Customer Reviews

The Beatles (20th Century Composers)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

First off - this book is not a biography. It's an analysis of the Beatles compositions and recordings, with the aim of explaining what makes the Beatles' music unique and important in music history. The book quotes Leonard Bernstein's often-stated opinion that Lennon and McCartney were "the Schuberts of our time". The book treats them as such - important composers / singers / musicians.

I've read approx. 15-20 books on the Beatles, and as a composer myself, this is the most interesting I've read. Why? Because the author understands *music*, and the structure of compositions. This is clear from the very beginning.

He only focuses on the Beatle's "story" as subtext to the changes in their music. So don't expect lots of arguments pro / con McCartney taking over the band with Sgt. Pepper's, whether Ono REALLY broke up the Beatles (she didn't - that's naive and awfully simplistic).

These events / changes are only background fodder for discussing the music. I find that incredibly refreshing.

So what you can expect is what makes the harmonies sound so amazing, or rhythmic influences, compositional trends, growth in lyric-writing, depth of instrumentation, the musical contributions of George Martin, etc.

And I've read the previous reviews posted here, and have to say: This author isn't pro-Lennon and anti-McCartney. Even while complimenting a particular Lennon melody, he writes words to the effect, "...which is interesting because Lennon is not known for being a great melodist, at least not as long as McCartney is around."

He also references the fact that McCartney was (by far) the best musician in the group, and also a better lead guitarist than Harrison, although he says it as gently as possible.

The reality is that Lennon led the Beatles for the first few years, with McCartney assuming more and more responsibility circa Rubber Soul, and really taking over with Sgt. Pepper, as Lennon could no longer be bothered with being the leader anymore. Towards the end there was a real struggle to maintain the vision of the Beatles that each person had - and their visions were different. So there was a clash (beginning with the White Album, most likely), and that never strayed far from the studio I'm sure. And this book does reflect that reality - but it doesn't make judgments either way. Nor should it - it's irrelevant to the discussion at hand: The musical revolution taking place in Studio 2 at Abbey Road.

Personally, I am an admirer of both writers / singers for their individual talents and abilities, and I think this book reflects on their musical contributions to the 20th century rather well.

A must for aspiring music writers / critics, musicians and composers.

Curiously, I would say Beatlemania-type fans need not apply; there are real biographies out there with loads of stories & trivia - this book is a serious review of what made the music so new, and original, so historically important. It treats the Beatles as if they belong in the same breath as Bernstein, Monk, Ellington, Porter, Wagner, Schubert, etc. If that's what interests you, this book is DEFINITELY for you.

Kozinn's book is a competent summary of the Beatles' performance and recording career, and is refreshingly calm and balanced in its discussion of the causes for the Beatles' disbanding. It's a safe book for the relatively uninformed to read. But it fails in its stated intention of getting at the "mechanisms" of the Beatles' innovative genius. Although Kozinn is genuinely appreciative of Lennon's genius, the book commits the common sin of dismissing McCartney's contributions as a sort of idiot savant knack for commercial melodies. Without getting more than about 20% McCartney into the Lennon-McCartney mix, you really can't get a grip on the songbook or the remarkable recording revolution these two young men were responsible for. A more accurate title would have been "John Lennon and Other Musicians."

The sleeve jacket of Allan Kozinn's book says it all: Lennon's face fills the front cover, McCartney is relegated to the back and Harrison and Starr don't figure at all. He might as well have called his book "John Lennon & Co." So this is yet another one of those biased books that regards Lennon as the prime force behind The Beatles and McCartney as a frothy lightweight. There have been too many of these now and I'm getting sick of it.

Many of McCartney's most profound and inventive masterpieces - such as "Eleanor Rigby", "The Fool On The Hill" and "Blackbird" - receive scant analysis by Kozinn, while some of Lennon's lesser works have praise heaped upon them. Slight and insubstantial fillers like "I Should've Known Better" and "If I Fell" are described as "three-dimensional", while the crabbed and obsessive "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" - regarded by Robbie Robertson of The Band as "noisy s..t" - is praised for being "innovative"! He even gives Lennon credit for contributions McCartney actually made, such as the mellotron intro to "Strawberry Fields Forever". McCartney contributions to Lennon songs - such as the backing vocal that anticipates rather than responds to the main melody of "Help" - are all but ignored.

I agree that Lennon was a genius, but so was McCartney. And McCartney's talent was more MUSICAL.

