Frontier figures : American music and the mythology of the American West / Beth E. Levy.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Levy, Beth E. (Beth Ellen), 1972-

Series:

California studies in 20th-century music ; 14.

California studies in 20th-century music ; 14

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Music--United States--20th century--History and criticism.

Music.

Legends--West (U.S.)--History and criticism.

Legends.

West (U.S.)--Social life and customs--20th century.

West (U.S.).

West (U.S.)--History--1890-1945.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (471 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Other Title:

American music and the mythology of the American West

Place of Publication:

Berkeley : University of California Press, 2012.

Language Note:

In English.

Summary:

Frontier Figures is a tour-de-force exploration of how the American West, both as physical space and inspiration, animated American music. Examining the work of such composers as Aaron Copland, Roy Harris, Virgil Thomson, Charles Wakefield Cadman, and Arthur Farwell, Beth E. Levy addresses questions of regionalism, race, and representation as well as changing relationships to the natural world to highlight the intersections between classical music and the diverse worlds of Indians, pioneers, and cowboys. Levy draws from an array of genres to show how different brands of western Americana were absorbed into American culture by way of sheet music, radio, lecture recitals, the concert hall, and film. Frontier Figures is a comprehensive illumination of what the West meant and still means to composers living and writing long after the close of the frontier.

Contents:

Front matter

Contents

Illustrations

Acknowledgments

Abbreviations

Introduction: The Course of Empire

Part One. Arthur Farwell's West

Part Two. Western Encounters: Charles Wakefield Cadman and Others

Part Three. American Pastorals

Part Four. Roy Harris: Provincial Cowboy, White Hope

Part Five. Aaron Copland: From Orient to Occident

Notes

Selected Bibliography

Index

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9786613520852

9780520952027

0520952022

9781280116568

1280116560

OCLC:

780425996