Elgar, Britten & Co. Deutsche Version

A History of British Music in 12 Portraits

In his follow-up to "Sullivan. A Composer's Life in Victorian England" Meinhard Saremba has broadened the view to present British Music as examplified in the life and work of twelve prominent British composers of the 19th and 20th century.



Contents:

  • The Un-person of British music: Arthur Sullivan (1842-1900)

  • Captain Parry: Hubert Parry (1848-1918)

  • The Master and Alice: Edward Elgar (1857-1934)

  • The Daughters' Rebellion: Ethel Smyth (1858-1944)

  • Symphony of the World: Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)

  • Triumphant Against Will: Gustav Holst (1874-1934)

  • Immortal Hours: Rutland Boughton (1878-1960)

  • Shakespeare and Company: William Walton (1902-83)

  • And Where is the Positive, Mr. Britten? Benjamin Britten (1913-76)

  • Brave New Worlds: Michael Tippett (b. 1905)

  • Follow Me into the Labyrinth: Peter Maxwell Davies (b. 1934)

  • 'Nature is Hell on Earth': Harrison Birtwistle (b. 1934)

Foreword by Sir Colin Davis

The following excerpt is quoted from Sir Colin's original text which appears in German translation in the book.

'A welcome and unexpected surprise! A book by a German author about a dozen British composer's from Sullivan to Birtwistle which will surely stimulate a wider interest in their music and remind German readers of the extraordinary variety of their achievement. The British composer hasn't had an easy time. Since the glories of the Elizabethians and Henry Purcell and Handel, music had been in eclipse in the organ loft where it was confined by a sense of social and intellectual inferiority. The emergence of Elgar and his successes in Germany heralded the breakout. A Renaissance was underway which has brought British compositions to the attention of the world.
This Reanaissance is charted in this book. Here one may make the acquaintance of some of the personalities who played and are playing a great part in it. (...) Future generations will find in this music from 20th Century universal qualities. Britain is no longer the "land without music".'

Excerpts from reviews

Bibliographical Data

Saremba, Meinhard: Elgar, Britten & Co. Eine Geschichte der britischen Musik in zwölf Portraits.
Edition Musik & Theater 1994.
ISBN 3-7265-6029-7. Price: DM 58,--

509 pages, Hardcover. 35 illustrations.
In addition:


This page was supplied by Andreas Saremba, Berlin. Send him Email if you wish to contact the book's author.

Order: www.amazon.de

See also: www.sullivan-forschung.de