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Swooning: A Classical Music Guide to Life, Love, Lust and Other Follies
The history of classical music is littered with murder, sado-masochism, adultery, bigamy, fraud, riches, poverty, nervous breakdowns, bizarre habits, gluttony and terrible, terrible toilet humour (Mozart was the prime exponent of the latter). Classical music – nice? Not at all. It’s the most immediate expression of mental and emotional extremes: often deceptive, sometimes dangerous and frequently a discomforting revelation.
Just as the unsuspecting listener makes the connections between classical music and certain states of mind, so Swooning documents the all too human flaws in the lives of the great composers by loosely following the sequence of emotions as experienced in a love affair – one that doesn’t work out, of course.
In this fully revised and updated 14th anniversary edition, Christopher Lawrence leads us through the listening experience, from anger and Beethoven to sadness and Tchaikovsky, triumph and Wagner and freedom and Mozart – it’s all here in this whimsical guide to the conduct of a romance, with some handy hints on how to make it more, well, harmonious.
Just as the unsuspecting listener makes the connections between classical music and certain states of mind, so Swooning documents the all too human flaws in the lives of the great composers by loosely following the sequence of emotions as experienced in a love affair – one that doesn’t work out, of course.
In this fully revised and updated 14th anniversary edition, Christopher Lawrence leads us through the listening experience, from anger and Beethoven to sadness and Tchaikovsky, triumph and Wagner and freedom and Mozart – it’s all here in this whimsical guide to the conduct of a romance, with some handy hints on how to make it more, well, harmonious.
256 pages, Paperback
First published November 2, 2001
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51 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
May 9, 2014
Yet another book of amusing anecdotes from lives of the composers (I am a sucker for this genre!). Yes we already know about Mozart's prodigious talents as a 5yo, that Wagner was supremely arrogant, that Tchaikovsky was a depressive and didn't like Brahms, and that Beethoven was unlucky to go deaf. But this book also contains a smattering of Christopher Lawrence's own experiences and insights from his life in music as a producer, radio presenter, conductor and close neighbour of Ross Edwards. Overall, very amusingly and entertainingly written and some thought provoking ideas and delightful observations.
June 28, 2016
As a long-time fan of "Swoon", the ABC Classic FM segment showcasing beautiful and relaxing pieces of music, I knew I'd enjoy this book. Christopher Lawrence has arranged composers and pieces of music around themes of emotion, e.g., love, lust, anger, peace, etc. He presents the pieces and anecdotes about their composers with the overarching message that, "Artists teach us nothing. They simply point out to us the things we already know. If anything, I relish the confirmation that most of the composers were as ill-informed and 'un-lived' as I often feel". In other words, composers aren't enlightened beings, rather their pieces resonate with us because we know exactly how they feel.
February 10, 2015
This is a nice, easy read of anecdotes. A bit flippant at times, but it did inspire me to explore more classical music.
March 4, 2016
Light and casual. If you weren't convinced composers were of a different breed to regular humans, you will be.
November 2, 2017
This book was full of interesting tidbits of information about so many famous composers.
I learned a lot about the joys, victories and frailties of these very human geniuses.
I enjoyed it immensely - even though I had to keep stopping to look up the pieces of music Lawrence was referring to and hear them for myself.
I learned a lot about the joys, victories and frailties of these very human geniuses.
I enjoyed it immensely - even though I had to keep stopping to look up the pieces of music Lawrence was referring to and hear them for myself.
February 13, 2018
An extremely interesting book that explores life and music through the history of its composers. I would recommend this book for music lovers or those trying to introduce themselves to classical music.
July 12, 2018
The audiobook of this is quite delightful - although I wanted to take notes about the wild lives of classical musicians. It's really about the passions that surround classical music, whether it's love or living to excess. It's all here.
August 13, 2021
Beautifully told history of classical composers, structured into themes, their lives, loves, challenges and music. Really enjoyed the audio version.
