Composers Books - Page 4

Hallelujah Handel

Douglas Cowling

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Editorial Review:

In eighteenth-century London, a young orphan who sings like an angel but is unable to speak is befriended by the great composer, George Frederick Handel, and finds his way home.

Ludwig Van Beethoven (Getting to Know the World's Greatest Composers)

Mike Venezia

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Subjects -> Biographies & Memoirs -> People, A-Z -> ( B ) -> Beethoven, Ludwig

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

An entertaining juvenile biography of the great Ludwig Van 5 out of 5 stars.
16 of 17 people found this review helpful.

Mike Venezia's Getting to Know the World's Greatest Composers series tends to focus on biographies rather than music appreciation because unlike his companion series on the World's Greatest Artists you cannot include a sonata the way you can a reproduction of a painting. However, for Ludwig Van Beethoven the author/illustrator makes an exception. This volume begins with an appreciation for how Beethoven changed the sound of music (no more party music). Within that context Venezia provides the expected biography, complete with historic ethics and paintings as well as those funny cartoons; just think Beethoven as the Liberace (if you are over 50) or Elton John (if you are under 50) of his day. There is also a photograph of his eyeglasses and metal ear trumpets. However, Venezia only mentions a handful of specific works by Beethoven, touching on how the 3rd symphony represented Napoleon, the four-note theme of the 5th Symphony, and going into some depth on the 6th Pastoral Symphony (but no mention of the glorious 9th Symphony or his other masterworks). Still, I appreciate the attempt to get more into Beethoven's music than he has done in other volumes of this series, which covers not only the great classic composers like Handel and Mozart, but also contemporary composers from Aaron Copland and George Gerswhin to Duke Ellington and the Beatles. As always, the recommendation is for young readers to have listened to some of Beethoven's masterpieces before, during and after reading this engaging juvenile biography and mini-music appreciation lesson.

Editorial Review:

The author/illustrator of the highly successful Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists series lends his creative talents to another fun, informative series, this one featuring world-famous composers.

Beethoven: The Music and the Life

Lewis Lockwood

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

A fresh look at Beethoven's life, career, and milieu highlighting his development as a composer.

In this brilliant portrayal of the world's most famous composer, eminent Beethoven scholar Lewis Lockwood interweaves his subject's musical and biographical dimensions and places them in their historical and artistic contexts. Written for the lay reader, the book describes the special problems Beethoven faced as a highly gifted artist who fulfilled his destiny as Mozart's main successor while remaining a true, rebellious original. It sketches the turbulent personal, historical, political, and cultural frameworks in which Beethoven worked and demonstrates their effects on his music. Finally, it turns to the composer in his last years, with great achievements behind him, surmounting the crisis of finding still further artistic paths by which to continue. Also, by providing glimpses into the composer's sketchbooks and autograph manuscripts, Lockwood allows us to gain substantial insights into Beethoven's compositional methods.

In a publishing first, musically literate readers will find some one hundred notated music examples on a special Web site. 50 illustrations, 8 music examples.

Beethoven's Hair: An Extraordinary Historical Odyssey and a Scientific Mystery Solved

Russell Martin

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 42 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Ludwig van Beethoven lay dying in 1827, a young musician named Ferdinand Hiller came to pay his respects to the great composer. In those days, it was customary to snip a lock of hair as a keepsake, and this Hiller did a day after Beethoven's death. By the time he was buried, Beethoven's head had been nearly shorn by the many people who similarly had wanted a lasting memento of the great man. Such was his powerful effect on all those who had heard his music.

For a century, the lock of hair was a treasured Hiller family relic, and perhaps was destined to end up sequestered in a bank vault, until it somehow found its way to the town of Gilleleje, in Nazi-occupied Denmark, during the darkest days of the Second World War. There, it was given to a local doctor, Kay Fremming, who was deeply involved in the effort to help save hundreds of hunted and frightened Jews. Who gave him the hair, and why? And what was the fate of those refugees, holed up in the attic of Gilleleje's church?

After Fremming's death, his daughter assumed ownership of the lock, and eventually consigned it for sale at Sotheby's, where two American Beethoven enthusiasts, Ira Brilliant and Che Guevara, purchased it in 1994. Subsequently, they and others instituted a series of complex forensic tests in the hope of finding the probable causes of the composer's chronically bad health, his deafness, and the final demise that Ferdinand Hiller had witnessed all those years ago. The results, revealed for the first time here, are startling, and are the most compelling explanation yet offered for why one of the foremost musicians the world has ever known was forced to spend much of his life in silence.

