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Richard Strauss
Celebrating its 100th anniversary, this extraordinary series continues to amaze and captivate its readers with detailed insight into the lives and work of music's geniuses. Unlike other composer biographies that focus narrowly on the music, this series explores the personal history of each
composer and the social context surrounding the music. In a precise, engaging, and authoritative manner, each volume combines a vivid portrait of the master musicians' inspirations, influences, life experiences, even their weaknesses, with an accessible discussion of their work-all in roughly 300
pages. Further, each volume offers superb reference material, including a detailed life and times chronology, a complete list of works, a personalia glossary highlighting the important people in the composer's life, and a select bibliography. Under the supervision of music expert and series general
editor Stanley Sadie, Master Musicians will certainly proceed to delight music scholars, serious musicians, and all music lovers for another hundred years.
Extensively revised, this well-received account of Richard Strauss's life and music enters its second edition. The life was rich in controversy, from the `outrage' caused by operas Salome and Elektra to the years under the Nazi regime. In his survey of the music, rejecting the generally accepted
view that Strauss's genius declined in his middle years, Michael Kennedy traces refinements of style from the early 1920s to Strauss's late works.
composer and the social context surrounding the music. In a precise, engaging, and authoritative manner, each volume combines a vivid portrait of the master musicians' inspirations, influences, life experiences, even their weaknesses, with an accessible discussion of their work-all in roughly 300
pages. Further, each volume offers superb reference material, including a detailed life and times chronology, a complete list of works, a personalia glossary highlighting the important people in the composer's life, and a select bibliography. Under the supervision of music expert and series general
editor Stanley Sadie, Master Musicians will certainly proceed to delight music scholars, serious musicians, and all music lovers for another hundred years.
Extensively revised, this well-received account of Richard Strauss's life and music enters its second edition. The life was rich in controversy, from the `outrage' caused by operas Salome and Elektra to the years under the Nazi regime. In his survey of the music, rejecting the generally accepted
view that Strauss's genius declined in his middle years, Michael Kennedy traces refinements of style from the early 1920s to Strauss's late works.
250 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1976
About the author
Michael Kennedy
161 books4 followersLibrarian Note: There are more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
for Michael Kennedy the music critic and biographer, see George Michael Sinclair Kennedy
for Michael Kennedy the music critic and biographer, see George Michael Sinclair Kennedy
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 8, 2012
Very informative read for musicians. Also it clears up some of the ambiguity surrounding Strauss' years remaining in Germany during the Nazi regime.
July 13, 2019
A fantastic biography of one of the greatest German composers of all time. Kennedy brings Strauss to life and demonstrates how many common perceptions of him go astray.
June 20, 2022
A thorough and balanced biography of one of the 20th Century most eminent opera and song composers. A man with flaws but genius and self-awareness.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews