Alex Bozman
Level 2
Times thanked: 1
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Posts: 36
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« on: January 28, 2019, 09:22:56 pm » |
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I was tempted to buy this, having been alerted by the reviews on here.
My preference would have been for the authors to omit the 20th century 'greats' writing broadly tonal music and include more unfamiliar names. However, if you are including the 'greats' an admittedly subjective category, then include them all. No Bartok, Ravel and I'd add Copland to the list of absent Americans.
It was pleasing to get informative articles on some of my favourite composers; Lajtha, Martin, Mathias, Saeverud for example. I did also explore some of the new repertiore suggested by the authors. Most of the American composers suggested didn't inspire, but quite liked Jack Gallagher's Threnody Symphony and find Stephen Albert an interesting composer new to me, particularly some of the song cycles like Tree Stone. Albert's Symphony no 1 is interesting, but hasn't fallen into place for me yet.
I'm not entirely comfortable with the author's emphasis of the spiritual in his writings, but overall have enjoyed reading this.
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