An interesting and useful guide, written in a competent, but dry
style.By the reign of Louis-Phillipe, Paris was Europe's cultural
capital and, like Vienna, attracted many of the greatest musicians
and composers of the era. While much has been written of the
musical scene in Vienna at the time, much less has been written
about Paris, and Simeone, a lecturer in the Department of Music at
the University of Wales, attempts to fill the gap with a well
researched and comprehensive Baedeker of the city's musical scene.
It includes biographies of the major composers who made Paris their
home, the addresses, locations of their graves (if in Paris), and
listings of all important musical locales, arranged by
arrondissement and street, along with the nearest Mtro stops. Also
found are four walking tours and copious photographs, contemporary
and historic. Simeone gives us small details that add pleasure and
interest (e.g., composer Marcel Dupr , organist at Saint-Sulpice
for 65 years, was also the organist at the wedding of the Duke of
Windsor and Wallis Simpson). Of Joseph Canteloube, arranger of the
celebrated Chants d'Auvergne, Simeone writes, `During the early
1920s he made several pioneering music broadcasts for French radio.
. . . The first of these [on Scarlatti] was broadcast on 28 January
1924 under difficult circumstances: rain was leaking through the
studio roof, and an assistant had to hold an umbrella over
Canteloube as he played.` Simeone is a genuine scholar of both
music and Paris and he has thoroughly researched both subjects.
Just the same, our pleasure would be enhanced if Simeone had been
able to write in a livelier style. While his writing is clear and
factual, it seldom rises above the expository. Rife with
information, it is a pity that a book on such a rich topic should
be written in the arid manner of a college textbook on
macroeconomics.Style notwithstanding, any visitor to Paris with an
interest in music will find this guide indispensable. (Kirkus
Reviews)
This essential guidebook is designed for all travelers interested
in exploring the historic musical sites of Paris -- in person or
from an armchair. Paris is a uniquely rich music capital, its
streets echoing with centuries of great music that has been created
and performed there. Virtually every neighborhood boasts a concert
hall, church, museum, or home that has played a significant role in
the extraordinary musical tradition of the city. This gazetteer
will guide you to the important musical landmarks in Paris and
explain why each is noteworthy.
Nearly all the celebrated French composers of the last four
centuries have called Paris home, and dozens of other eminent
composers -- Chopin, Liszt, Mozart, Prokofiev, Stravinsky, Verdi,
and Wagner among them -- have spent extended periods there as well.
They, along with performers, teachers, instrument makers, and
publishers, have bequeathed to the city a wealth of historic
landmarks, ranging from the opulent grandeur of the Opera to Erik
Satie's tiny room in Montmartre.
Featured in the gazetteer:
-- biographical portraits of major composers, all their known Paris
addresses and favorite meeting places, with the nearest Metro
stops
-- locations of monuments and graves of composers
-- information on churches, theaters, concert venues, and important
musical institutions
-- listings of libraries, museums, and galleries holding materials
related to music
-- an index of locations, arranged by arrondissement and by
street
-- four recommended walking tours
-- more than 120 contemporary and historical photographs
General
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