Amy Beach, Passionate Victorian: The Life and Work of an American Composer, 1867-1944
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.49 (904 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 0195074084 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 448 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2014-04-15 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
Had she been a boy, no doubt a brilliant career as a concert pianist would have followed; instead, Amy married a much older man and mostly confined her musical genius to once-yearly concerts and to composing. . The question one inevitably asks when considering the life of composer Amy Beach is this: How much greater might she have been if she'd had the same opportunities given male prodigies such as Mozart or Beethoven? As it was, Beach's talent was prodigious and widely recognized in her own time. Block does an admirable job of explaining to those less musically knowledgeable just what Beach was attempting to accomplish in each piece. Born in 1867 to a musical family, the young Amy was playing the piano by ear by the time
Discouraged from a full-scale concert career, she instead found her métier in composition.Success as a composer of art songs came early for Beach: indeed, her songs outsold those of her contemporaries. Yet, until now, no full-length critical biography of Beach's life or comprehensive critical overview of her music existed. Her response to this parental (and later spousal) opposition was to find creative ways of reaching her goal without direct confrontation. Nevertheless, she was determined to separate her work from the genteel parlor music women were writing in her day by creating large-scale works--a Mass, a symphony, and chamber music--that challenged the accepted notion that women were incapable of creating high art. Her talent was recognized early by Boston's leading musicians, who gave her unqualified support. Born into a musical family in Victorian times, Amy Beach started composing as a child of four and was equally gifted as a pianist. Almost all of her more than 300 works were published soon after they were composed and performed, and today her music is finding new advocates and audiences for its energy, intensity, and sheer beauty. Amy Marcy Cheney Beach (1867-1944), the most widely performed composer of her generation, was the first American woman to succeed as a creator of large-sc
"Amazing Amy Beach" according to The Mallard. This book was superbly written, and it covers a musical life that all classical music lovers should become familiar with if not already. I had heard of Amy Beach but knew little of her career as a composer or performer. Turns out she was a prodigy who had perfect pitch and perfect memory. In this respect she was somewhat like Mozart. For many reasons which the author discusses at length, Beach was never as great a composer or concert pianist as her incredible talent would have predicted. Still she is considered America's greatest "woman" composer. Very intriguing biography. John Gibson said Good book about a great composer. This book gives lots of detail about Amy Beach, born at a time when women were not encouraged to follow productive careers in music. Despite being handicapped by her society, Amy Beach overcame many of those by the shear force of her musical talents. This book follows Beach's musical and personal life and also provides a clear image of the time in which she lived. If I had any criticism, there may be too much detail, but then I bought the book just to concentrate on her music.. "Great service. Great book." according to Sheila Malcolm. The book arrived promptly and was in very good condition. An old library book and just as described. Great book about an amazing lady who deserves to be much better known as a composer than she is. Listen to her music and you'll see what I mean.