Free eBooks Amy Beach, Passionate Victorian: The Life And Work Of An American Composer, 1867-1944 Available To Downloads
Amy Marcy Cheney Beach (1867-1944), the most widely performed composer of her generation, was the first American woman to succeed as a creator of large-scale art music. Her "Gaelic" Symphony, given its premiere by the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1896, was the first work of its kind by an American woman to be performed by an American orchestra. Almost all of her more than 300 works were published soon after they were composed and performed, and today her music is finding new advocates and audiences for its energy, intensity, and sheer beauty. Yet, until now, no full-length critical biography of Beach's life or comprehensive critical overview of her music existed. This biography admirably fills that gap, fully examining the connections between Beach's life and work in light of social currents and dominant ideologies. Born into a musical family in Victorian times, Amy Beach started composing as a child of four and was equally gifted as a pianist. Her talent was recognized early by Boston's leading musicians, who gave her unqualified support. Although Beach believed that the life of a professional musician was the only life for her, her parents had raised her for marriage and a career of amateur music-making. Her response to this parental (and later spousal) opposition was to find creative ways of reaching her goal without direct confrontation. Discouraged from a full-scale concert career, she instead found her métier in composition. Success as a composer of art songs came early for Beach: indeed, her songs outsold those of her contemporaries. Nevertheless, she was determined to separate her work from the genteel parlor music women were writing in her day by creating large-scale works--a Mass, a symphony, and chamber music--that challenged the accepted notion that women were incapable of creating high art. She won the respect of colleagues and the allegiance of audiences. Many who praised her work, however, considered her an exception among women. Beach's reaction to this was to join with other women composers of serious music by promoting their works along with her own. Adrienne Fried Block has written a biography that takes full account of issues of gender and musical modernism, considering Beach in the contexts of her time and of her composer contemporaries, both male and female. Amy Beach, Passionate Victorian will be of great interest to students and scholars of American music, and to music lovers in general.
Hardcover: 448 pages
Publisher: Oxford University Press; 1 edition (December 17, 1998)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0195074084
ISBN-13: 978-0195074086
Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 1.6 x 9.1 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #1,102,376 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #115 in Books > Literature & Fiction > History & Criticism > Movements & Periods > Victorian #444 in Books > Arts & Photography > Music > Biographies > Classical #2286 in Books > Textbooks > Humanities > Performing Arts > Music
This book was superbly written, and it covers a musical life that all classical music lovers should become familiar with if not already. I had heard of Amy Beach but knew little of her career as a composer or performer. Turns out she was a prodigy who had perfect pitch and perfect memory. In this respect she was somewhat like Mozart. For many reasons which the author discusses at length, Beach was never as great a composer or concert pianist as her incredible talent would have predicted. Still she is considered America's greatest "woman" composer. Very intriguing biography
The book arrived promptly and was in very good condition. An old library book and just as described. Great book about an amazing lady who deserves to be much better known as a composer than she is. Listen to her music and you'll see what I mean.
This book gives lots of detail about Amy Beach, born at a time when women were not encouraged to follow productive careers in music. Despite being handicapped by her society, Amy Beach overcame many of those by the shear force of her musical talents. This book follows Beach's musical and personal life and also provides a clear image of the time in which she lived. If I had any criticism, there may be too much detail, but then I bought the book just to concentrate on her music.
Scholarly, entertaining, informative.
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