"Interspersed with [a] wealth of well-considered commentary are the smart and affectionate recollections of Burton Bernstein. . . . A flat-out wonderful book." — Booklist, starred reviewOne of the most gifted, celebrated, scrutinized, and criticized musicians of the twentieth century, Leonard Bernstein made his legendary conducting debut at the New York Philharmonic in 1943, at age twenty-five. A year later, he became a sensation on Broadway with the premie...

Andre Kostelanetz On Records and On the Air is a comprehensive discography of the commercial recordings of the Russian/American conductor and radio personality, Andre Kostelanetz. James H. North has collected all his recordings, spanning the range from popular to classical. Organized chronologically by album, North provides the complete details of each recording: composer, song title, timing, date and site of the recording session, producer of that session, and matrix numbers, as well as e...

First published in 1905, the book begins: "As life broadens with advancing culture, and people are able to appropriate to themselves more of the various forms of art, the artist himself attains to greater power, his abilities increase in direct ratio with the progress in culture made by the people and their ability to comprehend him. When one side or phase of an art comes to be received, new and more difficult problems are invariably presented, the elucidation of which can only be effected...

Although the story of Figaro's success in preventing the Count of Almaviva's seduction of his fiancée Susanna was politically explosive, it was tolerated in the court of the relatively enlightened Habsburg Emperor Joseph II. Mozart's opera, Le Nozze di Figaro, uses a libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte, and was premièred in Vienna in 1786. It was based on a famous play by the Frenchman Beaumarchais, a sequel to The Barber of Seville. Characters including Figaro, the Countess, Cherubino the page, ...

Between 1961 and 1969 the Beach Boys made nineteen albums, including some of the best music ever recorded - and some not so good. In this book, Andrew Hickey looks at this music track by track, analysing every song that Brian, Carl, Dennis, Mike, Al, Bruce and David recorded and released during that time period. From early surf and car classics like "409" to sophisticated masterpieces like "Time To Get Alone", in this book you'll learn how they were recorded, why they work the way they do,...

"A fascinating, intimate glimpse into the creative process behind some of the greatest pop songs ever written." — Christian Science MonitorFor the Beatles, writing songs was a process that could happen anytime—songs we all know by heart often began as a scribble on the back of an envelope or on hotel stationery. These original documents have ended up scattered across the world at museums and universities and with collectors and friends. Many have never been...

Michael Steinberg's highly successful listener's guides--The Symphony and The Concerto--have been universally praised for their blend of captivating biography, crystal clear musical analysis, and delightful humor. Now Steinberg follows these two greatly admired volumes with Choral Masterworks: A Listener's Guide, the only such guide available to this most popular of musical forms. Here are more than fifty illuminating essays on the classic choral masterworks, ran...

From a 2014 perspective, the classic rock era falls basically between the years of 1965 and 1985, It is the rock music produced during these years that is the focus of this book. The book serves as a guide to that music, as well as later recordings produced by the artists that came to prominence during the classic rock era.The book provides biographical information on the greats of classic rock music and references to their finest recordings.

Islands contains the best of composer Ludovico Einaudi's works, such as I Giorni, Nuvole Bianche and Primavera, compiled for the first time into a single collection for solo Piano. Also included here are two brand new tracks, The Earth Prelude and High Heels, as well as two remixed versions of Lady Labyrinth and Eros.Einaudi is renowned for bringing classical music back into the mainstream, with his com...

Known for his growling vocals and for the distinct poetry of his lyrics, Tom Waits has amassed over the course of three decades a devoted cult following. The Early Years collects the lyrics—formative and classic—from the first ten albums of this true bard of hard living. A celebration of both his words and of the artist himself, this lyrical biography charts the course from Wait's emotional debut album, Closing Time (1977), to the experimental stirrings in Heartattack and Vine (1991) and O...

George P. Upton offers summaries of the plots of numerous operas, highlighting key characters, events, and themes. Additionally, he provides insights into the music and composers, discussing their styles, influences, and contributions to the world of opera."The Standard Operas" was intended to serve as a valuable resource for opera enthusiasts, students, and anyone interested in learning more about this rich and diverse art form. It remains a classic reference book in the field of opera st...

Between 1983 and 2017 the Beach Boys released dozens of albums, together and apart, including some of the best music ever recorded - and some not so good. In this book, Andrew Hickey looks at this music track by track, analysing every song that Brian, Carl, Dennis, Mike, Al, Bruce and David recorded and released during that time period. From 1980s hits like Kokomo to Brian Wilson's solo rerecording of Smile, in this book you'll learn how they were recorded, why they work the way they do, a...