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The Rejects: An Alternative History of Popular Music
by Jamie CollinsonImagine you've made it. You and your friends have hit the big time in music and you're going to be a star. But then, quite suddenly, it's over. Your best friends don't want you anymore, and you're on the outside. Perhaps they're tired of your bad habits, they think you're not good enough, or they sense you just don't want it as much as they do. Whatever the cause, you're a reject. So, what do you do next?Featuring a player rejected by both Nirvana and Soundgarden who became a decorated special forces soldier, Britpoppers who spiralled into addiction before becoming novelists and missionaries, the terrifying story of Guns N' Roses' first drummer, super-rejecting band leaders, self-destroying rappers, troubled hard rock bassists and girl-band burnouts, The Rejects takes an intimate, thoughtful look at people who've been kicked out of bands, what they experienced and what came afterwards.Coming from a writer with twenty years' music industry experience, The Rejects is a sympathetic study of some of music's most fascinating characters, and what happens when the dream comes crashing to an end. The result is a compelling alternative history of popular music.
The Reluctant Heiress
by Eva IbbotsonIn 1920s Austria, no one in the Viennese opera company knows that their wardrobe mistress Tessa is really a princess. But when the dashing self-made millionaire Guy Farne arrives at the opera, Tessa realizes that there may be more to life -- and love -- than just music.
The Requiem of Tomás Luis de Victoria (Music in Context)
by Owen ReesVictoria's Requiem is among the best-loved and most-performed musical works of the Renaissance, and is often held to be 'a Requiem for an age', representing the summation of golden-age Spanish polyphony. Yet it has been the focus of surprisingly little research. Owen Rees's multifaceted study brings together the historical and ritual contexts for the work's genesis, the first detailed musical analysis of the Requiem itself, and the long story of its circulation and reception. Victoria composed this music in 1603 for the exequies of María of Austria, and oversaw its publication two years later. A rich variety of contemporary documentation allows these events - and the nature of music in Habsburg exequies - to be reconstructed vividly. Rees then locates Victoria's music within the context of a vast international repertory of Requiems, much of it previously unstudied, and identifies the techniques which render this work so powerfully distinctive and coherent.
The Resisting Muse: Popular Music and Social Protest (Ashgate Popular and Folk Music Series)
by Ian PeddiePopular music has traditionally served as a rallying point for voices of opposition, across a huge variety of genres. This volume examines the various ways popular music has been deployed as anti-establishment and how such opposition both influences and responds to the music produced. Implicit in the notion of resistance is a broad adversarial hegemony against which opposition is measured. But it would be wrong to regard the music of popular protest as a kind of dialogue in league against 'the establishment'. Convenient though they are, such 'us and them' arguments bespeak a rather shop-worn stance redolent of youthful rebellion. It is much more fruitful to perceive the relationship as a complex dialectic where musical protest is as fluid as the audiences to which it appeals and the hegemonic structures it opposes. The book's contemporary focus (largely post-1975) allows for comprehensive coverage of extremely diverse forms of popular music in relation to the creation of communities of protest. Because such communities are fragmented and diverse, the shared experience and identity popular music purports is dependent upon an audience collectivity that is now difficult to presume. In this respect, The Resisting Muse examines how the forms and aims of social protest music are contingent upon the audience's ability to invest the music with the 'appropriate' political meaning. Amongst a plethora of artists, genres, and themes, highlights include discussions of Aboriginal rights and music, Bauhaus, Black Sabbath, Billy Bragg, Bono, Cassette culture, The Capitol Steps, Class, The Cure , DJ Spooky, Drum and Bass, Eminem, Farm Aid, Foxy Brown, Folk, Goldie, Gothicism, Woody Guthrie, Heavy Metal, Hip-hop, Independent/home publishing, Iron Maiden, Joy Division, Jungle, Led Zeppelin, Lil'Kim, Live Aid, Marilyn Manson, Bob Marley, MC Eiht, Minor Threat, Motown, Queen Latifah, Race, Rap, Rastafarianism, Reggae, The Roots, Diana Ross, Rush, Salt-n-Pepa, 7 Seconds, Roxanne Shanté, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Sisters of Mercy, Michelle Shocked, Bessie Smith, Straight edge Sunrize Band, Bunny Wailer, Wilco, Bart Willoughby, Wirrinyga Band, Zines.
