New Publications,
New Music Book Publications - 10th July 2023
Welcome to our latest selection of new music publications, including the 2024 Boosey & Hawkes music diary, a biography of composer Arthur Bliss, an examination of the impact of the Strauss dynasty on Habsburg Vienna, a study of how the concepts of music theory can be applied within the genre of ethnomusicology, a history of American television music, essays exploring the music of Bruno Maderna, an exploration of the influence of Kurt Weill on composers Marc Blitzstein and Leonard Bernstein, a collection of art and illustrations by the late songwriter Scott Hutchison, and a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the recent theatrical hit, Back to the Future: The Musical.
Having served with distinction in the Great War, in which he was both injured and gassed, Arthur Bliss set the musical world alight with ultra-modern works, and before long became the most performed British composer abroad. He served as Director of Music at the BBC from 1942–4, and was appointed Master of the Queen’s Music. Bliss stated that the only way to get to know him was through his music. Paul Spicer takes this as his starting point for a pioneering biography which underlines the importance of a reappraisal of the composer’s music.
Available Format: Book
The music of the Strauss family – Johann and his three sons, Johann, Josef and Eduard – enjoys enormous popular appeal. Yet existing biographies have failed to do justice to the family's true significance. This book addresses this deficiency, showing that – from Johann's first engagements in the mid-1820s to the death of Eduard in 1916 – the music making of the family was at the centre of Habsburg Viennese society as it moved between dance hall, concert hall and theatre.
Available Format: Book
During the 1960s and 70s, ethnomusicologists formed relationships with ritual specialists in an attempt to interpret how they understood their musical actions. Subsequently they have studied the respects in which theory is involved in the communication of musical knowledge. A thorough yet concise introduction to the field, this book outlines a conception of music theory suited to cross-cultural research on musical practices.
Available Format: Book
Music for Prime Time: A History of American Television Themes and Scoring
Jon Burlingame; Oxford University Press; Hardback
Based on an earlier book by the same author, this vastly-expanded and revised narrative not only tells the backstory of every great TV theme but also examines the many neglected and underrated orchestral and jazz compositions for television dating back to the late 1940s. Covering every series genre, it also looks at music for animated series, news and documentary programming, TV-movies and miniseries, and how music for television has evolved in the era of cable and streaming options.
Available Format: Book
Utopia, Innovation, Tradition: Bruno Maderna's Cosmos
Angela Ida De Benedictis; Boydell & Brewer; Hardback
The first collection of essays in English on Bruno Maderna, this book brings the reader closer to one of the greatest European composers and conductors of the last century. The essays cover the most important aspects of Maderna's peculiar compositional approach and, thanks to innovative methodological perspectives based mainly on the study of archival materials, arrive at new and often unexpected interpretations.
Available Format: Book
Weill, Blitzstein, and Bernstein: A Study of Influence
Rebecca Schmid; University of Rochester Press; Hardback
Theodor Adorno famously proclaimed that the model of Kurt Weill could not be repeated. Yet Weill's stage works set an inescapable precedent for composers on both sides of the Atlantic. This book explores how Weill's formal innovations in particular laid the groundwork for works by Marc Blitzstein and Leonard Bernstein. It focuses on works that represent different phases of Weill's mission to renew the genre of opera, evolving from Die Dreigroschenoper to the musical play Lady in the Dark and the Broadway Opera Street Scene.
Available Format: Book
This book offers the context that students need to appreciate music, in a concise format that is visually appealing. Written to inspire students to connect intellectually and emotionally with music from the Western canon and beyond, the text is supported by a suite of digital resources, including How to Listen pedagogy that helps students deepen their listening experience, plus Learn to Listen pedagogy that helps students experience and understand the elements of music.
Available Format: Book
The founder member, frontman and main songwriter of indie band Frightened Rabbit, Scott Hutchison was also a talented artist. This publication features a curated selection of his art, from his early years as an illustration student at Glasgow School of Art, to artwork he produced for the Frightened Rabbit releases, and a wide range of work he created during his career. Much of the content has been reproduced for the first time and was provided by the Hutchison family. This limited edition has been curated by long-time Frightened Rabbit collaborator, Dave Thomas.
Available Format: Book
Featuring music and lyrics by Alan Silvestri and Glen Ballard and a book by Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale adapted from their original screenplay, Back to the Future: The Musical premiered at the Manchester Opera House in February 2020 to rave reviews. This book offers fans an entertaining look at the birth of a new theatrical classic. With unprecedented access to cast and crew, it pairs exclusive, in-depth interviews with previously unpublished photography, and excerpts from Bob Gale’s personal journal.
Available Format: Book
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