Dark Magus is a warts-and-all look at the real Miles Davis. As told by his son, this book strips away the public perception of Davis and gets down to the realities of his personality, his relationships, and his many quirks. Dark Magus details this enigmatic superstar's Jekyll and Hyde behavior: his swings between sobriety and prodigious drug use; his tender family moments and his destructive selfishness; his search for marital stability and his obsession with young women; his exalted musical talent and his ever-present personal demons. The author also delves into Davis' relationships with artists such as Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and John Coltrane, as well as his role as a mentor to young musicians, his obsession with sports, the ups and downs of his career, and the family's turmoil over his final will. "This book is a brilliant and engaging revelation of Miles' character through the recollections of his oldest son. It's a book about a legendary musician who was one of my closest friends, and a book that's second to none." - Clark Terry

As recommended by USA Today and excerpted on Rolling Stone.com! More than forty years after breaking up, The Beatles remain the biggest-selling and most influential group in the history of popular music. Fans endlessly replay their songs, craving more, while thousands of cover versions of their songs have been recorded and performed. Band biographies, pop music histories, song books, and academic titles on the Fab Four clutter shelves. But never has there been a definitive guide to the finest songs of The Beatles after they called it quits. Still the Greatest is a love song to the songwriting and recording achievements of Paul, John, George, and Ringo after each struck out on his own. In this creative history, Jackson selects the best songs in each solo career and organizes them into fantasy albums they might have formed had the legendary group stayed together. This romp through the post-Beatles history of each artist delves into the circumstances behind the composition, recording, and reception of each work, offering a refreshing take on how spectacular much of The Beatles' second act truly is. Jackson assesses the more than seventy albums and nine hundred songs the four collectively released, selecting the creme de la creme of their output. Still the Greatest brims with facts (release dates, writing and performing credits, and information about production techniques) and insightful analyses of the music and lyrics. In telling the stories behind the songs, Jackson recounts the remarkable influence the Post Fab Four continued to have long after the big split. Both a handy reference and an engrossing cover-to-cover read, Still the Greatest is an invaluable companion for those who thought it all ended with the 1970 album Let It Be.

Edmund Rubbra's music has given him a reputation as a 'spiritual' composer, who had an interest in Eastern thought, and a mid-life conversion to Roman Catholicism. This book takes a wide and detailed view of 'spiritual' dimensions or strands that were important in his life, positioning them both biographically and within the context of contemporaneous English culture. It proceeds to interpret through detailed analysis the ways these spiritual aspects are reflected in specific compositions. Thematical treatment of these spiritual issues, touching on Theosophy, dance, Eastern religions and thought, nature, the evolutionary theory of Teilhard de Chardin and the Christ figure, presents a multi-faceted view of Rubbra's life and music. Its contribution to a scholarly re-evaluation of his place within twentieth-century British music and culture engages and meshes with several areas of current scholarly research in the arts and humanities, including academic interest in Theosophy, modernism and the arts, experimental dance and the Indian cultural renaissance and East-West musical interactions of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It also adds to a burgeoning body of writings on music and spirituality, fuelled by the popularity of later twentieth-century and contemporary composers who make more overt spiritual references in their music.

Someone Out There is Listening tells the story of Eddie Hazell, a jazz guitar player and vocalist with a unique style unmatched in the last half century. Hazell had a combination of good looks, skills, and style. He was a '50s guy - heady, hopeful, and a believer in the system even though it didn't always work for him. As a rising star, Hazell had great bookings across the country and Canada. He was compared to some of the top stars in the music business, columnists and critics gave him solid reviews and high praise for his performances, and disc jockeys played his recordings and were eager for more. People who knew him had no doubt that he would make the big time - it was only a matter of when. Eddie Hazell's story is about the times and the vicissitudes of the music business, and what it took to accomplish one's goals. Eddie strove not only for success, but to persevere during bad times and personal hardships, while still maintaining artistic integrity and enjoyment of life. Eddie Hazell went the full mile; he didn't leave anything out. The celebrated music producer George Martin once said: "The music business is littered with shooting stars that burned out. So pace yourselves; it's not a sprint. It is more like a marathon. Remember you have to keep running." Eddie Hazell's life is a musical marathon - reading about it is like running with him and the many other runners in his field.

The Polish composer Henryk Górecki (born 1933) achieved world-wide renown in 1992 when his Third Symphony, written in 1976, was recorded on CD and became an international bestseller. It is now one of the best known musical compositions of recent years, yet Górecki's other music is still relatively little known. This study, the first detailed account of his works in any language, provides biographical information as background to the music, and is by a leading enthusiast for Górecki's music.

Johann Sebastian Bach created what may be the most celestial and profound body of music in history; Frederick the Great built the colossus we now know as Germany, and along with it a template for modern warfare. Their fleeting encounter in 1757 signals a unique moment in history where belief collided with the cold certainty of reason. Set at the tipping point between the ancient and modern world, Evening in the Palace of Reason captures the tumult of the eighteenth century, the legacy of the Reformation, and the birth of the Enlightenment in this extraordinary tale of two men.

Domenico Dragonetti (1763-1846) was the most famous double-bass player in history. He dominated the English musical world for just over half a century. This critical biography explores his extraordinary career as musician, composer, entrepreneur, and pedagogue.

This bio-bibliography catalogs more than 300 musical compositions of the prolific American composer, Daniel Pinkham. The compositions reflect PinkhaM's success at securing commissions from a variety of individuals and organizations, and span his entire career to date as composer, performer, and teacher. The volume commences with a biography, and then supplies a complete catalog of works and a selected listing of performances. A discography of commercially produced recordings follows, with numbers corresponding to those in the previous sections. The final section is a bibliography, which is divided into two parts. The first part lists references to general reviews of PinkhaM's work or reviews of more than one composition; the second part consists of reviews of specific pieces. As before, the pieces are cross-referenced to the preceding sections. The volume concludes with four appendixes: a list of works arranged chronologically by date of composition; an alphabetical list of works; the literary texts used in the works, listed by author; and biblical sources of the texts.

Thomas Schuttenhelm provides a detailed account of the events leading up to and throughout the compositional process associated with Michael Tippett's Fifth String Quartet and a comprehensive analysis of the entire quartet. The commentary discusses this work in the context of Tippett's creative development and places it within the historical context of the genre of the string quartet. The commentary includes interviews with the members of the Lindsay String Quartet, who premiered the work, as well as previously unpublished letters from the composer and interviews with Tippett in which he discusses the quartet in detail. Special attention is given to Tippett's preliminary attempts, which were only recently discovered (2011) and to the evidence that suggests he altered the original ending. Included are images from the composer's sketchbooks and manuscripts, as well as the original beginning and the altered ending.

E 1-2-3-4! ETHWith that quick count-off four hoppin' cretins from Queens who called themselves the Ramones launched the 1970s musical revolution known as punk rock. And ever since popular music hasn't been the same. Perhaps the most imitated band of all time the Ramones stripped rock 'n' roll down to its bare bones and beating heart and handed it back to the people making it fun again and reminding everyone that hey they could do this too.THBut da brudders didn't just influence their key comrades in the original punk explosion. Their raw tough sound and divine gift of enduring melodic songcraft has power-drilled its way into musical styles as divergent as college rock power pop hardcore punk thrash metal grunge and the avant-garde and continues to be felt in newer waves of young acts. And what about the music that influenced the Ramones themselves a early rock 'n' roll surf rock British Invasion sounds garage rock girl groups hard rock bubblegum proto-punk and glam rock? Or the nonmusical stuff that also warped the skulls beneath those trademark bowl haircuts a weird movies cartoons trashy TV shows comic books and other cultural jetsam? It's all here just waiting for you to discover and dig. Hey Ho Let's Go!

