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The Musical Life – William Allaudin Mathieu
This was an interesting read, humorous and insightful in equal measure. His basic premise that everyone is musical by nature is one that he spends the rest of the book proving to us in ways that we had never even thought. It is a series of short, but profound essays, interspersed with funny, or revealing…
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What to Listen for in Music – Aaron Copland
I have the kindle version of this book, and I really enjoyed reading it. It was wholly instructive to hear from a composer of the caliber of Aaron Copland about how to listen to music analytically and with focus and intent. It is written in an engaging way making use of generally non-technical language to…
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The Lives of the Great Composers – Harold C. Schonberg
I really enjoyed this book, or should I call it a tome at over 750 pages, by Harold C. Shonberg. Shonberg provides fascinating biographies of many of the great composers ranging from Monteverdi to latter 20th Century composers. Written in a clear, concise, but very entertaining fashion, it is a wonderful way to familiarize oneself…
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Style and Idea – Arnold Schoenberg
Style and Idea is an interesting read from Arnold Schoenberg as he shares his strong opinions with us. It is a collection of some of his essays and articles. It is a great source of knowledge regarding Shoenberg’s views and attitudes towards music and art, presented well, by a renowned teacher. An undisputed scholar whose…
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All You Need is Ears – George Martin
I really enjoyed this autobiography by George Martin, learning more about his training, his work with The Beatles, and everything else that he did. It was fascinating to get an insight into his early life and training and how he came to be involved with The Beatles and how his skills and talents complemented them…
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Writings on Music – Steve Reich
Writings on Music, 1965 – 2000, by Steve Reich, edited by Paul Hillier was an interesting read. I enjoyed reading about the composer’s life and his works. It was interesting to read about his studies with obscure tribes and investigations into far from familiar musical fields in the West, and how he applied them in…
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Summer of Love – George Martin
Another great book. I really enjoy reading about the recording of The Beatles music and I have great respect for George Martin as being very much involved in the creative process with the Beatles. Summer of Love: The Making of Sgt. Pepper is a revealing behind-the-scenes account of how the innovative Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts…
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Poetics of Music – in the Form of Six Lessons – Igor Stravinsky
This book was based upon lectures at Harvard regarding Stravinsky’s thoughts on the essentials of music. I think that it is always interesting to have the opportunity to hear a composer’s beliefs about their subject and providing many insights to their art. This is a relatively short book but packed with information. It is a…
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Shoenberg: Why He Matters – Harvey Sachs
I enjoyed this book immensely. It was well written and provided lots of information on Arnold Schoenberg and his life and music. It was interesting to hear the author’s view as to why Schoenberg matters, given the lack of public exposure to his works. Charting Schoenberg’s journey through his works and the development of the…