Musicians, singers, bands and groups Books

2401 products


  • 2 in stock

    £28.49

  • Der Dirigent Hans Swarowsky (18991975): Musik,

    Bohlau Verlag Der Dirigent Hans Swarowsky (18991975): Musik,

    1 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    1 in stock

    £77.39

  • Bohlau Verlag Jacques Offenbach: Ein Europaisches Portrat

    2 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    2 in stock

    £29.44

  • Franz Steiner Verlag Wiesbaden GmbH Franz Schubert: Die Texte Seiner Lieder Und

    1 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    1 in stock

    £168.30

  • Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht Preise, Jerusalem, Den Herrn: Johann Sebastian

    1 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    1 in stock

    £82.50

  • Music Icons: From ABBA to The Who. Photographed

    Delius, Klasing & Co Music Icons: From ABBA to The Who. Photographed

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisFrom rockstars, pop icons, soul singers to jazz musicians – Michael Putland has photographed them all. Over his 50 year-long career, he has captured some of the world's most famous singers and bands. Now he brings them all together in one fulminant photographic anthology. Here, pictures of action-packed concerts are set aside intimate portraits of stars, and atmospheric still life shots accompany those of tension-filled tours and legendary performances. An exclusive insight into this era and the stories behind each photograph is offered by Putland’s personal anecdotes, creating a testament to music's greatest moments and a must-have for all fans of music and photography. - unique picture book with images from photographer Michael Putland – in black and white and in colour - various famous artists found in this book: Madonna, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Pink Floyd, ACDC and many more - the photographer's view tells the stories behind the photographs - a great present for every music and photography enthusiast A photographic journey through 50 years of music history Throughout the years, Putland’s work led him around the world. With great passion he photographed greats such as ABBA, The Rolling Stones and Tina Turner. His unique and incomparable photographs capture the soul of each musician, on and off the stage. With an eye for detail, he manages to portray the artists' individual styles from new and unseen perspectives, making their music tangible through light, shadow and colour. This photographic anthology is an homage to the greatest legends in music history and to the distinctive work and artistry of Michael Putland! Text in English and German.

    2 in stock

    £33.75

  • Ton de Leeuw

    Harwood-Academic Publishers Ton de Leeuw

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisNot a biography in the traditional sense, this book is a consideration of De Leeuw's thoughts and composition, first and foremost by the composer himself. A comprehensive world view is at the root of De Leeuw's musical conceptions made apparent by his travel diaries and his reflections on the social and cultural relationship between the East and West. The book's various authors view the composer's work against the background of their own widely divergent disciplines: contemporary music, non-Western music, music therapy, and intercultural developments.

    1 in stock

    £42.99

  • The Rolling Stones. Updated Edition

    Taschen GmbH The Rolling Stones. Updated Edition

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe kind of fame and success The Rolling Stones have achieved in their 60-year career is without parallel; their most famous riffs and catchiest lyrics are indelibly engraved in our collective memory. With their mesmerizing on- and off-stage presence, the Stones set the standard for how a rock band should sound, pose, pout, and behave. They were the first to instinctively understand that what you looked like was as important as the music, and that photography had a vital role in promoting that image. “The clothes and the hair are always impeccable,” describes author Luc Sante. “They were playing themselves, but with such consistent finesse you knew they were instinctively aware of the camera and how good they will look in the photos.” Unsurprisingly many of the greatest photographers in the history of the medium wanted to take their picture. Produced in close collaboration with the band, this updated edition charts the Stones’ remarkable history and outrageously cool lifestyle in over 450 pages of photographs and illustrations, gathered from archives all over the world. Unprecedented access to the Rolling Stones’ own archives in New York and London adds an equally extraordinary, more private side to their story. For Mick, Keith, Charlie, and Ronnie this is their official photographic record. Features: Over 450 pages of incredible images from some of the world’s greatest photographers, including David Bailey, Annie Leibovitz, Cecil Beaton, Anton Corbijn, Herb Ritts, Albert Watson, Andy Warhol, David LaChapelle, Peter Beard, Helmut Newton, Bent Rej, Gered Mankowitz, and Norman Parkinson. Essays from award-winning writers David Dalton, Waldemar Januszczak, and Luc Sante Appendix including the Stones in the media, a Stones timeline, a discography, and photographers’ biographies Trade Review“We worked with some of the greatest photographers in the world who captured many magical moments of our career. This volume brings together some incredible pictures spanning the past 60 plus years.” * Mick Jagger *“…a stunning collector’s compendium…” * Vanity Fair *“This book isn’t just rock’n’roll, it’s a roller coaster through fifty years of memory lane!” * Keith Richards *

    1 in stock

    £57.00

  • Gay Talese. Phil Stern. Frank Sinatra Has a Cold

    Taschen GmbH Gay Talese. Phil Stern. Frank Sinatra Has a Cold

    Out of stock

    Book Synopsis“Sinatra with a cold is Picasso without paint, Ferrari without fuel—only worse. For the common cold robs Sinatra of that uninsurable jewel, his voice, cutting into the core of his confidence.” — Gay Talese In the winter of 1965, writer Gay Talese set out for Los Angeles with an assignment from Esquire to write a major profile on Frank Sinatra. When he arrived, he found the singer and his vigilant entourage on the defensive: Sinatra was under the weather, not available, and not willing to be interviewed. Undeterred, Talese stayed, believing Sinatra might recover and reconsider, and used the meantime to observe the star and to interview his friends, associates, family members, and hangers-on. Sinatra never did grant the one-on-one, but Talese’s tenacity paid off: his profile Frank Sinatra Has a Cold went down in history as a tour de force of literary nonfiction and the advent of New Journalism. In this illustrated edition, Frank Sinatra Has a Cold is published with an introduction by Talese, reproductions of his manuscript pages, and correspondence. Interwoven are photographs from the legendary lens of Phil Stern, the only photographer granted access to Sinatra over four decades, as well as from top photojournalists of the ’60s, including John Bryson, John Dominis, and Terry O’Neill. The photographs complement Talese’s character study, painting an incisive portrait of Sinatra in the recording studio, on location, out on the town, and with the eponymous cold, which reveals as much about a singular star persona as it does about the Hollywood machine.Trade Review“Sinatra with a cold is Picasso without paint, Ferrari without fuel—only worse. For the common cold robs Sinatra of that uninsurable jewel, his voice, cutting into the core of his confidence.” * Gay Talese *“One of the greatest celebrity portraits ever written.” * GQ *

