Gengaro surveys Chopin's position as a composer of Romantic piano music at a time when the piano stood at the center of musical and social life. It sheds a spotlight on Chopin and his music that illuminates the Romantic period in which he lived, the social and artistic climate, and the importance of this most individual artist.
Written for the both the scholar and amateur enthusiast interested in modern classical music and American social history, Nationalist and Populist Composers creates a contextual frame through which all audiences can better understand such eternal works as Rhapsody in Blue, Appalachian Spring, and West Side Story.
If The Cavern in Liverpool was the birthplace of the Mersey beat, then the Crawdaddy Club in Richmond, where the Stones played their first gigs, was at the heart of British rhythm and blues. Formed in 1962 this tells their incredible story including profiles of the past and present members Mick Jagger, Keith Richards Charlie Watts, Ronnie Wood ......
MacLeod explores Phil Spector's rise and fall as a musician, songwriter, and producer whose musical ability and visionary foresight radically influenced popular music and culture of the 20th century. Spector's legendary wall of sound became a hallmark of 1960's pop music and contributed to the success of bands like the Beach Boys and the Beatles.
In this book, Kenneth LaFave guides readers past Bernstein's famously tortured personal problems and into the clarity and balance of his Serenade after Plato's Symposium for Violin and Orchestra, the intense drama of his music for On the Waterfront, the existential cosmography of his three symphonies, and his vibrant works for the musical stage.
This book provides extensive commentary and an English translation of 17th-century German music theorist Andreas Werckmeister's final treatise, the Musicalische Paradoxal-Discourse. Topics discussed include theological reflections on music, numerology in musical intervals, music notation and solmization, and tunings.
George Plasketes provides a comprehensive chronicle of Warren Zevon's 40-year, 20-record career and his enduring cultural significance. Throughout, Plasketes explores the musical, cinematic, and literary influences that shaped Zevon's distinctive style and songwriting themes.
Tempesta is the stormy musical language employed whenever a composer wishes to inspire terror in an audience. This study explores the large repertoire of such music to examine programmatic storm depictions and the idea of tempesta as a topic in instrumental music.
Experiencing Chick Corea introduces this American jazz icon to audiences beyond the domain of fans already familiar with this work. Monika Herzig places Corea's creations in their historical and social contexts so any music lover can gain a fuller understanding of the incredible range of his work.
