As Gerald Abraham notes in the foreword, Yastrebtsev was no Boswell and Rimsky-Korsakov no Johnson, yet Yastrebtsev has left in his Reminiscences a rich account of the last 16 years of his teacher and idol's life. Yastrebtsev's chronicle is unique in the literature about composers, especially for its insights about late 19th-century Russian musical life. Compiler Jonas has done it full justice. Her selection of items seems judicious (in the original, the Reminiscences fill about 1000 pages), and her translation is clear and even elegant. Her explanatory notes are indispensable. Highly recommended for established collections. Allen B. Skei, Music Dept., California State Univ., Fresno
Copyright 1985 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Language Notes
Text: English, Russian (translation)
See all customer reviews...
