Music Books

Book SynopsisThe untold story of a British institutionBrilliant.' Alan JohnsonCompelling.' David KynastonThe beer drinkers' Bill Bryson.' Times Literary SupplementFerment Magazine's Best Beer Book of the YearPete Brown is a convivial guide on this journey through the intoxicating history of the working men's clubs. From the movement's founding by teetotaller social reformer the Reverend Henry Solly to the booze-soaked mid-century heyday, when more than 7 million Brits were members, this warm-hearted and entertaining book reveals how and why the clubs became the cornerstone of Britain's social life offering much more than cheap Federation Bitter and chicken in a basket.Often dismissed as relics of a bygone age bastions of bigotry and racism Brown reminds us that long before the days of Phoenix Nights, 3,000-seat venues routinely played host to stars like Shirley Bassey, Louis Armstrong, and the Bee Gees, offering entertainment for all the family, and close to home at that. Britain's best-known coTrade Review‘Pete Brown is a brilliant master of ceremonies as he brings the history of these fine institutions to life and demonstrates their importance in working class communities across the country.’ Alan Johnson, author of This Boy ‘A compelling mixture of social history, vivid reportage and candid autobiography, Clubland makes a crucial contribution to our understanding of Britain in the last century and a half.’ David Kynaston, author of Austerity Britain ‘This is not a romantic book, lost in misty memories. It is a deeply political one. Warm, witty, Brown writes this study with humour, but also rage.’ The Observer ‘Droll, warm, bittersweet.’ Times Literary Supplement ‘A diverting journey through an important chapter of British social history. A portrait of the working man at play, at the bar, at the committee table at the club at the end of his street and yet… within touching distance of Tom Jones.’ Mark Radcliffe ‘Pete Brown writes poetically and with great authority on a slice of culture that has been ignored or derided for many years. He illuminates these arts centres, debating halls and palaces of carefree delight with love and care.’ Ian McMillan, author of Neither Nowt Nor Summat 'An important history and a heartfelt tribute to the friendship, organisation, humour and community to be found in these remarkable institutions.’ Ian Clayton, author of It's The Beer Talking: Adventures in Public Houses ‘Leave any flat-capped clichés at the door: Brown offers an earnest exploration of this crucially formative area of British social history.’ John Warland, author of Liquid History 'Completely original and brilliantly entertaining … a masterful blend of pub-fire anecdote, rigorously researched social history and insightful commentary; ultimately, a political book.’Ferment Magazine, Beer Book of the Year 2022

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Book SynopsisFULLY UPDATED AND REVISED, INCLUDING TWO NEW CHAPTERS TO BRING THE STORY UP TO DATESomeone called and said Kurt died. I just f*****g lost it.'He has sold over 50 million albums. He's been in bands that have changed popular music forever. He saw his best friend commit suicide. He starts supergroups. He's the nicest guy in rock.From Nirvana to Foo Fighters, from brotherhood to bitter rivalry, from breathless highs to lifeless lows, Paul Brannigan gives an unparalleled, intimate and extraordinary account of the life and times of Dave Grohl.In 1990, little-known punk-metal upstarts Nirvana added a new drummer to the band. They were soon to become a global phenomenon but as we all know, things went wrong. Dave''s friend Kurt, frontman of Nirvana, took his own life, plunging the band and their future into chaos. His friends' grief was mirrored by worldwide sorrow to an unprecedented degree.Defying expectations, a knack that was soon to become his trademark, Grohl refused to see it as the enTrade Review‘Grohl and his groups dissected with gumption.’ **** Mojo ‘Brannigan draws on his own interviews with Grohl, among others, to plot a compelling journey… ending with Foo Fighters headlining stadia. A big-hearted, fascinating read.’ Q ‘A rich history of recent pop music as it moves from punk and hard-core to grunge to indie bands’ New York Times ‘Impeccably-researched, thoroughly entertaining, and packed with rich new insights, This is a Call will enjoy a place among the absolute best music biographies of the past twenty years.’ LitReactor.com ‘A fascinating read… doesn’t skimp on entertaining anecdotes, juicy gossip or evidence of Grohl’s immense songwriting talent.’ Alternative Press ‘Brannigan not only offers a penetrating portrait of Grohl the man but also presents an indelible portrait of the American underground-rock scene.’ Booklist ‘Brannigan salutes a musician who’s surfaced, prosperous and sane, from the perils of an extended punk-rock adolescence that not all of his friends survived. Reverent and informative.’ Kirkus Reviews ‘Dave Grohl’s tale covers so many bases after 30 or so years in the business that it takes a biographer of consummate skill to get it all down on paper without missing anything out. Fortunately, ex-Kerrang! editor Paul Brannigan has what it takes…What lingers most is the expert way in which so many disparate slices of history are interlaced. After reading This Is a Call, you’ll know much more than you did before about the way that US hardcore merged into Seattle grunge, and how rock shed its skin in the 90s…It’s info such as that which makes this book essential.’ Record Collector

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Book SynopsisDiscover the untold history of reggae legends of Bob Marley and the original Wailers.The perfect must-read if you loved the film One Love.Over one dramatic decade, a trio of Trench Town R&B crooners, Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer and Bob Marley, swapped their 1960s Brylcreem hairdos and two-tone suits for 1970s battle fatigues and dreadlocks to become the Wailers - one of the most influential groups in popular music. Now one of our best and brightest non-fiction writers examines the story of the influential reggae band.Charting their complex relationship, their fluctuating fortunes, musical peak, and the politics and ideologies that provoked their split, Colin Grant shows us why they were not just extraordinary musicians, but also natural mystics. And, following a trail from Jamaica through Europe, America, Africa and back to the vibrant and volatile world of Trench Town, he travels in search of the last surviving Wailer.''In Grant'Trade ReviewBy the end, the three central characters, the force that they became together and the forces that drove them apart... are more vividly portrayed than in any previous biography. What's more, Grant's clear, concise book, as well as revealing the Wailers in the light of their own culture, helps us to see into the heart of Jamaica itself, through the lives of three of its sons * Daily Telegraph *Grant has pulled off a remarkable feat in the telling of their individual stories... An absorbing read that sheds new light on the famous triumvirate -- Linton Kwesi Johnson * Wasafiri *The main merit of this perceptive work is that, by not making Marley its focus, it gets closer to the truth about him than most other biographers... Colin Grant has composed a highly evocative and original account of a misunderstood group, and the misunderstood man at its core * Literary Review *Provides a lively introduction to the life and times of the Wailers and, incidentally, to the neo-African religions and animist cults of beautiful, bedevilled Jamaica * Sunday Times *In Grant's hands life in Trench Town in the 1960's is energetic and theatrical, rich in comedy and tragic irony... Grant's original and stylish second book... This brilliant book is not just about Jamaica, but about ourselves, no longer the country of The King's Speech but a post-imperial nation many of whose citizens have a buried history. Read it also for Grant's acute descriptions of its characters * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewBy altering the complex range of Beethoven's individuality through a series of cogently crafted perspectives, Mark Evan Bonds has created a captivating new account of Western music's most widely admired composer. This book will delight music lovers at all levels, for it can be read both as a stirring introduction and as a bracing reassessment. * Scott Burnham, Distinguished Professor of Music, Graduate Center, City University of New York *In Ludwig van Beethoven: A Very Short Introduction, Mark Evan Bonds employs categories such as Love, Money, and Deafness to examine the legends and biographical distortions that have encumbered our understanding of Beethoven. In doing so, he enhances rather than diminishes our appreciation of the man and the music. Bonds wears his erudition lightly, giving us prose that is graceful, forceful, and always a pleasure. * Garrick Ohlssohn, pianist *A genuinely new approach to Beethoven to satisfy the reader at any level of musical knowledge. The author's profound insights into the composer's art, life, and attitudes beyond 'the scowl' offer a multiplicity of surprising and rewarding perspectives on this musical superstar and his eventful era. * Elaine Sisman, Anne Parsons Bender Professor of Music, Columbia University *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. The Scowl 2. The Life 3. Ideals 4. Deafness 5. Love 6. Money 7. Politics 8. Composing 9. Early-Middle-Late 10. The Music 11. "Beethoven" References Further Reading Index

