The Indispensable Composers: A Personal Guide

Author: Tommasini, Anthony

Color: White

Edition: Illustrated

Number Of Pages: 496

Details:

An exploration into the question of greatness from the Chief Classical Music Critic of the New York Times When he began to listen to the great works of classical music as a child, Anthony Tommasini had many questions. Why did a particular piece move him? How did the music work? Over time, he realized that his passion for this music was not enough. He needed to understand it. Take Bach, for starters. Who was he? How does one account for his music and its unshakeable hold on us today? As a critic, Tommasini has devoted particular attention to living composers and overlooked repertory. But, like all classical music lovers, the canon has remained central for him. In 2011, in his role as the Chief Classical Music Critic for the New York Times, he wrote a popular series in which he somewhat cheekily set out to determine the all-time top ten composers. Inviting input from readers, Tommasini wrestled with questions of greatness. Readers joined the exercise in droves. Some railed against classical music’s obsession with greatness but then raged when Mahler was left off the final list. This intellectual game reminded them why they loved music in the first place. Now in THE INDISPENSABLE COMPOSERS, Tommasini offers his own personal guide to the canon--and what greatness really means in classical music. What does it mean to be canonical now? Who gets to say? And do we have enough perspective on the 20th century to even begin assessing it? To make his case, Tommasini draws on elements of biography, the anxiety of influence, the composer's relationships with colleagues, and shifting attitudes toward a composer's work over time. Because he has spent his life contemplating these titans, Tommasini shares impressions from performances he has heard or given or moments when his own biography proves revealing. As he argues for his particular pantheon of indispensable composers, Anthony Tommasini provides a masterclass in what to listen for and how to understand what music does to us.

Reviews:

“[Tommasini] defends the value of distinguishing the great from the merely good…Tommasini does a fine job of conveying the inner life of a piece, through his rhythmic sentences and sculpted paragraphs…One cannot help coming away from it with a more rounded understanding of classical music at its peak.” —Phillip Lopate, New York Times Book Review

“Every case [Tommasini] makes is convincingly argued, and his style is accessible without being patronizing, enthusiastic but never gushily so. It’s a superb read. Indispensable, even.”

— Jeremy Pound, BBC Music Magazine

“The story of four centuries of music in essays on seventeen composers, from Monteverdi to Stravinsky…all suffused with memoir and colored by a lifelong love of opera.”

— The New Yorker

“Through [Tommasini’s] telling, these masters feel relatable—and their musical feats are made all the more impressive. Tommasini weaves an engrossing narrative, one that musicians and non-musicians alike will enjoy.”

— The New Criterion

“A pianist himself, Tommasini infuses his essays with insights from a lifetime of playing and listening.”

— San Francisco Chronicle  

“A must for musicians and music lovers alike.” —Pittsburgh Post-Gazette  

“Tommasini offers his wide personal experience, extensive knowledge, approachable teaching style, and great fondness for the material, along with his well-considered opinion, and takes us on a delightful journey…Tommasini enriches the basic stories of the composers’ complex lives and the place of their works in the evolution of music with his memories and perspectives, makes clear why they were chosen for his pantheon, and engagingly captures the essence of music in words…Anyone interested in exploring the repertoire would find The Indispensable Composers a valuable, informative, and entertaining companion.”

— Thomas Bohlert, The East Hampton Star

“A spirited musical compendium to the best of the best…[Tommasini’s] goal is to keep his as...

EAN: 9781594205934

Release Date: 06-11-2018

Languages: English

Item Note: Great shape- pages are unmarked and sharp.Has a remainder mark. Hardcover Used - Like New Ships fast! 2018Illustrated

Item Condition: UsedLikeNew

Binding: Hardcover