    Out of stock

    £999.99

  • Wiener Urtext Edition, Musikverlag GesmbH & Co. KG Piano Sonata: Nach den Quellen: 2

    1 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    1 in stock

    £32.47

  • Spector Books Sounds Like Silence: John Cage 4'33 Silence

    2 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    2 in stock

    £27.20

  • Argobooks Undersound

    4 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    4 in stock

    £12.18

  • Sandstein Verlag Franz Liszt in Der Zeitgenossischen Photographie:

    1 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    1 in stock

    £16.20

  • Monokultur: No. 43

    MonoKultur Monokultur: No. 43

    10 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    10 in stock

    £7.77

  • £20.90

  • Bob Marley: Reggae King of the World

    LMH Publishing Bob Marley: Reggae King of the World

    15 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    15 in stock

    £17.99

  • The Operas of Giuseppe Verdi Emersion Emergent

    The University of Chicago Press The Operas of Giuseppe Verdi Emersion Emergent

    4 in stock

    Book SynopsisOffers a study of Verdi's operas in Florence in 1859, in the middle of the composer's career. This title features a systematic examination of Verdi's operas, it covered the twenty works produced between 1842 and 1857 - from Nabucco and Macbeth to Il trovatore, La traviata, and Aroldo.Trade Review"Abramo Basevi's The Operas of Giuseppe Verdi represents an extraordinary testimony to a new and important way of writing music criticism in mid-nineteenth-century Italy, and Basevi's terminology and expressions have served as the foundations for influential analytical methods. This translation is polished, elegant, and eminently accessible to a modern reader." -Francesco Izzo, University of Southampton Abramo Basevi (1818-85) was a composer, music promoter, scholar, and critic who played a major role in the cultural life of nineteenth-century Florence. He published extensively on music and philosophy and founded the periodical L'armonia, in which his study of Verdi's operas first appeared. Edward Schneider studied music at Oxford and has translated several books on music and cooking. Stefano Castelvecchi is a lecturer in music at the University of Cambridge and a fellow of St John's College, Cambridge. He is the editor of critical editions of works by Rossini and Verdi and the author of Sentimental Opera: Questions of Genre in the Age of Bourgeois Drama."

    4 in stock

    £48.45

  • Verdis Middle Period 18491859  Source Studies

    The University of Chicago Press Verdis Middle Period 18491859 Source Studies

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisDuring the middle phase of his career, Guiseppe Verdi adopted new compositional procedures to create some of his best-known works. Focusing on the operas he composed during this period, this volume explores Verdi's work from three interlinked perspectives.Table of ContentsAcknowledgments List of Abbreviations Introduction: Toward an Understanding of Verdi's Middle Period Martin Chusid 1: New Sources for Stiffelio: A Preliminary Report Philip Gossett 2: Compositional Techniques in Stiffelio: Reading the Autograph Sources Kathleen Kuzmick Hansell 3: "A Monk and At Least Some New Things": Verdi, Cammarano, and L'assedio di Firenze Carlo Matteo Mossa 4: "Insolite forme," or Basevi's Garden Path Roger Parker 5: Ottocento Opera as Cultural Drama: Generic Mixtures in Il trovatore James Hepokoski 6: "Something's Been Done to Make Room for Choruses": Choral Conception and Choral Construction in Luisa Miller Markus Engelhardt 7: A New Source for El trovador and Its Implications for the Tonal Organization of Il trovatore Martin Chusid 8: "Proud, Indomitable, Irascible": Allegories of Nation in Attila and Les Vepres siciliennes Mary Ann Smart 9: Masking Music: A Reconsideration of Light and Shade in Un ballo in maschera Elizabeth Hudson 10: "La dama velata": Act II of Un ballo in maschera Harold Powers 11: Meter, Character, and Tinta in Verdi's Operas David Rosen 12: Aspects of Tempo in Verdi's Early and Middle-Period Italian Operas Roberta Montemorra Marvin 13: The Violin Director and Verdi's Middle-Period Operas Linda B. Fairtile List of Contributors Index

    1 in stock

    £228.00

  • Verdis Middle Period Source Studies Analysis and

    The University of Chicago Press Verdis Middle Period Source Studies Analysis and

    Book SynopsisDuring the middle phase of his career, Guiseppe Verdi adopted new compositional procedures to create some of his best-known works. Focusing on the operas he composed during this period, this volume explores Verdi's work from three interlinked perspectives.

    £61.75

  • Duke Ellingtons America

    The University of Chicago Press Duke Ellingtons America

    Book SynopsisFew American artists in any medium have enjoyed the international and lasting cultural impact of Duke Ellington. This title paints a portrait of the life and times of this towering figure, taking him from his youth in the black middle-class enclave of Washington, DC, to the heights of worldwide acclaim.Trade Review"Harvey G. Cohen's new book illuminates Ellington's career as never before, and also helps to deepen our understanding of larger trends and issues in American politics and culture. No previous book on Ellington has followed the money so rigorously, laying bare the interworkings of art and capital." (Times Literary Supplement) "The book makes nuanced sense of the hard choices at every turn, in years when it often fell to Ellington to pioneer new audiences and new venues, and to insist on a level of dignity rarely accorded to African-American artists." (Geoffrey O'Brien, New York Review of Books) "Cohen's volume... is substantial, richly sourced, intelligent.... Unlike many other writers on Ellington, Cohen gives proper attention to all phases of Ellington's career, and in so doing unveils information that is new or has been overlooked.... This is an important work and one that Ellington scholarship will benefit from and draw on for new debates." (Times Higher Education) "Duke Ellington's America attempts to get under the skin of this apparently most imperturbable of men, and the results... are fascinating.... An extremely intelligent and formidably documented book - a welcome change from much that has been published about Ellington." (Claudia Roth Pierpont, New Yorker)"