The Resounding Revolution: Freedom Song after 1968 (Music in American Life)
by Stephen StacksFar from being bounded by the timeframe of the 1960s, freedom song continues to evolve as a tool both of historical memory and of present activism. Stephen Stacks looks at how post-1968 freedom song helps us negotiate our present relationship to the era while at the same time sustaining the contemporary struggle inspired by it. Stacks’s analysis shifts the focus of attention from genre--freedom song--to process and practice--freedom singing. As he shows, freedom singing after 1968 generates multilayered meanings. It can reinforce, or resist, consensus memories or dominant narratives. Stacks illuminates freedom singing’s diversity by examining it in three contexts: performance, protest, and within documentary sound recording/film. Insightful and vividly detailed, The Resounding Revolution examines sixty years of Black music to challenge and reshape the entrenched story of the Civil Rights Movement.
The Rest Is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century
by Alexander RossRoss (music critic for The New Yorker) tells the story of 20th century classical composition, which for him is an "untamed art, and unassimilated underground." While composers from Richard Strauss to John Adams lie at the heart of the narrative, Ross also places them within a social and political world, describing the politicians, dictators, corporate officers, art patrons, intellectuals, and critics who have attempted to adjudicate and control musical expression and the social upheavals that impacted the lives of composers and the music they produced. He also goes beyond the genre confines of classical to discuss connections to such artists as Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, the Beatles, and the Velvet Underground.
The Revolution’s Echoes: Music, Politics, and Pleasure in Guinea (Chicago Studies in Ethnomusicology)
by Nomi DaveMusic has long been an avenue for protest, seen as a way to promote freedom and equality, instill hope, and fight for change. Popular music, in particular, is considered to be an effective form of subversion and resistance under oppressive circumstances. But, as Nomi Dave shows us in The Revolution’s Echoes, the opposite is also true: music can often support, rather than challenge, the powers that be. Dave introduces readers to the music supporting the authoritarian regime of former Guinean president Sékou Touré, and the musicians who, even long after his death, have continued to praise dictators and avoid dissent. Dave shows that this isn’t just the result of state manipulation; even in the absence of coercion, musicians and their audiences take real pleasure in musical praise of leaders. Time and again, whether in traditional music or in newer genres such as rap, Guinean musicians have celebrated state power and authority. With The Revolution’s Echoes, Dave insists that we must grapple with the uncomfortable truth that some forms of music choose to support authoritarianism, generating new pleasures and new politics in the process.
The Revue in Twentieth-Century Budapest: From Cosmopolitan Night-Clubs to Stalinist Dogma (Elements in Musical Theatre)
by Dániel MolnárSince the introduction of modern revues in 1925, the genre faced near-constant political scrutiny in Budapest. Yet by the 1930s, the city had become the capital of Central European cosmopolitan nightlife. The closure of Hungary's borders after World War II ended any hope of reclaiming this international status. Under communism and the Stalinist totalitarian regime, the revue—despite its popularity—remained politically stigmatized. For the first time, entertainment was treated as a cultural matter rather than merely a law enforcement issue, but it was forced to conform to ideological expectations. Three attempts to legitimize the genre in the 1950s ultimately failed, shaping the trajectory of live entertainment in the era. By the 1960s, revues were officially accepted, yet their cultural significance had faded amid the rise of new entertainment forms.
