Roger Smalley: A Case Study of Late Twentieth-Century Composition

ISBN-13: 9781138261259 / Angielski / Miękka / 2016 / 288 str.

Christopher Mark

Opis

Writing the history of musical composition in the late twentieth century might be seen as problematic. A productive way forward is to pursue case studies involving single composers whose music reflects several aspects of recent activity. The music of the composer Roger Smalley is ideal material for such a study, because of his involvement with an unusually large number of the myriad concerns and practices of post-1950s composition. Employing an interview with the composer as a kind of cantus firmus, the book incorporates critical commentary on the composer's major works in a chronological narrative that engages with broad issues of central relevance to Smalley's generation.

Recenzje

'Due attention, enhanced by a generous, well-reproduced collection of musical examples, is given to an impressive number of noteworthy scores ... the first extended single-author study of Smalley’s music to be published, and Christopher Mark’s often penetrating treatment of his subject matter is extremely successful in reminding us of the depth and breadth of the composer’s creative achievements. There is much here to stimulate and enlighten readers with an interest in new music from the past six decades and as such this is a highly recommendable book, which I shall return to often'. Tempo 'Mark’s analyses are detailed and insightful'. www.musictrust.com.au

Spis treści

List of Music Examples, List of Figures, Preface, 1 Culminating Moments: An Interview with Roger Smalley, 2 A Child of Serialism (1961–65), 3 Changing Orientations (1965–74), 4 In a New Land (1974–88), 5 Back to the Future II (1988–99), Epilogue, Bibliography, Appendix 1: A Timeline of Smalley’s Works and his Major Influences, Appendix 2: Smalley’s Writings, Appendix 3: List of Works, Index

O autorze

Christopher Mark is Senior Lecturer in Musicology at the University of Surrey, UK, where he served as head of department from 2005 to 2009. He was a co-founder of the Cambridge University Press journal Twentieth-Century Music, of which he was editor-in-chief until January 2009, and founder of the Biennial International Conference on Music Since 1900. He is author of Early Benjamin Britten (1995) and of numerous articles, conference papers, and book chapters on Britten, Smalley, Elgar, Vaughan Williams, Warlock and Tippett.