Amadeus – serie

Emanuel Schikaneder (1751-1812) is known today only as the librettist of Mozart's The Magic Flute, yet he was also the most important theater director of his time, an actor, singer, producer, and a prolific dramatist.

The sociology of music is a young discipline, and this book addresses the seminal issues, explaining the role musical activity plays in our social and cultural life. It also contains practical aspects in how music is structured and tonal material is used.

This lucid guide traces the concerto's evolution over the major periods of music: baroque, classical, romantic, and 20th century. The compositions of each important composer are discussed in detail, making this a useful companion to the form.

Drawing on five years of research and well over 100 interviews with students, colleagues, and family members of flutist Marcel Moyse, author McCutchan distills a truthful, vital portrait of this charismatic, complex, and sometimes puzzling man.

This historical survey focuses on music for piano solo but also includes important compositions for piano duet and two pianos. Scholarly yet readable, it covers the entire repertoire from the Renaissance to the late 20th century and incorporates a bibliography of 1 100 sources for further study.

This detailed analysis of every record made by Maria Callas examines the development of her art from her first recordings in 1949 to the last in 1977.

This is the first English-language biography of Fanny Mendelssohn, the older sister of Felix Mendelssohn and a gifted composer and pianist in her own right. Under pressure to neglect her talents in favor of her brother, Fanny stifled her career, and most of her 400 compositions have only recently become known. HARDCOVER

Antonio Vivaldi''s rediscovery after World War II quickly led him from obscurity to his present renown as one of the most popular 18th-century composers. Heller''s biography presents the important facets of his life, his works, and his influence on music history.

Conducting an orchestra is something that is seen as well as heard, but it is quite misunderstood when it comes to knowing what this person actually does for a living. This most mysterious of jobs is brought to life for the music lover as well as for the aspiring maestro in a new book by Leonard Slatkin.Drawing on his own experiences on and off the podium, Slatkin brings us into the world of the baton. He tells tales of some of the most fascinating people in the musical world, including Frank Sinatra, Leonard Bernstein, and John Williams. He takes the reader to the great concert halls and orchestras, soundstages in Hollywood, and opera pits around the globe.Mr. Slatkin recounts his controversial appearance at the Metropolitan Opera, his creation and direction of summer music festivals, and a shattering concert experience that took place four days following 9/11. Life in the recording studio and on the road as well as health issues confronting the conductor provide an insider''s glimpse into the private world of public figures.Covering everything from learning how to read music to standing in front of an orchestra for the first time, what to wear, and how to deal with the press, Conducting Business is a unique look at a unique profession.Conducting Business is a recipient of the 2013 ASCAP Deems Taylor Special Recognition Award.

This heartbreaking tale uncovers a mystery in the life of one of the most important personalities of the twentieth century, guitarist Andrés Segovia (1893-1987). He married the widowed Paquita Madriguera (1900-1965), famous child prodigy pianist and prized student of Enrique Granados, in 1935 as his international career was blossoming. They fled their native Spain under death threats when the Spanish Civil War erupted in 1936 and began an odyssey that landed them in the Uruguayan capital.Segovia''s support for the fascist Franco resulted in his banishment from the lucrative American concert scene, while the travel dangers of World War II further isolated him from the rest of the world. During this time, Segovia greatly enriched the guitar repertoire through numerous arrangements and collaborations with major composers via correspondence. It was also an era of happy family life with Paquita. The couple collaborated on two of the most important contemporary guitar concertos and traveled throughout Latin America to perform.Then tragedy struck as the guitarist became entangled with a beautiful Brazilian singer in an affair that ruined his marriage and brought tragic consequences to his family life. In writing his autobiography, Segovia could never face this period. With the help of tenacious research and Paquita''s two surviving daughters, Alfredo Escande diligently lifts the veil of secrecy and reveals a magical age of music history framed around the couple''s decade together.

This historical survey focuses on music for piano solo but also includes important compositions for piano duet and two pianos. Scholarly yet readable, it covers the entire repertoire from the Renaissance to the late 20th century and incorporates a bibliography of 1 100 sources for further study.

Available for the first time in English, this book has been considered the best single encyclopedia of the violin for 20 years. All aspects of the violin are covered: construction, history, and literature; violin playing and teaching; and violin virtuosos through the ages.

Leading Tones is a glimpse into several aspects of the musical world. There are portions devoted to Leonard Slatkin's life as a musician and conductor, portraits of some of the outstanding artists with whom he has worked, as well as anecdotes and stories both personal and professional. Much of the book discusses elements of the industry that are troubling and difficult during this first part of the 21st century. Auditions, critics, fiscal concerns, and labor negotiations are all matters that today's conductors must be aware of, and this book provides helpful suggested solutions. Leading Tones is intended not only for musicians, but also for the music lover who wishes to know more about what goes into being a conductor.

Leading Tones is a glimpse into several aspects of the musical world. There are portions devoted to Leonard Slatkin''s life as a musician and conductor, portraits of some of the outstanding artists with whom he has worked, as well as anecdotes and stories both personal and professional. Much of the book discusses elements of the industry that are troubling and difficult during this first part of the 21st century. Auditions, critics, fiscal concerns, and labor negotiations are all matters that today''s conductors must be aware of, and this book provides helpful suggested solutions. Leading Tones is intended not only for musicians, but also for the music lover who wishes to know more about what goes into being a conductor.

Written by a group of dedicated flamenco enthusiasts, this book traces the history and development of flamenco, the stirring form of folk dance created by the gypsies of the Andalusian region of Spain in the 19th century and still popular today.

Antonio Vivaldi's rediscovery after World War II quickly led him from obscurity to his present renown as one of the most popular 18th-century composers. Heller's biography presents the important facets of his life, his works, and his influence on music history.

Published in celebration of the 100th anniversary of her birth, this book presents a candid portrait of Ponselle, “the Caruso in petticoats ” contrasting the singer's own words, from interviews with the author and others, with the recollections of friends, family members, and colleagues.

Drawing on the personal recollections of the Caruso brothers, archival material preserved by the family, and extensive research, this book is a rare tribute to to the man and his vocal legacy. This abridged edition includes the full original text covering Caruso's life and death, plus a current discography.

Mahler's 10 symphonies and Das Lied von der Erde are intensely personal statements that have touched wide audiences. This survey examines each of the works, revealing their programmatic and personal aspects, as well as Mahler's musical techniques.

These essays by respected scholars examine representative operatic productions from diverse national schools and periods, together forming a comprehensive history of the staging techniques of opera over the centuries.

Available for the first time in English, this book has been considered the best single encyclopedia of the violin for 20 years. All aspects of the violin are covered: construction, history, and literature; violin playing and teaching; and violin virtuosos through the ages.

Maria Callas returned to the stage in 1971 to teach master classes at Juilliard. This intriguing forum later inspired Terrence McNally's acclaimed play Master Class. Outspoken and uncompromising in her artistic beliefs, Callas worked through her legendary arias from Mozart, Verdi, Rossini, Puccini, and others. John Ardoin brilliantly captures the insights of a thoughtful singer who reveals herself to be not the imperious diva of her reputation, but a supremely self-aware artist concerned with passing along a great musical tradition.

More than 40 years after his premature death, the mystique of Mario Lanza continues. He remains a legendary figure, a crossover icon embraced and remembered by an entire generation for bridging the gap between popular and classical music, the acknowledged inspiration of today's Three Tenors. Bessette tells his story with a novelist's eye for the inherent tragedy of Lanza's brief life, the contradictory facets of his personality, his passion for life, and his self-destructiveness. HARDCOVER.

This autobiography is the first full-length book in English on Nicolai Gedda, born in Sweden in 1925 but deeply influenced by his Russian-born stepfather, himself a singer with a renowned Russian emigré choir. A leading tenor throughout the latter half of the 20th century, Gedda is acclaimed both for the beauty of his voice and the rare intelligence with which he uses it; he is perhaps the most versatile of tenors, equally at home in opera and song, and the master of nine languages and a wide range of musical styles. These memoirs, written in collaboration with his wife, comment frankly on the events of his life and on the international music scene, revealing both his serious devotion to his art and his indifference to fame and celebrity. HARDCOVER.

The great baritone Leonard Warren was history's most notable interpreter of Verdi, making his mark in the title roles of Rigoletto, Macbeth and Simon Boccanegra. Warren's dramatic death over 40 years ago is famous: he collapsed and died onstage at the Met on March 4, 1960 in a performance as Carlo in La forza del destino. In this definitive biography, Mary Jane Phillips-Matz, author of an acclaimed biography of Giuseppe Verdi, offers an intimate portrait of a beloved opera star, based on hundreds of interviews. More than 100 rare photographs capture Warren in his great roles as well as in private moments. HARDCOVER.