The Rhino Records Story: Revenge of the Music Nerds
by Harold BronsonIn the 1970s in the backroom of a record store, Harold Bronson and Richard Foos were making history-and Rhino Records was born. Harold Bronson's The Rhino Records Story tells the tale of how a little record shop became a multi-million dollar corporation. Starting as an expression of Bronson and Foos' passion for rock music, absurdity, and an anti-establishment sensibility, Rhino soon outgrew its beginnings as a reissue label, taking on new artists and new mediums. Their accomplishments grew to encompass several gold record awards, the Best Label of the Year Award, the revival of careers of famous musicians, and the creation of a company to produce feature films including Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. This behind-the-scenes look at a company considered by many to be the industry's best, reveals the secrets to their success. Written from the perspective of cofounder Harold Bronson, The Rhino Records Story divulges a unique business approach which made Rhino what it was at the height of its success. Woven throughout this story of a rising corporation, Bronson guides us through the ascent, fall, and revival of artists Rhino touched such as the Monkees, the Turtles, the Knack, and Frankie Lymon. In a mix of hard work, passion for music, and a flair for the unconventional, the story of Rhino Records takes shape. The owners also ran their company humanely, and were awarded the Clinton administration's only Corporate Citizenship Award given to an entertainment company. Rhino Records, as it was envisioned by Bronson and Foos, had higher priorities than the bottom line. Struggling against corporate interests, rock star personalities, and a perpetual underdog reputation, Bronson provides an exclusive insight into how the industry was run and how Rhino excelled. By the fans, for the fans, Rhino Records is the story of rock history, evolving pop culture, and a unique understanding of the music that mattered.
The Rhino Records Story: Revenge of the Music Nerds
by Harold BronsonIn the 1970s in the backroom of a record store, Harold Bronson and Richard Foos were making history-and so, Rhino Records was born. Harold Bronson's The Rhino Records Story tells the tale of how a little record shop became a multimillion dollar corporation. This behind-the-scenes look at a company considered by many to be the industry's best, reveals the secrets to their success. Written from the perspective of co-founder Harold Bronson, The Rhino Records Story divulges a unique business approach which made Rhino what it was at the height of its success. In a mix of hard work and good humor, the story of Rhino Records takes shape. Struggling against corporate interests, the demands of rock star personalities, and a perpetual underdog reputation, Bronson provides an exclusive insight into how Rhino excelled. By the fans, for the fans, Rhino Records is the story of rock history, evolving pop culture, and a unique understanding of the music that mattered.
The Rhythm Book: Studies in Rhythmic Reading and Principles
by Peter PhillipsThis excellent textbook is directed to students and their teachers who want to further their mastery of rhythmic reading and notation. Through study of its principles, and through practice of the simple drills and exercises that occur throughout the book, readers can build the broad and fluent rhythmic vocabulary necessary for a good, basic understanding of music's essentials.Chapter by chapter, Peter Hampton Phillips, composer and educator, familiarizes the reader with the various signs, symbols, and units of rhythmic notation. For each area, he includes studies for playing and singing, and illuminating examples from nine centuries of music literature.The book includes a section on basic conducting technique and an appendix on sight-singing with drills that can enable singers and instrumentalists to "read ahead"; that is, to scan across the page, grasping new patterns as they appear. Other highly useful appendixes to this essential text demonstrate the principles of musical notation; illustrate a broad range of conducting patterns; list tempo markings in English, Italian, German, and French; and present typical problems and solutions of rhythmic notation.
The Rhythm of Thought: Art, Literature, and Music after Merleau-Ponty
by Jessica WiskusBetween present and past, visible and invisible, and sensation and idea, there is resonance--so philosopher Maurice Merleau-Ponty argued and so Jessica Wiskus explores in The Rhythm of Thought. Holding the poetry of Stéphane Mallarmé, the paintings of Paul Cézanne, the prose of Marcel Proust, and the music of Claude Debussy under Merleau-Ponty's phenomenological light, she offers innovative interpretations of some of these artists' masterworks, in turn articulating a new perspective on Merleau-Ponty's philosophy. More than merely recovering Merleau-Ponty's thought, Wiskus thinks according to it. First examining these artists in relation to noncoincidence--as silence in poetry, depth in painting, memory in literature, and rhythm in music--she moves through an array of their artworks toward some of Merleau-Ponty's most exciting themes: our bodily relationship to the world and the dynamic process of expression. She closes with an examination of synesthesia as an intertwining of internal and external realms and a call, finally, for philosophical inquiry as a mode of artistic expression. Structured like a piece of music itself, The Rhythm of Thought offers new contexts in which to approach art, philosophy, and the resonance between them.
The Rhythm of Thought: Art, Literature, and Music after Merleau-Ponty
by Jessica WiskusBetween present and past, visible and invisible, and sensation and idea, there is resonance—so philosopher Maurice Merleau-Ponty argued and so Jessica Wiskus explores in The Rhythm of Thought. Holding the poetry of Stéphane Mallarmé, the paintings of Paul Cézanne, the prose of Marcel Proust, and the music of Claude Debussy under Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenological light, she offers innovative interpretations of some of these artists’ masterworks, in turn articulating a new perspective on Merleau-Ponty’s philosophy. More than merely recovering Merleau-Ponty’s thought, Wiskus thinks according to it. First examining these artists in relation to noncoincidence—as silence in poetry, depth in painting, memory in literature, and rhythm in music—she moves through an array of their artworks toward some of Merleau-Ponty’s most exciting themes: our bodily relationship to the world and the dynamic process of expression. She closes with an examination of synesthesia as an intertwining of internal and external realms and a call, finally, for philosophical inquiry as a mode of artistic expression. Structured like a piece of music itself, The Rhythm of Thought offers new contexts in which to approach art, philosophy, and the resonance between them.
The Ribbons are for Fearlessness: A Journey
by Catrina DaviesDevastated by her lover leaving and trapped in a dead-end job, Catrina’s friend Andrew comes up with a plan: they'll busk their way from Norway to Portugal in a van. When Andrew is killed in a tragic accident Catrina decides to go it alone and discovers the real meaning of love and courage, and the importance of following her dreams.
The Rice Room: Growing Up Chinese-American from Number Two Son to Rock 'n' Roll
by Ben Fong-TorresAn instant best-seller when originally published in 1994, this expanded and updated edition of The Rice Room tells of growing up with a double identity—Chinese and American. Ben Fong-Torres was torn between an alluring American lifestyle—including Elvis and rock ‘n’ roll—and the traditional cultural heritage his proud immigrant parents struggled to instill in their five children. Now illustrated with personal family photographs as well as photos of the author with various celebrities, Fong-Torres rounds out his life story with a new final chapter.
The Right Instrument For Your Child
by Atarah Ben-Tovim Douglas BoydThis unique book offers a simple and practical method of selecting the right instrument for the individual child.Starting with the physical and emotional make-up of the child and using questionnaires and charts, the authors systematically explain the pros and cons of various instruments. For instance, a child who loves company might not enjoy playing the piano as it is predominantly a solo instrument. It appeals more to quiet introverts and yet many a child has been forced to learn only to give up as soon as they are allowed. As well as examining each individual instrument, the authors give advice on how some of the pitfalls can be avoided and provide information on buying and practising. Based on years of research by the authors, whose experience is unsurpassed, this is a comprehensive and inspirational book that will help unlock every child's potential.
The Right Instrument For Your Child
by Atarah Ben-Tovim Douglas BoydThis unique book offers a simple and practical method of selecting the right instrument for the individual child.Starting with the physical and emotional make-up of the child and using questionnaires and charts, the authors systematically explain the pros and cons of various instruments. For instance, a child who loves company might not enjoy playing the piano as it is predominantly a solo instrument. It appeals more to quiet introverts and yet many a child has been forced to learn only to give up as soon as they are allowed. As well as examining each individual instrument, the authors give advice on how some of the pitfalls can be avoided and provide information on buying and practising. Based on years of research by the authors, whose experience is unsurpassed, this is a comprehensive and inspirational book that will help unlock every child's potential.
The Right Way to Sing
by Lea Salonga Linda MarquartEveryone from budding professional to church choir soloist will be drawn to this step-by-step program that promises to teach people to sing like pros. This easy-to-use book starts with common singing terms, moves on to the importance of range and resonance, and continues with solid instruction on training the voice. A special chapter on vocal technique enriches the text, and the book's vocal exercises and tips for sight reading, learning music, and recognizing different musical forms all add value. Information about further study and finding a singing teacher, and answers to frequently asked questions, round out this useful text.