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Book SynopsisThis fabulous collection of easy duets in jazzy and light styles is just the thing to liven up any lesson or practice session. Expertly written for students around the level of Piano Time 2, these stylish and toe-tapping duets provide accessible and fun material for all young jazz players. There are duets in a huge range of styles, from an energetic boogie to a moody blues and lively samba, as well as music to waltz, groove, tango, and rock''n''roll to, and pieces to sing along with.Trade ReviewThese two volumes of foot-tapping, head-bobbing, nostalgic numbers are sure to be a hit with both students and teachers. * Pianist Magazine, February 08 *A well laid-out, quality publication that offers a fine selection of material to entertain student and teacher alike. * Alec Boulton, Music Teacher September 2007 *Table of ContentsTakin' it easy ; Can't stop the beat ; Busybody bossa ; Big Feet ; Caramba! ; Afternoon stroll ; Coconut rumba ; Lollipop rock ; Follow a groove ; Boogie baby ; Faraway ; Algy and the bear ; Cafe tango ; A bit like Bill

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Book Synopsisfor SSA, piano, and optional bass and drumkit ad lib.A highly original and effective concert setting of the Latin Missa brevis in which the various movements embrace a variety of jazz styles. The characterful piano accompaniment can be played as written or serve as a guide, and bass and drums can join in ad lib. The bass part is available on sale (ISBN 978-0-19-335655-9). Also available in an SATB version.Trade ReviewChilcott's is a remarkable achievement in that he has written music that is approachable but never sugary, and jazz-infused but in no way irreligious. Doubtless there will be some who will consider a Jazz Mass inappropriate for liturgical use, but that number will surely diminish upon hearing either of Chilcott's . . . The Kyrie from the Little Jazz Mass and the Agnus Dei from the Nidaros Jazz Mass is where to start if you need to be convinced of this genre. * Jeremy Summerly, Choir & Organ November 2012 *You can guess from the title whether or not this is suitable for your choir, and you know it's meant to be fun when the Gloria is marked 'with a swing' and the Agnus Dei conjures up the blues. I would prefer not to be in the audience for a performance of this, but only because I'd want to be taking part instead. * Armin Zanner, Music Teacher May 2005 *A little more challenging is his setting of the Latin Missa Brevis, that combines a deep love of jazz with the practicalities of real performance . . . The five movements use a variety of jazz styles, and it makes a very welcome alternative to existing settings. The publicity from Oxford University Press comments "This is gorgeous, soulful music in an utterly original setting", and they could be right! * Singing, Winter 04 *Table of ContentsKyrie ; Gloria ; Sanctus ; Benedictus ; Agnus Dei

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Book SynopsisA collection of 11 of John Rutter's finest and most popular pieces. With the inclusion of so many 'classics' covering a dazzling variety of texts, styles, and scoring, this anthology will prove a treasured addition to any choir library.Trade ReviewRutter sticks to what he can do and works hard to do it consummately well. His strengths begin with a natural gift for melody, as seen in The Lord bless you and keep you, a tune that has already become so familiar over 20 years that it comes as a surprise, if you didn't already know, that Rutter is the source. The simple structures of Rutter's work may verge on cliché, but clichés contain their element of truth, and the truth is that Rutter's pieces always work. There is no room here for more detailed analysis, but the craft of Rutter's contributions, in this volume as elsewhere, is unfailing . . . all the pieces in this volume, and almost all Rutter's choral output, is singable by choirs of moderate ability, or less . . . there is a warmth, inclusivity and affirmatory quality to the work that make it unusual for the late 20th century, virtues which perhaps particularly commend themselves to the Church over recent, far from easy times. * Matthew Greenall, The Singer April 2004 *This book offers a wide range [of anthems] in economical and durable form . . . The appeal of all of these anthems is in their grateful vocal lines and in a musical language deeply rooted in an understanding and knowledge of the great choral composers of the past, but with an evident love for the melodic and rhythmic shaping of an eclectic range of twentieth-century British and American composers. * Alan Bullard, Mastersinger, Spring 2004 *Few will need any introduction to the music of . . . John Rutter, and we can rest assured that all of the contents will be approachable and superbly crafted. * Rosemary Broadbent, Church Music Quarterly Sept *Table of ContentsA Choral Amen ; A Clare Benediction ; A prayer of Saint Patrick ; All things bright and beautiful ; For the beauty of the earth ; Go forth into the world in peace ; God be in my head ; I will sing with the spirit ; Look at the world ; The Lord bless you and keep you ; The Peace of God

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Book Synopsisfor SATB unaccompanied

