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Roger Sessions: A Biography
by Andrea OlmsteadRecognized as the primary American symphonist of the 20th century, Roger Sessions (1896-1985) is one of the leading representatives of high modernism. His stature among American composers rivals Charles Ives, Aaron Copland, and Elliott Carter. Sessions was awarded two Pulitzer prizes, election to the American Academy of Arts and Letters, winning the Brandeis Creative Arts Award, the Gold Medal of the American Academy, and a MacDowell Medal, in addition to 14 honorary doctorates. Roger Sessions: A Biography brings together considerable previously unpublished archival material, such as letters, lectures, interviews, and articles, to shed light on the life and music of this major American composer. Andrea Olmstead, a teaching colleague of Sessions at Juilliard and the leading scholar on his music, has written a complete biography charting five touchstone areas through Sessions’s eighty-eight years: music, religion, politics, money, and sexuality.
Roger Smalley: A Case Study Of Late Twentieth-century Composition
by Christopher MarkHow does one go about writing the history of musical composition in the late twentieth century when, on the one hand, so much of it seems impossibly fractured and disassociated, and, on the other, there has been so little certainty about what the notion of 'music history' might entail under the critiques of post-modernism? One of the most productive ways forward is to pursue case studies involving single composers whose music reflects several aspects of recent activity. This enables the discussion of broad issues in a relatively focussed way whilst avoiding the pitfalls of traditional narrative histories and the centrifugal tendencies of the relativistic approach that some have called for. The music of the English-born (1943) and Australia-domiciled composer Roger Smalley is ideal material for such a study, because of his involvement with and response to an unusually large number of the myriad concerns and practices of post-1950s composition, including post-serial constructivism; parody; electro-acoustic composition and the electronic modification of conventionally-produced sound; Moment Form; aleatorism; minimalism; the use of non-Western resources (Aboriginal and South-East Asian sonorities); neo-Romanticism; and, arguably, the 'new classicism', as well as a brief flirtation with rock music in the late '60s. Employing an interview with the composer as a kind of cantus firmus, the book - the first extended single-author study of Smalley's music to be published - incorporates critical commentary on the composer's major works in a chronological narrative that engages with broad issues of central relevance to Smalley's generation, such as the process of learning the craft of composition in the early '60s; the motivation behind the adoption of certain technical and aesthetic positions; the effects on technical and aesthetic orientation of both the changing relationships between composer, performer, and audience and technological change; and the distinction betwe
Roger Waters: El cerebro de Pink Floyd
by Sergio MarchiLa biografía integral de Roger Waters, cerebro de una de las bandas más importantes de los últimos sesenta años, en un recorrido que va de su infancia -marcada por la desaparición de su padre en la guerra- a la ebullición cultural de la Inglaterra de los Beatles y los Stones y después. Syd Barrett, las giras, los discos, El lado oscuro de la luna, The Wall, David Gilmour, la militancia política y las peleas y polémicas de una carrera única que lo encuentra vital como siempre y tocando por todo el mundo a los 80. La historia de Pink Floyd y la de Roger Waters son inseparables. Como solista, Waters demostró su poderío cuando recorrió el planeta montado en el espectáculo The Wall, donde volvió a construir ese muro monstruoso que separa a la gente y lo derribó noche tras noche. En la Argentina, colmó nueve veces el monumental estadio de River, generando un fenómeno sin precedentes. Acentuaría su tono político en la gira posterior, Us + Them. Se radicalizaría aún más con la gira siguiente, más parecida a una campaña política que a un recital de rock. Ha cumplido 80 años y está dispuesto a seguir luchando por sus ideales. ¿Hasta qué punto? Se lo ha acusado de nazi, de antisemita, de cómplice de dictadores, de izquierdista sin remedio, pero la mente de Roger Waters es un laberinto complejo y no siempre lineal. La pérdida de su padre en la Segunda Guerra Mundial lo traumó de por vida. Fundó Pink Floyd junto a Syd Barrett, Nick Mason y Rick Wright como una banda psicodélica en los 60. Luego Barrett enloquecería y David Gilmour ocupó su lugar. Con él a bordo crearon obras formidables como The Dark Side Of The Moon, Wish You Were Here y Animals, por nombrar algunas. Navegaron por el espacio del sonido y ofrecieron los shows más avanzados de su tiempo. Roger Waters abandonó Pink Floyd a mediados de los 80 y batalló contra Gilmour, que decidió seguir adelante con el grupo. Su carrera solista estuvo a la deriva hasta que volvió a amigarse con las canciones que escribió para Pink Floyd y las rescató para sus prodigiosas presentaciones, donde continúa denunciando la avaricia, la maldad y la impiedad del poder. Con el entusiasmo y la precisión que lo caracterizan, Sergio Marchi nos zambulle en el viaje de una estrella de rock atribulada que se consume en el ardor de su propia locura. El de un hombre que después de seis décadas de carrera conserva la vitalidad y la pasión de los años en que se convirtió en uno de los más grandes artistas contemporáneos y que lucha contra los poderes fácticos con la energía de un estudiante universitario y la imaginación del arte.
