The Works of Ralph Vaughan Williams (Clarendon Paperbacks) [Paperback]

Michael Kennedy (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 18, 1994 | ISBN-10: 0198163304 | ISBN-13: 978-0198163305 | Edition: 2

This is the authoritative account of Vaughan Williams's musical life-- the story of a great composer's career, and at the same time the story of music in England for over half a century. Kennedy considers the principal works in chronological order, outlining the main features of each and discussing details of the music's structure, often illuminating his point with a musical quotation. He also provides a good deal of biographical data, and so builds up a picture of the composer, as well as providing thumbnail sketches of many of Vaughan Williams's friends and colleagues. Kennedy's extensive knowledge of Vaughan Williams's output also enables him to refer back and forth across the works to pick out lines of development and influence. Along with Michael Kennedy's new preface, the second edition includes a full classified list of Vaughan Williams's works.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Comprehensive and superlative."--Choral Journal

About the Author

Michael Kennedy is Chief Music Critic, Sunday Telegraph.

Product Details

• Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 2 edition (August 18, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0198163304
• ISBN-13: 978-0198163305
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,791,627 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars *The* standard study of Vaughan Williams's music., April 3, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Works of Ralph Vaughan Williams (Paperback)

I've known this book for over thirty years. Kennedy approachesVaughan Williams's catalogue both widely and deeply, with plenty ofmusical examples. Since I'm a Vaughan Williams headbanger, a book like this is my equivalent of hagiography. Kennedy assumes (correctly) that Vaughan Williams is one of the major composers of this century, and not just in England, and thus discusses works in a clear-eyed way, without special pleading, emotional ginger-up, or hysterical proselytizing. He gives us the musical "facts" of a work and shows, in purely compositional terms, why it's wonderful -- the most convincing argument of all. I've almost worn out my copy through reading and re-reading. When I listen to a Vaughan Williams work, I usually have the book handy. A classic of music writing.--Steve Schwartz