Richard Taruskin (1945–2022) was Professor Emeritus at University of California, Berkeley, and the author of a dozen books, including The Oxford History of Western Music, major studies of Stravinsky and other topics in Russian music, and an especially influential book of essays on musical performance, Text and Act.

"It has, inevitably, a valedictory air, but does not on that account lack energy or focus. Quite the opposite: it will surely be a rare reader indeed who does not come away from having read it fascinated, provoked, inspired, or irritated."

• ContentsIn Lieu of Dedication: Fine Friends, Presiding Spirits—LászlóSomfai, Lyudmila Kovnatskaya, Richard L. Crocker 1. The Many Dangers of Music LACI RESZE (LACI'S PART)2. Liszt and Bad Taste 3. Goldmark’s Queen: On Signifiers 4. Why You Cannot Leave Bartók Out 5. Liszt’s Problems, Bartók’s Problems, My Problems 6. Kodály’s Pitiful Lament—and Mine милина часть (MILA'S PART)7. Russian Responses to Bach 8. So Much More Than a Composer 9. Rimsky-Korsakov Catches Up 10. Prokofieff’s Problems—and Ours 11. Коле посвящается (for Kolya) 12. In from the Cold 13. Flesh and Blood Juke Box 14. Tales of Push and Pull 15. Was Shostakovich a Martyr, or Is That Just Fiction? 16. How to Win a Stalin Prize: Shostakovich and His Quintet PARS RICARDI PRIMI (RICARDUS PRIMUS'S PART)17. Shooting a White Elephant 18. Is This a Thing? 19. Exoticism and Authenticity 20. Pathos Is Banned 21. Everybody Gotta Be Someplace: On Context 22. Alluring Failure, Exhilarating Defeat 23. Envoi: All Was Foreseen; Nothing Was Foreseen Acknowledgments Index

Richard Taruskin (1945–2022) was Professor Emeritus at University of California, Berkeley, and the author of a dozen books, including The Oxford History of Western Music, major studies of Stravinsky and other topics in Russian music, and an especially influential book of essays on musical performance, Text and Act.

"It has, inevitably, a valedictory air, but does not on that account lack energy or focus. Quite the opposite: it will surely be a rare reader indeed who does not come away from having read it fascinated, provoked, inspired, or irritated."

• ContentsIn Lieu of Dedication: Fine Friends, Presiding Spirits—LászlóSomfai, Lyudmila Kovnatskaya, Richard L. Crocker 1. The Many Dangers of Music LACI RESZE (LACI'S PART)2. Liszt and Bad Taste 3. Goldmark’s Queen: On Signifiers 4. Why You Cannot Leave Bartók Out 5. Liszt’s Problems, Bartók’s Problems, My Problems 6. Kodály’s Pitiful Lament—and Mine милина часть (MILA'S PART)7. Russian Responses to Bach 8. So Much More Than a Composer 9. Rimsky-Korsakov Catches Up 10. Prokofieff’s Problems—and Ours 11. Коле посвящается (for Kolya) 12. In from the Cold 13. Flesh and Blood Juke Box 14. Tales of Push and Pull 15. Was Shostakovich a Martyr, or Is That Just Fiction? 16. How to Win a Stalin Prize: Shostakovich and His Quintet PARS RICARDI PRIMI (RICARDUS PRIMUS'S PART)17. Shooting a White Elephant 18. Is This a Thing? 19. Exoticism and Authenticity 20. Pathos Is Banned 21. Everybody Gotta Be Someplace: On Context 22. Alluring Failure, Exhilarating Defeat 23. Envoi: All Was Foreseen; Nothing Was Foreseen Acknowledgments Index