Anton Webern: A Research and Information Guide offers carefully selected and annotated sources regarding Webern from 1975 to present day, including sources on Webern's life, his music, and the interpretation and reception of his music. Along with this comprehensive annotated listing of print and online sources, the book discusses the history of research on Webern and includes a brief chronology of his life. It is a major reference tool for those interested in Webern and his music and valuable for researchers of 20th century music and the Second Viennese School.

The Oxford History of English Music, Volume 2 takes the story of English Music from c.1715 to the present day, following on from Volume 1, published in 1991. It discusses not only the music of major composers but that of many lesser figures, together with folk music, light and popular music, and the social and historical background.

Beethoven's piano sonatas are a cornerstone of the piano repertoire and favourites of both the concert hall and recording studio. The sonatas have been the subject of much scholarship, but no single study gives an adequate account of the processes by which these sonatas were composed and published. With source materials such as sketches and correspondence increasingly available, the time is ripe for a close study of the history of these works. Barry Cooper, who in 2007 produced a new edition of all 35 sonatas, including three that are often overlooked, examines each sonata in turn, addressing questions such as: Why were they written? Why did they turn out as they did? How did they come into being and how did they reach their final form? Drawing on the composer's sketches, autograph scores and early printed editions, as well as contextual material such as correspondence, Cooper explores the links between the notes and symbols found in the musical texts of the sonatas, and the environment that brought them about. The result is a biography not of the composer, but of the works themselves.

This handbook provides an in-depth account of the origins, style, and performance history of Der fliegende Holländer (The Flying Dutchman), universally acknowledged as Wagner's first truly significant, original work. Designed for scholars, performers and the opera-going public, the book examines the biographical impulses behind the opera's conception, its place in the composer's career, its literary sources and production history. There is also a detailed survey of how generations of performers have interpreted the musical score. Rare pictures from important and influential productions complete this invaluable guide.

The classical music of Iraq, known as Iraqi Maqam, features classical and vernacular poetry sung by a virtuoso soloist and accompanied by a small instrumental ensemble. It is a remarkably cosmopolitan art, sharing many features with neighboring classical traditions, particularly Iranian. Its repertoire consists of orally transmitted, multi-sectioned compositions, performed with some flexibility regarding ornamentation, arrangement and development. Focusing on the period between 1930-1980, this reference offers the first comprehensive view of the musical contents of the repertoire scalar structure, melodic materials and overall form through various tables and musical transcriptions. This reference consolidates information from prominent Iraqi sources and draws upon a selection of recordings by master musicians, including Rashid Qundarchi and Yusuf Omar. An introductory section provides a brief overview of pan-Middle Eastern modal theory along with an outline of the terminology, theory and practices specific to Iraqi Maqam. The main section of the work is a catalog of 40 maqams that constitute the central core of the contemporary repertoire. The Repertoire of Iraqi Maqam aims to foster a better musical understanding of a relatively little known tradition, promote further research, and enhance appreciative listening to this inspiring facet of Iraqi culture.

By common consent the leading British composer of the twentieth-century's middle decades, Britten continues to create significant contexts for the work of those who survived and succeeded him. This collection of revised reprints of essays, reviews and analyses first published between 1995 and 2018 surveys a cross-section of contemporary classical composition in the UK. The governing perspective is the impact of the life and work of Benjamin Britten (1913-1976) on British composers who, with the exception of Michael Tippett and Robert Simpson, were born between the 1930s and the 1980s. Despite obvious and considerable differences in character and style, British composers like Harrison Birtwistle and Thomas Ades, Robin Holloway and James Dillon, have continued, like Britten himself, to seek personal perspectives on the still prominent procedures and personalities of more distant baroque, classical and romantic eras. Most if not all of these composers would deny being influenced by Britten, and many have reservations about his music. Yet, in light of the fact that British musical life and the institutions that support it have not changed radically since Britten's own time - the pace of technological change notwithstanding - to speak of 'British music after Britten' inevitably involves something more than mere chronology. As by common consent the leading British composer of the twentieth-century's middle decades, Britten continues to create significant contexts for the work of those who survived and succeeded him.