In Beethoven's Hair, Russell Martin has created a rich historical treasure hunt, an Indiana Jones-like tale of false leads, amazing breakthroughs, and incredible revelations. This unique and fascinating book is a moving testament to the power of music, the lure of relics, the heroism of the Resistance movement, and the brilliance of molecular science.

An astonishing tale of one lock of hair and its amazing travels--from nineteenth-century Vienna to twenty-first-century America.

The Ring of the Nibelung

Richard Wagner

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Essential alternative to CD librettos 4 out of 5 stars.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.

I bought this book hoping to better understand the text that appears poorly translated in CD librettos. I found that not only the poem (as Wagner called it) is more readable and understandable, but also perfectly matches the music sung in German, so one can read it in English following every syllable along with the music. And that is an important feature for the ring operas, or for all Wagner operas for that matter, mainly because the orchestra contributes so much to the meaning of what the characters are saying. I highly recommend this book to whoever is in the pursuit to better understand the ring operas. I only wish from this book that it had a Spanish translation as well, but I guess that would be asking way too much.

Buy it now before it disappears! 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

I am an avid reader of the Nibelung legend and will acquire it in any form I can find. Whether it be Wagner's opera, Lang's motion picture, illustrated books, novelized accounts, or various translations of the epic, I seek them with much vigor. This work of art escaped my attention until now, and it is with great fervor and joy that I heartedly recommend it to you. The reproductions of the paintings are exceptional in quality. The coffee table size book allows you to clearly see all the details that Ul De Rico invested in each painting. The paintings represent key moments in Richard Wagner's Der Ring Des Nibelungen and there are multiple images presented in each painting which presents a vivid progression of a scene. Whether it's Alberich's theft of the ring or Fafnir's slaying of Fasolt, you will be transported to the time of myth by the fabulous artistry of Ul De Rico. His paintings display the passion and sensual nature of the Ring that so eludes current opera directors and designers. Since this book is now out of print, you should not hesitate to purchase it now, at an incredibaly reasonable price... I guarantee you will not be disappointed, but you may become so if the few editions that are available vanish before you decide.

Mozart's Women: His Family, His Friends, His Music

Jane Glover

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 19 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Mozart from an other angle 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Jane Glover, a well known conductor and Mozart expert does not claim that she has written an original book on her admired and adored composer genius. She admits: "The Mozart field has been enormously well mined, and for this book I have done no original research". It is a new angle that she presents on Mozart, looked at through the eyes of the women who brought him up, grew up with him, loved him and with whom he worked in the world of music.

After reading many books on Mozart this book still gave me a lot of pleasure and a new insight to the life of this likeable genius of music.

The book is divided in to two major parts. The first on Mozart`s life with his two families, the second on the singers of Mozart`s operas and how the composer created music, blending and integrating the individual talents and capabilities of these singers with his music.

This analysis is highly technical, but never boring and can contribute to the better understanding and enjoyment of Mozart`s music.

The end of this second part tells the reader about the lives of Mozart's women after his death. It is a good ending, satisfying the readers curiosity about how Mozart, the penniless, ignored and poorly treated composer, at the time of his death, suddenly became the most durable and popular composer, generating a handsome income, that was denied to him in his lifetime, - for his widow and two sons. This, interestingly, had a lot to do with his widow's business talents.

This well written book will bring satisfaction and a new insight on Mozart's life and works, even to those who are familiar with the large Mozart literature

Editorial Review:

Throughout his life, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was enchanted, amused, aroused, and betrayed by women—his mother, sister, wife, sisters-in-law, female patrons, friends, lovers, and fellow artists—and he was equally complex to them. But ultimately the great composer loved and respected the women he knew intimately and those whom he admired from afar. In this fascinating, evocative, and compellingly readable biography, Jane Glover, acclaimed conductor and acknowledged expert on Mozart's life and work, brings these remarkable ladies vividly to life—the real women who shared the composer's tumultuous world and inspired some of his greatest musical achievements, as well as those he dramatized in his magnificent operas.

Pictures at an Exhibition (Charlesbridge)

Anna Harwell Celenza

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Another treasure from Celenza! 5 out of 5 stars.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.

This book is yet another treasure in this series for children. The vivid illustrations are so beautiful and they complete the story well. The author gives a good accounting of the story here, without going too far into the details that would be unpleasant for young children. This story is full of passion and the music CD that accompanies it is wonderful. My children love this series and beg to listen to the music from each book. What a great gift to give any child; the love of music! I love that my young children know the stories behind great compositions and enjoy listening to them. I have learned a thing or two from reading these books as well! Definitely worth five stars!

Lovely Book 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

A great book about music and friendship. Excellent. Be warned that the composer's friend dies - It is handled delicately, but wanted you to know.