Roland Hayes: The Legacy of an American Tenor
by Christopher A. Brooks Robert SimsPerforming in a country rife with racism and segregation, the tenor Roland Hayes was the first African American man to reach international fame as a concert performer and one of the few artists who could sell out Town Hall, Carnegie Hall, Symphony Hall, and Covent Garden. His trailblazing career carved the way for a host of African American artists, including Marian Anderson and Paul Robeson. Performing the African American spirituals he was raised on, Hayes's voice was marked with a unique sonority which easily navigated French, German, and Italian art songs. A multiculturalist both on and off the stage, he counted among his friends George Washington Carver, Eleanor Roosevelt, Ezra Pound, Pearl Buck, Dwight Eisenhower, and Langston Hughes. This engaging biography spans the history of Hayes's life and career and the legacy he left behind as a musician and a champion of African American rights. It is an authentic, panoramic portrait of a man who was as complex as the music he performed.
Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die: Musings from the Road
by Willie NelsonIn Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die, Willie Nelson muses about his greatest influences and the things that are most important to him, and celebrates the family, friends, and colleagues who have blessed his remarkable journey. Willie riffs on everything, from music to poker, Texas to Nashville, and more. He shares the outlaw wisdom he has acquired over the course of eight decades, along with favorite jokes and insights from family, bandmates, and close friends. Rare family pictures, beautiful artwork created by his son, Micah Nelson, and lyrics to classic songs punctuate these charming and poignant memories.A road journal written in Willie Nelson's inimitable, homespun voice and a fitting tribute to America’s greatest traveling bard, Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die—introduced by another favorite son of Texas, Kinky Friedman—is a deeply personal look into the heart and soul of a unique man and one of the greatest artists of our time, a songwriter and performer whose legacy will endure for generations to come.
Roll Over, Tchaikovsky!: Russian Popular Music and Post-Soviet Homosexuality
by Stephen AmicoCentered on the musical experiences of homosexual men in St. Petersburg and Moscow, this ground-breaking study examines how post-Soviet popular music both informs and plays off of a corporeal understanding of Russian male homosexuality. Drawing upon ethnography, musical analysis, and phenomenological theory, Stephen Amico offers an expert technical analysis of Russian rock, pop, and estrada music, dovetailing into an illuminating discussion of homosexual men's physical and bodily perceptions of music. He also outlines how popular music performers use song lyrics, drag, physical movements, images of women, sexualized male bodies, and other tools and tropes to implicitly or explicitly express sexual orientation through performance. Finally, Amico uncovers how such performances help homosexual Russian men to create their own social spaces and selves, in meaningful relation to others with whom they share a "nontraditional orientation."