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Book SynopsisSchool music teachers and college music teacher educators need resources for working with trans and gender expansive (TGE) students in school music programs. TGE youth are becoming more visible in schools across the U.S., and many teachers, administrators, and communities simply do not have adequate information to appropriately support these students. Honoring Trans and Gender-Expansive Students in Music Education combines new stories from TGE youth and their music teachers with researched-based practical suggestions from the authors to help teachers honor and empower TGE students to succeed in school music classrooms.Trade ReviewThe lives and experiences of our TGE students are critically important and, if we are to remain relevant as a profession, it is incumbent on each of us to engage in practices that are inclusive of TGE musicians in our classrooms. Whether you are already very familiar with these practices or just beginning to learn about them, this book will serve as a fantastic resource for you. * Jessica Nápoles, Music Educators Journal *This book should be on the shelf of every teacher and counselor working with K through graduate school. Garrett and Palkki have done a brilliant job providing up-to-date coverage of subjects that are difficult for some teachers to address. This book covers these issues with sundry documenting stories, that perhaps familiar to some are extremely helpful to the uninitiated as well as others looking to be informed in addressing important issues paramount to many students—a most welcomed addition. * Clifford K. Madsen, Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor of Music, Florida State University *Garrett and Palkki's compelling and comprehensive book humanizes and personalizes the lived experiences of trans and gender-expansive persons. This book is a brilliant and welcome addition to the music education profession. Teachers in all stages of their career will leave research-based discussions, powerful stories of TGE persons, and practical recommendations with enhanced awareness and fresh perspective, as well as empowered to make change for the better in the music classroom. * Bridget Sweet, Associate Professor of Music Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign *This book is integral to any music library that serves current or future music educators. * Alexa Marie Frederick, Undergraduate Music Education Student, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, USA *Honoring Trans and Gender-Expansive Students in Music Education is a valuable resource for all educators. The practical ideas on valuing trans and gender-expansive students in the music classroom are integral for educators because more students are now comfortable with identities outside of cisgender and heteronormative identities...This book is integral to any music library that serves current or future music educators. * Alexa Marie Frederick, Music Reference Services Quarterly *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction: Teaching People to Learn though the Art of Music Part I Context 1. Starting a Conversation About Trans and Gender Expansive Youth 2. Understanding School Climate for Trans and Gender Expansive Persons 3. Safe People Creating Safe Spaces 4. Honoring Gender Diversity in Music Classrooms 5. Empowering TGE Students with Inclusive Policies 6. Working with Transgender Singers in Choral Classrooms 7. From Our Collaborators Appendix A: Glossary Appendix B: Suggested Resources Appendix C: TGE-Affirmative Policy Appendix D: Vocal Exercises References Index

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Book SynopsisImprovisation rattles some listeners. Maybe they're even suspicious of it. John Coltrane's saxophonic flights of fancy, Jimi Hendrix's feedback drenched guitar solos, Ravi Shankar's sitar extrapolationsall these sounds seem like so much noodling or jamming, indulgent self-expression. Just improvising, as is sometimes said. For these music fans, it seems natural that music is meant to be composed. In the first book of its kind, John Corbett'sA Listener's Guide to Free Improvisationprovides a how-to manual for the most extreme example of spontaneous improvising: music with no pre-planned material at all. Drawing on over three decades of writing about, presenting, playing, teaching, and studying freely improvised music, Corbett offers an enriching set of tools that show any curious listener how to reallylisten, and he encourages them to enjoy the human impulse found all around the world to make up music on the spot. Corbett equips his reader for a journey into a difficult musical landscape, where there is no steady beat, no pre-ordained format, no overarching melodic or harmonic framework, and where tones can ring with the sharpest of burrs. In Fundamentals, he explores key areas of interest, such as how the musicians interact, the malleability of time, overcoming impatience, and watching out for changes and transitions; he grounds these observations in concrete listening exercises, a veritable training regime for musical attentiveness. Then he takes readers deeper in Advanced Techniques, plumbing the philosophical conundrums at the heart of free improvisation, including topics such as the influence of the audience and the counterintuitive challenge of listening while asleep. Scattered throughout are helpful and accessible lists of essential resourcesrecordings, books, videos and a registry of major practicing free improvisors from Noël Akchoté to John Zorn, particularly essential because this music is best experienced live. The result is a concise, humorous, and inspiring guide, a unique book that will help transform one of the world's most notoriously unapproachable artforms into a rewarding and enjoyable experience.

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Book SynopsisFounded in 1965, the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) is an American institution with an international reputation. This work establishes the full importance and vitality of the AACM. It uncovers a vibrant, multicultural universe and reveals a major piece of the history of avant-garde music and art.Trade Review"An important book.... Mr. Lewis narrates the AACM's development with exacting context and incisive analysis.... Because the book includes biographical portraits of so many participating musicians, it's a swift, engrossing read." - New York Times "In bringing intellectual breadth and what Lester Bowie calls 'good old country ass-kicking' to bear on past and present indignities, Lewis has produced a fitting companion to the music he celebrates." - Nation "With A Power Stronger Than Itself, Lewis exceeds expectations. For rather than merely recount the ascent of the AACM, he elegantly sets it against the backdrop of cultural, racial, and social changes that shook the twentieth century.... Lewis unreels this tale with dramatic flourish and scholarly authority, in effect telling the story of not only the AACM but also the city where it's centered, Chicago." - Howard Reich, Chicago Tribune"

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Book SynopsisFrom Edison's invention of the phonograph through contemporary field recording and sound installation, artists have become attracted to those domains against which music has always defined itself: noise, silence, and environmental sound. Christoph Cox argues that these developments in the sonic arts are not only aesthetically but also philosophically significant, revealing sound to be a continuous material flow to which human expressions contribute but which precedes and exceeds those expressions. Cox shows how, over the course of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, philosophers and sonic artists have explored this sonic flux. Through the philosophical analysis of works by John Cage, Maryanne Amacher, Max Neuhaus, Christian Marclay, and many others, Sonic Flux contributes to the development of a materialist metaphysics and poses a challenge to the prevailing positions in cultural theory, proposing a realist and materialist aesthetics able to account not only for sonic art but for

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Book SynopsisPeople around the world and throughout history have used music to express their inner emotions, reach out to the divine, woo lovers, celebrate weddings, inspire political movements, and lull babies to sleep. This title explores why it is that music and dance are so often at the center of our profound personal and social experiences.Trade Review"Politically and musically passionate, intellectually sophisticated, and thought-provoking - this is a brave and extremely original book, one that will play a role in this century akin to such seminal works as The Anthropology of Music and How Musical Is Man?" - Anthony Seeger, University of California, Los Angeles"

