Kirjahaku

The years of the Great Depression, World War II, and their aftermath brought a sea change in American music. This period of economic, social, and political adversity can truly be considered a musical golden age. In the realm of classical music, Aaron Copland, Samuel Barber, Howard Hanson, Virgil Thompson, and Leonard Bernstein—among others—produced symphonic works of great power and lasting beauty during these troubled years. It was during this critical decade and a half that contemporary writers on American culture began to speculate about "the Great American Symphony" and looked to these composers for music that would embody the spirit of the nation. In this volume, Nicholas Tawa concludes that they succeeded, at the very least, in producing music that belongs in the cultural memory of every American. Tawa introduces the symphonists and their major works from the romanticism of Barber and the "all-American" Roy Harris through the theatrics of Bernstein and Marc Blitzstein to the broad-shouldered appeal of Thompson and Copland. Tawa's musical descriptions are vivid and personal, and invite music lovers and trained musicians alike to turn again to the marvelous and lasting music of this time.

In all of the writings about twentieth-century American art music, scarcely any attempt has been made to examine the relationship between the composer and the general audience, and least of all what composers and members of the music public have had to say about each other. The consequences of the elimination of common guidelines agreed to by artist and audience, the lack of balance between rights and responsibilities of all concerned with retaining the viability of new music, and the indifference of modern composers and the general music public to each other have proved disastrous. Yet there continue to be composers who write qualitatively excellent works that do please many listeners. Tawa addresses these issues. Anyone interested in the course taken by twentieth-century American music and the crisis now facing art music will find Tawa's analysis of great value. The book is recommended for musicians, music lovers, and educators.