Pictures at an Exhibition 1 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

The paperback version does NOT come with the CD. I returned my paperback copy that was missing the CD and Amazon sent me another paperback copy with NO CD... DO NOT buy the paperback if you want the CD!!!

Editorial Review:

CD of Pictures at an Exhibition included.

Testimony: The Memoirs of Dmitri Shostakovich

Solomon Volkov

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 20 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Be Careful 1 out of 5 stars.
13 of 21 people found this review helpful.

How can one really rate this book? It has obviously created a camp of "scholars" (known as the "revisionists") who would like to change the biography of Shostakovich, and provide concrete (anti-Soviet) meaning for his music. While this makes for interesting reading, the truth is the authenticity of this book is questionable. One should (at least) be aware of its criticisms before taking this book as truth!

Of course, Shostakovich is one of the most profound composers in the history of music, and we should interpret his works. But to ascribe a certain meaning to his music based on words that cannot be authenticated would only impoverish his music. Great art is meant to be contemplated for a lifetime, not easily understood. There are some who, after reading this book, have tried to over-simplify Shostakovich's art.

If you are reading this book for academic purposes, be careful. Ensure you explore all the debate over "Testimony." I suggest reading "A Shostakovich Casebook" edited by Malcolm Hamrick Brown immediately after reading "Testimony." Good luck.

Editorial Review:

This is the powerful memoirs which an ailing Dmitri Shostakovich dictated to a young Russian musicologist, Solomon Volkov. When it was first published in 1979, it became an international bestseller. This 25th anniversary edition includes a new foreword by Vladimir Ashkenazy, as well as black-and-white photos. "Testimony changed the perception of Shostakovich's life and work dramatically, and influenced innumerable performances of his music." - New Grove Dictionary

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: A Biography

Piero Melograni

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

This year marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, one of the most enduringly popular and celebrated composers to have ever lived. His substantial oeuvre contains works that are considered to be among the most exquisite pieces of symphonic, chamber, and choral music ever written. His operas too cast a long shadow over those staged in their wake. And since his untimely death in 1791, he remains an enigmatic figure—the subject of fascination for aficionados and novices alike. 

Piero Melograni here offers a wholly readable account of Mozart’s remarkable life and times. This masterful biography proceeds from the young Mozart’s earliest years as a Wunderkind—the child prodigy who traveled with his family to perform concerts throughout Europe—to his formative years in Vienna, where he fully absorbed the artistic and intellectual spirit of the Enlightenment, to his deathbed, his unfinished Requiem, and the mystery that still surrounds his burial. Melograni’s deft use of Mozart’s letters throughout confers authority and vitality to his recounting, and his expertise brings Mozart’s eighteenth-century milieu evocatively to life. Written with a gifted historian’s flair for narrative and unencumbered by specialized analyses of Mozart’s music, Melograni’s is the most vivid and enjoyable biography available.

At a time when music lovers around the world are paying honor to Mozart and his legacy, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart will be welcomed by his enthusiasts—or anyone wishing to peer into the mind of one of the greatest composers ever known. 

The Mahler Symphonies: An Owner's Manual (includes 1 CD)

David Hurwitz

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Since Gustav Mahler was rediscovered in the early 1960s, his symphonies have become arguably the most popular works in the modern orchestral repertoire. Orchestras worldwide ask to be judged by their expertise in playing these lengthy and colorful scores, while few composers since the mid-20th century have escaped Mahler’s influence.

Mahler was a commanding figure in his own time and renowned as the greatest living conductor.

His works summarize the great German symphonic tradition. Mahler’s Symphonies: An Owner’s Manual is the first discussion of the ten completed symphonies (No. 1–9 plus The Song of the Earth) to offer music lovers and record collectors a comprehensive overview of the music itself, what it sounds like, how it is organized, its form, content, and meaning, as it strikes today’s listeners.

The book caters to the novice as David Hurwitz describes what the listener will hear, section by section, using simple cues such as important instrumental solos, recognizable tunes, climaxes, and other easily audible musical facts. He explains how each work is arranged, how the various parts relate to each other, and how one work leads to the next. The emphasis throughout is on the experience of listening, and how each symphony embodies Mahler’s dictum that the symphony "must embrace the world. It must contain everything."

In considering each of these epic "sound worlds" in turn, Mahler’s Symphonies: An Owner’s Manual describes the emotional extravagance that lies at the root of Mahler’s popularity, the consistency of his symphonic thinking, the relationship of each work to its companions, and his dazzling and revolutionary use of orchestral instruments to create an expressive musical language that is varied in content and immediate in impact.