Once regarded as Ireland's national bard, Thomas Moore's lasting reputation rests on the ten immensely popular collections of drawing-room songs known as the Irish Melodies, published between 1808 and 1834. Moore drew on anthologies of ancient music, breathing new life into the airs and bringing them before a global audience for the very first time. Recognizing the unique beauty of the airs as well as their symbolic significance, these qualities were often interwoven into the verses providing potent political commentary along with a new cultural perspective. At home and abroad, Moore's Melodies created a realm of influence that continued to define Irish culture for many decades to come. Notwithstanding the far-reaching appeal and success of the collections, Moore has only recently begun to receive serious attention from scholars. Una Hunt provides the first detailed study of Moore's Irish Melodies from a combined musical and literary standpoint by drawing on a practical understanding and an unrivalled performance experience of the songs. The initial two chapters contextualize Moore and his songs through a detailed examination of their sources and style while the following chapters concentrate on the collaborative work provided by the composers Sir John Stevenson and Henry Rowley Bishop. Chapters 5 and 6 reappraise musical sources and Moore's adaptation of these, supported and illustrated by the Table of Sources in the Appendix.

A TAROT DECK FOR MUSIC LOVERS with the biggest stars representing the cards' meanings AN ACCESSIBLE ENTRY TO TAROT or an exciting new addition to a card collection CULT FAVOURITES AND BIG STARS: there's something for fans of every genre STUNNING ILLUSTRATIONS with more to find on every reading INCLUDES A BOOKLET that unpacks the meanings of the cards and explains how to conduct your own readings Tune into your inner wisdom with this unique tarot deck inspired by cult music icons. Inside you'll find musicians who perfectly encapsulate the tarot card meanings: Lorde is the Fool, Prince is the Emperor and David Byrne is the Hermit. The 78 cards work as a fully functional tarot deck, and the kit also includes a booklet with more information about the musicians, as well as information on how to interpret the cards and conduct your own readings.

In Women of Influence in Contemporary Music: Nine American Composers, Michael K. Slayton has collected essays, which focus on women who have made significant contributions to American music: Elizabeth Austin, Susan Botti, Gabriela Lena Frank, Jennifer Higdon, Libby Larsen, Tania Leon, Cindy McTee, Marga Richter, and Judith Shatin. While these composers have much in common, not least of all dedication to their art, their individual stories reveal different impulses in American music. Their works reflect the shifting societal landscapes in the United States over the last seven decades, as well as different stylistic approaches to writing music. Each chapter includes a biography of the composer, an interview, and a detailed analysis of one major composition. The composers openly reflect on their individual journeys, in which they have discovered respective musical languages and have found success during different times in history. Because few music books focus solely on female composers, Women of Influence in Contemporary Music offers a rare glimpse into the styles and attitudes of gifted women and their work.

A fully annotated edition of more than 1600 letters from and to Gerald Finzi, spanning the composer's life from ca. the early 1920s up until his untimely death in 1956. Gerald Finzi's (1901-1956) masterpiece is the radiant and touching cantata Dies Natalis. He is also highly regarded for his Thomas Hardy song-settings, for his Intimations of Immortality, and for his fine cello and clarinet concertos. As a scholar, he championed the then neglected composers Hubert Parry and Ivor Gurney, and the eighteenth-century John Stanley, William Boyce and Richard Mudge, composers he revived with the amateur orchestra he founded. Diana McVeagh, Finzi's biographer, brings together more than 1600 letters from and to Gerald Finzi, spanning the composer's life from the early 1920s until his untimely death in 1956. His more than 160 correspondents include Ralph Vaughan Williams, Herbert Howells, Edmund Rubbra, Arthur Bliss and Howard Ferguson, Michael Tippett, Benjamin Britten and Sir John Barbirolli, the poet Edmund Blunden, and the artist John Aldridge, making this a portrait not only of Gerald Finzi but also of his group of composer, musician and artist friends in the first half of the twentieth century. In these mostly unpublished letters Finzi emerges as a multi-faceted and complex character, developing from a solitary, introverted youth into a man with strong views and wide interests: education, pacifism, vegetarianism, the Arts and Crafts movement and the English pastoral tradition, among others. From amusing trivia to the deeply serious ideas and principles Finzi set out at the onset of war and in the 1950s, these letters allow for first-hand insights into his personality and background. This definitive edition is fully annotated, offering context with substantial commentaries on the correspondence, illustrations by Joy Finzi, a chronology, bibliography and a catalogue of works.

