This enthralling book is the first biography in English of Bill Evans, one of the most influential of all jazz pianists. Peter Pettinger, himself a concert pianist, describes Evans's life (the personal tragedies and commercial successes), his musicmaking (technique, compositional methods, and approach to group playing), and his legacy. The book also includes a full discography and dozens of photographs.

Nontechnical advice to aspiring singers from two of the greatest singers; care and training of the voice, tone emission and attack, voice faults, more.

The Beatles as Musicians is a comprehensive, chronologically ordered study of every aspect of the group's musical life--composition, performance, recording and reception histories--in its transcendent late period, from 1966 to 1970. Richly authoritative interpretations are interwoven through a documentary study of many thousands of audio and other sources.

The rise and fall of the brothers Gibb-Barry, Robin, Maurice, and younger brother Andy-is perhaps the greatest saga in Australian music history. Although the Bee Gees enjoyed several rebirths in a career that spanned many decades, it seemed that tragedy followed the Gibbs like a curse. For every incredible career high there was a hefty personal downside: divorce, drunkenness, and death seemed as synonymous with the Gibbs as falsetto harmonies, flares, and multi-platinum record sales. Not long before his death, Robin made it clear that he believed the Gibbs had been forced to pay the highest possible cost for their success. 'All the tragedies my family has suffered ...is a kind of karmic price we are paying for all the fame and fortune we've had.' This is the story of the brothers' incredible careers and an examination of the Gibb 'curse'-an all-too-human look at the rollercoaster ride of fame.

Venanzio Rauzzini (1746-1810), the celebrated Italian castrato, is best known for his performance in Mozart's Lucio Silla in 1772, with which Mozart was so pleased that he composed for the singer the famous motet Exsultate Jubilate. In 1774, Rauzzini moved to London where he performed three seasons of serious operas at the King's Theatre. From 1777 until his death in 1810, he was the director of the concert series in Bath, a series that matched the prestige of any that were given in London. In addition, he composed prolifically, writing music for eleven operas. This book is a study of Rauzzini's remarkable yet often overlooked career in Britain. Paul Rice chronicles Rauzzini's performances at the King's Theatre and examines his leadership of the Bath subscription concerts from 1780-1810, recovering much of the repertory. Rice shows in detail how Rauzzini responded musically to the social and political conditions of his adopted country, and analyzes the castrato's reception, as well as compositional choices, shedding new light on changing musical tastes in late eighteenth-century Britain. Paul F. Rice is Professor of Musicology at the School of Music, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

Hungarian composer and musician Zoltan Kodaly (1882-1967) is best known for his pedagogical system, the Kodaly Method, which has been influential in the development of music education around the world. Author Anna Dalos considers, for the first time in publication, Kodaly's career beyond the classroom and provides a comprehensive assessment of his works as a composer. A noted collector of Hungarian folk music, Kodaly adapted the traditional heritage musics in his own compositions, greatly influencing the work of his contemporary, Bela Bartok. Highlighting Kodaly's major music experiences, Dalos shows how his musical works were also inspired by Brahms, Wagner, Debussy, Palestrina, and Bach. Set against the backdrop of various oppressive regimes of twentieth-century Europe, this study of Kodaly's career also explores decisive, extramusical impulses, such as his bitter experiences of World War I, Kodaly's reception of classical antiquity, and his interpretation of the male and female roles in his music. Written by the leading Kodaly expert, this impressive work of historical and musical insight provides a timely and much-needed English-language treatment of the twentieth-century composer.

Have a passion for Mozart? With fingerings clearly marked and designed for easy reading, these books are the ideal resource for any piano or keyboard player. Suited to every ability and helpfully grouped by level of difficulty each book contains pieces to delight lovers of the classical masterpieces. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Sheet Music for Piano includes everything from 'Eine Kleine Nachtmusik' to 'Rondo Alla Turca'.

