Memories and Commentaries: New One-Volume Edition Compiled and Edited by Robert Craft [Hardcover]

Igor Stravinsky (Author), Robert Craft (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 6, 2002

For the first time in one volume--the celebrated Stravinsky and Craft Conversations

Few would dispute that Igor Stravinsky was the greatest composer of the twentieth century. Conductor and writer Robert Craft was his closest colleague and friend, and for over twenty-one years he lived with the Stravinskys in their Hollywood home. In the early 1950s he accompanied the composer on his concert tours, and from the mid-1950s to Stravinsky's death in 1971 he co-conducted his concerts. Together Stravinsky and Craft published five acclaimed collections known as the Conversations series, which sprung from informal talks between the two men.
In this newly edited and re-structured one-volume version, Craft brings Stravinsky's reflections on his childhood, his family life, professional associates, and personal relationships into sharper focus and places the major compositions in their cultural milieux. The Conversations books are the only published writing attributed to Stravinsky that are actually "by him" in terms of fidelity to his thoughts and opinions, making this volume required reading for all fans and students of Stravinsky's music.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

From the early 1950s until Stravinsky's death in 1971, Craft, awriter and conductor, accompanied the famed composer on his concerttours and even coconducted his concerts. Between 1958 and 1969 theypublished five books together, known collectively as theConversations. This new work is a one-volume version of those five andwas compiled by and contains new material by Craft. Entries arepresented in order following the stages of Stravinsky's life: Russian,Swiss, French, and American. At Craft's prodding, Stravinsky talksabout his early musical experiences as a pianist and accompanist, hismemories of other composers, the creation of the Firebird andother works, and his relationship with his family. He recalls hisfriendships with such celebrated people as Matisse, Picasso, Rodin,Debussy, Monet, and others. The book's final section deals with thecomposer's life in California and the music he created there, and whatCraft calls "perspectives of an octogenarian." This is a fascinatingportrait of the composer and the geniuses in his circle offriends. George Cohen
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

"An absolutely scintillating series." --Nicolas Slonimsky, The Christian Science Monitor

"These books are a treasured contribution to the documentation of music in our time." --David Drew, The New Statesman

"Stravinsky . . . has a remarkable eye for human singularity and a gift for making it vivid in a few quick strokes." --Alfred Frankenstein, The New York Times Book Review

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Faber & Faber; 1st edition (November 6, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0571212425
• ISBN-13: 978-0571212422
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,938,116 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful insights into Stravinsky's youth, views on music, and his own operas, January 14, 2006

By 

Craig Matteson (Saline, MI) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Memories and Commentaries (Paperback)

This is a most interesting set of conversations between Craft and Stravinsky. In many ways it is more personal than the earlier books by Stravinsky and quite frank in his assessments of the artists he knew and current trends in music and art. I cannot say that I agree with all of the master's judgments, but he is Stravinsky and I am not. He is always interesting and amazingly well read in his own art and in others.

His anecdotes from events in his career are always interesting and usually enlightening. The photographs reproduced here are especially interesting because of the people Stravinsky is with and what they say about the time and places when the were taken.

The book first takes us into his childhood, again, but this time in a most personal way. He then recounts various people he knew and provides us his portrait of them and often includes letters. He then gets directly into questions about music. For music lovers this is the most vital portion of the book. The last section talks about Nightingale, Persephone, and The Rake's Progress. Stravinsky also includes the outline he and Auden developed during their first ten days together working on the opera. Fascinating stuff.

A must read for all who love Stravinsky's music and for any general music reader who wants to know about one of the great musical figures of the twentieth century. That it can be had so inexpensively is a real plus!

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Domination of intellect, April 8, 2003

By 

Anna Shlimovich (Boston, MA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Memories and Commentaries: New One-Volume Edition Compiled and Edited by Robert Craft (Hardcover)

The book provides an incredible value for those interested in artistic developments in Paris, under Diagilev's "Ballets Russes" leadership. I was impressed by the broadness of Stravinsky's thinking, by his incredible intellect and by his constant quest to explore the new - the ultimate attribute of creativity. The book is full of interesting memories on many famous people.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars heady stuff!, December 12, 2007

By 

J. Anderson (Monterey, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Memories and Commentaries: New One-Volume Edition (Paperback)

What consolations are found in Robert Craft's amazing conversations with Stravinsky. For artists, Stravinsky comes through as a living colossus sitting next to you. The span of his intellect does impress, and with apparently blithe effort on his part, for it never flashes. It only glows. Stravinsky can open his world with a few chosen sentences; entering those tall doors one can only be subsumed in a vast arc of modern art in the person of one man, one great being. Craft's ardent intellect (wonderful queries all, leading the master in) relaxes within his affection for Stravinsky, not only respect but love too. That fusion of intellect and heart marks the book with a perfect pulse. Stravinsky's words come as unfussy and decisive as his music. His remarks on his time in Ustilug before returning to Petersburg offer loads of insight - Firebird was to come shortly - and throughout the book he leads Craft patiently with, typically, a largesse of economy. I'm struck by the providence of their remarkable relationship, the evocative noble aspects of it - how we've all benefitted! The chemistry that undergirds all the Craft-Stravinsky dialogues indicates Stravinsky knew well the worth of their venture, and saw to it that we might profit. Recommended without reservation.