The life of music : new adventures in the Western classical tradition / Nicholas Kenyon.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Kenyon, Nicholas, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Music--History and criticism.

Music.

Physical Description:

1 online resource

Place of Publication:

New Haven ; London : Yale University Press, [2021]

Language Note:

In English.

Summary:

Nicholas Kenyon explores the enduring appeal of the classical canon at a moment when we can access all music—across time and cultures Immersed in music for much of his life as writer, broadcaster and concert presenter, former director of the BBC Proms, Nicholas Kenyon has long championed an astonishingly wide range of composers and performers. Now, as we think about culture in fresh ways, Kenyon revisits the stories that make up the classical tradition and foregrounds those which are too often overlooked. This inclusive, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic guide highlights the achievements of the women and men, amateurs and professionals, who bring music to life. Taking us from pianist Myra Hess’s performance in London during the Blitz, to John Adams’s composition of a piece for mourners after New York’s 9/11 attacks, to Italian opera singers singing from their balconies amidst the 2020 pandemic, Kenyon shows that no matter how great the crisis, music has the power to bring us together. His personal, celebratory account transforms our understanding of how classical music is made—and shows us why it is more relevant than ever.

Contents:

Frontmatter

Contents

List of Plates

Acknowledgements

Prelude in a Crisis

1 Sound and Notes

2 Ritual

3 Chant

4 Minstrels

5 New Arts

6 Craftsmen

7 Professionals

8 Singers

9 Masters

10 Symphonists

11 Individuals

12 Virtuosi

13 Music-drama

14 Reinvention

15 Homelands

16 Revolutions

17 New Worlds

18 Diversity

Coda Performing the Future

100 Great Works by 100 Great Composers in 100 Great Performances

Further Reading

Index

Notes:

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

0-300-26060-1

OCLC:

1247657303