The death of classical music, the distinguished critic and
musicologist Joseph Kerman declares, is “a tired, vacuous concept
that will not die.” In this wide-ranging collection of essays and
reviews, Kerman examines the ongoing vitality of the classical
music tradition, from the days of Guillaume Dufay, John Taverner,
and William Byrd to contemporary operas by Philip Glass and John
Adams.
Here are enlightening investigations of the lives and works of
the greatest composers: Bach and his Well-Tempered Clavier,
Mozart’s and Beethoven’s piano concertos, Schubert’s songs,
Wagner’s and Verdi’s operas. Kerman discusses The Magic Flute as
well as productions of the Monteverdi operas in Brooklyn and the
Ring in San Francisco and Bayreuth. He also includes remembrances
of Maria Callas and Carlos Kleiber that make clear why they were
such extraordinary musicians.
Kerman argues that predictions—let alone assumptions—of the
death of classical music are not a new development but part of a
cultural transformation that has long been with us. Always alert to
the significance of historical changes, from the invention of music
notation to the advent of recording, he proposes that the place to
look for renewal of the classical music tradition in America today
is in opera—in a flood of new works, the rediscovery of
long-forgotten ones, and innovative productions by companies large
and small. Written for a general audience rather than for experts,
Kerman’s essays invite readers to listen afresh and to engage with
his insights into how music works. “His gift is so uncommon as to
make one sad,” Alex Ross has said.
|
内容加载中，请稍后...
商品评论（0条）