Spiritual Lives of the Great Composers

Spiritual Lives of the Great Composers
Author: Patrick Kavanaugh
Publisher: Zondervan
Total Pages: 260
Release: 1996
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 0310208068

This is a compelling and inspiring look at spiritual beliefs that influenced some of the world's greatest composers, now revised and expanded with eight additional composers.

The Lives of the Great Composers

The Lives of the Great Composers
Author: Harold C. Schonberg
Publisher: W. W. Norton
Total Pages: 653
Release: 1981-01-01
Genre: Composers
ISBN: 9780393013023

Biographies of the important composers from Monteverdi and Bach to Bartok and Webern are designed to show the history of music.

The Indispensable Composers

The Indispensable Composers
Author: Anthony Tommasini
Publisher:
Total Pages: 498
Release: 2018
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 1594205930

The chief classical music critic of "The New York Times" explores the concept of greatness in relation to composers, considering elements of biography, influence, and shifting attitudes toward a composer's work over time.

Composers

Composers
Author: DK
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 1059
Release: 2020-09-15
Genre: Music
ISBN: 0744036852

“The only love affair I have ever had was with music.” Maurice Ravel A compelling celebration of more than 90 of the world’s most influential composers from the medieval period to the present day, Composers reveals the fascinating stories of their lives, loves, and works. Biographical entries – introduced with a stunning portrait of each featured composer – trace the friendships, loves, and rivalries that inspired each musical genius. Profiles offer revealing insights into what drove each individual to create the musical masterpieces – symphonies, concertos, and operatic scores – that changed the direction of classical music and are still celebrated and treasured today. Lavishly illustrated with paintings or photographs of each composer, alongside original musical scores and personal correspondence, images of their homes and where they worked, and personal effects and other important artifacts, the book introduces the key influences, themes, and working methods of each individual, setting their works within a wider historical and cultural context. Charting the development of classical music and music movements across the centuries, Composers provides a compelling glimpse into the personal lives, loves, and influences of the giants of the classical music canon.

Secret Lives of Great Composers

Secret Lives of Great Composers
Author: Elizabeth Lunday
Publisher: Quirk Books
Total Pages: 290
Release: 2014-04-08
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 1594747466

Discover little-known stories from music history—including murder, riots, and heartbreak—in this entertaining tour through the fascinating (and surprising) lives of classical music masters With outrageous anecdotes about everyone from Gioachino Rossini (draft-dodging womanizer) to Johann Sebastian Bach (jailbird) to Richard Wagner (alleged cross-dresser), Secret Lives of Great Composers recounts the seamy, steamy, and gritty history behind the great masters of international music. Here, you’ll learn that Edward Elgar dabbled with explosives; that John Cage was obsessed with fungus; that Berlioz plotted murder; and that Giacomo Puccini stole his church’s organ pipes and sold them as scrap metal so he could buy cigarettes. This is one music history lesson you’ll never forget!

The Rest Is Noise

The Rest Is Noise
Author: Alex Ross
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Total Pages: 706
Release: 2007-10-16
Genre: Music
ISBN: 1429932880

Winner of the 2007 National Book Critics Circle Award for Criticism A New York Times Book Review Top Ten Book of the Year Time magazine Top Ten Nonfiction Book of 2007 Newsweek Favorite Books of 2007 A Washington Post Book World Best Book of 2007 In this sweeping and dramatic narrative, Alex Ross, music critic for The New Yorker, weaves together the histories of the twentieth century and its music, from Vienna before the First World War to Paris in the twenties; from Hitler's Germany and Stalin's Russia to downtown New York in the sixties and seventies up to the present. Taking readers into the labyrinth of modern style, Ross draws revelatory connections between the century's most influential composers and the wider culture. The Rest Is Noise is an astonishing history of the twentieth century as told through its music.

