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Bach

Music in the Castle of Heaven

by John Eliot Gardiner ...

Johann Sebastian Bach is one of the most unfathomable composers in the history of music. How can such sublime work have been produced by a man who (when we can discern his personality at all) seems so ordinary, so opaque—and occasionally so intemperate?John Eliot Gardiner grew up passing one of the only two authentic portraits of Bach every morning and evening on the stairs of his parents’ house, ... Read more

$14.99 USD

Johann Sebastian Bach is one of the most unfathomable composers in the history of music. How can such sublime work have been produced by a man who (when we can discern his personality at all) seems so ordinary, so opaque—and occasionally so intemperate?John Eliot Gardiner grew up passing one of the only two authentic portraits of Bach every morning and evening on the stairs of his parents’ house,
... Read more
Beethoven

Anguish and Triumph

by Jan Swafford ...

This "monumental" portrait of the man, his music, and the world in which he lived is "a truly remarkable biography" ( The Christian Science Monitor).Jan Swafford's biographies of Charles Ives and Johannes Brahms have established him as a revered music historian, capable of bringing his subjects vibrantly to life. His magnificent new biography of Ludwig van Beethoven, more than a decade in the ... Read more

$20.19 USD or Free with Kobo Plus

This "monumental" portrait of the man, his music, and the world in which he lived is "a truly remarkable biography" ( The Christian Science Monitor).Jan Swafford's biographies of Charles Ives and Johannes Brahms have established him as a revered music historian, capable of bringing his subjects vibrantly to life. His magnificent new biography of Ludwig van Beethoven, more than a decade in the
... Read more
The War on Music

Reclaiming the Twentieth Century

by John Mauceri ...

A prominent conductor explores how aesthetic criteria masked the political goals of countries during the three great wars of the past centuryThis book offers a major reassessment of classical music in the twentieth century. John Mauceri argues that the history of music during this span was shaped by three major wars of that century: World War I, World War II, and the Cold War.Probing why so few ... Read more

$20.99 USD

A prominent conductor explores how aesthetic criteria masked the political goals of countries during the three great wars of the past centuryThis book offers a major reassessment of classical music in the twentieth century. John Mauceri argues that the history of music during this span was shaped by three major wars of that century: World War I, World War II, and the Cold War.Probing why so few
... Read more
Wagnerism

Art and Politics in the Shadow of Music

by Alex Ross ...

Alex Ross, renowned New Yorker music critic and author of the international bestseller and Pulitzer Prize finalist The Rest Is Noise, reveals how Richard Wagner became the proving ground for modern art and politics—an aesthetic war zone where the Western world wrestled with its capacity for beauty and violence.For better or worse, Wagner is the most widely influential figure in the history of ... Read more

$15.99 USD

Alex Ross, renowned New Yorker music critic and author of the international bestseller and Pulitzer Prize finalist The Rest Is Noise, reveals how Richard Wagner became the proving ground for modern art and politics—an aesthetic war zone where the Western world wrestled with its capacity for beauty and violence.For better or worse, Wagner is the most widely influential figure in the history of
... Read more
Les Six

The French Composers and Their Mentors Jean Cocteau and Erik Satie

Edited by Robert Shapiro ...

Series series Peter Owen Modern Classic
The absorbing, comprehensive story of an absolutely unique experiment in classical music, involving many key figures of the Dada and Surrealist movementsLes Six were a group of talented composers who came together in a unique collaboration that has never been matched in classical music, and here their remarkable story is told for the first time. A musical experiment originally conceived by Erik ... Read more

$11.99 USD or Free with Kobo Plus

The absorbing, comprehensive story of an absolutely unique experiment in classical music, involving many key figures of the Dada and Surrealist movementsLes Six were a group of talented composers who came together in a unique collaboration that has never been matched in classical music, and here their remarkable story is told for the first time. A musical experiment originally conceived by Erik
... Read more
Musical Memories

by Camille Saint-Saens ...

With 12 illustrations. According to Wikipedia: "Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns (9 October 1835 16 December 1921) was a French composer, organist, conductor, and pianist, known especially for The Carnival of the Animals, Danse Macabre, Samson and Delilah, Havanaise, Introduction and Rondo capriccioso, and his Symphony No. 3 (Organ Symphony)." ... Read more

$0.99 USD or Free with Kobo Plus

With 12 illustrations. According to Wikipedia: "Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns (9 October 1835 16 December 1921) was a French composer, organist, conductor, and pianist, known especially for The Carnival of the Animals, Danse Macabre, Samson and Delilah, Havanaise, Introduction and Rondo capriccioso, and his Symphony No. 3 (Organ Symphony)."
... Read more
Absolutely on Music

Conversations

by Haruki Murakami, Seiji Ozawa ...

Translated by Jay Rubin ...

A deeply personal, intimate conversation about music and writing between the internationally acclaimed, best-selling author and the former conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.In Absolutely on Music, internationally Haruki Murakami sits down with his friend Seiji Ozawa, the revered former conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, for a series of conversations on their shared passion: music ... Read more

$6.99 USD

A deeply personal, intimate conversation about music and writing between the internationally acclaimed, best-selling author and the former conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.In Absolutely on Music, internationally Haruki Murakami sits down with his friend Seiji Ozawa, the revered former conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, for a series of conversations on their shared passion: music
... Read more
Wagner

by Michael Tanner ...

‘A fine, intellectually sparkling and always engaging little book – a welcome addition to any Wagner library’Hans Vaget, Opera QuarterlyWhilst no one would dispute Wagner’s ranking among the most significant composers in the history of Western music, his works have been more fiercely attacked than those of any other composer. His supposed personal defects have provoked intense hostility which has ... Read more

$10.99 USD

‘A fine, intellectually sparkling and always engaging little book – a welcome addition to any Wagner library’Hans Vaget, Opera QuarterlyWhilst no one would dispute Wagner’s ranking among the most significant composers in the history of Western music, his works have been more fiercely attacked than those of any other composer. His supposed personal defects have provoked intense hostility which has
... Read more
Late Starters Orchestra

by Ari L. Goldman ...

In a cluttered room in an abandoned coat factory in lower Manhattan, a group of musicians comes together each week to make music. Some are old, some are young, all have come late to music or come back to it after a long absence. This is the Late Starters Orchestra--the bona fide amateur string orchestra where Ari Goldman pursues his lifelong dream of playing the cello.Goldman hadn't seriously ... Read more

$12.99 USD

In a cluttered room in an abandoned coat factory in lower Manhattan, a group of musicians comes together each week to make music. Some are old, some are young, all have come late to music or come back to it after a long absence. This is the Late Starters Orchestra--the bona fide amateur string orchestra where Ari Goldman pursues his lifelong dream of playing the cello.Goldman hadn't seriously
... Read more
Mozart in the Jungle

Sex, Drugs, and Classical Music

by Blair Tindall ...

The memoir that inspired the two-time Golden Globe Award–winning comedy series: "Funny . . . heartbreaking . . . [and] utterly absorbing" (Lee Smith, New York Times–bestselling author of Guests on Earth).Oboist Blair Tindall recounts her decades-long professional career as a classical musician—from the recitals and Broadway orchestra performances to the secret life of musicians who survive hand ... Read more

$12.99 USD or Free with Kobo Plus

The memoir that inspired the two-time Golden Globe Award–winning comedy series: "Funny . . . heartbreaking . . . [and] utterly absorbing" (Lee Smith, New York Times–bestselling author of Guests on Earth).Oboist Blair Tindall recounts her decades-long professional career as a classical musician—from the recitals and Broadway orchestra performances to the secret life of musicians who survive hand
... Read more
Liszt and Virtuosity

by Robert Doran, Emeritus Professor Ralph P. Locke, Shay Loya, David Keep, Dolores Pesce, Jim Samson, Jonathan Dunsby, Jonathan Kregor, Kenneth Hamilton, Nicolas Dufetel0, Olivia Sham1 ...

In the annals of music history, few figures have dominated the discussion of virtuosity as much as Franz Liszt. A flamboyant performer whose hair-raising technical feats at the piano created a sense of awe-inspiring excitement andan icon whose star power radiated far beyond the realm of music, Liszt was, along with his early model, Paganini, among the first major performer-composers to define ... Read more

$17.99 USD

In the annals of music history, few figures have dominated the discussion of virtuosity as much as Franz Liszt. A flamboyant performer whose hair-raising technical feats at the piano created a sense of awe-inspiring excitement andan icon whose star power radiated far beyond the realm of music, Liszt was, along with his early model, Paganini, among the first major performer-composers to define
... Read more
Handel

The Man & His Music

by Jonathan Keates ...

Jonathan Keates original biography of Handel was hailed as a masterpiece on its publication in 1985. This fully revised and updated new edition - published to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the composers death - charts in detail Handel's life, from his youth in Germany, through his brilliantly successful Italian sojourn, to the opulence and squalor of Georgian London where he made his ... Read more

$22.39 USD

Jonathan Keates original biography of Handel was hailed as a masterpiece on its publication in 1985. This fully revised and updated new edition - published to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the composers death - charts in detail Handel's life, from his youth in Germany, through his brilliantly successful Italian sojourn, to the opulence and squalor of Georgian London where he made his
... Read more
Year of Wonder

Classical Music to Enjoy Day by Day

by Clemency Burton-Hill ...