    £23.56

  • Youll Know When You Get There

    The University of Chicago Press Youll Know When You Get There

    Book SynopsisAs the 1960s ended, Herbie Hancock embarked on a grand creative experiment. Having just left the celebrated Miles Davis Quintet, he set out on the road, playing with his first touring group as a leader until he eventually formed what would become a revolutionary band. This book offers a comprehensive study of this seminal group.Trade Review"Gluck takes a fascinating look at the development of a musical identity. The book is ostensibly about pianist Herbie Hancock and his sextet's Mwandishi period-a free-jazz, electronics-heavy evolution of the hard-bop group he formed in 1968-but it really uses Hancock's story to show how musicians adapt to changing technology, new musical ideas, and greater cultural identities." (DownBeat)"

    £25.00

  • The Miles Davis Lost Quintet and Other

    The University of Chicago Press The Miles Davis Lost Quintet and Other

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisMiles Davis's Bitches Brew is one of the most iconic albums in American music, the preeminent landmark and fertile seedbed of jazz-fusion. Fans have been fortunate in the past few years to gain access to Davis's live recordings from this time, when he was working with an ensemble that has come to be known as the Lost Quintet. In this book, jazz historian and musician Bob Gluck explores the performances of this revolutionary group-Davis's first electric band-to illuminate the thinking of one of our rarest geniuses and, by extension, the extraordinary transition in American music that he and his fellow players ushered in. Gluck listens deeply to the uneasy tension between this group's driving rhythmic groove and the sonic and structural openness, surprise, and experimentation they were always pushing toward. There he hears-and outlines-a fascinating web of musical interconnection that brings Davis's funk-inflected sensibilities into conversation with the avant-garde worlds that players like Ornette Coleman and John Coltrane were developing. Going on to analyze the little-known experimental groups Circle and the Revolutionary Ensemble, Gluck traces deep resonances across a commercial gap between the celebrity Miles Davis and his less famous but profoundly innovative peers. The result is a deeply attuned look at a pivotal moment when once-disparate worlds of American music came together in explosively creative combinations.

    1 in stock

    £76.00

  • The Political Orchestra

    The University of Chicago Press The Political Orchestra

    15 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    15 in stock

    £41.80

  • Message to Our Folks  The Art Ensemble of Chicago

    The University of Chicago Press Message to Our Folks The Art Ensemble of Chicago

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisThis year marks the golden anniversary of the Art Ensemble of Chicago, the flagship band of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians. Formed in 1966 and flourishing until 2010, the Art Ensemble distinguished itself by its unique performance practices members played hundreds of instruments on stage, recited poetry, performed theatrical sketches, and wore face paint, masks, lab coats, and traditional African and Asian dress. The group, which built a global audience and toured across six continents, presented their work as experimental performance art, in opposition to the jazz industry's traditionalist aesthetics. In Message to Our Folks, Paul Steinbeck combines musical analysis and historical inquiry to give us the definitive study of the Art Ensemble. In the book, he proposes a new theory of group improvisation that explains how the band members were able to improvise together in so many different styles while also drawing on an extensive repertoire of notated composit

    1 in stock

    £76.00

  • The Miles Davis Lost Quintet and Other

    The University of Chicago Press The Miles Davis Lost Quintet and Other

    Book Synopsis

    £24.00

  • Puccini and The Girl  History and Reception of

    The University of Chicago Press Puccini and The Girl History and Reception of

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisSet in the American West during the California Gold Rush, La fanciulla del West marked a significant departure from Giacomo Puccini's previous and best- known works. Puccini and the Girl is the first book to explore this important but often misunderstood opera that became the earliest work by a major European composer to receive an American premiere when it opened at New York's Metropolitan Opera House in 1910. Adapted from American playwright David Belasco's Broadway production, The Girl of the Golden West, Fanciulla was Puccini's most consciously modern work, and its Met debut received mixed reviews. Annie J. Randall and Rosalind Gray Davis base their account of its creation on previously unknown letters from Puccini to his main librettist, Carlo Zangarini. They mine musical materials, newspaper accounts, and rare photographs and illustrations to tell the full story of this controversial opera. Puccini and the Girl considers the production and reception of Puccini's cowboy opera in

