Benjamin Britten & Samuel Barber: Their Lives and Their Music (Amadeus) (Paperback)

by Daniel Felsenfeld (Author) "Childhood was a gorgeous time for Benjamin Britten, something to which, in his music, in his life, he retreated often..." (more)
Key Phrases: Peter Grimes, Benjamin Britten, Samuel Barber (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
" . . . the biographical sketches and essays are simply written and easy to breeze through. . . ." -- New York Sun, July 5, 2005

". . . a praiseworthy study . . ." -- American Music Teacher, October/November 2005

"Felsenfeld proves to have an excellent ear and the ability to explain clearly what he hears . . ." -- Bay Area Reporter, June 9, 2005

"The descriptions [of the pieces] are jargon-free . . ." -- Synphony Magazine, January/February 2006

"[A] splendid paperback . . . in the fascinating new Parallel Lives series from Amadeus Press." -- American Record Guide, January/February 2006

Product Description

The second title in the Amadeus Press Parallel Lives series, this volume examines the lives and work of two giants of 20th century music. Both composers influenced countless others, and their works are performed often in today's concert and opera houses.

Product Details

• Paperback: 180 pages
• Publisher: Amadeus Press (November 29, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1574671081
• ISBN-13: 978-1574671087
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,140,980 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A golden opportunity botched, October 17, 2006

By	Frank M. Hudson (Bowie, MD) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Anyone interested in Barber's life and/or music should seek out the amazing bio by Barbara Heyman, Samuel Barber - The Composer and his Music (Oxford U. Press). As a lifelong student of the career & music of Barber, I was upset to read this recent book. It contains numerous inaccuracies, half-truths, ambiguities, and similarly misleading statements. And was there ANY attempt at editing the ms? The text is likewise marred by errors in usage, punctuation, even vocabulary. The Britten section has the same problems. And while the recorded music samples on the attached cd are most welcome, they do not fairly represent the composers, either - it's all from the "middle period" of each man and don't properly represent either composer's stylistic breadth. The concept of a brief book introducing these composers to the lay listener, with listening excerpts provided in the package, is a fine one, which makes me doubly sad that this project is such a disappointment. P.S. Having heard from the author, I now understand why some of the above-mentioned faults exist - and must say I'm shocked that a publisher I once respected, Amadeus, would let something like this happen. It's a disservice to the author as well as the public and the subjects of the book.

5.0 out of 5 stars A welcome addition to Barber research!!, October 17, 2005

By	Jennifer L. Barrett (Chicago IL) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I was so pleased to find that this book had just come out! I'm researching Barber for a Masters Thesis project and enjoyed the information presented-some that has not been discussed in the handful of books about him. Very interesting to see the similarities between him and Britten. The CD that comes with it is also nice. Well-written and a good read!

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars But what is on the CD you ask..., July 25, 2005

By	Allen Salyer "AlarmClockMagazine" (Troy, MI United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Since nearly half of the book is dedicated to the discussion and dissection of Benjamin Britton's and Samuel Barber's compositions, here listed is the music on the accompanying Naxos CD: 1) Britten: Passacaglia (from Peter Grimes); 2) Britten: Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings (complete); 3) Britten: The Turn of the Screw (Act II: Variation XV, scene 8); 4) Barber: Adagio for Strings; 5) Barber: Knoxville, Summer of 1915; and 6) Barber: Second Essay for Orchestra. I will offer a review of the book itself after I read it as it just arrived in my mailbox today (July 26, 2005).