“Year of Wonder is an absolute treat—the most enlightening way to be guided through the year.” **—**Eddie RedmayneA unique celebration of classical music that showcases one inspirational piece each day of the year, written by an award-winning violinist and BBC Radio personalityClassical music has a reputation for being stuffy, bori... ... Read more

$16.99 USD

“Year of Wonder is an absolute treat—the most enlightening way to be guided through the year.” **—**Eddie RedmayneA unique celebration of classical music that showcases one inspirational piece each day of the year, written by an award-winning violinist and BBC Radio personalityClassical music has a reputation for being stuffy, bori...
... Read more
J. S. Bach: Fifteen 2-Part Inventions for 2 Basses

by Bernard "Bunny" Brumel ...

This book is intended for bass players who want to play some of J. S. Bach's beautiful music to improve their sight reading and technique. These two-part inventions were originally created for keyboard and have been adapted for two 4 string bass. In order to technically fit the range of the instrument some of the parts haven been transposed one octave up or down and some of the ornamentation and ... Read more

$17.99 USD

This book is intended for bass players who want to play some of J. S. Bach's beautiful music to improve their sight reading and technique. These two-part inventions were originally created for keyboard and have been adapted for two 4 string bass. In order to technically fit the range of the instrument some of the parts haven been transposed one octave up or down and some of the ornamentation and
... Read more
Dangerous Melodies

Classical Music in America from the Great War through the Cold War

by Jonathan Rosenberg ...

A Juilliard-trained musician and professor of history explores the fascinating entanglement of classical music with American foreign relations.Dangerous Melodies vividly evokes a time when classical music stood at the center of twentieth-century American life, occupying a prominent place in the nation’s culture and politics. The work of renowned conductors, instrumentalists, and singers—and the ... Read more

$27.99 USD

A Juilliard-trained musician and professor of history explores the fascinating entanglement of classical music with American foreign relations.Dangerous Melodies vividly evokes a time when classical music stood at the center of twentieth-century American life, occupying a prominent place in the nation’s culture and politics. The work of renowned conductors, instrumentalists, and singers—and the
... Read more
The Complete Classical Music Guide

by DK ...

Series series DK Ultimate Guides
What makes Mozart's music so great? Why does a minor chord sound sad and a major chord sound happy? What's the difference between opera and operetta? From Bach to Bernstein, this definitive guide offers a complete survey of the history of classical music.Whether you already love classical music or you're just beginning to explore it, The Complete Classical Music Guide invites you to discover the ... Read more

$9.99 USD

What makes Mozart's music so great? Why does a minor chord sound sad and a major chord sound happy? What's the difference between opera and operetta? From Bach to Bernstein, this definitive guide offers a complete survey of the history of classical music.Whether you already love classical music or you're just beginning to explore it, The Complete Classical Music Guide invites you to discover the
... Read more
Classical Music in a Changing Culture

Essays from The American Record Guide

by Donald Vroon ...

Founded in 1935, The American Record Guide is America's oldest classical music review magazine. In 1987, when Donald Vroon assumed its editorship, he took on the Herculean task of writing editorials on a vast array of subjects, amassing a wealth of commentary and criticism on not only the foibles and failings, but glimmers of light in American culture. A staunch defender of the highbrow pleasures ... Read more

$55.09 USD

Founded in 1935, The American Record Guide is America's oldest classical music review magazine. In 1987, when Donald Vroon assumed its editorship, he took on the Herculean task of writing editorials on a vast array of subjects, amassing a wealth of commentary and criticism on not only the foibles and failings, but glimmers of light in American culture. A staunch defender of the highbrow pleasures
... Read more
The Cambridge History of Western Music Theory

Edited by Thomas Christensen ...

Series series The Cambridge History of Music
The Cambridge History of Western Music Theory is the first comprehensive history of Western music theory to be published in the English language. A collaborative project by leading music theorists and historians, the volume traces the rich panorama of music-theoretical thought from the Ancient Greeks to the present day. Recognizing the variety and complexity of music theory as an historical ... Read more

$34.49 USD

The Cambridge History of Western Music Theory is the first comprehensive history of Western music theory to be published in the English language. A collaborative project by leading music theorists and historians, the volume traces the rich panorama of music-theoretical thought from the Ancient Greeks to the present day. Recognizing the variety and complexity of music theory as an historical
... Read more
Waving, Not Drowning

by Lev Parikian ...