    2 in stock

    £30.00

  • Hearing Beethoven

    The University of Chicago Press Hearing Beethoven

    Book SynopsisWallace demystifies the narratives of Beethoven’s approach to his hearing loss and instead explores how Beethoven did not "conquer" his deafness; he adapted to life with it.Trade Review"In this pathbreaking book, Wallace demystifies the longstanding romance of Beethoven's deafness by bridging memoir and musicology in an exciting new way that speaks to a broad audience of readers. Of notable significance is his detailed attention to the innovative means by which Beethoven used his instrument--the piano--to discover and harness the multisensory acuities of his body in the face of his progressive hearing loss, accommodations that afforded a new, experimental orientation towards his musical craft that ultimately led to some of his most celebrated aesthetic breakthroughs."--Jessica Holmes, UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music "This is a special book. Readers interested in Beethoven's biography will learn many new things, thanks to Robin Wallace's knowledge and scholarship. But just as valuable is his personal account of his wife Barbara's deafness, which deeply engages our sympathy and gives us insight into the human condition."--Lewis Lockwood, Harvard University "Wallace offers a probing examination of Beethoven's creative process and how he turned his hearing loss to his advantage. [He] interweaves the personal experiences of his late wife, Barbara, who also became deaf. . . . [The book] deepens readers' knowledge of Beethoven's artistic life while broadening their understanding of hearing and loss. Highly recommended."-- "Library Journal" "Wallace's striking volume is a detailed, erudite study of the effect of deafness on Beethoven's music and character, but it is also a deeply personal account of Wallace's late wife's experience of deafness. This unlikely combination works beautifully and provides a convincing and moving probe into Beethoven's essence. Throughout the entire book, one senses the author's profound love and admiration for his lost wife and for Beethoven himself."--Harvey Sachs, author of The Ninth: Beethoven and the World in 1824 "Wallace provides a new and unique perspective on Beethoven's deafness. He combines a gripping and poignant personal narrative with the knowledge and skill of a seasoned researcher and musician. The book both reads like a novel and provides vivid insight into how Beethoven confronted the loss of a composer's most important asset. In weaving the personal and the scholarly, Wallace has created an intimate account of how Beethoven's deafness can be found in his music as well as how it shaped him as a person. In fact, in this book we see the human side of Beethoven in a way that has never before been portrayed." --Michael Broyles, author of Beethoven in AmericaTable of ContentsPreface Introduction: A Road Trip to Texas 1 · Beethoven’s Deafness: What We Know, What We Can Only Guess 2 · 2003: A Sudden Case of Deafness 3 · The Deaf Composer 4 · Deafness, Vocation, Vision 5 · The Artifacts of Deafness 6 · Ears, Eyes, and Mind 7 · Hearing through the Eyes Epilogue: Embracing Wholeness Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Index

    £18.00

  • Vaughan Williams and His World

    The University of Chicago Press Vaughan Williams and His World

    Book SynopsisTable of ContentsPermissions and Credits Acknowledgments Ralph Vaughan Williams: Man and Music—An IntroductionByron Adams and Daniel M. Grimley Vaughan Williams and CambridgeJulian Rushton Vaughan Williams and the Royal College of MusicErica Siegel Vaughan Williams’s “The Letter and the Spirit” (1920)Introduced and Annotated by Ceri Owen Modernist Image in Vaughan Williams’s JobPhilip Rupprecht “Finest of the Fine Arts”: Vaughan Williams and FilmAnnika Forkert Pilgrim in a New-Found-Land: Vaughan Williams in AmericaByron Adams Vaughan Williams’s Lecture on the St. Matthew Passion (1938)Introduced and Annotated by Eric Saylor Vaughan Williams’s Common GroundSarah Collins and Daniel M. Grimley Tracing a Biography: Michael Kennedy’s Correspondence Concerning The Works of Ralph Vaughan WilliamsIntroduced and Annotated by Daniel M. Grimley and Byron Adams “His own idiom”: Vaughan Williams’s Violin Sonata and the Development of His Melodic StyleO. W. Neighbour Critical Reception: Early Performances of the Symphony No. 9 in E MinorIntroduced and Annotated by Alain Frogley Goodness and Beauty: Philosophy, History, and Ralph Vaughan WilliamsLeon Botstein Index Notes on the Contributors

    £85.00

  • La Traviata  Melodrama in Three Acts by Francesco

    The University of Chicago Press La Traviata Melodrama in Three Acts by Francesco

    7 in stock

    Book SynopsisThis critical edition presents the 1854 version as the main score, and also makes available the full score and the original 1853 settings of the revised pieces. For this text Fabrizio della Seta used the composer's autograph and many secondary sources, but also Verdi's previously unknown sketches.

    7 in stock

    £456.00

  • An Orchestra at My Fingertips

    McGill-Queen's University Press An Orchestra at My Fingertips

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisAn Orchestra at My Fingertips is the first study of the history, activities, and legacy of the Canadian Electronic Ensemble. Covering the ensemble’s first fifty years, Alexa Woloshyn features musician biographies as well as analyses of the CEE’s compositions, improvisations, commissions, and performance practice.Trade Review“An Orchestra at My Fingertips is the definitive biography of this important ensemble. Well-researched and written with great care, the book offers readers a wealth of information that has never before been available to anyone outside of the CEE’s circle of collaborators and close associates. And Woloshyn’s insights and techniques of listening can easily (and usefully) be applied to the CEE’s repertoire and electronic music – indeed any music – in general.” Paul Sanden, University of Lethbridge and author of Liveness in Modern Music: Musicians, Technology, and the Perception of Performance

    1 in stock

    £91.80

  • Statesman of the Piano  Jazz Race and History in

    McGill-Queen's University Press Statesman of the Piano Jazz Race and History in

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisJazz pianist Lou Hooper (1894–1977), Paul Robeson’s first accompanist and teacher to Oscar Peterson, came to prominence near the end of his life for his exceptional career. Statesman of the Piano makes his unpublished autobiography widely available for the first time, with commentary from historians, archivists, musicians, and cultural critics.Trade Review“Statesman of the Piano provides a fascinating lens, one that corroborates current research and adds new detail and insights. Hooper’s story shows how a Canadian-born Black man was able to thrive in Jim Crow America. Moreover, the breakdown of black nightclubs/venues in the forties and fifties in southwest Montreal brings a new punctuation to the city’s jazz history.” Dorothy W. Williams, author of Blacks in Montreal, 1628–1986: An Urban Demography“Primary sources for the history of jazz, particularly in Canada, are few and far between and Statesman of the Piano is a welcome and meaningful contribution. Hooper’s autobiography contains much to savour, and the editors are to be commended for presenting his work to a wider audience. Their introduction – thoughtful, illuminating, and comprehensive – provides an inviting basis from which to follow Hooper’s story.” Rob van der Bliek, editor of The Thelonious Monk Reader