In this scintillating sequel to Sabotage! Black Sabbath in the Seventies, Martin Popoff blows up the kaleidoscopic narrative of the Sabs over the ensuing twenty years, dissecting each and every of the band's ten studio albums and two (and-a-half) live albums produced over that time period. So this is the book where we hear the gripes, snipes, swipes and thumbs-up likes from Ronnie James Dio, Ian Gillan, Glenn Hughes, Tony Martin and finally once more Ozzy Osbourne, as they remark upon this institution coddled by the anchor of the band Tony Iommi, who valiantly held Black Sabbath together through many years of blood, sweat and Tyrs. Heaven and Hell, Mob Rules, Live Evil, Born Again, Seventh Star, The Eternal Idol, Headless Cross, Tyr, Dehumanizer, Cross Purposes, Forbidden and finally, extensively broken down, Reunion... they're all here, song by song, the hirings and the firings highlighted and explained. Incorporating talk from over 60 interviews conductive with band members and other relevant parties over 25 years, make no mistake-this is the most in-depth examination of the band during this timeframe ever executed. So come one and all, re-love modern-era Black Sabbath all over again-you'll be pleasantly surprised at how much dastardly doom there is from Tony Iommi that you need to know and embrace once again.

Help! Can you find the Fab Four? This quirky, vibrant and comically-illustrated book features scenes inspired by The Beatles' rock star lives and their rapid rise to fame. Find Yoko Ono, George Martin, David Bowie and many others, too. Between us, we can work it out (with a little help from our friends)!

There is something obviously tragic and unfair, yet also undeniably uncanny, about the plethora of deaths of treasured musicians at a young age, more spookily specifically at 27 years old. Some will say it is inevitable when you consider the fast-drinking, high-living, burning-the-candle-at-both-ends lifestyles that these people take up, but surely there is more to it than that? Whatever the causes, this timely book includes entries on a range of artists who famously died at 27, but many others who died at other points in their teens, twenties and early thirties - at the height, or just before the achievement, of their creative potential. It is pointless to pine for the music that could have been, and best to celebrate the music that was - the flashes of brilliance, the often impressive oeuvre created over such a short time. Whether you love to rock out to Kurt Cobain, swoon to the music of Jeff Buckley, are fascinated by the story of blues legend Robert Johnson or worship at the altar of Hendrix, this guide gives an absorbing account and memorable images of them all.

This revised edition of Vaughan's seminal work includes a new final chapter and an updated chronology of work. It should be useful for both historians of 20th-century ballet and for lovers of Ashton's work.

Arnold Schoenberg and Thomas Mann, two towering figures of twentieth-century music and literature, both found refuge in the German-exile community in Los Angeles during the Nazi era. This complete edition of their correspondence provides a glimpse inside their private and public lives and culminates in the famous dispute over Mann's novel Doctor Faustus. In the thick of the controversy was Theodor Adorno, then a budding philosopher, whose contribution to the Faustus affair would make him an enemy of both families. Gathered here for the first time in English, the letters in this essential volume are complemented by diary entries, related articles, and other primary source materials, as well as an introduction by German studies scholar Adrian Daub that contextualizes the impact these two great artists had on twentieth-century thought and culture.

This is a brilliant exploration of Radiohead's game-changing album, looking at its place in the career of "The World's Best Band" with ten years of hindsight. Radiohead's Kid A never had a chance on paper. Not only did the band have the unenviable task of following up the near-universally lauded "OK Computer", but Kid A didn't even have an official single or video. Neither did it help that the band largely abandoned rock-pop conventions for a sound that traversed glitch, free-jazz, modern composition, and krautrock. Rather than simply reinforcing Kid A's canonical status, Marvin Lin situates the album in the temporal, examining it from various philosophical and cultural interpretations of time in order to arrive at its political and social stakes. Why should we care how time is expressed through its aesthetic components like repetition, sampling, and hybridization? Where does the album subvert our sense of time with songs like "Treefingers"? In which ways does it attempt to transcend time and with what implications? Time is perhaps art's biggest enemy - all human creations will be erased eventually - but it's through these various articulations that we are able to uncover some of the most interesting insights about Kid A. For more information on the series and on individual titles in the series, check out our blog.

