Here is one of the most enjoyable and illuminating books ever published for the music lover, a feast of delightful anecdotes that reveal the all-too-human side of the great composers and performers.
There are stories of appetites (Handel eating dinner for three), embarrassments (Brahms falling asleep as Liszt plays), oddities (Bruckner's dog being trained to howl at Wagner), and devotions (a lovely admirer disrobing in tribute to Puccini). There are memorable accounts of Stravinsky telling Proust how much he hates Beethoven, of Tchaikovsky's first bewildering telephone call, of Dvorak's strange love of pigeons, and of Verdi's intricate maneuvering to keep the now-famous melody of "La donna e mobile" top secret.
There is also wonderful trivia (Beethoven loved to cat "bread soup" made with ten raw eggs), along with eccentric strategies (Verdi, disturbed by the sound of street organs playing arias from his operas, hired them all for a season and kept them locked in a room). There are examples of musicians munificent generosity (Haydn called Mozart "the greatest composer known to me, either in person or by name"), and scathing dismissal ("Have you heard any Stockhausen?" the conductor Sir Thomas Beecham was asked. "No," he replied, "but I believe I have trodden in some").
Collected from thousands of books, articles, and unpublished manuscripts (with historical sources provided in extensive notes), these anecdotes appear in their original form, throwing fresh light on familiar figures in the musical hall of fame. For browsing, reading, research and amusement, this book is a grand entertainment for concert-goers, record-buyers, operamanes, gossips and music lovers everywhere.

From 1823-1826, Beethoven composed a series of string quartets which are now recognized as some of the masterworks of this genre. These quartets show Beethoven at his height as a composer, with composition occurring during the same timeframe as his Ninth Symphony. This collection includes the five late quartets (Op. 127, 130, 131, 132, & 135) as well as the Grosse Fuge (Op. 134).

Beethoven's String Quartet No. 10 in E-flat Major, Opus 74, was originally published in 1809 with the nickname "Harp" given by the publisher. This nickname is based on the impressions in the first movement with ascending arpeggios played pizzicato by alternating instruments. While portions of the work foreshadow things to come in Beethoven's late period, the fourth movement, with a traditional classical theme and variations form, stands out as a point of confusion to many Beethoven scholars. This is the Performer's Edition Pocket Score of the work, designed for easy transport in a case or compact carrying for study of the work.

From the introduction "The inception of this biography of England's greatest singer - John Simms Reeves - is due to his son, Mr. Herbert Reeves."

Florence May studied under Brahms, which made her well positioned to write his biography. The second edition, revised by the author with additional matter and illustrations, was written in the 1910s but was not published till 1948, many years after the author's death.

Musical score to Bailero (for Solo Voice, unaccompanied), by avant-garde composer Dawn K. Williams, which may be sung by any voice type. Partly sung into a megaphone to depict echoes across mountains, the piece combines newly-composed music with quotation of the Auvergne folksong by the same name. The Occitan text, an exchange between two shepherds, appears both unaltered and in rearranged phonemes. Includes program note, text translation, performer instructions, and full-color photograph of the composer performing the piece. Difficulty level: Virtuosic. Duration: 20 minutes. - COMPOSER AUTHORIZED SCORE - www.dawnkwilliams.com