    2 in stock

    £26.99

  • Copyright Law Symposium 39 ASCAP Copyright Law

    Columbia University Press Copyright Law Symposium 39 ASCAP Copyright Law

    1 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    1 in stock

    £90.40

  • Record Makers and Breakers

    University of Illinois Press Record Makers and Breakers

    Book SynopsisThis volume is an engaging and exceptional history of the independent rock ''n'' roll record industry from its raw regional beginnings in the 1940s with R & B and hillbilly music through its peak in the 1950s and decline in the 1960s. John Broven combines narrative history with extensive oral history material from numerous recording pioneers including Joe Bihari of Modern Records; Marshall Chess of Chess Records; Jerry Wexler, Ahmet Ertegun, and Miriam Bienstock of Atlantic Records; Sam Phillips of Sun Records; Art Rupe of Specialty Records; and many more.Trade ReviewAwarded a Certificate of Merit by the Association for Recorded Sound Collections (ARSC) for Best Research in Recorded Rock and Popular Music, 2010. "Broven ... keeps the text moving right along, his fill-in facts and explanations welcome, his segues from interviewees' words to his own smooth and easy. The author clearly loves the music and holds the achievements of the record people in high regard, but he stays level-headed and avoids overpraising his heroes."--Downbeat"A fascinating new book about the early independent labels of rock 'n' roll underscores again the central role that radio played in turning rock 'n' roll into the musical language of modern American popular culture. Record Makers and Breakers ... is a rich and engaging history of those early years, largely told through the words of the smart guys, hustlers and Runyonesque characters who shaped them". --New York Daily News"Broven has put together a detailed and engrossing study of the independent record labels of the 1940s-70s. . . . An outstanding and important study that goes well beyond comparable predecessors; highly recommended."--Library Journal (starred review)"4 stars. Welcome to a world filled with payola, the mob and jukebox sounds."--MOJO"Covering the convoluted history of the recording industry from the 1940s to the 1960s, [Broven] combines in-depth archival research with fascinating anecdotes about chart-toppers, shady characters and label owners. . . . The impact of conniving entrepreneurs on the musicians and the layering of rich details and digressive detours as Broven traces the transition from R&B to rock make this equal to Roger D. Kinkle’s massive, four-volume Complete Encyclopedia of Popular Music and Jazz.--Publishers Weekly"The depth of factual details is incredible, but it's presented in the style of a rich oral history . . . so as not to lose any of the flavour of their anecdotes. . . . It's a chronicle of the entrepreneurial American spirit, liberally punctuated by the creation of some of the most exciting and innovative music of all time."--Record Collector“Broven is masterful, making Record Makers an essential book for anyone interested in not only American musical culture but American culture, period."--American Songwriter"This is by far the most complete picture painted to date of the independent recording industry and it has the added advantage of illuminating many of the personalities who helped make that tick."--Blue Suede News "A remarkable, carefully documented oral history written as an approachable narrative. . . . Recommended."--Choice "An invaluable addition to understanding American music and indispensable for those into pop music history."--Jazz & Blues Report "Record Makers and Breakers is a big train of a book that follows the rise of blues, R&B, soul and early rock 'n' roll through the lives behind the independent labels. Long though it is, the ride is rich for anyone curious about the business dynamics of popular culture."--New Orleans Magazine "A treasure. John Broven has given the academic world a good dose of old-fashioned shoe leather journalism. This book will be invaluable to scholars studying the music industry and particularly the rock 'n' roll era."--Don Cusic, author of Johnny Cash: The Songs "Record Makers and Breakers is replete with groundbreaking research that more than any other single book explains how the popular music industry worked. A must read about the record industry."--Robert Pruter, author of Doowop: The Chicago Scene and Chicago Soul

    £87.55

  • Hildegard of Bingen

    University of Illinois Press Hildegard of Bingen

    Book SynopsisTrade Review"A fine introduction to anyone interested in Hildegard's music and a solid foundation for further reading, performing, and research." --Yale Journal of Music & Religion​"With her friendly, calm voice and measured pace, the author takes the reader on an interesting journey through the highlights of Hildegard's life and work. Meconi constructs a vividly imagined persona and life story that brings the medieval figure close to the modern reader."--Marianne Pfau, co-author of Hildegard von Bingen: Der Klang des Himmels"Meconi does an excellent job of showing that Hildegard's chants are linked to late medieval repertory but are also distinctive and idiosyncratic. Highly recommended." --Choice"Hildegard of Bingen is an excellent addition to English-language literature on Hildegard. . . will recommend it as a solid introduction to Hildegard as a composer to students, colleagues, friends, and early music enthusiasts alike." --Revue de musicologie"Meconi offers fresh insight into one of the most creative composers of her time." --WXXI"The inspiring account offered in this book indeed sweeps the reader along into a skillfully told, fascinating life story." --Early Music"If you think you already knew Hildegard, prepare to be enlightened. Honey Meconi’s extensive scholarship puts Hildegard’s life, music, and writings into clear historical context, concisely and blessedly free of academic jargon. Meconi doesn’t just repeat what we know about the twelfth-century wonder woman. She describes how we know it, separates truth from fiction, and makes us understand why the music of Hildegard sounds like nothing and nobody else. With a detailed list of works, bibliography, notes and selected discography, this is the perfect go-to volume for a music director, teacher, student, singer, music lover, or Hildegard fan."--Susan Hellauer, Anonymous 4