The Ring of Truth: The Wisdom of Wagner's Ring of the Nibelung
by Roger ScrutonThe vital, carefully crafted discussion on Wagner’s masterpiece, offering deep insight into both the work itself and profound perspective on certain key philosophical questions Richard Wagner’s Ring of the Nibelung is one of the greatest works of art created in modern times, and has fascinated both critics and devotees for over a century and a half. No recent study has examined the meaning of Wagner's masterpiece with the attention to detail and intellectual power that Roger Scruton brings to it in this inspiring account. The Ring of Truth is an exploration of the drama, music, symbolism and philosophy of the Ring from a writer whose knowledge and understanding of the Western musical tradition are the equal of his capacities as a philosopher. Scruton shows how, through musical connections and brilliant dramatic strokes, Wagner is able to express truths about the human condition which few other creative artists have been able to convey so convincingly. For Wagner, writes Scruton, the task of art is to “show us freedom in its immediate, contingent, human form, reminding us of what it means to us. Even if we live in a world from which gods and heroes have disappeared we can, by imagining them, dramatize the deep truths of our condition and renew our faith in what we are.” Love, death, sacrifice and the liberation that we win through sacrifice—these are the great themes of the Ring, as they are of this book. Scruton's passionate and moving interpretation allows us to understand more fully than ever how Wagner conveys his ideas about who we are, and why the Ring continues to be such a hypnotically absorbing work.
The Ring of the Nibelung
by Richard WagnerA superb new translation of one of the greatest nineteenth century poems: the libretto to Wagner's Ring cycleThe scale and grandeur of Wagner's The Ring of the Nibelung has no precedent and no successor. It preoccupied Wagner for much of his adult life and revolutionized the nature of opera, the orchestra, the demands on singers and on the audience itself. The four operas-The Rhinegold, The Valkyrie, Siegfried and Twilight of the Gods - are complete worlds, conjuring up extraordinary mythological landscapes through sound as much as staging. Wagner wrote the entire libretto before embarking on the music. Discarding the grand choruses and bravura duets central to most operas, he used the largest musical forces in the context often of only a handful of singers on stage. The words were essential: he was telling a story and making an argument in a way that required absolute attention to what was said. The libretto for The Ring lies at the heart of nineteenth century culture. It is in itself a work of power and grandeur and it had an incalculable effect on European and specifically German culture. John Deathridge's superb new translation, with notes and a fascinating introduction, is essential for anyone who wishes to get to grips with one of the great musical experiences.
The Ringtone Dialectic: Economy and Cultural Form
by Sumanth GopinathThe rise and fall of the ringtone industry and its effect on mobile entertainment, music, television, film, and politics.A decade ago, the customizable ringtone was ubiquitous. Almost any crowd of cell phone owners could produce a carillon of tinkly, beeping, synthy, musicalized ringer signals. Ringtones quickly became a multi-billion-dollar global industry and almost as quickly faded away. In The Ringtone Dialectic, Sumanth Gopinath charts the rise and fall of the ringtone economy and assesses its effect on cultural production.Gopinath describes the technical and economic structure of the ringtone industry, considering the transformation of ringtones from monophonic, single-line synthesizer files to polyphonic MIDI files to digital sound files and the concomitant change in the nature of capital and rent accumulation within the industry. He discusses sociocultural practices that seemed to wane as a result of these shifts, including ringtone labor, certain forms of musical notation and representation, and the creation of musical and artistic works quoting ringtones. Gopinath examines “declines,” “reversals,” and “revivals” of cultural forms associated with the ringtone and its changes, including the Crazy Frog fad, the use of ringtones in political movements (as in the Philippine “Gloriagate” scandal), the ringtone's narrative function in film and television (including its striking use in the films of the Chinese director Jia Zhangke), and the ringtone's relation to pop music (including possible race and class aspects of ringtone consumption). Finally, Gopinath considers the attempt to rebrand ringtones as “mobile music” and the emergence of cloud computing.