Roll With It: Brass Bands in the Streets of New Orleans
by Matt SakakeenyRoll With It is a firsthand account of the precarious lives of musicians in the Rebirth, Soul Rebels, and Hot 8 brass bands of New Orleans. These young men are celebrated as cultural icons for upholding the proud traditions of the jazz funeral and the second line parade, yet they remain subject to the perils of poverty, racial marginalization, and urban violence that characterize life for many black Americans. Some achieve a degree of social mobility while many more encounter aggressive policing, exploitative economies, and a political infrastructure that creates insecurities in healthcare, housing, education, and criminal justice. The gripping narrative moves with the band members from back street to backstage, before and after Hurricane Katrina, always in step with the tap of the snare drum, the thud of the bass drum, and the boom of the tuba.
Rollaresque: The Rakish Progress of The Rolling Stones
by Simon GoddardLondon 1962. Five young hooligans have formed a band and are on a collision course with the austere and intolerant values of post-war Britain. From their beginning in a scummy flat off the Kings Road to the notorious Redlands scandal, this is the anarchic rollercoaster ride of the Stones’ first five years.We follow our heroes in a rags-to-riches romp of sex, scandal, mischief and uproarious behaviour as they challenge the establishment, invent the archetype of the rebellious, parent-scaring rock star lothario and, eventually, receive their comeuppance from the powers that be. Presented with the audacious wit and bawdy humour of a vintage novel, complete with Dickensian illustrations, Rollaresque celebrates the young Stones in the grand English literary tradition of lovable rogues. This is the music biography reinvented as a ripping yarn.
Rolling Fields
by David TruebaWINNER OF AN ENGLISH PEN AWARD'Effortlessly readable and fizzing with energy, this novel is by turns quirky, funny and thoughtful'Mail on Sunday Dani Mosca is 40 and his father has just died. Fulfilling his father's last wishes, Dani embarks on a road trip back to his childhood village, a three-hour hearse journey from Madrid. Leaving behind the busy streets of the city for the deserted, archaic heart of Spain, Dani revisits the key junctions of his life: his conflicted relationship with a pragmatic and authoritarian father; the mystery of his birth; his school years in the repressed atmosphere of Catholic Spain; the origin of his band and its early successes; the emptiness left by a tragically lost friendship; his great loves. Laugh-out-loud funny, deeply moving and featuring an unforgettable cast of characters - from Ecuadorian drivers to Spanish Bowie lookalikes - Rolling Fields is a novel full of the grace and messiness of life: brave, exciting and completely irresistible.Translated from Spanish by Rahul Bery
Rolling Fields
by David TruebaWINNER OF AN ENGLISH PEN AWARD'Effortlessly readable and fizzing with energy, this novel is by turns quirky, funny and thoughtful'Mail on SundayDani Mosca is 40 and his father has just died. Fulfilling his father's last wishes, Dani embarks on a road trip back to his childhood village, a three-hour hearse journey from Madrid. Leaving behind the busy streets of the city for the deserted, archaic heart of Spain, Dani revisits the key junctions of his life: his conflicted relationship with a pragmatic and authoritarian father; the mystery of his birth; his school years in the repressed atmosphere of Catholic Spain; the origin of his band and its early successes; the emptiness left by a tragically lost friendship; his great loves. Laugh-out-loud funny, deeply moving and featuring an unforgettable cast of characters - from Ecuadorian drivers to Spanish Bowie lookalikes - Rolling Fields is a novel full of the grace and messiness of life: brave, exciting and completely irresistible.Translated from Spanish by Rahul Bery
The Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock and Roll: The Definitive History of the Most Important Artists and Their Music
by Anthony Decurtis James Henke Holly George-WarrenThe ultimate illustrated history of rock & roll--comprehensive, authoritative, and fully updated with coverage of the most important new sounds and artists of the 1980s and `90s.