    £77.35

  • About Bach

    University of Illinois Press About Bach

    Book SynopsisExploring Bach's enduring importanceTrade Review"Thanks to the extent, scope, and universality of his work, Bach will always be a subject for new studies. . . . An interesting collection."--Choice “If you’re looking for an example of current state-of-the-art Bach scholarship which will also guide you through some of the most significant issues in study of the composer, enjoy the open and at the same time scholarly styles of leading experts, performers and analysts, and wish to come away feeling well and truly connected with informed thinking about Bach’s place in the wider musical pantheon, About Bach is a must. Thoroughly recommended.”--Classical Net Review "This is a really significant collection of essays, first-rate in terms of scholarship and the new perspectives they bring to known issues, as well as in their introduction of new facets of study. Anyone interested in Bach, his music, and the contexts of the period, will want to secure a copy of this exemplary volume."--Robin A. Leaver, author of Luther's Liturgical Music: Principles and ImplicationsTable of ContentsPreface ix Abbreviations xi BEFORE BACH A Master Teacher Revealed: Johann Pachelbel's Deutliche Anweisung 3 BY KATHRYN WELTER From the House of Aaron to the House of Johann Sebastian: Old Testament Roots for the Bach Family Tree 15 BY MARY DALTON GREER BACH'S VOCAL MUSIC Combinatorial Modeling in the Chorus Movement of Cantata 24, Ein ungefarbt Gemute 35 BY ALEXANDER J. FISHER Choral Unison in J. S. Bach's Vocal Music 53 BY DANIEL R. MELAMED You Say Sabachthani and I Say Asabthani: A St. Matthew Passion Puzzle 61 BY MICHAEL OCHS Sein Segen fliesst daher wie ein Strom, BWV Anh. I 14: A Source for Parodied Arias in the B-Minor Mass? 69 BY WILLIAM H. SCHEIDE BACH CIRCLE Johann Friedrich Schweinitz, "A Disciple of the Famous Herr Bach in Leipzig" 81 BY HANS-JOACHIM SCHULZE Johann Christian Bach and the Church Symphony 89 BY JEN-YEN CHEN BACH'S INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC Scribes, Engravers, and Notational Styles: The Final Disposition of Bach's Art of Fugue 111 BY GREGORY G. BUTLER Notes on J. S. Bach and Basso Continuo Realization 125 BY TON KOOPMAN Music for "Cavaliers et Dames": Bach and the Repertoire of His Collegium Musicum 135 BY GEORGE B. STAUFFER A Print of Clavieriibung 1 from J. S. Bach's Personal Library 157 BY ANDREW TALLE AFTER BACH Carl Reinecke's Performance of Mozart's Larghetto and the Nineteenth-Century Practice of Quantitative Accentuation 171 BY ROBERT HILL "Grand Miscellaneous Acts": Observations on Oratorio Performance in London after Haydn 181 BY MARK RISINGER Back from B-A-C-H: Schumann's Symphony No. 2 in C Major 191 BY DOUGLASS SEATON Contributors 207 Index 211

    £28.80

  • George Gershwin  An Intimate Portrait

    University of Illinois Press George Gershwin An Intimate Portrait

    Book SynopsisThe dramatic story of a legendary American composerTrade Review"More thorough biographies than Mr. Rimler's slender volume exist ... but for those of us interested less in the technical details of Gershwin's music and its performance than in the comet called George Gershwin that blazed briefly across American skies, Mr. Rimler is the astronomer of choice."The Wall Street Journal"Compact in length and voluminous in its details, Walter Rimler's study of Gershwin is freighted with melancholy—an appropriate parallel with Gershwin's own life."--TLS "An engrossing, well-written look at Gershwin, the composer and the man, with emphasis on the man."--Choice"For those of us interested less in the technical details of Gershwin's music and its performance than in the comet called George Gershwin that blazed briefly across American skies, Mr. Rimler is the astronomer of choice."--Wall Street Journal"Rimler shines in weaving together anecdotes, correspondence and a wealth of interviews with the composer and his contemporaries to create a vibrant, flesh-and-blood picture of the man and his music in a readable and enjoyable book."--Jerusalem Post"Engagingly written, lavishly illustrated. . . . With this volume, we get a focused portrait of George Gershwin, a genius plagued by self-doubt and a wandering eye."--Opera News"A dynamic, fast-paced biography of George Gershwin that has the verve and staccato drive of a book the composer himself might have written. Rimler gives us a fuller, more complex, more humorous, and more vulnerable picture of Gershwin than has yet appeared in print."--Philip Furia, coauthor of The Poets of Tin Pan Alley: A History of America's Great Lyricists"A hugely enjoyable read, this neat, polished package is a skillful condensation of the vast literature on Gershwin but also offers a new critical angle on the composer's achievement."--Stephen Banfield, author of Jerome KernTable of Contents1.From Street Kid to Wunderkind; 2.Falling in Love With Kay; 3.A Piano Concerto; 4.Ira Takes a Wife; 5.Porgy; 6.Paris; 7."That Long Drip of Human Tears"; 8.The Losing Streak Begins; 9."Something Big"; 10."Don't Make It Too Good, George!"; 11.Kay

    £22.79

  • I Feel a Song Coming On

    University of Illinois Press I Feel a Song Coming On

    1 in stock

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

    1 in stock

    £26.09

  • George Szell

    University of Illinois Press George Szell

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

    £87.55

  • Henry Mancini

    University of Illinois Press Henry Mancini

    Book Synopsis Through film composer Henry Mancini, mere background music in movies became part of pop culture--an expression of sophistication and wit with a modern sense of cool and a lasting lyricism that has not dated. The first comprehensive study of Mancini''s music, Henry Mancini: Reinventing Film Music describes how the composer served as a bridge between the Big Band period of World War II and the impatient eclecticism of the Baby Boomer generation, between the grand formal orchestral film scores of the past and a modern American minimalist approach. Mancini''s sound seemed to capture the bright, confident, welcoming voice of the middle class''s new efficient life: interested in pop songs and jazz, in movie and television, in outreach politics but also conventional stay-at-home comforts. As John Caps shows, Mancini easily combined it all in his music. Mancini wielded influence in Hollywood and around the world with his iconic scores: dynamic jazz for theTrade Review"Accessible and engaging, this fresh view of Mancini's oeuvre and influence will delight and inform fans of film and popular music."--Turner Classic Movies"Caps' assiduously research study of Mancini's life and career ... is detailed and insightful. . . . It will be enjoyed both by film buffs and music lovers."--Allaboutjazz.com "Will satisfy musically experienced readers as well as laypeople. It deserves a place in every film and popular music collection."--Library Journal "A stimulating chronicle of the life and works of film and television composer Henry Mancini. Consistently thorough and detailed, this book contains a considerable wealth of information and insight into this extremely popular composer."--James Wierzbicki, author of Film Music: A History and Elliott Carter "A well-researched study of a musical career. . . Film by film, the book reveals how Mancini negotiated and compromised to become the computer of many a moviemaker's dreams."--Booklist "An important book, and, in many ways, a crucial one, too, it's chief value resting in Caps' articulate championing of one of the most singular compositional talents to emerge from Hollywood's film factory."--Classical Music"In this lively, syncopated survey of Mancini's movie music, Caps offers a comprehensive critique of the composer's film/TV scores and hit albums."--Publishers Weekly

