One of the pleasant interludes in the Cold War was the ecstatic reception that Van Cliburn received at Moscow’s first-ever Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition in 1958.
British classical pianist James Rhodes is a rebel with a cause as he unleashes his iconoclastic view of the vaulted world of classical music in concert halls and on British TV and in the streets an
If anyone would question why musician Bob Dylan was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2016, the answer is easily found by cracking the covers of The Lyrics: 1961–2012.
Seiji Ozawa was a gifted piano student studying at Toho Gakuen School of Music in Japan, but after he hurt his hand playing rugby, he switched to conducting and received a scholarship to study unde
Generally, books about the Beatles can be divided into two groups, either the all-encompassing history of the band (Tune In by Mark Lewisohn is of course the best example but far from the
Teenagers who heard the Wilson brothers—better known as the Beach Boys—harmonize on their big hits, “Surfin’ Safari,” “I Get Around,” “California Girls,” and “Good Vibrations” in the early 1960s, p
Every now and again a book falls into your lap that refuses to be ignored. Your fingers, seemingly with a mind of their own, open the cover and begin to turn the pages.
The journalist, biographer, and Rolling Stone contributing editor Rob Sheffield calls David Bowie a lot of names: tramp, vagabond, and “the most alien of rock artists” to name a few.
Without scholars and writers like Albert Murray, Sam Charters, Paul Oliver, John Work, and Alan Lomax—all of whom explored the essence of American blues, jazz, and traditional music—we would be a l
Imagine being Moby, the musician who just happens to be an actual descendant of Herman Melville (which is where Moby gets his nickname, get it?), and you’re asked to write your memoirs without the
Fans of Verdi's opera La Traviata and readers who enjoy biographies of courtesans won't want to miss this gem by Rene Weis, a regular contributor to the Royal Opera House programs.
“By comparing Brazilian engagement with European, North American and North African engagements, Rebel Music exemplifies how the community is as much impacted by religion, music, an