Hawai'i's legendary jazz musician Gabe Baltazar Jr. has thrilled audiences since the late 1940s with his powerful and passionate playing. In this, the first book on his life and career, Gabe takes readers through the highs, lows, and in-betweens on the long road to becoming one of the very few Asian Americans who has achieved worldwide acclaim as a jazz artist. At a young age Gabe was encouraged by his father, an accomplished musician, to take up the clarinet and saxophone. As a teenager during World War II, Gabe performed with the Royal Hawaiian Band but spent his weekends playing in swing bands. After establishing himself in the West Coast jazz scene, in 1960 he rose to prominence as lead alto saxophonist of the Stan Kenton Orchestra. Following a four-year stint with Kenton, Gabe worked as a valued studio musician, recording with Dizzy Gillespie, Oliver Nelson, and James Moody, among others. In 1969 he returned to Honolulu and went on to become Hawai?i's premier jazz artist, a role he admirably fulfilled for over forty years. At 82, Gabe remains active in jazz education and still performs regularly. Gabe's memorable encounters with some of the greatest names in jazz and popular entertainment will delight music fans, while readers of Hawai'i and Asian-American life-writing will find in this work a fond record of days past told with humour and heart.

How does musical harmony engage listeners in relations of desire? Where does this desire come from? Author Kenneth Smith seeks to answer these questions by analyzing works from the turn of the twentieth- century that are both harmonically enriched and psychologically complex. Desire in Chromatic Harmony yields a new theory of how chromatic chord progressions direct the listener on intricate journeys through harmonic space, mirroring the tensions of the psyche found in Schopenhauer, Freud, Lacan, Lyotard, and Deleuze. Smith extends this mode of enquiry into sophisticated music theory, while exploring philosophically engaged European and American composers such as Richard Strauss, Alexander Skryabin, Josef Suk, Charles Ives, and Aaron Copland. Focusing on harmony and chord progression, the book drills down into the diatonic undercurrent beneath densely chromatic and dissonant surfaces. From the obsession with death and mourning in Suk's asrael Symphony to an exploration of "perversion" in Strauss's elektra; from the Sufi mysticism of Szymanowski's Song of the Night to the failed fantasy of the American dream in Copland's The Tender Land, Desire in Chromatic Harmony cuts a path through the dense forests of chromatic complexity, revealing the psychological make-up of post-Wagnerian psychodynamic music.

The Who were one of the most memorable and influential of the 1960s British Invasion bands-memorable because of their loudness and because they destroyed instruments during performances, and influential because of their success in crafting "Power Pop" singles like "My Generation" and "I Can See for Miles," long-playing albums Live at Leeds and Who's Next, and the "rock operas" Tommy and Quadrophenia. The themes that principal songwriter Pete Townshend imparted into The Who's music drew upon the group's mostly working-class London upbringings and early Mod audiences: frustration, angst, irony, and a youthful inclination to lash out. Like some of his rock and roll contemporaries, Townshend was also affected by religious ideas coming from India and the existential dread he felt about the possibility of nuclear war. During a career that spanned three decades, The Who gave their fans and rock critics a lot to think about. The remarkable depth and breadth of The Who's music and their story as one of the most exciting and provocative rock bands over the last half-century are the subjects of the philosophical explorations in this collection.