    £22.79

  • Women Singers in Global Contexts  Music Biography

    University of Illinois Press Women Singers in Global Contexts Music Biography

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisVoices of women heard worldwideTrade Review"An ambitious collection of essays on women singers by leading scholars in ethnomusicology and related fields. The volume will be welcomed by students of a variety of disciplines including ethnomusicology and women's studies."--Anne K. Rasmussen, author of Women, the Recited Qur'an, and Islamic Music in Indonesia "An intellectually stimulating overview of how such musicians manage dynamically to present themselves with their own cultures. Highly recommended."--Choice "Each chapter engages with multiple contexts, demonstrating the ways in which women from various backgrounds mediate performance and gendered expectations inside and outside their home communities... Impactful intersections of different identity categories--gender, class, profession, or avocation ("singer"), location, age, sexuality, education, race, and marital and familial status--emerge as central to the work"--Ethnomusicology "The first ethnographic collection to focus on individual female singers. . . . The range of the essays is impressive, featuring women of different generations from five continents. . . . this volume will be valuable to scholars interested in a variety of aspects related to biography and performance."--Journal of SingingTable of ContentsContributors are Shino Arisawa, Katelyn Barney, Gay Breyley, Nicoletta Demetriou, Veronica Doubleday, Ruth Hellier, Ellen Koskoff, Carol Muller, Thomas Solomon, Amanda Villepastour, and Louise Wrazen.

    2 in stock

    £77.35

  • The Great Orchestrator

    University of Illinois Press The Great Orchestrator

    1 in stock

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

    1 in stock

    £42.30

  • Charles Ives in the Mirror

    MO - University of Illinois Press Charles Ives in the Mirror

    Book SynopsisLocating representations of Ives within American cultural historyTrade ReviewA Choice Outstanding Title, 2013. "An engaging and comprehensive account of the reception history of Charles Edward Ives. . . .The book will undoubtedly become an essential tool for the study of Ives."-- Choice"David Paul's interest lies with how Ives's reflection is colored by the viewpoints of other Americans. He has written the first book-length reception history of the composer since his relatively recent passing in 1954… He asks his readers to embrace and even celebrate subjectivity, both in their understanding of Ives as a historical figure and universally in history at large."--Notes "The depth of Paul's historical perspective speaks for itself."--Gramophone“Paul has crafted an ambitious intellectual history, putting Ives at the centre of diverse forces, including the history of twentieth-century composition, the legacy of transcendentalism, the cultural marketing of the Cold War and the rise of American Studies and American Musicology. This is not a book about Ives’s music or his life, but rather a meta history that focuses on the composer’s advocates, critics and chroniclers. Essentially, it probes the complex ways in which a gifted creative artist achieves broad-based fame, and then, in a sense, becomes public property—a figure to be reviled or adored or forgotten as time marches on.”—Times Literary Supplement"By virtue of its depth of insight, its wide remit, and its succinct yet highly detailed presentation, this remarkable book is a considerable addition to the existing scholarship on this most fascinating of musical figures."--David Nicholls, author of John Cage"An outstanding work. Until now no one has created, in a single narrative, the story of how Charles Ives' music moved from the far outer fringes to the central core of American musical culture, and David Paul has done this in an exemplary manner. It is a tour-de-force in both its breadth and its insights."--Michael Broyles, author of Beethoven in America

    £33.30

  • Making the March King

    University of Illinois Press Making the March King

    Book SynopsisJohn Philip Sousa''s mature career as the indomitable leader of his own touring band is well known, but the years leading up to his emergence as a celebrity have escaped serious attention. In this revealing biography, Patrick Warfield explains how the March King came to be by documenting Sousa''s early life and career. Covering the period 1854 to 1893, this study focuses on the community and training that created Sousa, exploring the musical life of late nineteenth-century Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia as a context for Sousa''s development. Warfield examines Sousa''s wide-ranging experience composing, conducting, and performing in the theater, opera house, concert hall, and salons, as well as his leadership of the United States Marine Band and the later Sousa Band, early twentieth-century America''s most famous and successful ensemble. Sousa composed not only marches during this period but also parlor, minstrel, and art songs; parade, concert, and medley marches; schottisches, Trade Review"Making the March King is chock full of fresh and previously unpublished details about John Philip Sousa's early years, his influences, his formative experiences, and his strategies for promoting his career and reputation. Recommended for anyone interested in music history and the full story of one of the giants of early American popular culture."--Thomas L. Riis, author of Frank Loesser"Thorough, engaging and fun. Musicians interested in the evolution of music in the US will be riveted by this study of one of America's most beloved musical icons. Highly recommended."--Choice"An engaging book, easy to read, full of facts and footnotes."--American Record Guide"Warfield has brilliantly illuminated how Sousa managed his nascent career to become the March King, providing readers with a remarkable look at how an artist can shape his or her career."--American Music"Like Sousa's musical programs, the book is both educational and entertaining."--Washington History"A terrific new book on the early life and times of a composer who has long been as enigmatic as he is familiar."--Kenneth R. Kreitner, author of Discoursing Sweet Music: Brass Bands and Community Life in Turn-of-the-Century Pennsylvania