Anyone who has ever wondered exactly what a conductor is doing will find the answers in this book. Covering a multitude of issues including technique, player psychology, shirt colours, anecdotes, pencil choices and much more besides, Waving, Not Drowning is the indispensable guide for all budding Maestros.With the tragic death of co-author and doyen of the podium Barrington Orwell in an as yet ... Read more

$3.99 USD or Free with Kobo Plus

Anyone who has ever wondered exactly what a conductor is doing will find the answers in this book. Covering a multitude of issues including technique, player psychology, shirt colours, anecdotes, pencil choices and much more besides, Waving, Not Drowning is the indispensable guide for all budding Maestros.With the tragic death of co-author and doyen of the podium Barrington Orwell in an as yet
... Read more
Sonata for a Scoundrel

by Anthea Lawson ...

Series Book 1 - Music of the Heart Historical Romance
Secrets and passion will bring them to their knees... ~ RITA Finalist, Best Historical Romance ~Clara Becker is a supremely gifted composer--a talent of little to use to a woman in 1830s Europe. Her compositions only have worth when they are published under her brother's name, yet this deception barely enables them to scrape out a living in the poorest quarter of London.Darien Reynard, the most ... Read more

$4.99 USD or Free with Kobo Plus

Secrets and passion will bring them to their knees... ~ RITA Finalist, Best Historical Romance ~Clara Becker is a supremely gifted composer--a talent of little to use to a woman in 1830s Europe. Her compositions only have worth when they are published under her brother's name, yet this deception barely enables them to scrape out a living in the poorest quarter of London.Darien Reynard, the most
... Read more
The Classical Music Book

Big Ideas Simply Explained

by DK ...

Series series DK Big Ideas
Learn about the world's greatest classical compositions and musical traditions in The Classical Music Book.Part of the fascinating Big Ideas series, this book tackles tricky topics and themes in a simple and easy to follow format. Learn about Classic Music in this overview guide to the subject, great for novices looking to find out more and experts wishing to refresh their knowledge alike! The ... Read more

$9.99 USD

Learn about the world's greatest classical compositions and musical traditions in The Classical Music Book.Part of the fascinating Big Ideas series, this book tackles tricky topics and themes in a simple and easy to follow format. Learn about Classic Music in this overview guide to the subject, great for novices looking to find out more and experts wishing to refresh their knowledge alike! The
... Read more
How to Listen to Great Music

A Guide to Its History, Culture, and Heart

by Robert Greenberg ...

The perfect music gift from one of the most trusted names in continuing education. Learn how to better appreciate music in this guide that will unlock the knowledge you need to understand “the most abstract and sublime of all the arts.”Whether you're listening in a concert hall or on your iPod, concert music has the power to move you. The right knowledge can deepen the ability of this music to ... Read more

$8.99 USD

The perfect music gift from one of the most trusted names in continuing education. Learn how to better appreciate music in this guide that will unlock the knowledge you need to understand “the most abstract and sublime of all the arts.”Whether you're listening in a concert hall or on your iPod, concert music has the power to move you. The right knowledge can deepen the ability of this music to
... Read more
Mozart

The Reign of Love

by Jan Swafford ...

From the acclaimed composer and biographer Jan Swafford comes the definitive biography of one of the most lauded musical geniuses in history, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.At the earliest ages it was apparent that Wolfgang Mozart’s singular imagination was at work in every direction. He hated to be bored and hated to be idle, and through his life he responded to these threats with a repertoire of ... Read more

$7.99 USD

From the acclaimed composer and biographer Jan Swafford comes the definitive biography of one of the most lauded musical geniuses in history, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.At the earliest ages it was apparent that Wolfgang Mozart’s singular imagination was at work in every direction. He hated to be bored and hated to be idle, and through his life he responded to these threats with a repertoire of
... Read more
Fryderyk Chopin

A Life and Times

by Dr. Alan Walker ...

**A New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice. The Sunday Times (UK) Classical Music Book of 2018 and one of The Economist’s Best Books of 2018.**“A magisterial portrait.” —**Corinna da Fonseca-Wollheim, The New York Times Book ReviewA landmark biography of the Polish composer by a leading authority on Chopin and his timeBased on ten years of research and a vast cache of primary sources ... ... Read more

$14.99 USD

**A New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice. The Sunday Times (UK) Classical Music Book of 2018 and one of The Economist’s Best Books of 2018.**“A magisterial portrait.” —**Corinna da Fonseca-Wollheim, The New York Times Book ReviewA landmark biography of the Polish composer by a leading authority on Chopin and his timeBased on ten years of research and a vast cache of primary sources ...
... Read more

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