July 20, 2024
The book is named after Lawrence’s breakfast sessions of classical music wrapped in Lawrence’s witty chats about the music in question, the composer, or anything else that crossed his mind. He opens with: “If religion is the opiate of the masses, then music is the cigarette holder.” Is this profound or is Lawrence just trying to be funny? The book is a pot pourri of the biography of several composers, some technical analysis of some works, musical history, anecdotes about performances, jokes (some good), and some Lawrentian philosophy. You’ll pick up all sorts of fascinating things, such as in an early performance of La Boheme Caruso slipped a warm, phalliform salami into the astonished Melba’s tiny frozen hand (who didn’t miss a beat). The format is loose, Lawrence jumping frog like from topic to topic frequently landing on the same lily pad more than once. It’s a book for music lovers to dip into: the reader will be amused and informed, and possibly even irritated, but that’s a small price to pay for a jolly good read.
March 5, 2022
I don't know my classic music that well or rather not at all aside from recognising some names and their composition but yet if you play the music, I wouldn't be able to tell you. Yea, that's how musical I am which is not at all. However, I don't believe you have to be musical or knowing much of music at all to enjoy this book. It's rather interesting, somewhat humorous and quite amusing to find out just how much or how little we know of these historical personages and just what shenanigans they get up to in their turn at life.
April 13, 2022
DNF. Flittering about the keys with fine and feathery strokes it failed to strike a chord with me. I rather like the idea of watching a dance about architecture though!
September 25, 2016
In the late 1990s Christopher Lawrence presented a series of excerpts of some of the most exquisite music ever written (enough to make one swoon) in his Breakfast Drive program on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s Classic FM network. It became one of the most popular segments ever broadcast, resulting in several CD albums that broke all records and went platinum; it was followed by a book Swooning published in 2001, and this review is about the 2015 revised edition of that book.
Nothing will replace the actual listening to the Swoon music. That needs to be said. What the Swooning book is all about, as I read it, is to further encourage those who might have first become “interested” in Classical music as a result of this program, to go a little further. Unfortunately, too many people often consider “classical” music as boring, or worse, too “difficult”; and in some way or another have built up a wall of fear around both the music and its composers which in turn alienates them further. In a weird sort of way, this “aversion” is all too common the more the classics are praised by the cognoscenti (a fate all too often shared with just about any great artistic work, sad to say).
In a sense, the “Swoon” albums had already succeeded in breaking down the first barrier: they made certain types of music immediately and directly accessible. This book then takes the interested reader through the next step: breaking down the equally alienating, but wrongly held belief that the composers involved were in some way untouchable, special kinds of geniuses, who inhabited some kind of isolated and privileged existence beyond the ken of ordinary mortals. This book sets out to show you why they are not anything but mere mortals like the rest of us. Talented, yes, in a specific area or two, but human like the rest of us. Some were obsessive; some outrageous, to name but two aspects; but all were emotional, and full of human feelings, and they were able to use their talents in music to communicate those feelings to other human beings in ways the latter could immediately and directly understand and appreciate. We immediately recognise our feelings (even if we do not necessarily understand them!) and so we can also recognise and understand their feelings: just like ours!
Lawrence presents his offerings on his selected composers as if it were part of a Programme of music: the first half deals with five subjects: Love; Lust; Excess & Obsession; Triumph; and Joy. An ‘Interval’ is then provided which deals with Tips on Musical Life. The second half of the program deals with: Anger; Sadness; Freedom & Release; Hope; and Peace. Each section provides stories and anecdotes relating to the specific composers chosen, and they are intended to (and succeed in) reveal(ing) the human being within.
Anyone who has actually heard Christopher Lawrence’s distinctive voice will also “hear” it in this work — together with his typically cheeky Australian way of “taking the piss” out of any pretentiousness and grandiosity relating to his topic. I have noticed that some reviewers found this quality somewhat “offensive”; but this is very much part of the Australian ethos of considering all of us on an equal footing as human beings — all those cadre-anointed or soi-disant “superior” human beings will find an Australian who will knock them down a pedestal or two for their own good… aka the “tall poppy syndrome”, which I support in this context. Respect is one thing; and it is earned, not granted — claiming respect, either in regard to someone else, or worse, for oneself, is a no-go as far as I am concerned. Lawrence’s approach is not so much selective, as catholic in taste: essentially he calls for an opening out of the heart and mind to the richness and abundance of Music.