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Mozart the Performer offers a genuinely new way to process Mozart’s music, one that answers to a widely varied range of evidence at once musical, historical, and biographical. It constitutes a bold attempt to reimagine Mozart’s creative process—particularly as that of a self-conscious performer, an ‘inveterate showman’ playing to an audience—and to draw extensive interpretive conclusions from that reimagining.” * Scott Burnham, the Graduate Center, City University of New York *“Mozart the Performer is a fresh attempt to demythologize Mozart, to ground his creativity in real-world experiences and concerns, as opposed to the image of a ‘divine’ composer, the beauty of whose music somehow floats above mundane explication. Mozart the Performer is a striking expansion of scholarly horizons.” * W. Dean Sutcliffe, University of Auckland *“The joie de vivre of Mozart’s performerly approach to composition is echoed in Bandy’s own inviting prose. Structuring the book as a theme and variations, he welcomes the reader into that growing ensemble celebrating the tactile, the playful, the parodic, and above all, the humane in Mozart.” * Adeline Mueller, Mount Holyoke College *Table of ContentsNotes on the Text Theme Variation 1 Mozart the Performer Variation 2 Mozart the Pianist Variation 3 Mozart the Improviser Variation 4 Mozart the Decorator Variation 5 Mozart the Dramatist Coda Performing Mozart Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"The authors and editors whose contributions are part of Mongolian Sound Worlds have produced an admirable work that balances depth and breadth, rigor and accessibility, fascinating detail and wider thematic arcs, while also greatly enhancing the representation of Central Asian music and culture within ethnomusicological literature." --Journal of Folklore Research ReviewsTable of ContentsAcknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viiTransliteration, Naming, and Place Names . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ixCompanion Website . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xiiiIntroduction: Mongolian Sound Worlds: Opening SnapshotsSUNMIN YOON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1PART ONE: LANDSCAPES AND SOUNDSCAPESInterlude: Song about the SteppeK. OKTYABR AND JENNIFER C. POST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .171. Sound, Music, Pastoralism, and Nature in Mongolian Sound WorldsJENNIFER C. POST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21PART TWO: ETHNICITY AND DIVERSITYInterlude: Musical Journeys in Inner Mongolia and BeyondTAMIR HARGANA AND CHARLOTTE D’EVELYN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .532. Music and Ethnic Identity in Inner MongoliaCHARLOTTE D’EVELYN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 613. The Politics of Regional and Ethnic Identities in Contemporary Mongolian Urtyn DuuSUNMIN YOON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 854. Gendered Musicality in the Altai MountainsREBEKAH PLUECKHAHN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111PART THREE: MATERIAL AND SOCIAL HISTORYInterlude: Consistency, Patience, and Perseverance: Maintaining the Fiddle-Making TraditionBAYARSAIKHAN BADAMSÜREN AND PETER K. MARSH . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1295. The Horsehead Fiddle: A Biographical HistoryPETER K. MARSH AND CHARLOTTE D’EVELYN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1356. The Tovshuur and Oirad Identity in Mongolia’s Western ProvincesOTGONBAYAR CHULUUNBAATAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1557. Social Lives of the Dombyra and Its Makers in Western MongoliaJENNIFER C. POST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170PART FOUR: HERITAGE AND GLOBALIZATIONInterlude: Everything Has Two Sides: An InterviewANDREW COLWELL AND D. TSERENDAVAA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1978. Chandman’ and Beyond: Heritage-making of Mongolian Khöömii in Past and PresentJOHANNI CURTET . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2039. Mongolian Music, Globalization, and NomadismANDREW COLWELL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22710. “We Were Born with Global Ambition”: Continuity, Innovation, and a New Chapter in the Development of Mongolian Popular MusicPETER K. MARSH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273Contributors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .281

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Book SynopsisA biography that offers a fresh account of Robert Schumann's life. It confronts the traditional perception of the doom-laden Romantic, forced by depression into a life of helpless, poignant sadness. It frees Schumann from one hundred and fifty years of myth-making and unjustified psychological speculation.Trade Review"This interesting, well-researched examination of the life and death of one of the most important composers of the 19th-century Romantic movement is appropriate for students and researchers in higher education with some knowledge of Schumann's life and music."—Library Journal * Library Journal *"Drawing on letters, diaries, and previous biographies, Worthen relates Schumann's life in sometimes excruciating detail, dispelling myths of possible bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. One of the best biographies of a composer who had a lust for life of music, family, and friends."—Booklist * Booklist *"...beautifully written and meticulously researched and foodtnoted." -Simon Heffer, Literary Review -- Simon Heffer * Literary Review *"For well over a century the reputation of the Romantic composer Robert Schumann has been obscured by the perception of him as a man beset by mental illness, a hapless figure buffeted by perpetual misfortune. John Worthen's achievement is to rehabilitate Schumann through detailed attention to contemporary sources which substantially conflict with received wisdom...what emerges here is a man of conspicuous determination, passion and creativity." - The Good Book Guide * The Good Book Guide *"...engaging, well written and clearly aimed at the general reader...for those wanting to read an affectionate life of one of the greatest and most loveable figures of the early 19th century, this book can be recommended." -- Steven Isserlis, The Guardian -- Steven Isserlis * The Guardian *"…alongside the tragedies, this riveting account of Schumann’s life also manages to encapsulate both the joy and elation of one of music’s greatest, still neglected geniuses, and to express a passionate enthusiasm for his works. For this, Schumannites ought to be deeply grateful."---Hugh Canning, The Sunday Times -- Hugh Canning * The Sunday Times *"We have always lacked good biographies of Schumann, and this one will become a standard reference work. The late John Daverio’s fine 1997 biography is more deeply attuned to the music, but Worthen’s is by far the most comprehensive account I have read of the facts of Schumann’s life. His central thesis is important, and he writes clearly and freshly, bringing a wise head to an intricate tangle of evidence."---Susan Tomes, The Independent -- Susan Tomes * The Independent *"The tragedy of Schumann’s final years has fitted so perfectly with a certain Romantic stereotype – the demented and troubled genius – that it has exercised a captivating influence over his biographers ever since… It is this hindsight-laden interpretation of Schumann’s career that John Worthen’s fine and scholarly new biography sets out to undo."--- John Adamson, The Sunday Telegraph -- John Adamson * The Sunday Telegraph *"this is an impressive and elegantly-written biography." - Misha Donat, BBC Music Magazine -- Misha Donat * BBC Music Magazine *"this is a biography with attitude." - Misha Donat, BBC Music Magazine -- Misha Donat * BBC Music Magazine *"Life and Death of a Musician avoids the pitfalls which often beset large, detailed musical biographies, largely because it's so beautifully written." - Arminta Wallace, Irish Times -- Arminta Wallace * Irish Times *"A well-documented, genial, easy-to-read biography for the general reader. . . . We learn a great deal about the young and dissolute dilettante, music journalist, hypochondriac, mediocre conductor, literate and prolific composer, and of course the ardent suitor who finally makes Clara Wieck his wife over her father's objections. . . . A very affectionate portrayal of both the man and the composer."—Symphony * Symphony *A 2007 Top Seller in Music as compiled by YBP Library Services * YBP Library Services *Selected as a 2008 AAUP University Press Book for Public and Secondary School Libraries. -- Best Book of the Year Selection * Association of American University Presses (AAUP) *"An exemplary effort: beautifully written, very meticulously researched, with scrupulous reliance on original sources, balancing fine command of detail with a broader sense of Schumann's milieu. . . . This is an excellent and provocative biography that is sure to spark fierce debate among musicians and psychologists."—Aaron Kozbelt, PsycCRITIQUES -- Aaron Kozbelt * PsycCRITIQUES *"Worthen's biography takes its proper place as a book to reckon with on any shelf of studies of this brilliant, enigmatic, and tragic figure."—Stanley Hauer, Southern Humanities Review -- Stanley Hauer * Southern Humanities Review *“[A] detailed, insightful and above all affectionate account of Schumann’s life that reveals a man whose music defines the Romantic era.”—Julian Haylock, Classic FM Magazine -- Julian Haylock * Classic FM Magazine *