Robert de Reims, also known as "La Chievre de Rains," was among the earliest trouveres-poet-composers who were contemporaries of the troubadours but who wrote in the dialects of northern France. This critical edition provides new translations into English and modern French of all the songs and motets ascribed to him, along with the original texts, the extant music, and a substantive introduction. Active sometime between 1190 and 1220, Robert was an influential figure in the literary circles of Arras. Thirteen compositions set to music are here attributed to him, including nine chansons and four polyphonic motets that were broadly disseminated in the thirteenth century and beyond. Robert's work is exceptional on a number of fronts. He lavished particular care on the phonic harmony of his words. Acoustic luxuriance and expertise in rhyming, grounded in the play of echoes and variation (often extending into the music), constitute the hallmark of his poetry. Moreover, he is the earliest trouvere known to have composed a parodic sotte chanson contre Amours (silly song against Love). Located clearly at the nexus of monophonic song and polyphony, Robert's corpus also poses the intriguing question of trouvere participation in the development of the polyphonic repertory. The case of Robert de Reims jostles and tempers the standard history of the chanson and motet. Accessible and instructive, this trilingual critical edition of his complete works makes the oeuvre of this innovative and consequential trouvere available in one volume for the first time.

Iron & Wine: The Songbook contains songs from albums and EPs by American singer-songwriter Iron & Wine. The artist-approved chord songbook includes lyrics and chords with short picking patterns in tab and notation and is full colour throughout with artwork, photographs and tour posters, a song index and index of first lines. Sam Beam is a singer-songwriter who has been creating music as Iron & Wine for over a decade. Through the course of seven albums, numerous EPs and singles, and the initial volumes of an Archive Series - Iron & Wine has captured the emotion and imagination of listeners with distinctly cinematic songs.

David Kramer: A Biography is the first book on the life and work of this South African icon.

From the Worcester of Kramer’s childhood, where he first discovered his talent as a performer, this biography follows him to the UK where he studied textile design before returning to South Africa to release his first album Bakgat! Though banned by the SABC, the album nevertheless paved the way for his phenomenal success with albums such as The Story of Blokkies Joubert, Delicious Monster and Hanepootpad.

But sudden fame also had a downside. By the mid-eighties, Kramer’s ‘almal se pel’ persona was threatening to take over his life. He found a new creative outlet in his collaboration with Taliep Petersen with whom he produced the runaway hit District Six – The Musical. This partnership would bring the pair international fame: Kat and the Kings became the first South African musical to play on both the West End and Broadway.

Kramer realised early on that his creativity was fed by a uniquely South African experience. His lifelong dream – to uncover a local folk music tradition – was realised when he recorded and popularised the music of Karoo artists. His ground-breaking work led to the widely acclaimed Karoo Kitaar Blues show and CD.

David Kramer’s unique talent has put him at the centre of the South African music industry for the past three decades. In this revealing biography the authors share their insights into the man and his work.

Formed in Athens, Georgia in 1980, R.E.M. released their first single, Radio Free Europe, in 1981. By the time the band broke up they had recorded fifteen studio albums, 63 singles, sold more than 85 million records, signed the biggest recording contract in music history, and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility.

When the classic Deep Purple MKII line-up reformed in 1984 after an eleven year absence, it proved once again that this was the definitive Deep Purple and their reunion tour was a box office bonanza. Sadly by 1989 the friction between Blackmore and Gillan that had led to the spilt first time around did so again and Gillan was fired. With all eyes on the 25th anniversary of the band's 1968 inception, there was huge pressure, both from within and outside the band for Gillan to return to the fold so that the occasion could be celebrated in style. The critics said it wouldn't work - it did. And they said it wouldn't last... well they were certainly right about that! Upon Gillan's return in late 1992 they produced The Battle Rages On... album and then planned to embark on a world tour. However, the American shows were all cancelled, which left just Europe and Japan. Whilst the tensions within the band were greater than ever, Jon Lord went on to say, "the shows were done at an energy level and ability level I've rarely seen attained before. I think we played as well as we've ever played." Indeed, for those fortunate to witness the tour most fans shared Lord's opinion. Yet, the divisions between Blackmore and Gillan grew as the tour progressed with Blackmore calling a halt to proceedings before the Japanese leg could begin. In all there would be just thirty-seven shows - the last hurrah of the ultimate Deep Purple line-up. Author Jerry Bloom caught ten of the shows and was privy to some of the shenanigans that went on, making him the ideal person to document the last MKII tour in detail. Along with the comprehensive narrative, this beautifully designed book is crammed full of never before seen photos from the tour. It includes many shots of the band both on stage as well as back stage, in hotels, on aeroplanes and relaxing as the tour wound its way across Europe culminating in Blackmore's last show with the band in Finland on 17th November 1993.

Deluxe photo book compiled by Blackmore biographer Jerry Bloom-the perfect companion to his 2006 biography Black Knight, as it portrays Blackmore's career with photos and memorabilia from 1958 to the present day. Not only does it feature a large selection of never seen before images but following years of research by Bloom, it also includes the most comprehensive gig list ever published of Blackmore's pre-Deep Purple career between 1958-67 with over 300 gigs detailed from his days with The Outlaws-backing Gene Vincent and Jerry Lee Lewis; with Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages; Neil Christian & The Crusaders; and even going back to his earliest bands such as The Vampires and The Condors. Augmented with memorabilia from the time, the book also plots Blackmore's career in photos, through Deep Purple, Rainbow and Blackmore's Night along with narrative by Bloom that puts the visual elements in context. This is a limited edition of 1,000 copies worldwide in a bespoke, custom-made presentation box with a set of prints.

When he died suddenly at the age of twenty-six, Otis Redding (1941-1967) was the conscience of a new kind of soul music. Berry Gordy built the first black-owned music empire at Motown but Redding was doing something as historic: mainstreaming black music within the whitest bastions of the post-Confederate south. As a result, the Redding story-still largely untold-is one of great conquest but grand tragedy. Now, in this transformative work, Mark Ribowsky contextualises Redding's life within the larger cultural movements of his era. What emerges in Dreams to Remember is not only a triumph of music history but also a reclamation of a visionary who would come to define an entire era.

Dublin's Thin Lizzy have become one of the most revered cult acts of all time, studious and discerning fans of hard rock the world over revelling in the storytelling acumen of the legendary Phil Lynott and the craft and class of his band. Through numerous interviews with most of the principles involved and a mountain of painstaking research From Dublin To Jailbreak: Thin Lizzy 69 - 76 examines the band's career up to 1976 culminating in the superlative and sparkling Jailbreak, home of such hits as 'Cowboy Song', 'Emerald', 'Jailbreak' and 'The Boys Are Back In Town' and Johnny The Fox that included the hit single 'Don't Believe A Word'. Along the way, alcohol and drugs wreaked havoc between band members, producers and managers, but despite line-up changes and a mostly grinding, rock scrabble existence, Ireland's favourite sons persevered, finally achieving the smash hit record they'd deserved for so long. Immerse yourself in Popoff's celebrated record-by-record methodology and emerge a rejuvenated Lizzy fan, newly appreciative of the deep album tracks hiding within this singular band's often forgotten early years. Based on interviews the author conducted specifically for the book with band members Eric Bell, Scott Gorham, Brian Downey, Gary Moore and Brian Robertson; managers Terry O'Neill and Ted Carroll; producers Nick Tauber and Ron Nevison; Nigel Grange from Vertigo; road manager Frank Murray and cover artist Jim Fitzpatrick, reveal Phil Lynott in all his dastardly guises and make From Dublin To Jailbreak: Thin Lizzy 69 - 76, an essential read for the devoted fans.

Through hundreds of letters, family papers, anecdotes, and records, the Bach Reader established a new approach to biography by offering original documents in impeccable translations. In The New Bach Reader, Christoph Wolff has incorporated numerous facsimiles and added many newly discovered items, reflecting the current state of scholarship about the composer's life and music. The readings in this volume provide an accurate and vivid picture of Bach's world and of his far-reaching influence.