So what we have here is a delicious collection of stories and anecdotes that many will enjoy, and which will hopefully lead many on to explore the composers and their works in greater detail. As for the music — well, where better than to start with than the Swoon Collection? Certainly enjoyment, perhaps a little bit of swooning, and maybe even ecstasy could be your reward.
Nothing will replace the actual listening to the Swoon music. That needs to be said. What the Swooning book is all about, as I read it, is to further encourage those who might have first become “interested” in Classical music as a result of this program, to go a little further. Unfortunately, too many people often consider “classical” music as boring, or worse, too “difficult”; and in some way or another have built up a wall of fear around both the music and its composers which in turn alienates them further. In a weird sort of way, this “aversion” is all too common the more the classics are praised by the cognoscenti (a fate all too often shared with just about any great artistic work, sad to say).
In a sense, the “Swoon” albums had already succeeded in breaking down the first barrier: they made certain types of music immediately and directly accessible. This book then takes the interested reader through the next step: breaking down the equally alienating, but wrongly held belief that the composers involved were in some way untouchable, special kinds of geniuses, who inhabited some kind of isolated and privileged existence beyond the ken of ordinary mortals. This book sets out to show you why they are not anything but mere mortals like the rest of us. Talented, yes, in a specific area or two, but human like the rest of us. Some were obsessive; some outrageous, to name but two aspects; but all were emotional, and full of human feelings, and they were able to use their talents in music to communicate those feelings to other human beings in ways the latter could immediately and directly understand and appreciate. We immediately recognise our feelings (even if we do not necessarily understand them!) and so we can also recognise and understand their feelings: just like ours!
Lawrence presents his offerings on his selected composers as if it were part of a Programme of music: the first half deals with five subjects: Love; Lust; Excess & Obsession; Triumph; and Joy. An ‘Interval’ is then provided which deals with Tips on Musical Life. The second half of the program deals with: Anger; Sadness; Freedom & Release; Hope; and Peace. Each section provides stories and anecdotes relating to the specific composers chosen, and they are intended to (and succeed in) reveal(ing) the human being within.
Anyone who has actually heard Christopher Lawrence’s distinctive voice will also “hear” it in this work — together with his typically cheeky Australian way of “taking the piss” out of any pretentiousness and grandiosity relating to his topic. I have noticed that some reviewers found this quality somewhat “offensive”; but this is very much part of the Australian ethos of considering all of us on an equal footing as human beings — all those cadre-anointed or soi-disant “superior” human beings will find an Australian who will knock them down a pedestal or two for their own good… aka the “tall poppy syndrome”, which I support in this context. Respect is one thing; and it is earned, not granted — claiming respect, either in regard to someone else, or worse, for oneself, is a no-go as far as I am concerned. Lawrence’s approach is not so much selective, as catholic in taste: essentially he calls for an opening out of the heart and mind to the richness and abundance of Music.
So what we have here is a delicious collection of stories and anecdotes that many will enjoy, and which will hopefully lead many on to explore the composers and their works in greater detail. As for the music — well, where better than to start with than the Swoon Collection? Certainly enjoyment, perhaps a little bit of swooning, and maybe even ecstasy could be your reward.
April 8, 2017
Christopher Lawrence uses language to evoke the feelings he's had listening to music that's survived centuries and is still loved today. This book is art - hilarious, sexy, sad, loving, disgusting, and profound. The stories of the people who wrote these amazing pieces of timeless music are fascinating, and Christopher Lawrence is a genius :) I completely agree with Elizabeth Jolley, who said: "This book, which can be carried and read, opened and closed and reopened at the will of the fortunate owners is the gift of a lifetime."
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews