Arthur Honegger [Hardcover]

Harry Halbreich (Author), Roger Nichols (Translator), Arthur Honegger (Composer)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2003

Arthur Honegger (1892--1955), Swiss by nationality, French by education and residence, was a major composer of the 20th century. Although he earned popular acclaim early in his career, in his later years his consistently tonal musical language was considered outmoded. His most significant works include five symphonies, a large body of chamber music, and several large-scale oratorios that combine choral and instrumental writing with declaimed narrative in a uniquely effective way. HARDCOVER

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Halbreich, a Belgian musicologist who previously authored books on Debussy and Messiaen, offers a detailed study of Honegger (1892-1955), the Swiss-born member of the 1920s group of French composers Les Six, which also included his friends Poulenc and Milhaud. Halbreich chronicles the life of Honegger and ends with an annotated catalogue of works by the composer of the noted modern oratorios Jeanne d'Arc au b?cher and Le roi David, as well as popular symphonic pieces such as the railway-inspired Pacific 231. A musical traditionalist whose compositions possessed drama and sometimes righteous rage, Honegger also wrote a number of lesser-known works of high interest, from symphonies to chamber musicAand Halbreich performs an invaluable service by drawing attention to these many hidden treasures. The British author and translator Nichols, well-known for his own studies of modern French music, provides a sterling translation of the French original. Halbreich's only flaw is that he's far too forgiving of Honegger's role in wartime Paris, where the composer wrote for Nazi-sponsored magazinesAan action that even Honegger's friends and most later writers criticized. That aside, Halbreich offers an essential volume for understanding not only a major group of musical works but French musical life from the 1920s to the 1950s.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Language Notes

Text: English
Original Language: French

Product Details

• Hardcover: 684 pages
• Publisher: Amadeus Press (March 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1574670417
• ISBN-13: 978-1574670417
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.2 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,914,411 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A worthy book for a worthy composer, March 22, 2001

By 

Keith Peters - See all my reviews

This review is from: Arthur Honegger (Hardcover)

Harry Halbreich has done a masterful job of putting together the most complete book on Arthur Honegger, one of the two or three great composers of the 20th century. Halbreich explores the personal life of the composer (bringing him down a notch or two in his personal life and his time in occupied France)as well as a thorough exploration of all of Honegger's works. Recommended both for the professional musician as well as the listener who loves this Swiss composer's output. For those who know only Pacific 231, the symphonies and King David, this biography will open new doors to the many other compositions of Honegger.

5.0 out of 5 stars A quick-and-easy transaction for an invaluable book, October 3, 2010

By 

Radames T. Carson "Seattle Musician" (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Arthur Honegger (Hardcover)

I had long wanted this biography of one of my favorite composers, whose relative neglect in the U.S. mystifies me greatly. The entire transaction couldn't have been smoother; I received the book, which arrived in excellent condition due to careful packing, within a week. I am going through the biography with great delight and interest; Honegger the human being is as interesting and involving as his musical creations.