Yevgeny Mravinsky

Yevgeny Mravinsky

Author: Gregor Tassie

Publisher: Scarecrow Press

Published: 2005-09-07

Total Pages: 306

ISBN-13: 1461674530

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The last of a long line of distinguished Russian aristocrats, Yevgeny Mravinsky emerges from the 20th Century musical scene as a noble conductor and exceptional treasure of Soviet culture. His friendship of some forty years with Dmitri Shostakovich led to the opening of that composer's music to the Soviet public in spite of the State's condemnation of Shostakovich's work in the influential newspaper Pravda. His associations with many other prominent musicians were instrumental in bringing their works into the Soviet consciousness. In these pages, the family history, major formative life events, and the many musical accomplishments of Mravinsky are chronicled, revealing an introverted musician who put all his feelings into his interpretation of the scores he conducted. It was Mravinsky who was largely responsible for introducing the Soviet people in the 20th Century to the music of Debussy, Scriabin, and Stravinsky. Along with those of Feodor Chalyapin, George Balanchine, Nikolai Cherkasov, and Yuri Grigorovich, Mravinsky's life reveals much about the psychology and credo of the artist in the Soviet State. Enriched with rare photographs of Mravinsky in his various milieus, and a helpful chronology and bibliography, this study will be of great significance to students of Russian history, music history, and the creative process.


The Cambridge Companion to Conducting

The Cambridge Companion to Conducting

Author: José Antonio Bowen

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2003-11-20

Total Pages: 370

ISBN-13: 9780521527910

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In this wide-ranging inside view of the history and practice of conducting, analysis and advice comes directly from working conductors, including Sir Charles Mackerras on opera, Bramwell Tovey on being an Artistic Director, Martyn Brabbins on modern music, Leon Botstein on programming and Vance George on choral conducting, and from those who work closely with conductors: a leading violinist describes working as a soloist with Stokowski, Ormandy and Barbirolli, while Solti and Abbado's studio producer explains orchestral recording, and one of the world's most powerful managers tells all. The book includes advice on how to conduct different types of groups (choral, opera, symphony, early music) and provides a substantial history of conducting as a study of national traditions. It is an unusually honest book about a secretive industry and managers, artistic directors, soloists, players and conductors openly discuss their different perspectives for the first time.


1001 Classical Recordings You Must Hear Before You Die

1001 Classical Recordings You Must Hear Before You Die

Author: Matthew Rye

Publisher: Chartwell Books

Published: 2017-10-24

Total Pages: 963

ISBN-13: 0785835822

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A thick and informative guide to the world of classical music and its stunning recordings, complete with images from CD cases, concert halls, and of the musicians themselves.


St Petersburg

St Petersburg

Author: Solomon Volkov

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2010-06-15

Total Pages: 654

ISBN-13: 1451603150

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The definitive cultural biography of the “Venice of the North” and its transcendent artistic and spiritual legacy, written by Russian emerge and acclaimed cultural historian, Solomon Volkov. Long considered to be the mad dream of an imperious autocrat—the "Venice of the North," conceived in a setting of malarial swamps—St. Petersburg was built in 1703 by Peter the Great as Russia's gateway to the West. For almost 300 years this splendid city has survived the most extreme attempts of man and nature to extinguish it, from flood, famine, and disease to civil war, Stalinist purges, and the epic 900-day siege by Hitler's armies. It has even been renamed twice, and became St. Petersburg again only in 1991. Yet not only has it retained its special, almost mystical identity as the schizophrenic soul of modern Russia, but it remains one of the most beautiful and alluring cities in the world. Now Solomon Volkov, a Russian emigre and acclaimed cultural historian, has written the definitive cultural biography of this city and its transcendent artistic and spiritual legacy. For Pushkin, Gogol, and Dostoyevsky, Petersburg was a spectral city that symbolized the near-apocalyptic conflicts of imperial Russia. As the monarchy declined, allowing intellectuals and artists to flourish, Petersburg became a center of avant-garde experiment and flamboyant bohemian challenge to the dominating power of the state, first czarist and then communist. The names of the Russian modern masters who found expression in St. Petersburg still resonate powerfully in every field of art: in music, Stravinsky, Prokofiev, and Shostakovich; in literature, Akhmatova, Blok, Mandelstam, Nabokov, and Brodsky; in dance, Diaghilev, Nijinsky, and Balanchine; in theater, Meyerhold; in painting, Chagall and Malevich; and many others, whose works are now part of the permanent fabric of Western civilization. Yet no comprehensive portrait of this thriving distinctive, and highly influential cosmopolitan culture, and the city that inspired it, has previously been attempted.