The Rolling Stones 1972
by Keith Richards Jim MarshallIn 1972, the Rolling Stones marked their first decade as a band with the release of Exile on Main St. and a summer concert tour of America that set new standards for magnificence in live performance. Covering the tour for Life magazine, photographer Jim Marshall captured indelible moments of the Stones in their glory onstage, as well as the camaraderie behind the scenes. Featuring a foreword by Keith Richards, this volume presents Marshall's shots alongside dozens of never-before-seen frames. Stones fans celebrating their fiftieth anniversary will revel in this unprecedented look at one of the biggest rock bands of all time from the photographer who captured them best.
The Rolling Stones 1972 50th Anniversary Edition
by Jim Marshall Joel Selvin Anton Corbijn Nikki SixxA deluxe edition of the seminal book that unites two legends of rock 'n' roll: Jim Marshall and the Rolling Stones. Now with new essays and never-before-seen proof sheets!The year 1972 brought together two legends of rock 'n' roll at the peaks of their careers: Jim Marshall and the Rolling Stones. Selected by LIFE magazine to photograph the Stones' EXILE ON MAIN ST. tour, Marshall had a week of unlimited access. The results are his now-iconic images of the band, onstage in their full glory and backstage in moments of unguarded camaraderie. Marshall's ability to capture the essential spirit of an artist and the transformative power of music is matched only by the Stones' larger-than-life energy. Fifty years after these photographs were taken, they retain the power to thrill and inspire.This definitive edition presents the images as they were meant to be seen: at a larger size and in the rich, high-contrast tones Marshall favored. The original content is enhanced with never-before-seen proof sheets and two new essays by photographer and film director Anton Corbijn and Nikki Sixx of Mötley Crüe. This is the ultimate, immersive experience of one of the greatest moments in music history.TWO MAJOR NAMES: This book showcases the confluence of two massive creative talents: the band that defined rock 'n' roll, and the photographer who best captured its spirit. Jim Marshall is renowned in the music photography world. His images will immerse you completely in the scene of 1972.MUST-HAVE FOR FANS: If you love music or photography, or you wish you could go back to the raw energy of the 1970s, this is the book for you.DELUXE COLLECTOR’S ITEM: Previously published in 2012, Marshall's Rolling Stones photographs now get the ultimate deluxe treatment. You can enjoy these beloved images at a larger size, printed high quality and high-contrast, and in a gorgeous hardcover that's perfect to gift or display.TWO ANNIVERSARIES: Summer 2022 is not only the 50th anniversary of the tour when these photos were taken, but also the 60th anniversary of the Stones' debut performance. Commemorate those historic moments with this stunning book.Perfect for:• Music fans and musicians• Photographers and photography buffs• Anyone nostalgic for the 1970s• Rolling Stones fans• Jim Marshall fans• Photography book collectors• Leica camera users• History buffs• Dads, moms, and grandparents
Rolling Stones All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track (All the Songs)
by Jean-Michel Guesdon Philippe MargotinComprehensive visual history of the "World's Greatest Rock & Roll Band" as told through the recording of their monumental catalog, including 29 studio and 24 compilation albums, and more than a hundred singles.Since 1963, The Rolling Stones have been recording and touring, selling more than 200 million records worldwide. While much is known about this iconic group, few books provide a comprehensive history of their time in the studio. In The Rolling Stones All the Songs, authors Margotin and Guesdon describe the origin of their 340 released songs, details from the recording studio, what instruments were used, and behind-the-scenes stories of the great artists who contributed to their tracks. Organized chronologically by album, this massive, 704-page hardcover begins with their 1963 eponymous debut album recorded over five days at the Regent Studio in London; through their collaboration with legendary producer Jimmy Miller in the ground-breaking albums from 1968 to 1973; to their later work with Don Was, who has produced every album since Voodoo Lounge. Packed with more than 500 photos, All the Songs is also filled with stories fans treasure, such as how the mobile studio they pioneered was featured in Deep Purple's classic song "Smoke on the Water" or how Keith Richards used a cassette recording of an acoustic guitar to get the unique riff on "Street Fighting Man."