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Book SynopsisTrade Review". . . makes a significant contribution to our knowledge of Liszt as a man and superstar. Hilmes shines a light into the shadows behind a life lived in the spotlight, and he finds some surprising and indeed entertaining details there."—Andrew Taylor, Times"If this book has a once-over-lightly feel, that is because there were many intertwined strands in Liszt’s extraordinary life, each of which could merit a book in itself. . . . Hilmes is illuminating on the emergence—and continuance into old age—of Liszt’s preternatural gifts as a pianist. And by drawing on hitherto unpublished documentary sources he provides a riveting chronicle of the composer’s tangled relationships."—Economist"[It] has the great virtue of objectivity, and with the help of Stewart Spencer’s nicely fluent translation, Hilmes does a solid and fair-minded job of charting the long career of one of the dominant and iconic figures of 19th century culture—a romantic in every sense of the word."—Rupert Christiansen, Literary Review". . . Hilmes offers a riveting read, a vibrant story full of cannily etched detail. In the end you feel you have been visiting the characters at home, observing with forensic exactitude all their foibles, neuroses and, sometimes, hideous cruelty."—Jessica Duchen, Sunday Times Ireland"As a well-told, readable, fluently translated story of a strangely conflicted career that affected the lives of people as disparate as Lola Montez and Pope Pius IX [Franz Liszt] would be hard to beat."—Stephen Walsh, London Review of Books"The sub-title of this remarkable book at once tells you where Oliver Hilmes’ chief interest lies. Liszt was, indeed, all of these things, bewilderingly multi-faceted and of super-human strength and achievement. Yet he also paid a heavy price in his journey from 'Le petit Litz’ to ‘Le Grand Liszt.'"—Susan Nickalls, Classical Music "Editors Choice 2016""[A] new and vivid study of the great composer-pianist . . . imparts a novelistic vibrancy and urgency of narrative to a life that was undeniably of great intrinsic interest."—Andrew Thomson, Musical TimesWon the 2017 Choice Award for Outstanding Academic Title"This is the book about Liszt I have been waiting for, vividly evoking both him and his context to reveal him as one the central figures—if not the central figure—of Western music in the nineteenth century, a vital link between Beethoven and Bartók, and a truly great and generous man. At last, we see him whole."—Simon Callow

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Book SynopsisWhat happens to a composer when persecution and exile means their true music no longer has an audience?Trade ReviewA Financial Times Best Book of 2023: Classical Music “A deeply thoughtful, intensely detailed and clearly argued exploration. . . . This is not only a fascinating book, but an essential one, which will hopefully inspire further studies.”—Jessica Duchen, Engelsberg Ideas “Mr Haas writes in compellingly lucid prose, emphasising with painful sharpness the long-lasting and brutalising effects of war on every aspect of artistic endeavour.”—Henrietta Bredrin, Country Life “Haas’s achievement is already well known but this fact-filled book supplements those sound documents with a wealth of extra information. . . . This is an important book, no doubt about it.”—Rob Cowan, Gramophone “Michael Haas is absolutely brilliant. His devotion to giving voice to the many creators who were brutally silenced during World War Two is inspiring and essential work. He does this with passion and knowledge.”—Marin Alsop “Michael Haas has done more than anyone to rehabilitate the music of hundreds of composers who were silenced by the Nazis and blindsided by the post-War music world. Every work of Haas contains completely unexpected revelations from untapped sources. This marvellous book is no exception.”—Norman Lebrecht “With great curiosity and empathy, Michael Haas illustrates climactic moments as these Jewish refugees lingered between worlds, lost countries and roots, and searched for new and old identities.”—Ute Lemper “Music of Exile is especially relevant today, with the resurgence of authoritarianism and the politicization of immigration. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in music and history, and concerned about our contemporary world.”—James Conlon

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Book SynopsisFew forms of music elicit such strong reactions as does heavy metal. Embraced by millions of fans, it has also attracted a chorus of critics, who have denounced it as a corrupter of youth,even blamed it for tragedies like the murders at Columbine. Deena Weinstein argues that these fears stem from a deep misunderstanding of the energetic, rebellious culture of metal, which she analyzes, explains, and defends. She interprets all aspects of the metal world,the music and its makers, its fans, its dress code, its lyrics,and in the process unravels the myths, misconceptions, and truths about an irreverent subculture that has endured and evolved for twenty years.

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Book SynopsisBeginning in 1994 and closing in the first months of 1998, the UK passed through a cultural moment as distinct and as celebrated as any since the war. Founded on rock music, celebrity, boom-time economics, and fleeting political optimism, this was Cool Britannia. Records sold in the millions, a new celebrity elite emerged, and Tony Blair''s Labour Party found itself returned to government. Drawing on interviews from all the major bands including Oasis, Blur, Elastica, and Suede, and from music journalists, record executives, and those close to government, Britpop! charts the rise and fall of the Britpop moment. In this wonderfully engaging, page-turning narrative, John Harris, currently the hottest young music journalist in the UK, argues that the high point of British music''s cultural impact also signaled its effective demise. After all, if rock stars were now friends of government, how could they continue to matter?Cool Britannia was an empty promise that was bound to end in tears. John Harris captures the moment when New Labour, desperately wanting to seem hip, invited Britpop into Downing Street. Irresistible.-Billy Bragg

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Book Synopsis"One of the most entertaining and informative books of the year...to be enjoyed not only by rock fans, but by anyone interested in popular culture and social change."--NPR.orgTrade ReviewAssociated Press "Fire and Rain: The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, James Taylor, CSNY, and the Lost Story of 1970 is a worthy addition to anyone's collection of such music histories...the nuanced account of the struggles inherent in making music is more than enough to satisfy, as are the delightful surprise connections and asides scattered throughout the book... I couldn't help but be riveted by the account of this group of immensely talented people who also, when they weren't at each other's throats, seemed like they'd be cool to hang out with." Entertainment Weekly A "Best New Summer Read" Chicago Reader "Its principal task is to dive into the 60s hangover on a day-to-day level, describing the tensions that drove U.S./UK rock culture--emblematized by the four artists in the subtitle--toward the sweet, consoling embrace of Let It Be, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Sweet Baby James, and Deja Vu, ... Browne renders this somnambulant period with such care that he makes it seem alive." Mojo "Highly readable ... shifts between the key points smoothly. He unearths some little-told stories along the way." Named one of the "Best Rock Books of the Year" by Rolling Stone Kirkus Reviews "Through the lens of four fabulously successful musical acts, a Rolling Stone contributing editor looks at the moment 1960s idealism "began surrendering to the buzz-kill comedown of the decade ahead...A vivid freeze-frame of Hall of Fame musicians, some of whom would go on to make fine records, none ever again as central to the culture." Parade "This juicy, fascinating read transports you back to a turbulent year...Browne artfully describes the creation of these classic songs in a way that makes them seem brand-new." New York Daily News "Through rich anecdotes and incisive analysis...the book threads traces of politics, but music remains its worthy focus. The form of the book, told chronologically over four seasons, lends it the compacted, real-time drama of an episode of '24'." New York Post "Behind-the-scenes, fly-on-the-wall looks at [the artists] make it a worthwhile read."

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Book SynopsisFormed in 1969 by ex-members of Frank Zappa''s Mothers of Invention, Little Feat created groove-heavy music that was an irresistible mix of rock, blues, R&B, country, jazz, soul, and funk. Fronted by the doomed, enigmatic, and charismatic vocalist and slide guitarist Lowell George, they recorded such classic studio albums as Sailin''shoes and Dixie Chicken , as well as what many consider to be one of the best live albums of all time: Waiting for Columbus . After George''s tragic death in 1979 and a long period of silence, the band later re-formed in 1987, delighting concert crowds with tight renditions of their beloved songs, including their signature outlaw trucker anthem Willin''.Acclaimed journalist Ben Fong-Torres, working with surviving band members and their friends and associates, has based Willin'' on hours of brand-new interviews with all the key players, resulting in the definitive, first-ever biography of this beloved rock ''n'' roll institution.

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Book Synopsis'Talkin’ Greenwich Village is impeccably researched, elegantly written and consistently fascinating.'--New York Times 'Browne relates the extensive cast of characters and historical events with journalistic clarity and cinematic scope--so much so that it'll send you back to [A Complete Unknown] to identify who's who in the bit parts.'--The Oakland Press ***A Rolling Stone Best Music Book of 2024*** The definitive history of the rise and heyday of the revolutionary Greenwich Village music scene, based on new research and first-hand interviews with many of its legendary performers   Although Greenwich Village encompasses less than a square mile in downtown New York, rarely has such a concise area nurtured so many innovative artists and genres. Over the course of decades, Billie Holiday, the Weavers, Sonny Rollins, Dave Van Ronk, Ornette Coleman, Bob Dylan, Nina Simone, Phil Ochs, and Suzanne Vega are just a few who migrated to the Village, recognizing it as a sanctuary for visionaries, non-conformists, and those looking to reinvent themselves. Working in the Village’s smokey coffeehouses and clubs, they chronicled the tumultuous Sixties, rewrote jazz history, and took folk and rock & roll into places they hadn’t been before.   Based on over 150 new interviews (Judy Collins, Sonny Rollins, Herbie Hancock, Eric Andersen, Suzzy and Terre Roche, Suzanne Vega, Steve Forbert, Arlo Guthrie, John Sebastian, Shawn Colvin, the members of the Blues Project, and more), previously unseen documents, and author David Browne’s longtime immersion in the scene, Talkin’ Greenwich Village lends the saga the epic, panoramic scope it’s long deserved. It takes readers from the Fifties jamborees in Washington Square Park and into landmark venues like Gerde’s Folk City, the Gaslight Café, and the Village Vanguard, onto Dylan’s momentous arrival and returns, the no-holds-barred Seventies years (West Village discos, National Lampoon’s Lemmings), and the folk revival of the Eighties (Vega’s enduring “Tom’s Diner”).   In eye-opening fashion, Browne also details the often-overlooked people of color in the Sixties folk clubs, reveals how the FBI and city government consistently kept their eyes on the community, unearths the machinations behind the infamous “beatnik riot” in Washington Square Park, and tells the interconnected tales of Van Ronk, the seminal band the Blues Project, and the beloved sister trio, the Roches.   In also recounting the racial tensions, crackdowns, and changes in New York and music that infiltrated the neighborhood, Talkin’ Greenwich Village is more than just vivid cultural history. It also speaks to the rise and waning of bohemian culture itself, set to some of the most enduring lyrics, melodies, and jazz improvisations in American music.

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Book SynopsisTHE MAKING AND MEANING OF RADIOHEAD''S GROUNDBREAKING, CONTROVERSIAL, EPOCHDEFINING ALBUM, KID A.In 1999, as the end of an old century loomed, five musicians entered a recording studio in Paris without a deadline. Their band was widely recognized as the best and most forward-thinking in rock, a rarefied status granting them the time, money, and space to make a masterpiece. But Radiohead didn''t want to make another rock record. Instead, they set out to create the future.For more than a year, they battled writer''s block, intra-band disagreements, and crippling self-doubt. In the end, however, they produced an album that was not only a complete departure from their prior guitar-based rock sound, it was the sound of a new era-and it embodied widespread changes catalyzed by emerging technologies just beginning to take hold of the culture. What they created was Kid A.Upon its release in 2000, Radiohead''s fourth album divided critics. Some called it an instant classic; others, such as the UK music magazine Melody Maker, deemed it tubby, ostentatious, self-congratulatory... whiny old rubbish. But two decades later, Kid A sounds like nothing less than an overture for the chaos and confusion of the twenty-first century.Acclaimed rock critic Steven Hyden digs deep into the songs, history, legacy, and mystique of Kid A, outlining the album''s pervasive influence and impact on culture in time for its twentieth anniversary in 2020. Deploying a mix of criticism, journalism, and personal memoir, Hyden skillfully revisits this enigmatic, alluring LP and investigates the many ways in which Kid A shaped and foreshadowed our world.

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Book SynopsisA Rolling Stone-Kirkus Best Music Book of 2020'In this brilliant book, Steven Hyden goes deep into why Kid A matters—it's the fascinating saga of how the music turned into the symbol of a new cultural era.' — Rolling StoneTHE MAKING AND MEANING OF RADIOHEAD'S GROUNDBREAKING, CONTROVERSIAL, EPOCHDEFINING ALBUM, KID A.In 1999, as the end of an old century loomed, five musicians entered a recording studio in Paris without a deadline. Their band was widely recognized as the best and most forward-thinking in rock, a rarefied status granting them the time, money, and space to make a masterpiece. But Radiohead didn't want to make another rock record. Instead, they set out to create the future.For more than a year, they battled writer's block, intra-band disagreements, and crippling self-doubt. In the end, however, they produced an album that was not only a complete departure from their prior guitar-based rock sound, it was the sound of a new era-and it embodied widespread changes catalyzed by emerging technologies just beginning to take hold of the culture. What they created was Kid A.Upon its release in 2000, Radiohead's fourth album divided critics. Some called it an instant classic; others, such as the UK music magazine Melody Maker, deemed it 'tubby, ostentatious, self-congratulatory... whiny old rubbish.' But two decades later, Kid A sounds like nothing less than an overture for the chaos and confusion of the twenty-first century.Acclaimed rock critic Steven Hyden digs deep into the songs, history, legacy, and mystique of Kid A, outlining the album's pervasive influence and impact on culture in time for its twentieth anniversary in 2020. Deploying a mix of criticism, journalism, and personal memoir, Hyden skillfully revisits this enigmatic, alluring LP and investigates the many ways in which Kid A shaped and foreshadowed our world.