Beethoven followed in the footsteps of Haydn, father of the string quartet, and created what is now regarded as one of the finest collections of masterworks in the string quartet genre. From the early quartets, reminiscent of some of Mozart's quartets, to the soaring and emotional late quartets, these works have become favorites of both performers and audiences around the world. This collections includes the full scores for all 16 string quartets as well as the Grosse Fuge. Early String Quartets: String Quartet No. 1 in F Major (Op. 18, No. 1) String Quartet No. 2 in G Major (Op. 18, No. 2) String Quartet No. 3 in D Major (Op. 18, No. 3) String Quartet No. 4 in C minor (Op. 18, No 4) String Quartet No. 5 in A Major (Op. 18, No. 5) String Quartet No. 6 in Bb Major (Op. 18, No. 6) Middle String Quartets: String Quartet No. 7 in F Major (Op. 59, No. 1) String Quartet No. 8 in E minor (Op. 59, No. 2) String Quartet No. 9 in C Major (Op. 59, No. 3) String Quartet No. 10 in Eb Major "Harp" (Op. 74) String Quartet No. 11 in F minor "Serioso" (Op. 95) Late String Quartets: String Quartet No. 12 in Eb Major (Op. 129) String Quartet No. 13 in Bb Major (Op. 130) String Quartet No. 14 in C# minor (Op. 131) String Quartet No. 15 in A minor (Op. 132) String Quartet No. 16 in F Major (Op. 135) Grosse Fuge (Op. 133)

Wagner's Siegfried Idyll (WWV 103) represents one of the few non-operatic works created by Wagner. This work for small orchestra was originally composed for his second wife, Cosima, and was originally performed on her birthday, with Wagner waking her to the theme.

Paul Marie Theodore Vincent d'Indy (1851-1931), was a composer and teacher. He initially read law and then moved to music. He studied under Cesar Franck at the Conservatoire de Paris. He co-founded the Schola Cantorum in 1894.

This work (Op. 59, No. 2) is one of the Razumovsky Quartets originally published in 1806. The second movement of the quartet gives us a hint of what is to come in the Op. 132 quartet with its hymn-like quality, while the third movement includes a "Theme Russe" also used by Mussorgsky in Boris Gudunov. This theme is thought to have been given to Beethoven by Razumovsky to use in the quartet. Beethoven did so with humorous results. This edition is a pocket score of the quartet, designed for easy use in rehearsals and transport in your case, or for studying of the work.

Opus 59, No. 3 is the last of the three Rasumovsky Quartets written by Beethoven on the commission of Prince Andreas Razumovsky. The other two quartets in this series feature a specified Russian theme (Theme Russe) in the work, while this work does not. Many have looked to the second movement of the quartet as a Russian movement - with decidedly different tonal qualities than were common to Beethoven's work at the time. This edition is a Pocket Score, designed for ease of use in rehearsals or in studying the work. Its compact size makes it perfect for carrying in your case.

Beethoven's early string quartets (Opus 18), were written between 1798 and 1800 and quickly became part of the standard string quartet repertoire. This is the Performer's Edition of the quartets, with clean print and easy to read markings designed for the performer.

Dubois' oratorio was given its premiere on Good Friday (April 19), 1867 at glise de la Madeleine in Paris under the composer's direction. Although first published in 1886 by Georges Hartmann of Paris, the vocal score presented here is a digitally enhanced reprint of the one first produced in 1899 by G. Schirmer of New York, with an English translation beneath the original Latin text by Theodore Baker (1851-1934). This score has been carefully reviewed, with measure numbers and rehearsal letters added. It is now completely compatible with the widely available full score and orchestral parts issued by Edwin F. Kalmus. The large (A4) size makes it particularly easy to read for choruses both at both professional and community levels.

This is the biography of Sir Walter Galpin Alcock, organist and composer, written by his daughter, Naomi Judith Bateson. Organist at Salisbury Cathedral from 1916 - 1947. "He lived under five sovereigns and assisted in the coronations of three of them."

This is a facsimile reprint of the edition printed by Thomas Este, circa 1587.

This is a facsimile of the original 1776 edition, not the Victorian reprint. This is volume 2 of 5. See other ISBN entries for the other 4 volumes.

This is a facsimile of the original 17776 edition, not the Victorian reprint. This is volume 3 of 5. See other ISBN entries for the other 4 volumes.

This is a facsimile of the orignal 1776 edition, not the Victorian reprint. This is volume 4 of 5. See other entries for the other 4 volumes.

This is a facsimile of the origial 1776 edition, not the Victorian reprint. This is volume 5 of 5. See other ISBN entries for the other 4 volumes.