The Riot Grrrl Collection
by Kathleen Hanna Johanna Fateman Lisa DarmsFor the past two decades, young women (and men) have found their way to feminism through Riot Grrrl. Against the backdrop of the culture wars and before the rise of the Internet or desktop publishing, the zine and music culture of the Riot Grrrl movement empowered young women across the country to speak out against sexism and oppression, creating a powerful new force of liberation and unity within and outside of the women's movement. While feminist bands like Bikini Kill and Bratmobile fought for their place in a male-dominated punk scene, their members and fans developed an extensive DIY network of activism and support.The Riot Grrrl Collection reproduces a sampling of the original zines, posters, and printed matter for the first time since their initial distribution in the 1980s and '90s, and includes an original essay by Johanna Fateman and an introduction by Lisa Darms.Lisa Darms is senior archivist at the Fales Library & Special Collections at New York University, where she has created the Fales Riot Grrrl Collection.Johanna Fateman is a writer, musician, record producer, and member of the post-punk band Le Tigre. She, along with Kathleen Hanna and several other key Riot Grrrls, recently donated her zines and early writings to the Fales.
The Riot Grrrl Collection
by Johanna FatemanArchival material from the 1990s underground movement &“preserves a vital history of feminism&” (Ann Cvetkovich, author of Depression: A Public Feeling). For the past two decades, young women (and men) have found their way to feminism through Riot Grrrl. Against the backdrop of the culture wars and before the rise of the Internet or desktop publishing, the zine and music culture of the Riot Grrrl movement empowered young women across the country to speak out against sexism and oppression, creating a powerful new force of liberation and unity within and outside of the women&’s movement. While feminist bands like Bikini Kill and Bratmobile fought for their place in a male-dominated punk scene, their members and fans developed an extensive DIY network of activism and support. The Riot Grrrl Collection reproduces a sampling of the original zines, posters, and printed matter for the first time since their initial distribution in the 1980s and &’90s, and includes an original essay by Johanna Fateman and an introduction by Lisa Darms.
The Rise and Fall of Paramount Records: A Great Migration Story, 1917–1932
by Scott BlackwoodFounded in 1917, Paramount Records incongruously was one of several homegrown record labels of a Wisconsin chair-making company. The company pinned no outsized hopes on Paramount. Its founders knew nothing of the music business, and they had arrived at the scheme of producing records only to drive sales of the expensive phonograph cabinets they had recently begun manufacturing.Lacking the resources and the interest to compete for top talent, Paramount’s earliest recordings gained little foothold with the listening public. On the threshold of bankruptcy, the label embarked on a new business plan: selling the music of Black artists to Black audiences. It was a wildly successful move, with Paramount eventually garnering many of the biggest-selling titles in the “race records” era. Inadvertently, the label accomplished what others could not, making blues, jazz, and folk music performed by Black artists a popular and profitable genre. Paramount featured a deep roster of legendary performers, including Louis Armstrong, Charley Patton, Ethel Waters, Son House, Fletcher Henderson, Skip James, Alberta Hunter, Blind Blake, King Oliver, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Ma Rainey, Johnny Dodds, Papa Charlie Jackson, and Jelly Roll Morton. Scott Blackwood’s The Rise and Fall of Paramount Records is the story of happenstance. But it is also a tale about the sheer force of the Great Migration and the legacy of the music etched into the shellacked grooves of a 78 rpm record. With Paramount Records, Black America found its voice. Through creative nonfiction, Blackwood brings to life the gifted artists and record producers who used Paramount to revolutionize American music. Felled by the Great Depression, the label stopped recording in 1932, leaving a legacy of sound pressed into cheap 78s that is among the most treasured and influential in American history.
The Rise of Cantonese Opera
by Wing Chung NgDefined by its distinct performance style, stage practices, and regional and dialect based identities, Cantonese opera originated as a traditional art form performed by itinerant companies in temple courtyards and rural market fairs. In the early 1900s, however, Cantonese opera began to capture mass audiences in the commercial theaters of Hong Kong and Guangzhou--a transformation that changed it forever. Wing Chung Ng charts Cantonese opera's confrontations with state power, nationalist discourses, and its challenge to the ascendancy of Peking opera as the country's preeminent "national theatre." Mining vivid oral histories and heretofore untapped archival sources, Ng relates how Cantonese opera evolved from a fundamentally rural tradition into urbanized entertainment distinguished by a reliance on capitalization and celebrity performers. He also expands his analysis to the transnational level, showing how waves of Chinese emigration to Southeast Asia and North America further re-shaped Cantonese opera into a vibrant part of the ethnic Chinese social life and cultural landscape in the many corners of a sprawling diaspora.