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Book SynopsisPicking up where Under the Big Black Sun left off, More Fun in the New World explores the years 1982 to 1987, covering the dizzying pinnacle of L.A.''s punk rock movement as its stars took to the national -- and often international -- stage. Detailing the eventual splintering of punk into various sub-genres, the second volume of John Doe and Tom DeSavia''s west coast punk history portrays the rich cultural diversity of the movement and its characters, the legacy of the scene, how it affected other art forms, and ultimately influenced mainstream pop culture. The book also pays tribute to many of the fallen soldiers of punk rock, the pioneers who left the world much too early but whose influence hasn''t faded.As with Under the Big Black Sun, the book features stories of triumph, failure, stardom, addiction, recovery, and loss as told by the people who were influential in the scene, with a cohesive narrative from authors Doe and DeSavia. Along with many ret

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Book SynopsisA no-holds-barred narrative history of the iconic label that brought the world Black Flag, Hüsker Dü, Sonic Youth, Soundgarden, and more, by the co-author of Do What You Want and My Damage.Greg Ginn started SST Records in the sleepy beach town of Hermosa Beach, CA, to supply ham radio enthusiasts with tuners and transmitters. But when Ginn wanted to launch his band, Black Flag, no one was willing to take them on. Determined to bring his music to the masses, Ginn turned SST into a record label. On the back of Black Flag’s relentless touring, guerilla marketing, and refusal to back down, SST became the sound of the underground.In Corporate Rock Sucks, music journalist Jim Ruland relays the unvarnished story of SST Records, from its remarkable rise in notoriety to its infamous downfall. With records by Black Flag, Minutemen, Hüsker Dü, Bad Brains, Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr, Screaming Trees, Soundgarden, and scores of obscure yet influential bands, SST was the most popular indie label by the mid-80s--until a tsunami of legal jeopardy, financial peril, and dysfunctional management brought the empire tumbling down. Throughout this investigative deep-dive, Ruland leads readers through SST’s tumultuous history and epic catalog.Featuring never-before-seen interviews with the label's former employees, as well as musicians, managers, producers, photographers, video directors, and label heads, Corporate Rock Sucks presents a definitive narrative history of the ’80s punk and alternative rock scenes, and shows how the music industry was changed forever.

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Book SynopsisASCAP-Deems Taylor Award winner A fresh look at the life of Mozart during his imperial years by one of the world's leading Mozart scholars.Trade Review"I was so excited to read Christoph Wolff's remarkable new book, which in one fell swoop dispels myths that arose after Mozart's untimely death. Through his meticulous scholarship, Wolff allows us to reimagine the composer at the apex of his artistic powers and with creative and entrepreneurial plans in place to ensure his continuing artistic output as well as his financial stability. A beloved scholar, Professor Wolff proves his point with revelatory insights that take us into the inner workings of this great composer's mind." -- Yo-Yo Ma "Christoph Wolff's remarkable and splendidly readable book presents a new and welcome picture of Mozart's final years. Without resorting to polemics, it disposes of myths and misconceptions by offering facts and sound judgment. Wolff is a master of minute scholarly research that comprises the circumstances of Mozart's life as well as the music itself. Countering the widespread concept of a decline of Mozart's powers, he perceives his latest works, finished and unfinished, as being the point of a new departure-cruelly curtailed by Mozart's death. I shall listen to the Magic Flute, the Requiem, the clarinet quintet, and the E-flat masterpieces-string trio and string quintet-with sharpened ears." -- Alfred Brendel "In this enthralling tale of Mozart's imperial appointment and his late torrent of compositions, Christoph Wolff argues, with compelling authority, that those musical triumphs-including the Requiem-point not to an autumnal resignation but toward a propulsive future of complex genius." -- Helen Vendler "Any book by the eminent scholar Christoph Wolff comes with the guarantee of fresh musical insights and a magisterial command of the sources. His latest book on Mozart is no exception. It will help to demystify and transform our understanding of the composer's final years." -- Sir John Eliot Gardiner "For years I've been wondering and the question becomes ever more cogent, what puzzling new language Mozart used for his three symphonies and even the Magic Flute. It is a new Mozart, and we cannot simply continue as before. Why? What is it? What does it mean today? To the performer, to the listener? Now I found a helping hand in Christoph Wolff's unexpectedly novel book. We musicians, used to helping ourselves, gratefully embrace his assistance." -- Nikolaus Harnoncourt "A truly different and exciting look at the last years of Mozart's life. I was especially captivated by the last chapter-Mr. Wolff's penetrating comments on Mozart's compositional method are illuminating and also somehow make his genius more personal for us." -- Emanuel Ax

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Book SynopsisA remarkable work that recovers the songs Shakespeare's audiences actually heard and brings them to life through performance.Trade Review"A wonderfully concise and informative guide to the songs and ballads. . . . The first complete collection." -- Times Literary Supplement

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Book SynopsisAlthough the science of acoustics is fundamental to the art of music, relatively few musicians understand the scientific properties of musical sound.

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Book SynopsisIn the tradition of Patrick Leigh Fermor and Geoff Dyer, a Grammy-winning producer discovers a powerful and ancient folk music tradition.Trade Review"Christopher King’s relationship to music is passionate and profound. As a scholar and obsessive collector of 78s he has few peers. Lament from Epirus will delight anyone who has ever put the needle down on an unknown record and waited to see what would come out of the speakers." -- Hari Kunzru, author of White Tears"Anyone interested in the power of music—spiritually, culturally, historically, or politically—will find this odyssey to be transformative. By way of an anthropological detective story, Christopher King deftly reveals details and echoing connections I personally never even imagined. Fascinating." -- Jim Jarmusch"... superb book... A highly recommended read, then, for anyone interested in the music of the southern Balkans, the roots of European folk music, the aesthetics of vernacular music or the philosophy of record collecting." -- Songlines"The book is a great read in itself, but for aficionados of hardcore folk music, it's essential, grappling as it does with what might lie (perhaps deeply buried) in the heart of the music we love." -- fRoots"A passionate record collector embarks on a Greek musical odyssey in this captivating travelogue,... remarkable book... It's not a spoiler to say that King found what he was looking for, and he tells the story well." -- Ed Ward - Financial Times"Lament From Epirus is a feverish memoir of the ecstasies and traumas of a music obsessive, and a gonzo account of the deep, transporting meaning of music itself... King's book is compelling, illuminating and funny, but above all it is a deeply serious lament for the flattening and coarsening of culture by the onrush of technology, commerce and globalisation." -- Wire"Lament From Epirus is a most gripping and entertaining ethnomusicological ride. Highly recommended. " -- Rock n Reel

