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Editorial Reviews
From Library Journal
British music critic Lebrecht is well known to music lovers for his entertaining, gossipy book Discord ( LJ 5/1/83). The same droll, opinionated, and eminently quotable author makes a triumphant return with this encyclopedia on the personalities and ideas of this century's music. As with Nicolas Slonimsky's Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians ( LJ 1/92. 8th ed.), the stamp of an idiosyncratic, unabashedly partial mind can be found in every entry. Lebrecht professes a pluralistic, nonideological approach: He holds no allegiances, save to his own instincts and good judgment. The results are mixed; for the most part, readers will be greatly impressed by the insightfulness of his comments and the sheer scope of the project. Certain entries, though, are irritatingly flippant and lacking in useful information. One can also criticize Lebrecht for ignoring current technological developments (there is no entry for "MIDI" and a woefully inadequate one for "computers") and for being slightly behind the curve in listing contemporary American composers. These caveats aside, the book is terrific reading and should be included in most music reference collections.
- Larry Lipkis, Moravian Coll., Bethlehem, Pa.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product Description
See all Editorial Reviews
British music critic Lebrecht is well known to music lovers for his entertaining, gossipy book Discord ( LJ 5/1/83). The same droll, opinionated, and eminently quotable author makes a triumphant return with this encyclopedia on the personalities and ideas of this century's music. As with Nicolas Slonimsky's Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians ( LJ 1/92. 8th ed.), the stamp of an idiosyncratic, unabashedly partial mind can be found in every entry. Lebrecht professes a pluralistic, nonideological approach: He holds no allegiances, save to his own instincts and good judgment. The results are mixed; for the most part, readers will be greatly impressed by the insightfulness of his comments and the sheer scope of the project. Certain entries, though, are irritatingly flippant and lacking in useful information. One can also criticize Lebrecht for ignoring current technological developments (there is no entry for "MIDI" and a woefully inadequate one for "computers") and for being slightly behind the curve in listing contemporary American composers. These caveats aside, the book is terrific reading and should be included in most music reference collections.
- Larry Lipkis, Moravian Coll., Bethlehem, Pa.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product Description
Twentieth century music has been remarkable for its pluralism. The various styles—atonality, neo-classicism, nationalism, serialism, jazz, computer music, minimalism, electronics, folklorism, “happenings,” sheer chance—have been far from monolithic, and experimentation has been, perhaps, the century’s only defining feature. With over 2500 entries, The Companion to 20th-Century Music is the first book to comprehensively define and applaud this diversity. Norman Lebrecht celebrates variety and innovation, assessing composers and musicians according to artistic merit rather than ideological or institutional eminence. He states that his purpose is “to demythologize, to enlighten, and to entertain,” so he writes in a readable, narrative style, free of jargon and abbreviations. The end result is the perfect companion to the music of our time.
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