Customer Reviews

Where the Word Ends: The Life of Louis Moreau Gottschalk

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On the whole this is a "good" book on an intriguing character. Loggins obviously has access to Gottschalk's personal writings, has done his homework and gives a very credible biography on a too-little appreciated American. This book will give you a fairly detailed summary of Gottschalk's life in a straight-forward, plainly written style. There are some embellishments here and there but it is pretty obvious when Loggins is giving his own spin to things (e.g. Gottschalk's Spanish venture and the subsequent damage to his hand).

If you are interested in a readable introduction to a pianist whose life and reputation are as varied and interesting as his music then this is a good place to start.

Gottschalk and his music are very representative of his time. The exuberance of life lived, in the face of ever present threat of disease (yellow fever in particular), shows forth in the passions of nationalistic pride, the charm of social courtesy in a highly stratified culture, the elegance of sophisticated conversation and cultured interaction, which never-the-less was not out of touch with the lower classes, both slave and peasant. Gottschalk's life makes plain that culture can and must recognize social stratification in the context of mutual respect. It argues for the possibility of degrees of sophistication without elitism. We hear that in his music, as the complexity of rhythm and velocity demand the highest levels of virtuosity, yet the melodies are rooted in the common and even elemental strands in the social fabric. His was a life of liberty and his music is democratic to its roots.

In its own way, this book communicates some notion of these things, yet, it could have risen a bit higher than it does. The facts are there but helpful analysis and insights would have broadened its impact. The simplicity of the language and diction somewhat even argue against what Gottschalk's life and music contributed. It lacks elegance and if there is anything we can say about Gottschalk, it must be that in him and his music, elegance was not lacking.

It's a good book.