Classical Music

Classical Music
Author: Phil G. Goulding
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Total Pages: 657
Release: 2011-03-16
Genre: Music
ISBN: 0307760464

MAKE A SOUND INVESTMENT IN CLASSICAL MUSIC Who are the ten most important classical composers? Who in the world was Palestrina? Why did Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring" cause a riot? Which five of each important composer's works should you buy? What is a concerto and how does it differ from a sonata? Maybe you don't know the answers to these questions; author Phil Goulding certainly didn't. When Goulding first tried to learn about classical music, he found himself buried in an avalanche of technical terms and complicated jargon--so he decided to write the book he couldn't find. The result is a complete classical music education in one volume. Comprehensive, discriminating, and delightfully irreverent, Classical Music provides such essential information as: * Rankings of the top 50 composers (Bach is #1. Borodin is #50) * A detailed and anecdotal look at each composer's life and work * The five primary works of each composer and specific recommended CDs for each. * Further great works of each composer--if you really like him * Concise explanations of musical terminology, forms, and periods * A guide to the parts and history of the symphony orchestra "This book uses every conceivable gimmick to immerse readers in the richness of classical music: lists, rankings, sidebars devoted to lively anecdotes, and catchy leads." --The Washington Post "One terrific music appreciation book...The information is surprisingly detailed but concisely presented. Goulding's writing style is breezy yet mature....[He] has raised music appreciation from a racket to a service." --The Arizona Daily Star

The Great Composers

The Great Composers
Author: Wendy Thompson
Publisher: Lorenz Books
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2001
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 9780754806813

This new authoritative reference provides an illustrated guide to the most influential western composers of classical music: the ones who have defined or developed particular styles of composition, and who have created for themselves a significant place in music history.

Famous Composers and Their Works (Vol. 1&2)

Famous Composers and Their Works (Vol. 1&2)
Author: Various
Publisher: Good Press
Total Pages: 863
Release: 2023-12-16
Genre: Music
ISBN:

In 'Famous Composers and Their Works', Various authors provide a comprehensive overview of the lives and works of some of the most influential composers in history. Through detailed analysis of their compositions and biographical information, the book offers readers a deeper understanding of the artistic processes and historical contexts that shaped the music of these celebrated figures. The writing style is scholarly yet accessible, making it suitable for both music enthusiasts and academics alike. Each composer's unique contributions to the world of music are explored, giving readers a well-rounded view of their impact on the musical landscape of their time. From Mozart to Beethoven, this two-volume set is a must-read for anyone interested in classical music history and appreciation. Readers will gain valuable insights into the creative genius of these musical maestros and the lasting legacy they have left behind.

A Composer's Guide to Game Music

A Composer's Guide to Game Music
Author: Winifred Phillips
Publisher: MIT Press
Total Pages: 285
Release: 2017-08-11
Genre: Music
ISBN: 0262534495

A comprehensive, practical guide to composing video game music, from acquiring the necessary skills to finding work in the field. Music in video games is often a sophisticated, complex composition that serves to engage the player, set the pace of play, and aid interactivity. Composers of video game music must master an array of specialized skills not taught in the conservatory, including the creation of linear loops, music chunks for horizontal resequencing, and compositional fragments for use within a generative framework. In A Composer's Guide to Game Music, Winifred Phillips—herself an award-winning composer of video game music—provides a comprehensive, practical guide that leads an aspiring video game composer from acquiring the necessary creative skills to understanding the function of music in games to finding work in the field. Musicians and composers may be drawn to game music composition because the game industry is a multibillion-dollar, employment-generating economic powerhouse, but, Phillips writes, the most important qualification for a musician who wants to become a game music composer is a love of video games. Phillips offers detailed coverage of essential topics, including musicianship and composition experience; immersion; musical themes; music and game genres; workflow; working with a development team; linear music; interactive music, both rendered and generative; audio technology, from mixers and preamps to software; and running a business. A Composer's Guide to Game Music offers indispensable guidance for musicians and composers who want to deploy their creativity in a dynamic and growing industry, protect their musical identities while working in a highly technical field, and create great music within the constraints of a new medium.