Recent comments and books by Beatles' engineers Norman Smith and Geoff Emerick have firmly established that McCartney was not only the group's de facto musical director and producer, but also it's most naturally talented musician as well as it's main musical force. Yet books like these still ignore or underestimate his incalculable contribution to The Beatles' art.

I wasted my money on this book. If you want an objective, balanced and unbiased analysis of EVERY Beatles song, rather read Ian McDonald's "Revolution In The Head". He praises the group's triumphs, but is not afraid to be scathing about their failures, whoever was responsible for them.

Kozinn brings an interesting perspective to his book on the Beatles. He is a well-known classical music reviewer for the New York Times. But, at the same time, he's also been the Times' Beatles reporter for many years. He also has interviewed members of the group on a number of occasions. This book is one of the best analytical studies on the Beatles and their music you'll find. Well worth getting.

This book is a great read. The book came on time and the book was in perfect condition, just like it was described as. Thank You!

I ordered this book 1 full week before the Christmas holiday. While i did not need this book for the holiday, i did need it for an online class which started a week after Christmas. I STILL have not received the book which has made this now a total of 3 weeks. I was forced to cancel the order and take my business elsewhere. I am very disappointed with this outcome, not to mention that i also paid extra for 2 day shipping. I now have to pay more money for the same service at one of amazons competitors. My grade in this class has suffered as a result of this severe inconvenience.

This is the book to read if you're looking for a sober analysis of The Beatles life and music. Kozinn biographical accounts are almost never whimsical; they are used to explain the musical development of the group. There's also the right balance between high-level analysis of the songs, albums, studio recording techniques and lyrics. If you don't know much about The Beatles story, this is your book. If you do, it will bring your knowledge into focus, with great insights on individual songs.

My big complain is the ending: the author seems to rush through it, and his approach of the last two albums¬--"Let it be" and "Abbey Road"--is much more superficial than what you'd expect from the rest of the book. One gets the feeling Kozinn got tired and just wanted to be done with it. He redeems himself in the Epilogue, with a great fast-forward chronicle The Beatles post-breakup careers.

It is an overall great analysis and biography of The Beatles as a group and the contribution of each member to their incredible musical development throughout their short career.

First, you should be aware that this book is a reprint of Mr. Kozinn's earlier book called simply "The Beatles," so don't make the mistake I almost did of buying this if you already own the pervious one. Now on to the review...

I am a professor of music and teach a course on the music of the Beatles. This book was my first choice for the course textbook, but unfortunately it was out of print and we couldn't get enough copies for my students. So I am delighted that it is again available and I can use it for my class. I have read dozens of books on the Beatles, and this is one of my very favorites. It is not the book to read for someone looking for a recreational overview of the Beatles. There is enough biography to give the reader a good timeline of their career together, but it is not as in depth as in other books. That is not its intent. It is meant as a piece of serious music criticism, and in that regard it is excellent. Only MacDonald and Riley can compete in insightful observations about the music (although he does not attempt to address every single song as the former do). But Kozinn beats both of them with his engaging writing style. His prose is a pleasure to read!

Kozinn brings his years of experience as a classical music critic for the New York Times to the task. His broad historical knowledge of music, and his demand for the highest aesthetic standards from the artists he reviews, is something that is sadly lacking in most rock criticism. He demands the same artistry from the Beatles as he does from the best classical composers or the finest symphony orchestras. Some readers might be put off by this (see some of the other reviews posted here), but it is ultimately a sign of respect; the best rock music deserves no less than to be measured by the yardstick with which other great art is measured. This book accomplishes that as well or better than any other to date.

Not only is Allan Kozinn a fantastic music critic for the New York Times, but he's also a Beatles expert! His supple writing style is a joy to read and his research is thorough. Well worth the read.

Kozinn's book is a competent summary of the Beatles performance and recording career, and is refreshingly calm and balanced in its discussion of the causes for the Beatles' disbanding. It's a safe book for the relatively uninformed to read. But it fails in its stated intention of getting at the "mechanisms" of the Beatles' innovative genius. Although Kozinn is genuinely appreciative of Lennon's genius, the book commits the common sin of dismissing McCartney's contributions as a sort of idiot savant knack for commercial melodies. Without getting more than about 20% McCartney into the Lennon-McCartney mix, you really can't get a grip on the songbook or the remarkable recording revolution these two young men were responsible for. A more accurate title would have been "John Lennon and Other Musicians."