Stravinsky in Context

Stravinsky in Context

Author: Graham Griffiths

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2020-12-17

Total Pages: 613

ISBN-13: 1108386660

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Stravinsky in Context offers an alternative to chronological biography. Thirty-five short, specially commissioned essays explore the eventful life-tapestry from which Stravinsky's compositions emerged. The opening chapters draw on new research into the composer's childhood in St. Petersburg. Stravinsky's early, often traumatic upbringing is examined in depth, particularly in the context of his brother Roman's death, and religious sensibilities within the family. Further essays consider Stravinsky's years in exile at the centre of dynamic and ever-evolving cultural environments, the composer constantly refining his idiom and re-defining his aesthetics against a backdrop of world events and personal tragedy. The closing chapters review new material regarding Stravinsky's complicated relationship with the Soviet Union, whilst also anticipating his legacy from the varied perspectives of publishing, research and even - in the iconic example of The Rite of Spring - space exploration. The book includes previously unpublished images of the composer and his family.


How Shostakovich Changed My Mind

How Shostakovich Changed My Mind

Author: Stephen Johnson

Publisher: New York Review of Books

Published: 2019-05-14

Total Pages: 160

ISBN-13: 191074946X

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A powerful look at the extraordinary healing effect of music on sufferers of mental illness, including author Stephen Johnson's struggle with bipolar disorder. BBC music broadcaster Stephen Johnson explores the power of Shostakovich’s music during Stalin’s reign of terror, and writes of the extraordinary healing effect of music on sufferers of mental illness. Johnson looks at neurological, psychotherapeutic and philosophical findings, and reflects on his own experience, where he believes Shostakovich’s music helped him survive the trials and assaults of bipolar disorder. There is no escapism, no false consolation in Shostakovich’s greatest music: this is some of the darkest, saddest, at times bitterest music ever composed. So why do so many feel grateful to Shostakovich for having created it—not just Russians, but westerners like Stephen Johnson, brought up in a very different, far safer kind of society? The book includes interviews with the members of the orchestra who performed Shostakovich’s Leningrad Symphony during the siege of that city.


Marxist Feminism

Marxist Feminism

Author: Fouad Sabry

Publisher: One Billion Knowledgeable

Published: 2024-08-20

Total Pages: 295

ISBN-13:

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Why is "Marxist Feminism" essential within the "Political Science" series? This book is your gateway to understanding how Marxism and feminism intersect to address issues of class, gender oppression, and social change. It provides an in-depth exploration of how these two powerful frameworks combine to critique and transform society. By reading this book, you will gain critical insights into the ways that economic and gender inequalities are intertwined and how they can be addressed through a Marxist feminist lens. 1-Marxist Feminism-Introduction to the core principles and key debates in Marxist feminism. 2-Socialist Feminism-Explores how socialist feminism bridges Marxist and feminist theory. 3-Materialist Feminism-Examines how material conditions shape gender and class oppression. 4-Feminist Movements and Ideologies-Overview of global feminist movements and their ideologies. 5-Feminist Political Theory-Discusses feminist approaches to political theory and their Marxist connections. 6-Marxist Schools of Thought-Overview of different Marxist theories relevant to feminist analysis. 7-Wages for Housework-Analyzes the campaign for recognizing domestic labor as economically valuable. 8-Marxism and the Oppression of Women-Explores how Marxist theory addresses gender oppression. 9-Immaterial Labor-Discusses the role of non-physical labor in capitalist economies and its gendered implications. 10-Reproductive Labor-Examines the economic and social significance of reproductive work. 11-Alexandra Kollontai-Highlights the contributions of Kollontai to Marxist feminist thought. 12-Critical Criminology-Discusses how Marxist feminism critiques traditional criminology. 13-Silvia Federici-Focuses on Federici's work on the intersection of capitalism, gender, and labor. 14-Heidi Hartmann-Analyzes Hartmann's theory of the 'unhappy marriage' of Marxism and feminism. 15-Rosemary Hennessy-Explores Hennessy's work on capitalism, culture, and feminist theory. 16-Lise Vogel-Discusses Vogel's analysis of social reproduction within a Marxist feminist framework. 17-Historical Materialism-Explores how historical materialism informs feminist analysis of society. 18-Feminist Urbanism-Examines how feminist theory critiques urban spaces and their design. 19-Feminism of the 99%-Discusses the global movement advocating for an inclusive, anti-capitalist feminism. 20-Caliban and the Witch-Analyzes the historical roots of capitalist exploitation and gender oppression. 21-The Traffic in Women-Explores the political economy of sex and gender relations in capitalism. By investing in "Marxist Feminism," you are not merely acquiring a book; you are gaining access to a transformative understanding of how class and gender intersect in shaping our world. This knowledge is indispensable for anyone committed to social justice and eager to explore the possibilities of systemic change through a Marxist feminist perspective.