    £33.30

  • The Magic of Beverly Sills

    University of Illinois Press The Magic of Beverly Sills

    1 in stock

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

    1 in stock

    £22.79

  • A Cole Porter Companion

    University of Illinois Press A Cole Porter Companion

    Book SynopsisBalancing sophisticated melodies and irresistible rhythms with lyrics by turns cynical and passionate, Cole Porter sent American song soaring on gossamer wings. Timeless works like 'I Get a Kick Out of You' and 'At Long Last Love' made him an essential figure in the soundtrack of a century and earned him adoration from generations of music lovers. In A Cole Porter Companion, a parade of performers and scholars offers essays on little-known aspects of the master tunesmith''s life and art. Here are Porter''s days as a Yale wunderkind and his nights as the exemplar of louche living; the triumph of Kiss Me Kate and shocking failure of You Never Know; and his spinning rhythmic genius and a turkey dinner into 'You''re the Top' while cultural and economic forces take 'Ev''ry Time We Say Goodbye' in unforeseen directions. Other entries explore notes on ongoing Porter scholarship and delve into his formative works, performing career, and long-overlooked contributions to Trade ReviewCertificate of Merit for Best Discography, Association for Recorded Sound Collections (ARSC), 2017 "Recommended."--Choice"As part of the 'Music in American Life' series, this book is an essential introduction and study of the music of one of the greatest American composers of the twentieth century." --The Journal of American Culture"Is there a need for a book like this, a compendium of essays by scholars and experts in musicology, music history and sundry ancillary specialties? The answer is an emphatic yes… To return to Irving Berlin, 'ya don’t need any larning' to appreciate this most sophisticated and well educated of American songwriters, but the huge amount of detail and analysis packed into this book enhances that appreciation."--The Washington Times"A Cole Porter Companion is an important addition to scholarship on American musical theatre and popular music. . . . This is a good introduction to scholarly examinations of the work of one of the most beloved American composers."--Indiana Magazine if History"Though centered on one person and his undeniable talents, the compilation explores many different avenues and subtopics, keeping the subject fresh and enjoyable throughout."--Notes"A Cole Porter Companion is simply an indispensable, unadulterated joy of a book--required reading for anyone who loves music, lyrics, the theater, and of course the inimitable Cole Porter--from the non-music-reading fan to the most sophisticated and scholarly musicologist. A landmark volume, bridging the gap between academe and the general listener with a bubbly élan worthy of the master himself."--Maury Yeston"Anything goes?--not in the ruthless world of Tin Pan Alley. Of all the great American Songbook composers, Cole Porter is perhaps the hardest to fit into Broadway's 'Golden Age.' This fine guide suggests how best to do it."--Tim Carter, author of Oklahoma! The Making of an American Musical

    £87.55

  • Foggy Mountain Troubadour

    University of Illinois Press Foggy Mountain Troubadour

    Book SynopsisWith his trademark mandolin style and unequaled tenor harmonies, Curly Seckler has carved out a seventy-seven-year career in bluegrass and country music. His foundational work in Flatt and Scruggs''s Foggy Mountain Boys secured him a place in bluegrass history, while his role in The Nashville Grass made him an essential part of the music''s triumphant 1970s revival. Written in close collaboration with Mr. Seckler and those who know him, Foggy Mountain Troubadour is the first full-length biography of an American original. Penny Parsons follows a journey from North Carolina schoolhouses to the Grand Ole Opry stage and the Bluegrass Hall of Fame, from boarding houses to radio studios and traveling five to a car on two-lane roads to make the next show. Throughout, she captures the warm humor, hard choices, and vivid details of a brilliant artist''s life as he criss-crosses a nation and a century making music.Trade ReviewCertificate of Merit for Best Historical Research in Recorded Country Music, Association for Recorded Sound Collections Awards (ARSC), 2017 Named Bluegrass Print/Media Person of the Year from the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA), 2016 "A front row seat to bluegrass history."--Charlotte News & Observer "What emerges from Parsons' narrative is a fascinating life of a performer who deserves to be well known to all scholars and fans of bluegrass music."--ARSC Journal"Those who are interested in the history of bluegrass and old country music must by and read this wonderful book."--Bluegrass Today"Let us shower Penny Parsons and Curly Seckler with roses for their wonderful collaboration on Foggy Mountain Troubadour . Curly Seckler is one of the most beloved and revered of all the first generation country and bluegrass music pioneers. Ms. Parsons not only illuminates Mr. Seckler's storied life but also reports rarified accounts that offer us insight into the humanity that underscored the people, songs, live performances, recordings, and travels surrounding what is now considered to be one of the most mythical bands ever to play: Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs, and the Foggy Mountain Boys. Penny Parsons is not only an authentic biographer, she is also a first-rate musical detective."--Marty Stuart"Anyone who has followed the life and career of Curly Seckler will have a hard time putting this book down. . . . [Penny Parsons] has done an amazing and masterful job in documenting the life of one of the great sidemen in Bluegrass."--Country Sales Newsletter"A must read for anyone who would like a window into the world of the American South, the rise of our country music and its early stars, and especially to gain an appreciation for an American musical treasure--Curly Seckler."--Randall Franks, Southern Style"Foggy Mountain Troubadour offers a fascinating look at a long and storied life in music. Bluegrass is one of America's defining art forms, and Parsons uses spirited prose and anecdotes drawn from her adept research to illustrate how Seckler witnessed and helped shape it from the beginning."--Greensboro News & Record"Penny Parsons's well-mined research and articulate journalistic style reveal never-before-documented history that should be of interest to all fans of country and bluegrass music's golden era. Written with Mr. Seckler's full cooperation, this educational and entertaining biography explores the compelling journey of a legendary musical statesman. Along the way, he endured both triumph and tragedy with determination, unshakable faith, kindness, generosity, and humor. This book truly does justice to his amazing legacy."--Eddie Stubbs, WSM Grand Ole Opry announcer "This carefully researched and richly detailed account of Seckler's life and career provides a new perspective on the work of his primary employers--Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs. Parsons's labor of love has produced a good read and an invaluable reference."--Jay Orr, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

    £81.90

  • Exploring the World of J. S. Bach

    University of Illinois Press Exploring the World of J. S. Bach

    1 in stock

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

    1 in stock

    £77.35

  • Peggy Seeger

    University of Illinois Press Peggy Seeger

    1 in stock

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

    1 in stock

    £22.79

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