The Life and Music of Bela Bartok [Paperback]

Halsey Stevens (Author), Malcolm Gillies (Compiler)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0198163495 | ISBN-13: 978-0198163497 | Publication Date: March 18, 1993 | Edition: 3

First published in 1953, and again in 1964, Stevens's study is a classic text, combining an authoritative, balanced account of the Hungarian composer's life with candid, insightful analyses of his numerous works, particularly the chamber works. The work now appears in a third edition, prepared by the Bart�k scholar Malcolm Gillies. A comprehensive chronological list of works is added, together with a select bibliography and discography. Minor revisions to the text are suggested and a new collection of rare photographs is included.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for past editions: "A reliable, sympathetic, informative, even rich book that fills a need. It should be in every self-respecting general library and in the hands of anyone who wants an understanding guide to the immense riches of Bart�k's works."--Notes

"Does credit to American musical scholarship."--Aaron Copland, New York Times

"Gilles's discretion is appreciated not only because the book is a lucid exposition of a notoriously complicated subject but also because it is one of the great classics of modernist biography and thus an important document in its own right."Choral Journal

About the Author

Halsey Stevens is at University of Southern California. Malcolm Gillies is at University of Queensland.

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 3 edition (March 18, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0198163495
• ISBN-13: 978-0198163497
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #592,818 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-buy for every Bartok fan., January 28, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Life and Music of Bela Bartok (Paperback)

An excellent book on the great Twentieth-Century composer, being both a biography in the usual sense, but also providing definitive analyses of his major works. The detailed description of Bartok's six string quartets, leaves little more to be said of them -- unless you want to go to monographs like Prof. Leo Treitler's Ph.D dissertation on the Fourth Quartet alone. A must for any Bartok lover. [updated email address]

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars first serious and comprehensive study of the life and works of Béla Bartók, June 30, 2010

By 

Margaret A. Maurice (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Life and Music of Bela Bartok (Paperback)

Well, I have to respect this book since it is the first serious and comprehensive study of the life and works of Béla Bartók. Overall, I give this 3.5 stars, with the hope that more books like this will surface with even more depth on this important composer.

General info: Only a third of the book is dedicated to biographical study, its primary concern is critical analysis of Bartók's music.

Representation of works: I found there was too much emphasis on vocal music, not enough on more important works, e.g. Mikrokosmos (less than a page -- whaat!!).

Musical analysis: there is no attempt to define Bartók's concept of tonality, no general analysis of his melodic and harmonic language. For being such a comprehensive book, I find that a bit strange -- especially in the 2nd edition.

Big, huge disappointment: Very little mention of Bartók's life long friendship and work with Kodály.