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Book SynopsisAn authoritative work offering a fresh look at Beethoven’s life, career, and milieu. “Magisterial” —New York Review of Books.Trade Review"Why are not more musicians' biographies written like this?"Mitsuko Uchida, Books of the Year, The Guardian "If I were to keep only one book on Beethoven this would be a strong contender." Philip Borg-Wheeler, Classical Music "Lockwood writes like an angel, lucid, enthusiastic, stirring and enlightening. Beethoven has found his ablest interpreter." Jonathan Keates, The Spectator "Professor Lockwood's insight and scholarship are profound..." Michael Graubart, The Musical Times "...Professor Lockwood's original perspectives, his formidable knowledge and his elegant style will prove an invaluable new source." Alexander Waugh, Literary Review "...marvellously illuminating." Michael Church, Financial Times "The greatest strength of Lockwood's book-and it has many strengths-is the unusually enlightening way in which this scholar discusses Beethoven's music." The Times Literary Supplement

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Book Synopsis“Lauterbach’s tribute . . . is welcome and overdue.” —Jonathan Yardley, Washington PostTrade Review"Lauterbach spins the tale with enormous vitality and it's terribly fun to read. He masterfully explains the complex logistics of the entertainment industry, and studs the book with fascinating, little-known characters... The reader will finish with an overwhelming urge to turn up the volume." -- Kate Tuttle "A well-researched valentine to a lost world of seedy con men, promoters and club owners, the power brokers and hustlers who made the 'circuitry spark.'" -- Eddie Dean "...crucial to our understanding of late-20th-century pop music and all the more impressive for its exhaustive research. Preston Lauterbach's book-spirited, studious, surprising, occasionally hilarious-is absolutely persuasive on its subject." -- Stephen M. Deusner "Opens new doors in pop-music scholarship as well as American (and African-American) cultural history." -- Michaelangelo Matos "This sprawling, fascinating history drops readers into a chaotic, dangerous, utterly vanished world." -- John Repp "[T]he genius prequel to an oft-told epic."

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Book SynopsisAn exploration of the unswerving artistic vision underlying Beethoven’s symphonies, from a leading scholar of the composer’s works.Trade Review"...[Lockwood] paints a vivid picture of the creative context of each [symphony]." -- James Macmillan - Standpoint"[This] book will surely inspire new interest in Beethoven’s durable masterpieces." -- The New York Review of Books"No one brings Beethoven’s music to life as vividly as Lewis Lockwood. A towering achievement." -- Alan Gilbert, music director, New York Philharmonic"This remarkable book is much more than a guide to Beethoven’s symphonies. By granting us access to the composer’s workshop, Lockwood reveals a faltering human being whose unfaltering artistic resolution remains one of the great stories of the human spirit." -- Scott Burnham, Scheide Professor of Music History, Princeton University"Lockwood has given music lovers a great gift. By looking at historical context—who listened to Beethoven, what he read—and how the symphonies were planned, the reader gets a unique view of the creative process of one of our greatest musical minds." -- Yo-Yo Ma"Lockwood elegantly imparts an enormous amount of fascinating detail, placing each symphony in the context of Beethoven’s work in other genres and concert activity. What a pleasure to read!" -- Emanuel Ax, pianist

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Book SynopsisThe wildly entertaining story of progressive rock, the music that ruled the 1970s charts—and has divided listeners ever since.Trade Review"A new history of [prog] written by an ardent, straight-faced defender who also understands what is most outlandishly entertaining about it." -- The New York Times Book Review"Savvy" -- The New Yorker"It [The Show that Never Ends] works as an invitation to explore the dark corners of prog rock." -- The Economist"... certainly a worthy addition to your bookshelf." -- The Prog Report"Weigel’s book is the comprehensive overview of prog that fans have been waiting for, and a long-needed reevaluation of the genre’s best bands... It’s an impressive feat of research and storytelling." -- Rock Guitar Tech"Loved the book The Show That Never Ends. A deep, detailed, funny and affectionate dive into the history of prog rock by @daveweigel. Has sent me down a very proggy rabbit hole listening wise." -- Edgar Wright, Film Director

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Book SynopsisThe definitive history of Western Music.

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Book SynopsisThe definitive history of Western Music

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Book SynopsisThis book is intended to serve as a basic textbook on Schenkerian analysis, the analytical approach developed over a period of many years by the Austrian music theorist Heinrich Schenker (1868-1935).

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Book SynopsisThis book is the first rigourous and detailed exploration of exactly how blues singers used formulas to create songs, and it more than amply fills the gap in the the study of the blues, where the structure and content of the lyrics have been less fully explored than the musical form.Focusing on the songs recorded by African-American singers for pre-World War Two commercial recording companies, this is an excellent structural analysis of the formulaic composistion of blues lyrics.This book gives a step-by-step description of the rules implicit in this formulaic structure and inspires new discussion of lyric structures.A wide array of readers will find this insightful and informative: from students of African-American music, cultural studies, history and linguistics, to Blues fans fascinated by exactly how the lyrics of this influential music style are written.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction 1. Defining the Commercial Blues 2. Defining the Blues Formula 3. Fine Adjustments: Extraformulaic Elements in the Blues 4. The Ties that Bind: Formulas to Lines, Lines to Stanzas, Stanzaes to Songs 5. Twenty Common Formulas 6. One Singer's Formulaic Tradition: The Repertoire of Garfield Akers Conclusion: Why is the Blues Formulaic? Singers and Their Songs References Index

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Book SynopsisIn the 1920s, Southern record companies ventured to cities like Dallas, Atlanta, and New Orleans, where they set up primitive recording equipment in makeshift studios. They brought in street singers, medicine show performers, pianists from the juke joints and barrelhouses. The music that circulated through Southern work camps, prison farms, and vaudeville shows would be lost to us if it hadn''t been captured on location by these performers and recorders. Eminent blues historian Paul Oliver uncovers these folk traditions and the circumstances under which they were recorded, rescuing the forefathers of the blues who were lost before they even had a chance to be heard. A careful excavation of the earliest recordings of the blues by one of its foremost experts, Barrelhouse Blues expands our definition of that most American style of music.Trade ReviewThe Philadelphia Inquirer "Detailed and deeply felt, Barrelhouse Blues is quite the education." Examiner.com "Oliver's research is deep and his opinions raise questions, but his is a fine book for any blues fan yearning to learn about its origins."

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Book SynopsisAlways wanted to play the flute? Or are you a former flautist who wants to refresh your skills? Either way, this is the guide for you. Following along with the book's accompanying CD, you will learn the nuances of playing the flute as an accompanying instrument or for playing a solo, in a variety of musical styles.

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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