Contemporary British Composers


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British Women Composers and Instrumental Chamber Music in the Early Twentieth Century


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This is the first full-length study of British women's instrumental chamber music in the early twentieth century. Laura Seddon argues that the Cobbett competitions, instigated by Walter Willson Cobbett in 1905, and the formation of the Society of Women Musicians in 1911 contributed to the explosion of instrumental music written by women in this period and highlighted women's place in British musical society in the years leading up to and during the First World War. Seddon investigates the relationship between Cobbett, the Society of Women Musicians and women composers themselves. The book’s six case studies - of Adela Maddison (1866-1929), Ethel Smyth (1858-1944), Morfydd Owen (1891-1918), Ethel Barns (1880-1948), Alice Verne-Bredt (1868-1958) and Susan Spain-Dunk (1880-1962) - offer valuable insight into the women’s musical education and compositional careers. Seddon’s discussion of their chamber works for differing instrumental combinations includes an exploration of formal procedures, an issue much discussed by contemporary sources. The individual composers' reactions to the debate instigated by the Society of Women Musicians, on the future of women's music, is considered in relation to their lives, careers and the chamber music itself. As the composers in this study were not a cohesive group, creatively or ideologically, the book draws on primary sources, as well as the writings of contemporary commentators, to assess the legacy of the chamber works produced.




Modern British Composers


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Spiritual Lives of the Great Composers


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This is a compelling and inspiring look at spiritual beliefs that influenced some of the world's greatest composers, now revised and expanded with eight additional composers.




Modern British Composers


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Encyclopedia of Contemporary British Culture


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Boasting more than 970 alphabetically-arranged entries, the Encyclopedia of Contemporary British Culture surveys British cultural practices and icons in the latter half of the twentieth century. It examines high and popular culture and encompasses both institutional and alternative aspects of British culture. It provides insight into the whole spectrum of British contemporary life. Topics covered include: architecture, pubs, film, internet and current takes on the monarchy. Cross-referencing and a thematic contents list enable readers to identify related articles. The entries range from short biographical synopses to longer overview essays on key issues. This Encyclopedia is essential reading for anyone interested in British culture. It also provides a cultural context for students of English, Modern History and Comparative European Studies.




A Dictionary-catalog of Modern British Composers: A-C


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This catalog of works, organized alphabetically by composer, details the compositions of fifty-four modern British composers born between 1891 and 1923. Volume one covers composers from John Addison to Arnold Cooke. Compositions are listed chronologically and include pertinent information about the performance, year of composition, music history, first recordings, and original manuscript location. Concert music is listed separately from documentary and feature films and from music composed for radio, television or stage. As a tool for further research, this catalog will appeal to soloists, chamber musicians and orchestral players as well as to scholars of classical music. A selective bibliography is included for each composer. Each volume includes a title index organized by composer.




A Dictionary-catalog of Modern British Composers: D-L


Book Description

This catalog of works, organized alphabetically by composer, details the compositions of fifty-four modern British composers born between 1893 and 1923. Volume two covers composers from Christian Darnton to Elisabeth Lutyens. Compositions are listed chronologically and include pertinent information about the performance, year of composition, music history, first recordings, and original manuscript location. Concert music is listed separately from documentary and feature films and from music composed for radio, television or stage. As a tool for further research, this catalog will appeal to soloists, chamber musicians and orchestral players as well as to scholars of classical music. A selective bibliography is included for each composer. Each volume includes a title index organized by composer.




Joseph Holbrooke


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This is the first scholarly work to document the musical life of Joseph Holbrooke, one of Britain’s most prolific and controversial composers during the first half of the twentieth century. Holbrooke was outspoken on many issues, including the maligned fortunes of British composers, which he believed were brought about by apathy and indifference on the part of critics and the public. Despite doubts in various quarters over Holbrooke’s ability to forge a unique compositional idiom, many of his works were performed to critical acclaim in Britain, Europe, and the United States. Today, Holbrooke’s music is increasingly enjoyed and recorded. Joseph Holbrooke: Composer, Critic, and Musical Patriot opens with a biographical overview of Holbrooke that concentrates on his relationship with Granville Bantock and Wales and the role that Lord Howard de Walden played in Holbrooke’s work and development. Contributors offer studies of a selection of repertory by Holbrooke, including his chamber music, the operas Pierrot and Pierrette and The Enchanted Garden, and his tone poem “The Raven.” The final chapter describes Holbrooke’s patriotism by examining his book Contemporary British Composers, which was published in 1925. Included is an appendix that provides the first comprehensive and corrected list of Holbrooke’s compositions. This book will interest not only musicologists, musicians and listeners interested in the repertory of the British classical music tradition but also scholars and general readers interested in the ways Celticism, poetic inspiration, and nationalist ideology were expressed in the work of classical composers in the early twentieth century.




Beethoven


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