Books
Káťa Kabanová and The Cunning Little Vixen: Janáček’s new lease of life (Moravské Zemské Muzeum)
The first two great operas from Janáček’s final decade explored with generosity and detail [JW]
Fate and The Excursions of Mr Brouček (Moravské Zemské Muzeum)
The second of four memorable volumes surveys Janáček two problem operas with profuse documentation and historiographic clarity [JW]
Higginson: Theme and Eight Variations for Solo Piano (Fand Music Press)
A very rewarding addition to the English piano repertoire [DJ]
The Story of Janáček’s Jenůfa (Moravské Zemské Muzeum)
A comprehensive, beautifully assembled and illustrated history of the genesis and first performances of one of the most performed operas in the world [JW]
Janáček’s Sinfonietta: Nigel Simeone & Jiří Zahrádka (Boydell Press)
A fascinating and highly informative guide to one of Janáček’s most famous works [DHa]
My Other Family. The London Philharmonic Orchestra
A unique, absorbing behind-the-scenes look at a top professional orchestra [JQ]
Music’s Odyssey. An Invitation to Western Classical Music (Allen Lane)
A monumental, profoundly valuable book [DHa]
The San Carlo Opera House, Naples (1943-46) (ARS Recorded Editions)
Let’s Make an Opera: The British Army and the Teatro San Carlo [PH]
So Written to After-Times John McCabe – A Life in Letters (Forsyth Brothers Ltd)
A fine addition to our knowledge of a significant musician, and to the spirit and culture of his profession [RWe]
Wilfred Heaton: His Life – His Music (PHM Publishing & Production)
Essential for enthusiasts of British brass band music [JF]
Youri Egorov: Diary, or the secret notes (Private Release)
A fascinating snap-shot of an artist’s personality [SG]
Endless Fascination: The life and work of Thomas Pitfield (Forsyth Brothers)
A fitting tribute to a remarkable polymath [JF]
Sun Forest Lake (Candle Row Press)
A perceptive study of Sibelius and his key orchestral works [JQ]
So Written to After-Times: John McCabe – A Life in Letters (Forsyth Brothers Limited)
Reflective, informative and sometimes humorous [JF]
Format Friction: Perspectives on the Shellac Disc (University of Chicago Press)
A Sebaldian reflection, marred by trendy iconoclasm, on the global phenomenon of the gramophone and its listeners [NC]
Three Choirs Festival in Ten Concerts (Logaston Press)
A lively and perceptive introduction to the world’s oldest music festival [JQ]
Leo Sowerby (University of Illinois Press)
This first class study is an absorbing read and well worth tracking down [SG]
Born by the Thames. Stephen Dodgson: A Centenary Celebration (de la Porte Publishing)
An excellent celebration of the life and music of a composer only now coming into his own [WH]
Silvestre Revueltas: Sounds of a Political Passion (Oxford University Press)
A musical genius of the New World, shackled by dogmas of past and present [NC]
Tchaikovsky’s Empire: A New Life of Russia’s Greatest Composer (Yale University Press)
An invigorating shattering of myths, both long-held and recent, about this perennially beloved composer [NC]
Suppressed Composers in the Netherlands (Toccata Press)
A useful compendium of suppressed Dutch composers. A trusty and practical guide [SG]
Wagner: The Complete Experience and its Meaning to Us (De la Porte Publishing)
Now a truly complete guide to Wagner’s operas, in a fine new edition [RWe]
Beethoven: The String Quartets (Candle Row Press)
A lively introduction to this music written with humour, erudition and enthusiasm [DMD]
Recording British Music (Vocalion Books)
The immense contribution to British Music made by a ‘librarian-hobbyist’ [JW]
