in the introductory sections of his chapters to give us a canny glimpse of Puccini's life at the time of each opera. And--this is one of the most impressive features of his study--he provides in each chapter vignettes that add up to a historical sketch of the musical culture Puccini lived and worked in."--Gary Tomlinson, The New York Times Book Review"Julian Budden's book fills a serious gap. Here is a single volume combining excellent biography with an often illuminating discussion of the work.... Budden's approach to the individual operas is often fresh and engaging. His investigation of the dramatic and musical problems that Puccini encountered while writing Manon Lescaut is fascinating.... Budden's is a book for the library shelf, a reliable reference work that the reader will want to consult when program notes fail or a fresh view of the operas."--Opera News"Budden is responsible for much of the new Puccini scholarship and his synthesis of this material is often elegant."--New York Review of Books"If you want in-depth insight into Puccini's operas, replete with many stanzas of music, Budden's bio and discussion should be on your shelf."--The San Diego Union Tribune"Essential reading, Budden's biography allies in-depth scholarship with narrative pace to offer us a masterly and intensely human portrait of the man and composer. Finely researched, surely the most thoughtful biography to date of Italy's last great opera composer."--Vivien A. Hewitt, Director, Festival Puccini of Torre del Lago"Bravo Budden!!!!!! His books on Verdi have been an invaluable aid to my study and role preparation over the years, and now the Puccini volume joins them in my library. Budden manages to synthesize the historical, academic, artistic, and human aspects of Puccini's operas in a way that is totally accessible, and most useful to any serious artist or music lover."--Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs, Soprano"An enormously impressive achievement. Certainly the best book on Puccini in English. As we would expect from the author of The Operas of Verdi, Budden's discussion of Puccini's alarmingly popular music is both sensitive and challenging in its insights."--Roger Parker, Professor of Music and Fellow of St John's College, Cambridge University"Informed lay readers will gain insight while theoreticians will appreciate Budden's deeper musical analysis. His elegant turns of phrase ("rhythmic scaffolding") and obvious expertise combine in an exceptional whole."--Library Journal

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Book SynopsisFew musical works loom as large in Western culture as Richard Wagner's four-part "Ring of the Nibelung". This work looks at this greatest of Wagner's achievements, focusing on its far-reaching and subtle exploration of problems of meanings and endings in this life and world.Trade Review"In Finding an Ending Kitcher and Schacht break free from the contemporary clichés of producers determined to show Wotan as nothing more than a capitalist crook, and of commentators more interested in Wagner's political and ideological opinions than in his surpassing artistic achievement. It is the latter that they are exclusively concerned with, and they argue their case with style and passion. The result is the most rewarding new account of the Ring that I have read in many years, and it will surely take its place as one of the classics of Wagner criticism." --Michael Tanner, Corpus Christi College, Cambridge University, and author of Wagner"Eloquent...there is none of the extreme tone which so dominates both anti-Wagner tirades and expressions of Wagner idolatry. Instead, the mood introduced at the outset and maintained throughout is dignified and circumspect.... An analytic gem...[Kitcher and Schacht's] definitions and explanations [are] crystal clear.... Their discussion on the Ring teems with intimate references to musical movements, some of them truly moving.... This book will surely satisfy Wagner aficionados as much as it will make those who are new to the Ring feel welcome."--Nicholas Vazsonyi, Wagner Notes"This book examines the richness and complexity of Der Ring des Nibelungen. I particularly enjoyed the careful analysis of each of the important characters in their society, their psychological undercurrents, and their reactions to others. Philip Kitcher and Richard Schacht demonstrate how these mythological gods and heroes are ultimately recognizable as purely human." --Jane Eaglen"Each chapter contains thought-provoking discussions that will intellectually engage readers, even those who are unmoved, or perhaps repelled, by Wagner's music and ideas.... This book plunges more deeply into the intricacies of character development in the Ring itself, touching more lightly upon the details of philosophical inquiry. Recommended for all collections."--Library Journal"Determined like no other composer to 'fathom the depths of philosophy,' Wagner wrote operas exploring the elemental passions and conflicts of the human condition. Kitcher and Schacht, distinguished philosophers in their own right, present a profound analysis of the guiding ideas of the Ring which enables us to grasp as never before the power of Wagner's most ambitious work." --Charles E. Larmore, University of Chicago Law School"A strikingly successful reading of Wagner's music drama as a philosophical meditation on the meaning of human existence and freedom." --Paul Boghossian, New York University

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Trade ReviewThe Lute in Britain has been beautifully produced by Oxford University Press. The vast amount of information it contains, its presentation, the extremely useful tables of music sources and iconography, and the wonderful selection of illustrations make it will worth the price. A 'must' for scholars of English and Scottish music and the ever-growing number of players in the international lute community, it should also be of interest to instrument makers and researchers for the wealth of information it provides on the physical nature of the instruments, which is meticulously documented by a combination of iconography, music sources, and contemporary writings. Undoubtedly, this book will become a standard reference work and should be found in every music library in the world. * Journal of the American Musical Instrument Society *Spring's book is the first attempt to trace a history of the lute in Britain (including Scotland) from the earliest known documents of about 1285 to its decline in the early eighteenth century...A formidable task considering its long and complex history. * Renaissance Quarterly *Performer-scholar Matthew Spring has written the first full-length history of the lute and its repertory to appear in print...For a single scholar to have undertaken such a comprehensive study is remarkable; that he has accomplished it in such a masterly fashion is nothing short of amazing. * Journal of the American Musical Instrument Society *The Lute in Britain has been beautifully produced by Oxford University Press. The vast amount of information it contains, its presentation, the extremely useful tables of music sources and iconography, and the wonderful selection of illustrations make it will worth the price. A 'must' for scholars of English and Scottish music and the ever-growing number of players in the international lute community, it should also be of interest to instrument makers and researchers for the wealth of information it provides on the physical nature of the instruments, which is meticulously documented by a combination of iconography, music sources, and contemporary writings. Undoubtedly, this book will become a standard reference work and should be found in every music library in the world. * Journal of the American Musical Instrument Society *Spring's book is the first attempt to trace a history of the lute in Britain (including Scotland) from the earliest known documents of about 1285 to its decline in the early eighteenth century...A formidable task considering its long and complex history. * Renaissance Quarterly *

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Book SynopsisIn this pioneering work of cultural history, historian Anthony Harkins argues that the hillbilly-in his various guises of briar hopper, brush ape, ridge runner, and white trash-has been viewed by mainstream Americans simultaneously as a violent degenerate who threatens the modern order and as a keeper of traditional values of family, home, and physical production, and thus symbolic of a nostalgic past free of the problems of contemporary life. Hillbilly signifies both rugged individualism and stubborn backwardness, strong family and kin networks but also inbreeding and bloody feuds. Spanning film, literature, and the entire expanse of American popular culture, from D. W. Griffith to hillbilly music to the Internet, Harkins illustrates how the image of the hillbilly has consistently served as both a marker of social derision and regional pride. He traces the corresponding changes in representations of the hillbilly from late-nineteenth century America, through the great Depression, the Trade Review"a sophisticated mélange of image and reality regarding southern white culture"-- History of Education Quarterly"Harkin's research is truly impressive, and his writing could not be clearer....a significant, highly accessible book of considerable value to scholars and advanced students."--History"Tony Harkins has gone deeper, understood a wider range of pop-culture materials, and analyzed more insightfully the twentieth-century image of the American 'hillbilly' than any other scholar in this or the previous century. My hat's not only off to him. It's way up in the air!"-- Jerry Williamson, author of Hillbillyland"This is an impressively researched and meticulously documented study of one of the pervasive terms in American popular culture, 'hillbilly,' a concept that has both reflected and shaped public views of southern white working people. Students in my field of research, Southern Folk Music, will obviously profit from this beautifully written work, but anyone intrigued by the ways in which stereotypes have clouded our perceptions will want to read this book."-Bill C. Malone, author of Country Music, U.S.A."Harkins' Hillbilly is an intriguing and wide-ranging study of a strangely enduring American type, one both loved and despised but still nationally (if not internationally) recognized. From Snuffy Smith and Li'l Abner to The Real McCoys and the Clampett clan, Harkins discusses how the hillbilly image itself has remained relatively unchanged, while its meaning has evolved in response to broader social, economic, and cultural transformations in American society."--Erika Doss, University of Colorado"Distilling truths and untruths about a great American archetype, Hillbilly is insightful and respectful without draining out all the fun. Anthony Harkins writes entertaining yet sophisticated analysis, free of ten-dollar words and other academic moonshine."--Scott A. Sandage, Carnegie Mellon University

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Book SynopsisPresents a view of the music director's job from the inside - starting at the moment students decide they want to be conductors, through their first jobs to being a successful artistic leaders. This book covers the practical ground that music schools neglect. It is useful for helping conductors think about their duties both on and off the podium.Trade Reviewthis is a terrific roadmap for those with eyes to see ... this is not just a guide to such mainline stuff as musical training, 'being organised', negotiating contracts and planning repertoire for different contexts. There's advice in such areas as how to handle orchestra board members ... and the thoroughly modern awareness conductors must have of their part in raising the funds that keep orchestras going. * Classical Music Magazine *Table of ContentsPart One Prologue: So - You Want to Be a Conductor? It Starts With You! 1: Preparing for Success 2: Path to the Podium 3: Your First Job 4: Artistic Leadership 5: Artistic Programming 6: The People Factor 7: Funding the Artistic Vision 8: Closing Thoughts Part Two: Resources Music Organizations Music Sources Training and Personal Development Programming Resources Sample Contracts and Résumé Format Recommended Reading

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Book SynopsisChronicles the Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre's journey from small modern dance company to one of the premier institutions of African-American culture. This book charts the troupe's rise to national and international renown, and contextualizes its progress within the civil rights, women's rights, and gay rights struggles of the late 20th century.Trade Review"In Dancing Revelations: Alvin Ailey's Embodiment of African American Culture, Thomas F. DeFrantz sets out to provide an appraisal of one of the most important figures in the short history of American modern dance, as well as a 'stabilizing narrative' of his work. The result is an impeccable piece of dance scholarship--one that achieves its objectives and affirms Ailey's contribution to the African-American cultural canon...Dance students, scholars, and Ailey enthusiasts will all value this groundbreaking study."--Times Literary Supplement"Dancing Revelations is an enjoyable read, not only for those concerned with Ailey's dances as they relate to larger struggles within American society, but for anyone who loves the art and artist."--Dance Magazine"Specialists in dance will find it a provocative analysis of Ailey and his contributions to American modern dance.""DeFrantz's study...is not the first book about the protean Ailey, who was born in hardscrabble Texas in 1931 and died in 1989 after creating close to 80 works. But it is perhaps the most comprehensive, combining biography, criticism, the analysis of dance criticism, and a sort of corporate history, siting the now firmly established Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in the international cultural landscape."--Village Voice"Alvin Ailey was a warm and generous mentor and friend. He was also an artistic genius of the dance. Dancing Revelations is a valuable resource for everyone who has enjoyed a performance by the Alvin Ailey Aemerican Dance Theater."--Sylvia Waters, Artistic Director, Ailey II"Alvin Ailey founded America's most famous dance company and created in Revelations its best known dance composition. Our wish for an appraisal of Ailey the artist and for a probing analysis of his choreography has been brilliantly answered by Thomas DeFrantz in this richly textured exploration of the Ailey legacy. The scholarship is impeccable, the analysis profound. Dancing Revelations is superb. Bravo!"--Richard A. Long, author, The Black Tradition in American Dance"Surely Alvin Ailey's Choreographic Legacy deserves serious scrutiny. Finally, Thomas DeFrantz offers a complete analysis of Ailey's dances and their meaning. An important volume for anyone interested in the history of dance, African American culture, and how modern dance is viewed around the world today."--Donald Byrd, choreographer and Artistic Director, Spectrum Dance TheaterTable of ContentsContents Preface Acknowledgements Introduction Revelations 1962 Early Dances Early Company Revelations II 1969 Touring, Touring, Touring Reflecting a Spectrum of Experience Other Dances Ailey Celebrates Ellington Ailey's Construction of Gender and Spectatorship Later Dances Concluding Moves Appendix: Choreography by Alvin Ailey Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThis is a comprehensive study of style and structure evaluating Joni Mitchell's songs from a musicological perspective. Whitesell analyses the singer-songwriter's musical technique, poetic nuance, and cultural reference. Whitesell develops conceptual tools in order to demonstrate the extent of Mitchell's innovation and to recognize her stature as a composer.Trade Review...an invaluable contribution to the study of contemporary popular music that stretches far beyond the disciplines of musicology. * Martin James, Times Higher Education *Table of Contents1. Introduction: Pop Song and Art Song ; 2. Sound and Style ; 3. Voices and Personae ; 4. Harmonic Palette ; 5. Melodic Turns ; 6. Thematic Thread ; 7. Collections and Cycles ; 8. A Tribute ; Appendix ; Select Bibliography

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Trade ReviewA wide-ranging presentation of rock's fundamental elements compiled lovingly by a committed scholar with deep knowledge of the repertory. * Journal of the Society for American Music *One to find space for in the curriculum, since it provides the basis for systematic work on popular music before and after its stated period. * Music Analysis *Table of ContentsTEXT'S FIGURES, TABLES, AND PHOTOGRAPHS; RESOURCES IN POP-ROCK MUSIC OF THE 1950S-'60S

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Book SynopsisFrom the Foreword by Renee Fleming: Kathryn LaBouff has developed an approach to singing in the English language which is wonderfully user-friendly, and which has surely saved much wear and tear on my voice. It is a technique that has empowered me with the knowledge and skills to bring a text to life and to be able to negotiate all of the sounds of the language with the least amount of effort. I have found her clever and extremely creative use of substitute consonants or combinations of consonants in creating clear diction utterly delightful because they are surprising and because they work. These techniques have been equally useful when singing in foreign languages. We sopranos are not usually known to have good diction, particularly in our high range. I found that working with Kathryn improved my ability to be understood by an enormous percentile of the audience with much less vocal fatigue than I would have experienced if left to my own devices. I have often told my colleagues enthuTrade ReviewIn the rehearsal process Kathryn LaBouff is my secret weapon. She has an uncanny ability to take dramatic ideas and unify them with her own technical and diction work for the performer. The result of her collaboration is that the performer can activate and communicate the text like no one else. The diction techniques that she developed are easily accessible in this book, and will help clean up English text delivery in productions around the world. This is a must-have for all directors, coaches, teachers, performers and anyone who champions opera in English. * Francesca Zambello, Director, Artistic Advisor to San Francisco Opera *Staggeringly high standard of diction. The surest method of converting people to Opera. * Opera Now *Singing in English can be one of the most satisfying experiences for a singer. Whilst singers realize considerable skills in a range of European languages, English remains sidelined, expected to look after itself. This book offers guidance to singers for 'singing and communicating,' which then leads to comprehension -- for artist and audience alike. In exploring this rich and varied language, Kathryn LaBouff deals fully with some obvious, and other much less obvious aspects of singing in English. Her book deserves a special place in every singer's library. * Sir Thomas Allen CBE, Kammersänger of the Bayerische Staatsoper Munich *Table of ContentsPreface Acknowledgements Foreword Chapter 1: Why Study English Diction? Chapter 2: Communication Through Appropriate Stress Chapter 3: Preparation for Vowel Production Chapter 4: The Front Vowels Chapter 5: The Backing Vowels Chapter 6: The Mixed Vowels Chapter 7: The Diphthongs & Triphthongs Chapter 8: The Three Semi-Vowel Glides Chapter 9: Introduction to Consonants Chapter 10: The Plosives Chapter 11: The Fricatives Chapter 12: Nasal Consonants Plus Lyrical L Chapter 13: The Owner's Manual: Connecting the Dots Chapter 14: Singing in the British Dialect: "The Rain in Spain" Chapter 15: The Mid-Atlantic Dialect Afterword Appendices: I: IPA Alphabet for the English Language II: Three-Dialect Overview III: Regional Dialects Glossary Bibliography Index of Texts and Music Examples CD Guide

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Trade ReviewIn the rehearsal process Kathryn LaBouff is my secret weapon. She has an uncanny ability to take dramatic ideas and unify them with her own technical and diction work for the performer. The result of her collaboration is that the performer can activate and communicate the text like no one else. The diction techniques that she developed are easily accessible in this book, and will help clean up English text delivery in productions around the world. This is a must-have for all directors, coaches, teachers, performers and anyone who champions opera in English. * Francesca Zambello, Director, Artistic Advisor to San Francisco Opera *Staggeringly high standard of diction. The surest method of converting people to Opera. * Opera Now *Singing in English can be one of the most satisfying experiences for a singer. Whilst singers realize considerable skills in a range of European languages, English remains sidelined, expected to look after itself. This book offers guidance to singers for 'singing and communicating,' which then leads to comprehension -- for artist and audience alike. In exploring this rich and varied language, Kathryn LaBouff deals fully with some 7bvious, and other much less obvious aspects of singing in English. Her book deserves a special place in every singer's library. * Sir Thomas Allen CBE, Kammersänger of the Bayerische Staatsoper Munich *Table of ContentsPreface Acknowledgements Forward Chapter 1: Why Study English Diction? Chapter 2: Communication Through Appropriate Stress Chapter 3: Preparation for Vowel Production Chapter 4: The Front Vowels Chapter 5: The Backing Vowels Chapter 6: The Mixed Vowels Chapter 7: The Diphthongs & Triphthongs Chapter 8: The Three Semi-Vowel Glides Chapter 9: Introduction to Consonants Chapter 10: The Plosives Chapter 11: The Fricatives Chapter 12: Nasal Consonants Plus Lyrical L Chapter 13: The Owner's Manual: Connecting the Dots Chapter 14: Singing in the British Dialect: "The Rain in Spain" Chapter 15: The Mid-Atlantic Dialect Afterward Appendices: I: IPA Alphabet for the English Language II: Three-Dialect Overview III: Regional Dialects Glossary Bibliography Index of Texts and Music Examples CD Guide

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Book SynopsisMichael Dregni expertly traces the development of Gypsy Jazz not through straight musical history, but instead in a fascinating travelogue and detective story, following its birth with Django and its subsequent legacy, including all of the famous guitarists who have followed in Django's footsteps-Biréli Lagrène, Boulou Ferré, Dorado Schmitt, and others.Trade Review...illuminating as a study, historical and sociological, of Romany culture, not least in its account of life under Nazi occupation. * John Mole Times Literary Supplement *...superb... * Garth Cartwright Froots *He writes well, but most of all he brings to his subject a boundless enthusiasm * Merrell Noden, Mojo *Superb book * Merrell Noden, Mojo *Table of ContentsPrologue Music in the Shadows; The Imperfect History of Gypsy Jazz/ Chapter 1 The Guitar with a Human Voice;In Search of Django Reinhardt/ Chapter 2 The Boy With the Banjo; Into a Zigzag Paradise; Chapter 3 Bals Musette; Music from the Dark Side of the City of Light; Chapter 4Jazz Modernistique; Revisiting the Babylon of Gypsy Jazz/ Chapter 5 Songs of One Thousand and One Nights; Django Reinhardt, Schnuckenack Reinhardt, and Gypsy Jazz Under the Nazis; Chapter 6 Gypsy Bebop; From Dizzy and Bird to Django and the Gibson Generation; Chapter 7 Les Guitares à Moustache; Revolutionary Jazz Guitars for a Jazz Revolution/ Chapter 8 Crossroads; On the Road to Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer/ Chapter 9 Dynasty;Les Frères Ferret and their Musical Clan/Chapter 10La Dernière Valse des Niglos; Saints and Sinners of the Malha Clan/ Chapter 11 Au Son des Guitares; On the Trail of Patotte Bousquet/ Chapter 12 The Unsung Master of the Gypsy Waltz; Tracing the Legacy of Tchan Tchou/ Chapter 13 The Lost; The Secret History of Lousson Baumgartner and the Other Family/ Chapter 14 Minstrel; Bamboula Ferret and the Travels of a Romany Troubadour/ Chapter 15 Resurrection; The New Elegance of Biréli Lagrène, Stochelo Rosenberg, Angelo Debarre, and Ninine Garcia/ Chapter 16 The Music Thieves; Into America with Danny Fender, Johnny Guitar, John Adomono, and Julio Bella/ Chapter 17 Gypsy Jazz Rap; Syntax and the Search for Le Meilleur Chemin/Chapter 18 The Most Dangerous Guitar Lesson; Jamming with David Reinhardt/ Epilogue/Latcho Drom The Long Road/ Recommended Listening/ Notes/ Recommended Reading/ Bibliography /Acknowledgments/Index

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Book SynopsisGregory of Nazianzus, a 4th-century bishop of Constantinople, receives relatively little attention from modern Western scholars, yet he is one of the most influential theologians in the history of Christian doctrine. Many modern Christians understand their religious beliefs through ideas originally expounded by Gregory, yet probably would not recognize his name. As an advocate for the conceptual understanding of the Trinity, Gregory set precedents for the way his fellow and future Christians would perceive and worship God. Holding that Jesus was both fully divine and fully human, Gregory added new complexity to Christianitys grasp of the mysterious relationship between the Son and the Father. He also explored the nature of the Holy Spirit by means of scriptural analysis, both in the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament. Gregorys enlightening revelations resonate throughout the varied religious landscape of Christian creed, cult, and code. Christopher A. Beeley examines Gregorys doctTrade Reviewa scholarly piece of historical theology, setting Gregory's concerns and aims in a detailed context, but also grappling with his complex theology in a way which moves beyond historicism. * Morwenna Ludlow, Scottish Journal of Theology *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Gregory's Life and Work 1: God and the Theologian 2: Jesus Christ 3: The Holy Spirit 4: The Trinity 5: Pastoral Ministry and the Trinity

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Book SynopsisIntegrated Practice proposes a new approach to musicianship, health, and well-being. Containing dozens of exercises and supported by an extensive online library of video and audio clips, Integrated Practice offers tools for instrumentalists, singers, and conductors to use music itself as their guide toward unity and freedom of mind and body.Trade ReviewIntegrated Practice is a remarkable tool for the aspiring musician on the road to understanding artistry. * Mimi Zweig, Professor, Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University *Integrated Practice appeals to professional musicians and music lovers alike! This is a welcome guide through the vast field of practice routines. De Alcantara has a unique ability to bring this subject matter to life with convincing analogies and musical examples. Here, components such as rhythm, grid, sound, and coordination fit like mosaic stones into the larger picture of better and more efficient practice. * Babette Hierholzer, pianist *Whatever your stage or role in musical life, Pedro de Alcantara will guide you in his masterly way: leaping, lunging, singing, howling, and improvising toward musical enlightenment. * Wendy Williams, flutist, Minnesota Orchestra *A welcome addition to writing on the subject of the Alexander Technique and the application of its principles to music, the book is a testament to the breadth of the author's experience as a teacher...Wonderfully presented...Works well as a book one can explore over a period of time. * Music Education UK *INTEGRATED PRACTICE delves deeply into the most fundamental elements of music and connects them to universal aspects of human experience: speech, vibration, clarity of expression and the rhythms inherent in every movement we make...An important addition to every musician's working library. * AmSAT Journal *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; Part I: Rhythm ; 1. Words, Sounds, Gestures ; 2. Prosody, or the Secrets of Rhythm ; 3. The Grid: A Life Principle ; 4. The Metric Grid ; 5. Coincidence: Intention and Gesture ; 6. Rhythmic Solfege ; 7. The Metronome and the Rubato ; 8. Superbar Structures ; 9. Opposing The Grid ; 10. Patterning and Sequencing ; Part II: Coordination ; 11. Connection & Flow: First Principles ; 12. The Juggler: A Cello Lesson ; 13. Object Wisdom: An Oboe Lesson ; 14. Body, Breath, Vibration, Text: A Voice Lesson ; 15. The Quadrupedal Prosodist: A Piano Lesson ; Part III: Sound ; 16. The Harmonic Series ; 17. The Harmonic Series and the Voice ; 18. The Messa di Voce: Virtuosity of Contact ; 19. Practicing The Messa di Voce ; 20. Improvisation: A Lifestyle ; Conclusion

