Music since 1900 - Hardcover

Slonimsky, Nicolas

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0684105500 ISBN 13: 9780684105505

Publisher: C. Scribner's Sons, 1971

Synopsis

Fourth edition. The main body of the book, Descriptive Chronology, is "intended to be a sort of newsreel reflecting the 'inner headlines' of musical events" around the world, from January 1, 1900, when the first volume of the collected works of Hector Berlioz was published, to June 27, 1969, and the 43rd Festival of the International Society for Contemporary Music in Hamburg, with a program of its concerts. Part Two is a lengthy section of Letters and Documents, including the verbatim transcript of the interrogation of Hanns Eisler by the House of Representatives Committee on Un-American Activities, urging Congress to ban folk music festivals, and the hilarious debate that followed in the Senate. X-Lib. xvii, iii , 1595+ 1 pages. cloth. 8vo..

About this title

Review:

Nicolas Slonimsky's first edition of Music Since 1900 came out in 1937--his entry into the world of lexicography--and this fifth edition, published in 1994, was the last book he wrote. But that's only one reason why this book should be acquired, cherished, and continually browsed. The "Descriptive Chronology" begins January 1, 1900, with the publication of Hector Berlioz's first volume of collected works, wends its way through Gershwin's first performance of "Rhapsody in Blue" (February 12, 1924) and the founding of the Polish Music Publishing Society (April 15, 1945), and ends with the death of Ernst Krenek, composer of "Jonny spielt auf," (December 23, 1991). With letters (such as those to Slonimsky from Charles Ives) and documents (such as the transcript of the House Un-American Activities Committee hearing on Hanns Eisler), a Dictionary of Terms (abecedarianism to Zen), and a comprehensive index, the result is a scrupulous, eccentric, irresistible music reference.

From Booklist:

For the latest edition of Music Since 1900, editor Laura Kuhn has taken over the reins from eminent musicologist Nicolas Slonimsky, who died in 1995, just a year after the fifth edition of this work was published. The book is now in a larger format, which allows more content to fit into fewer pages. As with earlier editions, the main text is called the "Descriptive Chronology," with events such as deaths, performances and productions of importance (usually debuts of new works), music-publishing milestones, and more, arranged by date. New to this edition are more than 1,500 entries from January 1, 1992 (the first performance of a Jonathan Lloyd composition), through December 14, 2000 (the start of a three-day festival celebrating Messiaen).

Each entry notes relevant data (e.g., performer or composer name, title and type of work, place of performance, cause and place of performer's or composer's death, festival program listings) in a single sentence. The scope is international, with a primary focus on music in the classical realm. Although there are inevitable omissions (e.g., guitarist and composer Celedonio Romero's death in 1996), the breadth of coverage is impressive, and the opinionated writing makes for interesting browsing. The entire, lengthy text of the 1985 Senate hearing on record labeling, including the testimony of the late Frank Zappa, has been added to the "Letters and Documents" section. A "Dictionary of Terms" yields a few surprises along with more serious stuff, such as a little essay on a sleep disorder that notes "symphony concerts are notoriously conducive to narcolepsy." A detailed index to proper names and musical terms is included.

Libraries with older editions will want this update. RBB
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About this edition

• Publisher: C. Scribner's Sons
• Publication date: 1971
• ISBN 10: 0684105500
• ISBN 13: 9780684105505
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 4
• Number of pages: 1595