Questa serie si addentra nel ricco e diversificato panorama musicale del ventesimo secolo. Offre una prospettiva ampia attraverso studi storici, biografici, analitici e critici che illuminano i processi creativi e il linguaggio musicale dei compositori. Viene posta enfasi anche su contesti più ampi come il mecenatismo, l'editoria e la vita musicale di vari paesi, offrendo ai lettori una visione completa dell'epoca.
Focusing on the music and ideas of Michael Tippett, this study explores his connections to 19th-century roots and broader Western cultural developments. The interdisciplinary approach links Tippett's compositions to literature, philosophy, and literary theory, while examining themes of modernity and postmodernity. Additionally, it considers how Tippett's homosexuality influenced his identity and work as a composer, providing a comprehensive view of his artistic contributions and context.
The book explores the unique integration of verbal and musical elements in the operas and songs of composer Benjamin Britten. It delves into how Britten's innovative techniques create a distinct auditory experience, highlighting the interplay between lyrics and melody. Through analysis of his works, the author reveals the depth of Britten's artistry and his contributions to the operatic and musical landscape.
This important new study reassesses the position of Anton Webern in twentieth-century music. The twelve-note method of composition introduced by Arnold Schoenberg in the 1920s was one of the most significant musical innovations of the century. Its adoption by his pupil Anton Webern had profound consequences for composers of the next generation such as Stockhausen and Boulez, who saw Webern's music as revolutionary. In her detailed analyses, however, Professor Bailey demonstrates a fundamentally traditional aspect to Webern's creativity, particularly in his continued use of classical forms such as sonata, rondo, theme and variations etc. and in his consistent use of traditional language and concepts when describing his own music. Professor Bailey analyses all Webern's twelve-note works (from Op. 17 to Op. 31) i.e. the instrumental and vocal music written between 1924 and 1943. These analyses draw on sketch material recently made available at the Paul Sacher Foundation in Basel and include transcriptions of little-known drafts and sketches. A most valuable aspect of the book is the inclusion in appendices of such materials as a complete explanation of the row content of each work, the correct prime form of each of the rows from Op. 20 onwards, with a matrix constructed for each, and exhaustive row analyses.