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Book SynopsisThe film theories of Jean Epstein, Dziga Vertov, Bela Balazs, and Siegfried Kracauer have long been studied separately from each other. In Doubting Vision, film scholar Malcolm Turvey argues that their work constitutes a distinct, hitherto neglected tradition, which he calls revelationism, and which differs in important ways from modernism and realism. For these four theorists and filmmakers, the cinema is an art of mass enlightenment because it escapes the limits of human sight and reveals the true nature of reality. Turvey provides a detailed exegesis of this tradition, pointing to its sources in Romanticism, the philosophy of Henri Bergson, modern science, and other intellectual currents. He also shows how profoundly it has influenced contemporary film theory by examining the work of psychoanalytical-semiotic theorists of the 1970s, Stanley Cavell, the modern-day followers of Kracauer and Walter Benjamin, and Gilles Deleuze. Throughout, Turvey offers a trenchant critique of revelatTrade ReviewClassical film theory represents a rich body of work that is generally overlooked nowadays by contemporary scholars of cinema. In Doubting Vision, Malcolm Turvey demonstrates that this is a mistake. He identifies a hitherto ill-recognized strand of the tradition--the revelationist tradition--and he shows astutely how critical engagement with it has great significance for debates in contemporary film theory. * Noel Carroll, Temple University *In this philosophically acute and elegantly concise book, Turvey proves himself a bold and highly original interlocutor of the tradition of classical film theory. Anyone interested in the cognitive value of cinema, modernist aesthetics, and visual culture will find his study indispensable, and long overdue. * Edward Dimendberg, author of Film Noir and the Spaces of Modernity *In this profoundly original book Turvey anatomizes with acuity and precision a third revelationist tradition of film theory alongside the familiar creationist and realist traditions and traces its persistence in contemporary writers such as Cavell and Deleuze. Further, he demonstrates how the roots of this tradition lie in the denigration of vision within modernism, a denigration that is based upon a conceptual confusion about the nature of seeing. This Turvey systematically extirpates with the tools of ordinary language philosophy. Written with remarkable lucidity and panache, Doubting Vision is an intellectual tour de force that is required reading for all film scholars and anyone who is interested in the history of modernism. * Richard Allen, New York University *Classical film theory represents a rich body of work that is generally overlooked nowadays by contemporary scholars of cinema. In Doubting Vision, Malcolm Turvey demonstrates that this is a mistake. He identifies a hitherto ill-recognized strand of the tradition--the revelationist tradition--and he shows astutely how critical engagement with it has great significance for debates in contemporary film theory. * Noel Carroll, Temple University *In this philosophically acute and elegantly concise book, Turvey proves himself a bold and highly original interlocutor of the tradition of classical film theory. Anyone interested in the cognitive value of cinema, modernist aesthetics, and visual culture will find his study indispensable, and long overdue. * Edward Dimendberg, author of Film Noir and the Spaces of Modernity *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. The Revelationist Tradition: Exegesis ; 2. The Revelationsit Tradition: Critique ; 3. Revelationism and Contemporary Film Theory ; 4. The Lure of Visual Skepticism ; Notes

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Trade ReviewThis book would fit beautifully into our graduate program. Phillips has hit the nail on the head by including introductions to research types with actual examples from the literature. I especially like the idea of the Study and Discussion Questions (and the foci of the particular ones he has chosen), and the Suggested Activities. I appreciate how Phillips pushes students into new areas without frightening them. I applaud the inclusion of qualitative and action research. I would adopt this text into a music education research course in a second. * Bruce Gleason, University of St. Thomas *I would like to say bravo for putting this text together. I think we need it in our field, and I appreciate the level-headed approach. Phillips does a good job of covering all the methodologies. And I like that he uses articles to illustrate the different methodologies. * Diana Hollinger, San Jose State University *Table of ContentsEACH CHAPTER ENDS WITH STUDY AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS AND SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES; PART ONE. RESEARCH BASICS; 1. RESEARCH IN MUSIC EDUCATION AND MUSIC THERAPY; 2. THE RESEARCH STUDY; 3. READING RESEARCH: A COMMENTARY; JUDITH A. JELLISON (2002). "ON-TASK PARTICIPATION OF TYPICAL STUDENTS CLOSE TO AND AWAY FROM CLASSMATES WITH DISABILITIES IN AN ELEMENTARY MUSIC CLASSROOM."; PART TWO. HISTORICAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL RESEARCH; 4. HISTORICAL RESEARCH; MARTHA CHRISMAN RILEY (1990). "PORTRAIT OF A NINETEENTH-CENTURY SCHOOL MUSIC PROGRAM."; 5. PHILOSOPHICAL RESEARCH; ESTELLE JORGENSEN (2006). "REFLECTIONS ON FUTURES FOR MUSIC EDUCATION PHILOSOPHY."; PART THREE. QUALITATIVE RESEARCH; 6. PRINCIPLES OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH; MANNY BRAND (2002). "AN ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY OF HONG KONG AND AMERICAN MUSIC EDUCATION STUDENTS."; 7. CRITICAL READING OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH; JOHN W. SCHEIB (2003). "ROLE STRESS IN THE PROFESSIONAL LIFE OF THE SCHOOL MUSIC TEACHER: A COLLECTIVE CASE STUDY."; 8. REFLECTING ON QUALITATIVE RESEARCH; LOUIS SCHLEUTER (1994/1995). "QUALITATIVE STUDY OF DIALOGUE: A THOUGHT PROCESS."; BARBARA L. WHEELER (2002). "EXPERIENCES AND CONCERNS OF STUDENTS DURING MUSIC THERAPY PRACTICA."; PART FOUR. QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH; 9. PRINCIPLES OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH; 10. ANALYSIS OF THE DATA; 11. QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH: DESCRIPTIVE; KATE GFELLER, STEVEN K. HEDDEN, AND ALICE-ANN DARROW (1990). "PERCEIVED EFFECTIVENESS OF MAINSTREAMING IN IOWA AND KANSAS SCHOOLS."; CORNELIA YARBROUGH AND HARRY E. PRICE (1989). "SEQUENTIAL PATTERNS OF INSTRUCTION IN MUSIC."; 12. QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH: EXPERIMENTAL; KENNETH H. PHILLIPS AND STEVEN W. EMGE (1994). "VOCAL REGISTRATION AS IT AFFECTS VOCAL RANGE FOR SEVENTH- AND EIGHTH-GRADE BOYS."; KENNETH H. PHILLIPS (1985). "THE EFFECTS OF GROUP BREATH-CONTROL TRAINING ON THE SINGING ABILITY OF ELEMENTARY STUDENTS."; KARIN HARFST SEHMANN (2000). "THE EFFECTS OF BREATH MANAGEMENT INSTRUCTION ON THE PERFORMANCE OF ELEMENTARY BRASS PLAYERS."; 13. QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH: CLINICAL; REBECCA L. ENGEN (2005). "THE SINGER'S BREATH: IMPLICATIONS FOR TREATMENT OF PERSONS WITH EMPHYSEMA."; CHRIS TURNER, BRUCE GANTZ, MARY LOWDER, AND KATE GFELLER (2005). "BENEFITS SEEN IN ACOUSTIC HEARING + ELECTRIC SIMULATION IN SAME EAR."; 14. MIXED METHODS RESEARCH; CLIFFORD K. MADSEN AND STEVEN N. KELLY (2002). "FIRST REMEMBRANCES OF WANTING TO BECOME A MUSIC TEACHER."; LOIS SCHLEUTER (1991). "STUDENT TEACHERS' PREACTIVE AND POSTACTIVE CURRICULAR THINKING."; PART 5. RESEARCH AND THE CLASSROOM; 15. ACTION RESEARCH; COLLEEN M. CONWAY AND JAMES BORST (2001). "ACTION RESEARCH IN MUSIC EDUCATION."; 16. INTEGRATING RESEARCH AND TEACHING; URSULA CASANOVA (1989). "RESEARCH AND PRACTICE: WE CAN INTEGRATE THEM."; EPILOGUE

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Trade ReviewEditor: Suzanne Ryan "In my opinion, this is the most important book on music aesthetics to appear in the last several decades.... Goehr does not seek a universal definition for music and its meanings but instead traces the history of the 'work concept' in Western music. She both reveals the developments that cemented the notion of the musical work in the 19th century and also examines the limits of that notion."--Susan McClary, Professor of Musicology, University of California -- Los Angeles"This book is not only a major contribution to the philosophy of music, but is also vitally important to understanding music history and performance practice. Further, those interested in rethinking the conventions of today's classical music world should not miss it."--Bernard Sherman, Iowa Public Radio, author of Inside Early Music: Conversations with Performers, co-editor of Performing BrahmsTable of ContentsFOREWORD; INTRODUCTORY ESSAY: HIS MASTER'S CHOICE; INTRODUCTION; PART I. THE ANALYTIC APPROACH; PART II. THE HISTORICAL APPROACH; BIBLIOGRAPHY OF WORKS CITED; INDEX

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Table of ContentsPREFACE

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Trade ReviewAs a student of Gustav Meier, I was enormously inspired and impressed by his knowledge and unwavering commitment to the music. Reading this book, I am once again equally inspired and impressed. Gustav Meier is brilliant and clearly one of the leading conducting teachers in the world; his book is chock-full of invaluable information. * Marin Alsop, Music Director Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Music Director, Cabrillo Music Festival *Many times I've been able to get Gustie on the phone whenever I've found myself stuck and couldn't figure out how to conduct my way through a thorny passage. Now that I have his book, I'll still give him a try on the phone, but if I can't reach him, I'll know here I can get the answers I'm looking for. Thank you Gustie for sharing your vast knowledge of the the art of conducting with the world. * Your student, Bobby McFerrin. *With its myriad examples from the standard repertoire both symphonic and operatic, Gustav Meier's book is an indispensable tool for conductors aspiring and professional alike on all aspects of this mysterious craft. * Anthonio Pappano, Music Director, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and Music Director, Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia *An important addition to the conducting reference library. * Music Educators Journal *Table of ContentsA) INSTRUMENTAL CHART ; B) NOTATION OF INSTRUMENTS ; C) HARMONICS ; D) HARMONIC CHARTS ; E) CROSS RHYTHM CHARTS

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Trade ReviewPriestley's dedication to setting the record straight is commendable. No doubt, his study presents the most reliable account of Parker's life. * Anna Harwell Celenza, Notes *The best overall book on Parker since Gary Giddins's photo-driven 'Celebrating Bird' of 1987.... Its 60-page discography is the most comprehensive Parker compendium yet published.... Priestley has listened to and listed everything, including all the rare, noncommercial material that's come to light in the last 20 years.... Priestley places them, for the first time, in the context of Parker's career. In so doing, he contributes significant pieces to the larger puzzle depicting Parker's role in the creation of modern jazz. Indeed, Mr. Priestley offers excellent analysis of the technical aspects of Parker's playing, explaining in detail what made his music so remarkable. * Will Friedwald, The New York Sun *Easily enjoyed in a single sitting, with your favorite Parker record.... Well served by the breadth of Priestley's musical knowledge and his tenacious desire for accuracy. * New York Times Book Review *Priestley's revised and updated biography...offers valuable insights to Bird's career, mainly because it is seen through the prism of his music.... This volume makes a valuable contribution to jazz literature.... A useful addition to the Parker library. * Down Beat *Even if you've read other books on Parker, you'll gain some fresh perspective from this one. And if you've never read a book on Parker, you'd be well-advised to make this the first. Though Priestley is clearly a fan, he writes about the good in a clear-headed way and writes about the bad unflinchingly. * Kansas City Star *Brian Priestley has not just chased but captured the elusive Bird, illuminating the turbulent life and marvelous music with human and musical insight. * Dan Morgenstern, Director, Rutgers Institute of Jazz Studies, and author of Living with Jazz *Brian Priestley is one of the most accomplished jazz historians, critics, and biographers, and Chasin' the Bird is an indispensable gem * an ideal introduction to a major figure in 20th century music and an inventive interpretation of Parker's life and art that will also engage veteran jazz lovers. The comprehensive discography is a major bonus, making this a handbook every Bird chaser will relish.Gary Giddins, author of Visions of Jazz and Weather Bird *

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Trade ReviewBooth's inquiry is the first of its kind to embrace both film studies and studies on Indian film music ... and should be immensely useful to scholars of music, cinema studies and other social sciences. * Madhuja Mukherjee, Studies in Musical Theatre *Table of ContentsPART ONE - HISTORY, TECHNOLOGY, AND A DETERMINIST MILIEU FOR HINDI FILM SONG; PART TWO - THE LIFE OF MUSIC IN THE MUMBAI FILM INDUSTRY; PART THREE - MUSIC, INSTRUMENTS, AND MEANING FROM MUSICIANS' PERSPECTIVES

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Book SynopsisThrough a diverse collection of essays and interviews featuring leading Black media personalities, musicians and scholars, this volume presents the "insiders' view" - Black perspectives on Coltrane's powerful and lasting legacy viewed in contemporary times within the context of Black strivings for freedom.Trade ReviewColtrane's significance in the black community goes far beyond the notes he played. He stands for integrity, humility, spirituality, and more. For me, this book is a chance to read what my esteemed friends and colleagues have to say about this twentieth-century icon. For everyone, it's an opportunity to learn about Coltrane - the man and his music - from some new points of view. * Dr. Lewis Porter, Rutgers University-Newark *If John Coltrane was 'invited' into the community of jazz musicians to be a custodian, innovator, and disseminator of Black American culture, Brown himself has invited a first-rate group of Black American contributors-scholars, musicians, media personalities, and educators-to provide an insightful and provocative view of the continuing relevance of Coltrane's music to the development of Black American spirituality, liberation, and non-Western ways of music-making. * Reebee Garofalo, University of Massachusetts, Boston *The collection reads like a lively townhouse meeting in which the impassioned citizens of 'Tranes-ville' stake out their intellectual territories, each arguing for the importance of Coltrane's music and the deep sense of spirituality we sense in his singular brand of cultural nationalism. Come to the meeting and be inspired as well by this musician's exacting execution and uncompromising truth. * Guthrie P. Ramsey, Jr., author of Race Music: Black Cultures from Bebop to Hip-Hop *John Coltrane and Black America's Quest for Freedom is a thorough investigation of John Coltrane's music via the artist, and the artist via his culture, not in an effort to solidify notions of black identity or enshrine a cultural legacy, but rather to show that the Black American experience itself is complex, improvised, defiant, and irreducible. * BlackGrooves.org *An insightful collection. * wirenh.com *Table of ContentsFOREWORD BY T.J. ANDERSON; PREFACE BY LEONARD BROWN

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Trade Reviewa comprehensive reference book * Music Teacher *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements ; Preface ; Chapter 1. Woodwind Commonalities ; Chapter 2. Flute ; Chapter 3. Clarinet ; Chapter 4. Saxophone ; Chapter 5. Oboe ; Chapter 6. Bassoon ; Practical Tips

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Book SynopsisPlease Please Me offers an insider's view of the British pop-music recording industry during the seminal period of 1956 to 1968, based on personal recollections, contemporary accounts, and all relevant data that situate this scene in the economic, political, and social context of postwar Britain.Trade Reviewa geniune and important contribution to the cannon of 1960s musical literature... the book offers a highly readable and clearly conveyed account of how the pop industry worked in its most fertile and experimental decade. * Paul Martin, Journal of Contemporary British History *this meaty paperback is an academic, but throughly engrossing stugy of the UK recording industry in the 60s... His text blends facts, personal recollections and period flavour, with enlightening first-hand quotes woven throughout its pages helping to capture the special atmosphere. * Russell Newmark, The Beat magazine *Table of ContentsPreface, Acknowledgements / Introduction / 1. The Velvet Glove: The Art of Production / 2. A Question of Balance: Engineering Art / 3. Mediating Change: Setting Musical Directions / 4. The Write Stuff: Songwriters / 5. Red-Light Fever: Musicians / 6. Please Please Me / 7. London Recording Studios / Discography / Bibliography

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Book SynopsisLanguage, education, politics, and music come together in Katherine Bergeron's Voice Lessons, a study of the French mélodie in the Belle Epoque. Close readings of songs by Fauré, Debussy, and Ravel, along with poems, sound recordings, and other historical documents, seek to uncovers the cultural meanings of this art: why it emerged, why it mattered, and why it eventually disappeared.Trade ReviewBergeron is no score-dodger and the music is exactly in the right place: central. Surrounding this is a wealth of detail and context opening up bypaths previously unexplored. * Richard Langham Smith, Music and Letters *excellently researched and illuminating ... this is a book to be reckoned with. It tells its bedtime story eloquently and it approaches its repertory in more detail than elsewhere. * Richard Langham Smith, Music & Letters *Table of ContentsList of Figures ; List of Musical Examples ; Foreword: Telling History ; 1. ; Eve Sings, An Origin Story ; Melody ; Eve Sings ; Muteness ; Oral Pleasures ; Melos and Mimesis ; Mortal Melody ; Perfect prosody, androgynous melody ; Selfless Singers ; NOTES TO CHAPTER ONE ; The Mother Tongue Teaching the modern ABCs ; The People's Mouth L Figures of Speech Talking Machines Indelible Accents ; NOTES TO CHAPTER TWO ; Free Speech, Free Verse, and Music Before All Things ; Poetry and the People Vibrations of Language Accentus/ ad cantus Music After All Transcribing the voix parlee Unsung symbols ; NOTES TO CHAPTER THREE 4. L'Art de dire, or Language in Performance Venetian glass and marqueterie ; Vibrant noise, expressive elegance Dir(e) Expressions lyriques ; Forget that you are singers A Bird in a branch ; NOTES TO CHAPTER FOUR ; 5. Farewell to an Idea ; La verite ; Natural history ; Une voix du passe? ; Realism revisited ; In the shadow of the Faun ; Mirages ; NOTES TO CHAPTER FIVE ; Bibliography

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Book SynopsisThis is the first in-depth survey of the oboe during its Golden Age, tracing the history of the instrument from its invention through its many mutations as it adapted to the changing demands of composers. The author describes in detail the instruments, players, makers, and composers, how and where it was played, and who listened to it.

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Book SynopsisIn 1919, the world stood at the threshold of the Jazz Age. The man who had ushered it there, however, lay murdered - and would soon plunge from international fame to historical obscurity. It was a fate few would have predicted for James Reese Europe; he was then at the pinnacle of his career as a composer, conductor, and organizer in the black community, with the promise of even greater heights to come. People don''t realize yet today what we lost when we lost Jim Europe, said pianist Eubie Blake. He was the savior of Negro musiciansin a class with Booker T. Washington and Martin Luther King. In A Life in Ragtime , Reid Badger brilliantly captures this fascinating life, tracing a critical chapter in the emergence of jazz through one man''s remarkable odyssey. After an early start in Washington, Europe found his fame in New York, the entertainment capital of turn-of-the-century America. In the decade before the First World War, he emerged as an acknowledged leader in African-American mTable of ContentsPrelude ; 1. Down Home Rag ; 2. Washington Post March ; 3. On the Gay Luneta ; 4. Lorraine Waltzes ; 5. The Clef Club March ; 6. What It Takes to Make Me Love You - You've Got It ; 7. Castle House Rag ; 8. The National Negro March ; 9. Watch Your Step ; 10. The Rat-A-Tat Drummer Boy ; 11. The Separate Battalion ; 12. Over There ; 13. On Patrol in No Man's Land ; 14. Filling France Full of Jazz ; 15. All of No Man's Land is Ours ; 16. Flee as a Bird ; Coda ; Appendix 1: The Musical Compositions of James Reese Europe ; Appendix 2: James Reese Europe Discography ; Notes ; Index

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Book SynopsisChopin's Polish Ballade examines the Second Ballade, Op. 38, and how that work gave voice to the Polish cultural preoccupations of the 1830s, using musical conventions from French opera and amateur piano music. This approach provides answers to several persistent questions about the work's form, programmatic content, and poetic inspiration.Trade Reviewhis connections with present performance concerns are also compelling ... the book is a welcome invitation to reconsider what approaches we might take to performing and listening to this music today. * Matthew Gelbart, Music and Letters *This book is highly recommendable to performers and music students alike * Philip Borg-Wheeler, Classical Music *Table of ContentsLIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES; INTRODUCTION; TWO VERSIONS; TWO KEYS; "CERTAIN POEMS OF MICKIEWICZ"; STORIES IN TONES; AMATEUR PROGRAM MUSIC; BALLAD POETRY AND MUSICAL FORM; OVERVIEW AND STYLISTIC SUMMARY OF THE FIRST BALLADE; KONRAD WALLENROD: PLOT AND STRUCTURE; KONRAD WALLENROD AS BALLADE SCENARIO; THE LAY OF ALDONA'S FATE; A FORMAL OVERVIEW OF CHOPIN'S SECOND BALLADE; THE SECOND BALLADE AND THE SONATA PROBLEM; BALLADE AS GENRE; THE OPERATIC BALLADE TO 1831; A PILGRIMS' BALLADE; A POLISH BALLADE; THE GREAT MIGRATION AND POLISH CULTURE IN EXILE; PERSONAL ANGUISH AND LITERARY APOTHEOSIS; SAPIENTI PAUCA; INTERNAL EVIDENCE I-THE A MATERIAL: SICILIANO; INTERNAL EVIDENCE II-THE B MATERIAL: STORM; INTERNAL EVIDENCE III-THE C THEME; OP. 38 AS NARRATIVE OF NATIONAL MARTYRDOM; VERSIONS, TONIC KEYS, AND MICKIEWICZ REVISITED; THE FOREST AND THE TREES; APPENDIX: "A M. F. CHOPIN, SUR SA BALLADE POLONAISE," BY FELICIEN MALLEFILLE; BIBLIOGRAPHY; INDEX

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Table of ContentsForeword by Martha Swope ; Preface ; 1. Introduction ; 2. Balance ; 3. Motions Without Turns ; 4. Pirouettes ; 5. Turns in the Air ; 6. The Pas de Deux ; 7. The Mechanics of Partnered Turns ; 8. The Mechanics of Lifts ; 9. The Effects of Body Size ; 10. A Step into the Future ; Appendix A - Linear Mechanics and Newton's Laws ; Appendix B - Rotational Mechanics ; Appendix C - Anatomical Data for Dancers ; Appendix D - Rotational Inertia for Some Body Configurations ; Appendix E - Acceleration Away from Balance ; Appendix F - Off-Balance Pirouettes ; Appendix G - Arabesque Turn Analysis ; Appendix H - Quantitative Analysis of the Grande Pirouette ; Appendix I - Quantitative Analysis of the Fouette Turn ; Appendix J - Quantitative Analysis of the Supported Fouette Turn ; Appendix K - Lean, Don't Slip ; Appendix L - Biomechanical Forces in a Dancer's Body ; Glossary ; Index

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Trade ReviewIn this brilliant study of a local culture's transnational dynamics and dimensions, Alejandro Madrid reveals how radical changes in contemporary commerce and culture are imbuing old identities, borders, and boundaries with new meanings. * George Lipsitz, author of Footsteps in the Dark *The Nortec Collective stands astride the US/Mexico border creating an art of hope and adaptation. This music represents all that is possible along the new frontier, and it has fomented a movement of art and film and literature that is unique in the world. Alejandro Madrid's masterful study of this brilliant hybrid stands as one of the important texts in the history of the new, shining, borderlands. Nortec sings, 'Tijuana makes me happy.' This work makes us happy to be alive. * Luis Alberto Urrea, author of The Devil's Highway and The Hummingbird's Daughter *Alejandro Madrid is an amazing thinker. His fresh theoretical insights are synthesized from a broad base of knowledge and disciplines. This work will appeal to anyone interested in border studies and contemporary societal trends, as well as those with an interest in contemporary music and activism through music. * Brenda M. Romero, Associate Professor of Musicology and Ethnomusicology, University of Colorado *Alejandro Madrid has brilliantly captured Nor-tec's burst into the twenty-first century. This is an innovative book that effectively balances traditional with virtual fieldwork, musical analysis with a cultural-oriented approach, and theoretical reflections with empirically grounded investigations. Madrid's critical mind and analytical skills meet the ingenuity and eloquence of the Nortec Collective. * Helena Simonett, Vanderbilt University, author of Banda: Mexican Musical Life across Borders *Nor-tec has spawned audio imitators, Volvo ads, t-shirts, and indie films, popped up everywhere from art installations to MTV and HBO, and now Tijuana's first-next-big-global-thing finally has its own full-scale scholarly book that lends a critical ear to border beats. With a focused and serious mix of theory, interviews, and lots of listening during long nights in Tijuana clubs, Madrid has done the music and the scene a great service by unraveling its histories and dissecting its meanings for fans and scholars alike. * Josh Kun, University of Southern California, author of Audiotopia: Music, Race, and America *Table of ContentsList of Figures ; List of Music Examples ; Acknowledgements ; Introduction: Nor-tec and the Borders ; 1. Origins Revisited. Myth and Discourse in the Nortec Collective ; 2. Tradition, Style, Nostalgia, and the Kitsch ; 3. Getting the Word Around ; 4. "Where is the Donkey Show Mr. Mariachi?" Reterritorializing TJ ; 5. Producers, DJs, Fans, and the Performance of Nor-tec ; 6. Dancing with Desire ; 7. Nor-tec and the Postnational Imagination ; Bibliography

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Book SynopsisInventing the Business of Opera explores public opera in its infancy, bringing to life the men and women who successfully established the new genre on the stages of Venice during the seventeenth century. All of the components necessary to opera production are highlighted, from the financial backing, to the libretto and the score, to the singers, dancers, the scenery, and the costumes.Trade Reviewthe many insights afforded to specialists are well balanced by a comprehensive and accessible narrative that can act as an introduction to the business of opera in early modern Europe. * Vassilis Vavoulis, Music and Letters *a trove of information about the intricacy of financial arrangements as well as about the whims of audiences in seventeenth -century Venice. * Herbert Lindenberger,The Opera QuarterlyHerbert Lindenberger, The Opera Quarterly *Table of ContentsPART 1: THE BUSINESS OF OPERA; PART 2: THE MUSICAL PRODUCTION; PART 3: THE PHYSICAL PRODUCTION; PART 4: CONSUMERS AND PATRONS; APPENDICES; GLOSSARY

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Trade ReviewIn this comprehensive study of Tristan und Isolde Eric Chafe has created a text that will serve as a point of reference for generations of scholars when they refer to this seminal work...Chafe has created a model investigation that will enable listeners to return to Wagner's familiar score and reclaim for themselves the nuances in the opera. * Tristania *Table of Contents1. The Path to Schopenhauer ; 2. Tristan and Schopenhauer ; 3. Tristan and Gottfried von Strassburg I: Minne ; 4. Tristan and Gottfried von Strassburg II: Honor ; 5. The Desire Music ; 6. The Prelude: A Musicopoetic View ; 7. Tragedy and Dramatic Structure ; 8. The Two Death Motives ; 9. Musicopoetic Design in Act One ; 10. Act Two, Scene One: Night and Minne ; 11. The Love Scene in Act Two: Transition and Periodicity ; 12. Tristan's Answer to King Mark: Moral and Philosophical Questions ; 13. Act Three: Musicopoetic Design ; 14. Love as Fearful Torment ; 15. The Road to Salvation

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Book SynopsisThe recent National Geographic special on the Gospel of Judas was a major media event, introducing to tens of millions of viewers one of the most important biblical discoveries of modern times. Now, a leading historian of the early church, Bart Ehrman, offers the first comprehensive account of the newly discovered Gospel of Judas, revealing what this legendary lost gospel contains and why it is so important for our understanding of Christianity. Ehrman, a featured commentator in the National Geographic special, describes how he first saw the Gospel of Judas - surprisingly, in a small room above a pizza parlor in a Swiss town near Lake Geneva - and he recounts the fascinating story of where and how this ancient papyrus document was discovered, how it moved around among antiquities dealers in Egypt, the United States, and Switzerland, and how it came to be restored and translated. More important, Ehrman gives the reader a complete and clear account of what the book teaches and he shows hTrade ReviewWell judged and informative. * Church Times *Bart Ehrman offers a sane and sensible introduction to a text that has been the subject of wild claims in the media...A clear account. * Rev David Blatherwick, Methodist Recorder *Rigorous and informed. * Edward Norman, Literary Review *Bart D Ehrman explains the status of this manuscript with cool-headed clarity. * Boyd Tonkin, The Independent *[A] splendid book. * Church of England Newspaper *Table of ContentsPreface ; Chapter One: My Introduction to the Gospel of Judas ; Chapter Two: Judas in Our Earliest Gospels ; Chapter Three: Judas in Later Gospel Traditions ; Chapter Four: Before the Discovery: Our Previous Knowledge of a Gospel of Judas ; Chapter Five: The Discovery of the Gospel of Judas ; Chapter Six: The Gospel of Judas: An Overview ; Chapter Seven: The Gospel of Judas and Early Christian Gnosticism ; Chapter Eight: Jesus, Judas, and the Twelve in the Gospel of Judas ; Chapter Nine: Who Was Judas Iscariot ; Chapter Ten: What Did Judas Betray and Why Did He Betray It? ; Chapter Eleven: The Gospel of Judas in Perspective ; Endnotes

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Table of ContentsPREFACE; ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

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Book SynopsisHow important was music to Martin Luther? Drawing on hundreds of liturgical documents, contemporary accounts of services, books on church music, and other sources, Joseph Herl rewrites the history of music and congregational song in German Lutheran churches. Herl traces the path of music and congregational song in the Lutheran church from the Reformation to 1800, to show how it acquired its reputation as the singing church. In the centuries after its founding, in a debate that was to have a strong impact on Johann Sebastian Bach and his contemporaries, the Lutheran church was torn over a new style of church music that many found more entertaining than devotional. By the end of the eighteenth century, Lutherans were trying to hold their own against a new secularism, and many members of the clergy favored wholesale revision or even abandonment of the historic liturgy in order to make worship more relevant in contemporary society. Herl paints a vivid picture of these developments, usingTrade ReviewFor specialists in Lutheran music, the extensive appendices, which include information on hymn sources, translations of select writings, tabulations regarding choral performances versus congregational singing, and the liturgy as discussed in local Kirchenordnungen, should provide substantial scholarly resources. * Renaissance Quarterly *Joseph Herl has done a masterful job of assembling and analyzing sources that relate to choral and congregational singing in Lutheran churches of the sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth centuries (with some coverage of the nineteenth century). Herl has searched out both the primary and secondary sources, read them with discrimination, brought together a wide array of relevant detail, and analyzed it very carefully. He has made a welcome addition to the literature, partially by giving so many sources, but also by pulling them together in a well-researched manner with clarity and context. * Notes *Herl has approached his work not only with the historian's eye for detail and amusing anecdotes, but with a profound understanding of the theology that underlies Lutheran liturgy.... In short, Worship Wars in Early Lutheranism is a must read book for Lutheran liturgists and musicians alike, and for anyone else who wants 'the rest of the story.' * Cross Accent *Herl has searched out both the primary and secondary sources, read them with discrimination, brought together a wide array of relevant detail, and analyzed it very carefully. He has made a welcome addition to the literature, partially by giving so many sources, but also by pulling them together in a well-researched manner with clarity and context.... What we have here is a responsible and welcome addition to the conversation, with a large supply of source materials to help get at it. * Notes^ *A concise, engaging examination of the history of music in the Lutheran Church from the beginning of the Reformation through the 19th century. Highly recommended. * Choice *Table of Contents1. Luther and the liturgy in Wittenberg ; 2. Catholic liturgy: Lutheran liturgy ; 3. The church orders: an introduction ; 4. Choral and congregational singing in the church orders ; 5. Ecclesiastical visitations ; 6. Congregational hymnals ; 7. Choral music versus congregational singing ; 8. The organ and hymn singing ; 9. Performance practice

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Table of ContentsIntroduction: At the Intersection of Old and New Paths ; Part I: Schumann's One and Only Schubert ; Chapter 1: Schumann and Schubert's "Immortal" Piano Trio in E flat ; Chapter 2: The Gestus of Remembering: Schubert's Critique of Schubert's Impromptus ; Part II: Uttering CLARA in Tones ; Chapter 3: Schumann: Cryptographer or Pictographer? ; Chapter 4: Brahms's Musical Ciphers: Acts of Homage and Gestures of Effacement ; Chapter 5: The Folded Fan ; Part III: A Noble Model ; Chapter 6: Metaphysical Chess Games ; Chapter 7: Brahms, the Schumann Circle, and the Style hongrois: Contexts for the "Double" Concerto ; Epilogue: Crossing Paths and Modes of Experience

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Book SynopsisThe Arts of the Prima Donna assembles a star-studded yet well-balanced cast of contributors, whose essays combine theoretical approaches to text and narrative, and current theory on gender, performativity, and the commodification of the female body, with the growing understanding of the lives, careers, and performances of the female opera singer.Trade ReviewThe essays offer a rich variety of approaches to the prima donna, and the quality of scholarship and writing is high. Together they reveal the contradictory views of the prima donna in different times and places, the ideologies of gender that shaped perception, and the challenges these singers presented to traditional male/female power dynamics. * Sarah Hibberd, Studies in Theatre and Performance *this volume makes a unique contribution to the literature ... Highly recommended * R. Pitts, CHOICE *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; Rachel Cowgill and Hilary Poriss ; PART ONE: PROMOTION AND IMAGE-MAKING ; Chapter 1. Divas and Sonnets: Poetry for Female Singers in Teatri arti e letteratura ; Francesco Izzo ; Chapter 2. Idealizing the Prima Donna in Mid-Victorian London ; Roberta Montemorra Marvin ; Chapter 3. Prima Donnas and the Performance of Altruism ; Hilary Poriss ; Chapter 4. Staging Scandal with Salome and Elektra ; Joy H. Calico ; Chapter 5. Screening the Diva ; Mary Simonson ; Chapter 6. The Prima Donna's Art of Politics ; James R. Currie ; INTERLUDE 1: The Prima Donna Creates ; Julian Rushton ; PART TWO: FANTASY AND REPRESENTATION ; Chapter 7. Gautier's "Diva": The First French Use of the Word ; James Q. Davies ; Chapter 8. Artistic Experiment and the Reevaluation of the Prima Donna in George Moore's Evelyn Innes ; Grace Kehler ; Chapter 9. Ars moriendi: Reflections on the Death of Mimi ; Helen Greenwald ; Chapter 10. Lakme's Echoing Jewels ; Gurminder Kaur Bhogal ; INTERLUDE 2: Breath's End: Opera and Mortality ; Terry Castle ; PART THREE: CULTURES OF CELEBRITY ; Chapter 11. "Attitudes with a Shawl": Performance, Femininity, and Spectatorship at the Italian Opera in Early Nineteenth-Century London ; Rachel Cowgill ; Chapter 12. From Diva to Drama Queen ; Tracy C. Davis ; Chapter 13. The Prima Donna as Opera Impresario: Emma Carelli and the Teatro Costanzi, 1911-1926 ; Susan Rutherford ; Chapter 14. "In Imitation of My Negro Mammy": Alma Gluck and the American Prima Donna ; Susan C. Cook ; Chapter 15. "The Finest Voice of the Century": Clara Butt and Other Concert-Hall and Drawing-Room Singers of Fin-de-siecle Britain ; Sophie Fuller ; Chapter 16. Galli-Curci Comes to Town: The Prima Donna's Presence in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction ; Alexandra Wilson ; Index

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Book SynopsisThe collapse of the USSR seemed to spell the end of the empire, yet it by no means marked the end of Russia''s enduring imperial preoccupations, extending over four and a half centuries since the reign of Ivan IV. Is there such a thing as an imperial trace in Russia''s contemporary culture? Condee argues that we cannot make sense of contemporary Russian culture without accounting for its imperial legacy and mapping out the terms of such an analysis. She turns to the instance of contemporary cinema to focus this line of inquiry. Within film (and implicitly other cultural fields as well) do we limit our accounting to narrative evidence-Chechen wars at the periphery, historical costume dramas of court life-or could an imperial trace be sought in other, more embedded ways, in the manner and structure or representation, the conditions of productions, the recurrent preoccupations of its leading filmmakers, the ways in which collective belonging is figured or disfigured? This book organizes tTrade ReviewThe Imperial Trace is hands down the most thought-provoking book that I have read in quite some time. It is as well (and wittily) written as it is thoroughly researched and skillfully argued, no mean feat given the complexity of the ideas therein. This superb book is essential reading for anyone interested in nations and empire and their cultural manifestations, in Russian cultural politics, and in late Soviet and contemporary Russian film. * Slavic Review *Offers some compelling interpretations for six of Russia's contemporary directors. This is greatly appreciated and provides a starting point for other such scholarly discussions...Condee provides much insight into late- and post-Soviet cinema, which will be a relevant source for future scholarship. * Slavic and East European Journal *Imperial Trace provides insightful, always absorbing, sometimes provocative readings of the dialogue with the imperial legacy in the work of the six most significant film directors working in contemporary Russia. * Julian Graffy, University College London *This is a book full of surprises; rather than settling issues, it breaks open the discussion. * Ronald Grigor Suny, University of Michigan *This study represents not only a superb overview and nuanced reading of works by major Russian filmmakers bridging the late Soviet and post-Soviet period, but also a groundbreaking study of the intersection between constructions of empire, cultural institutions, and cinematic texts. * Catharine Nepomnyashchy, Columbia University *Table of ContentsList of illustrations ; Acknowledgements ; 1. Introduction: Custodian of the Empire ; 2. Cine-Amnesia: How Russia Forgot to Go to the Movies ; 3. Mikhalkov: European but Not Western ; 4. Muratova: The Zoological Imperium ; 5. Abdrashitov-Mindadze: A Comuunity of Somnambulants ; 6. Sokurov: Shuffling Off the Imperial Coil ; 7. German: Forensics in the Dynastic Capital ; 8. Balabanov: The Metropole's Death Drive ; 9. Postscript ; References ; Index

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Book SynopsisIn this volume Richard Viladesau seeks to understand the beauty of the cross as it developed in both theology and art from their beginnings until the eve of the renaissance.Trade ReviewA fine book. * International Review of Biblical Studies *This is a fascinating investigation centred on the interplay of thought and feeling, of word and art, of understanding and emotion which lies at the heart of the Christian faith. * Contemporary Review *a unique and profitable contribution ... This book is a great resource for pastors, theologians, students, and all who desire a deeper appreciation for the beauty of the cross. * Jeremy R. Treat, Themelios *Table of ContentsCONCLUSION AND ANTICIPATION ; APPENDIX: WEBSITES FOR VIEWING ARTWORKS ; INDEX

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