The Rolling Stones All the Songs Expanded Edition: The Story Behind Every Track
by Philippe Margotin Jean-Michel GuesdonComprehensive visual history of the "World's Greatest Rock & Roll Band" as told through the recording of their monumental catalog, including 29 studio and 24 compilation albums, and more than a hundred singles.Since 1963, The Rolling Stones have been recording and touring, selling more than 200 million records worldwide. While much is known about this iconic group, few books provide a comprehensive history of their time in the studio. In The Rolling Stones All the Songs, authors Margotin and Guesdon describe the origin of their 340 released songs, details from the recording studio, what instruments were used, and behind-the-scenes stories of the great artists who contributed to their tracks.Organized chronologically by album, this massive, 704-page hardcover begins with their 1963 eponymous debut album recorded over five days at the Regent Studio in London; through their collaboration with legendary producer Jimmy Miller in the ground-breaking albums from 1968 to 1973; to their later work with Don Was, who has produced every album since Voodoo Lounge. Packed with more than 500 photos, All the Songs is also filled with stories fans treasure, such as how the mobile studio they pioneered was featured in Deep Purple's classic song "Smoke on the Water" or how Keith Richards used a cassette recording of an acoustic guitar to get the unique riff on "Street Fighting Man."
The Rolling Stones In the Beginning: With unseen images
by Bent Rej"The photographs are amazing - the Stones are still practically children, messing around, pulling faces and writing the odd song."GQ"The finest single collection of Stones photographs I have ever seen" Bill WymanNEW, EXPANDED EDITION CONTAINING NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN PHOTOGRAPHS. In 1965 the Rolling Stones were big and about to be huge, when Bent Rej was given unprecedented access to a year in the eye of the rock 'n' roll storm, accompanying the band on its first full European outing: the Satisfaction tour. The Rolling Stones In the Beginning is Rej's collection of more than 300 intimate photographs of the band on stage, on the road and at home, documenting a year in the life of the Rolling Stones as they enjoyed their first taste of popular success.Long a fan favourite, this brand new edition offers an even closer look into the making of music history with images recently unearthed from Rej's archives.
The Rolling Stones In the Beginning: With unseen images
by Bent Rej"The photographs are amazing - the Stones are still practically children, messing around, pulling faces and writing the odd song."GQ"The finest single collection of Stones photographs I have ever seen" Bill WymanNEW, EXPANDED EDITION CONTAINING NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN PHOTOGRAPHS. In 1965 the Rolling Stones were big and about to be huge, when Bent Rej was given unprecedented access to a year in the eye of the rock 'n' roll storm, accompanying the band on its first full European outing: the Satisfaction tour. The Rolling Stones In the Beginning is Rej's collection of more than 300 intimate photographs of the band on stage, on the road and at home, documenting a year in the life of the Rolling Stones as they enjoyed their first taste of popular success.Long a fan favourite, this brand new edition offers an even closer look into the making of music history with images recently unearthed from Rej's archives.
Rolling Stones on Air in the Sixties: TV and Radio History As It Happened
by Richard HaversThe first official, in-depth history of the Rolling Stones told through the band’s television and radio broadcasts—appearance by appearance—published to tie in with the global release of a DVD containing recently discovered, never-before-released footage of the Stones on TV, in front of and behind the cameras.The Rolling Stones on Air in the Sixties is a unique chronicle of the band’s rise to fame during the 1960s. It begins with a letter the BBC received from Brian Jones in January 1963, politely requesting an audition for "The Rollin’ Stones Rhythm and Blues Band," and ends with the story of the group’s performance of "Let It Bleed" for BBC’s end-of-the-decade celebration television program Ten Years of What.From their first television appearance on Thank Your Lucky Stars!, sporting matching houndstooth suits at the insistence of manager Andrew Loog Oldham, to the louche rockers who performed at a televised free concert in London’s Hyde Park in 1969, The Rolling Stones on Air in the Sixties reveals, year-by-year, how the group rose from obscurity to dominate rock-and-roll. Throughout, the Stones look back at their career-defining broadcasts, sharing their individual recollections about the music, the clothes, the fans, the rivals and friends, and the impact they had on the generational divide and the world around them. This remarkable collection features previously unseen facsimile documents from the BBC and commercial archives, exclusive interviews with directors and producers who worked with the band during their rise, and showcases many stunning images never before seen. This is history as it happened, both in front of and behind the camera, and on and off the studio mic. Viewing the band from a fresh and unusual viewpoint that makes their story both immediate and vivid, The Rolling Stones on Air in the Sixties offers invaluable insights into one of the greatest great rock ’n’ roll bands the world has ever seen.
The Rolling Stones Rare and Unseen: Foreword by Keith Richards, afterword by Andrew Loog Oldham
by Gered MankowitzFOREWORD BY KEITH RICHARDS'ICONIC... DAZZLING.'-MOJO'Gered was at one with the band. More than that, for that special time, he was in the band.'-ANDREW LOOG OLDHAM'He was a hell of a lot of fun. That's why he was a good photographer.'-MARIANNE FAITHFULLDelve into the unseen archive of iconic photographer Gered Mankowitz as he shares rare and newly discovered images of his time with the Rolling Stones, alongside his most iconic shots.Just a teenager, Mankowitz took some of the best-loved photographs of the Stones in their frantic, formative years. Now for the first time he looks beyond those famous images - unearthing frames that have never been seen before, plus those rarely used.Also featuring Gered's first-hand stories and a host of expert writers on the band and their music - including The Times' chief rock and pop critic Will Hodgkinson, Ben Sisario of the New York Times as well as academics, fashion writers and more - The Rolling Stones Rare and Unseen is a fresh look at the greatest story in rock 'n' roll.AFTERWORD BY ANDREW LOOG OLDHAM
The Rolling Stones Rare and Unseen: Foreword by Keith Richards, afterword by Andrew Loog Oldham
by Gered MankowitzFOREWORD BY KEITH RICHARDS'ICONIC... DAZZLING.'-MOJO'Gered was at one with the band. More than that, for that special time, he was in the band.'-ANDREW LOOG OLDHAM'He was a hell of a lot of fun. That's why he was a good photographer.'-MARIANNE FAITHFULLDelve into the unseen archive of iconic photographer Gered Mankowitz as he shares rare and newly discovered images of his time with the Rolling Stones, alongside his most iconic shots.Just a teenager, Mankowitz took some of the best-loved photographs of the Stones in their frantic, formative years. Now for the first time he looks beyond those famous images - unearthing frames that have never been seen before, plus those rarely used.Also featuring Gered's first-hand stories and a host of expert writers on the band and their music - including The Times' chief rock and pop critic Will Hodgkinson, Ben Sisario of the New York Times as well as academics, fashion writers and more - The Rolling Stones Rare and Unseen is a fresh look at the greatest story in rock 'n' roll.AFTERWORD BY ANDREW LOOG OLDHAM
Roman Catholic Church Music in England, 1791–1914: A Handmaid of the Liturgy? (Music in Nineteenth-Century Britain)
by T.E. MuirRoman Catholic church music in England served the needs of a vigorous, vibrant and multi-faceted community that grew from about 70,000 to 1.7 million people during the long nineteenth century. Contemporary literature of all kinds abounds, along with numerous collections of sheet music, some running to hundreds, occasionally even thousands, of separate pieces, many of which have since been forgotten. Apart from compositions in the latest Classical Viennese styles and their successors, much of the music performed constituted a revival or imitation of older musical genres, especially plainchant and Renaissance Polyphony. Furthermore, many pieces that had originally been intended to be performed by professional musicians for the benefit of privileged royal, aristocratic or high ecclesiastical elites were repackaged for rendition by amateurs before largely working or lower middle class congregations, many of them Irish. However, outside Catholic circles, little attention has been paid to this subject. Consequently, the achievements and widespread popularity of many composers (such as Joseph Egbert Turner, Henry George Nixon or John Richardson) within the English Catholic community have passed largely unnoticed. Worse still, much of the evidence is rapidly disappearing, partly because it no longer seems relevant to the needs of the modern Catholic Church in England. This book provides a framework of the main aspects of Catholic church music in this period, showing how and why it developed in the way it did. Dr Muir sets the music in its historical, liturgical and legal context, pointing to the ways in which the music itself can be used as evidence to throw light on the changing character of English Catholicism. As a result the book will appeal not only to scholars and students working in the field, but also to church musicians, liturgists, historians, ecclesiastics and other interested Catholic and non-Catholic parties.
The Roman Sacred Music of Alessandro Scarlatti
by Luca Della LiberaThis book offers an account of the sacred music written by Alessandro Scarlatti (1660-1725) in Rome, a city where the composer lived and worked for many years throughout his career. Using archival research, Luca Della Libera provides an overview of Scarlatti’s life and activities in Rome, addresses his connections with the institutions and patrons of the city, and analyses his Roman repertoire in comparison to the sacred music of other contemporary composers, demonstrating its unique characteristics. An appendix includes transcriptions of the archival sources connected with Scarlatti’s activity in Rome. The first major publication in English to address the sacred music repertoire of one of the major composers of the Italian Baroque, this book offers new insights into Scarlatti’s work and a valuable resource for researchers in musicology and early modern studies.
A Romance on Three Legs: Glenn Gould's Obsessive Quest for the Perfect Piano
by Katie HafnerThe story of a legendary pianist's obsession with the unique, temperamental instrument he loved. Important figures in Gould's life are introduced including his nearly blind tuner.
Romantic Anatomies of Performance
by James Q. DaviesRomantic Anatomies of Performance is concerned with the very matter of musical expression: the hands and voices of virtuosic musicians. Rubini, Chopin, Nourrit, Liszt, Donzelli, Thalberg, Velluti, Sontag, and Malibran were prominent celebrity pianists and singers who plied their trade between London and Paris, the most dynamic musical centers of nineteenth-century Europe. In their day, performers such as these provoked an avalanche of commentary and analysis, inspiring debates over the nature of mind and body, emotion and materiality, spirituality and mechanism, artistry and skill. J. Q. Davies revisits these debates, examining how key musicians and their contemporaries made sense of extraordinary musical and physical abilities. This is a history told as much from scientific and medical writings as traditionally musicological ones. Davies describes competing notions of vocal and pianistic health, contrasts techniques of training, and explores the ways in which music acts in the cultivation of bodies..
The Romantic Generation (The\charles Eliot Norton Lectures #2018)
by Charles RosenWhat Charles Rosen’s celebrated book The Classical Style did for music of the Classical period, The Romantic Generation brilliantly does for the Romantic era. An exhilarating exploration of the musical language, forms, and styles of the Romantic period, it captures the spirit that enlivened a generation of composers and musicians, and in doing so it conveys the very sense of Romantic music. In readings uniquely informed by his performing experience, Rosen offers consistently acute and thoroughly engaging analyses of works by Schubert, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Bellini, Liszt, and Berlioz, and he presents a new view of Chopin as a master of polyphony and large-scale form. He adeptly integrates his observations on the music with reflections on the art, literature, drama, and philosophy of the time, and thus shows us the major figures of Romantic music within their intellectual and cultural context. Rosen covers a remarkably broad range of music history and considers the importance to nineteenth-century music of other cultural developments: the art of landscape, a changed approach to the sacred, the literary fragment as a Romantic art form. He sheds new light on the musical sensibilities of each composer, studies the important genres from nocturnes and songs to symphonies and operas, explains musical principles such as the relation between a musical idea and its realization in sound and the interplay between music and text, and traces the origins of musical ideas prevalent in the Romantic period. Rich with striking descriptions and telling analogies, Rosen’s overview of Romantic music is an accomplishment without parallel in the literature, a consummate performance by a master pianist and music historian.