Composers Books

Edwards, born in the Delta around 1915, worked the fields as a kid before he learned to play the guitar and began hoboing around the South. He rode the rails, played in innumerable small towns, and polished his craft. Along the way, he hung out and played with the likes of Sunnyland Slim, Big Walter Horton, Little Walter Jacobs, Robert Junior Lockwood, Muddy Waters, B.B. King and yes, Robert Johnson. The book describes how these architects of the modern blues passed songs, licks, and stories back and forth, keeping a form that relies so heavily on tradition dynamic and vital.

A major strength of the book is Edwards' distinctive voice, transcribed by his collaborators to retain its distinctive rhythms and dialect. The book's title sums up his attitude. His memories include violent death, physical and emotional loss, and great material want. Still, you sense strongly that he wouldn't have had his life any other way. His narrative is devoid of self-pity, but it never glosses over the difficulty of the times he endured, which included stints in prison.

The book concludes with useful appendices that define key terms and offer capsule biographies and discographies of musicians Edwards encountered. A good bibliography is also included. Highly recommended for those interested in the blues and in American social history. Great read.

Honeyboy's tales gives the reader his firsthand accounts of plantation life, the 1927 Mississippi River flood, vagrancy laws, makeshift courts, the racial problem and economics of southern blacks and the Depression.

This book came about because of the stories that Honeyboy told his manager of 25 years, Michael Robert Frank, who is also the founder of Earwig Records and Janis Martinson, a freelance writer. Martinson did the transcribing and left Honeyboy's speech patterns intact. My friend, Travis Brown is from Tennessee and after reading this book remarked that reading the words of Honeyboy took him back "home". Martinson also did the research and wrote the three appendices that appear in the back of the book. Want to find out what the "killin' floor" is (was) than buy this book.

Earwig has also issued a CD with the same title, I had that CD and Robert Johnson's in my changer while I read the book, they provided the perfect soundtrack to the theater of the mind.

Tony Houston, 1999

Take a front-row seat to see Maestro Bernstein, America's foremost musician, perform in his favorite role -- teacher. Watch and listen as he demonstrates, explains, and reveals music as you have never heard it before, performed by his beloved orchestra, the New York Philharmonic. As you enjoy the experience, you will gain something precious: a love and understanding of great music. With the Young People's Concerts, mastering music is all pleasure!

The World's Great Music -- Made Understandable and Enjoyable
Leonard Bernstein's Young People's Concerts span fifteen years during which the incomparable Mr. Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic -- the century's most charismatic conductor leading America's premier symphony orchestra -- reached out in televised live performances to share with the whole world the joy of understanding beautiful music.

Getting to Know Symphonic Music -- From the Master Conductor! This set of Leonard Bernstein's Young People's Concerts is a genuine musical education in a form that's fun, fascinating, and easy. Just sit back and enjoy as Maestro Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic show you the thrilling, passion-filled world of the symphony orchestra. You'll be having such a good time, the learning will feel like pure entertainment!

Something for Everyone -- Young and Old, Novice and Expert Leonard Bernstein captivated a diverse audience. The programs are called Young People's Concerts -- but when they were broadcast, millions of adults enjoyed and benefited from them, too. Mr. Bernstein speaks in familiar terms that anyone can understand -- and what he says intrigues even seasoned professional musicians.

In the world of music, for sheer education and entertainment value, there has never been anything comparable to Leonard Bernstein's Young People's Concerts. They are, quite simply, the musical event of a lifetime.

"The Young People's Concerts are among my favorite, most highly prized activities of my life." -- Leonard Bernstein

Each Young People's Concert is an elegant, sparkling musical event-with-a-message -- a message that speaks to people of all ages who want to hear and understand music more enjoyably than ever before.

A Maestro With a Mission Pianist, composer, conductor, lecturer, author -- the world-famous Leonard Bernstein lived and breathed music his entire life because he truly loved it. He was also aware that "highbrow" music could be intimidating. So the Maestro made it his lifetime mission to turn great music into something everyone could understand and enjoy.

That's why the Young People's Concerts, aired on the CBS Television Network from 1958 to 1973, were so fabulously successful year after year. People packed the live performances at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. Across America, families eagerly tuned in to watch every exciting new program. Around the world, television stations rushed to rebroadcast these unique musical events, translating them into a dozen foreign languages.

Maestro Bernstein's Young People's Concerts were a treasure -- a key that unlocked the door to the secrets of the world's great symphonic music. People watched... listened... enjoyed... understood... and simply couldn't get enough of the Young People's Concerts. There had been nothing like them before. There has been nothing like them since.

For You, Whatever Your Age or Musical Ability Most amazing of all, Leonard Bernstein's Young People's Concerts appeal to people of all ages and at every level of musical ability. There is nothing difficult about these musical events. You don't need any musical experience. Every concept is simple, concrete, immediate. The Maestro describes a musical idea -- then sings it, plays a few bars on the piano, or lifts his baton to lead the New York Philharmonic through a glorious symphonic rendition of the theme. Suddenly, you hear great music as you never heard it before. You pick out melody, counterpoint, rhythm, structure -- and you grasp complex music in a way you never thought possible.

Explaining What Music Means Starting with What Does Music Mean?, Mr. Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic present one spellbinding concert-with-commentary after another, showing you step by step what makes symphonic music an art form, and why great performances draw thunderous applause from audiences around the world.

Music's Most Exciting Moments

A world of beauty and meaning awaits you in Leonard Bernstein's Young People's Concerts. These digitally remastered recordings of the original televised performances provide you with a deluxe guided tour of great music, led by America's best-loved music teacher. The Young People's Concerts let you experience the most exciting and entertaining moments in American musical history.

You will find the Young People's Concerts delightful -- relaxed and informal, yet absolutely authoritative. And whatever your level of musical knowledge -- novice, student, or professional -- you are certain to learn and benefit from these timeless musical events.

What I personally found of interest, resulted from the extra measures that Robbins Landon goes to give added details on some topics (in particular the 3 works mentioned above). Insights as to the sequencing of construction, participation of other people and outside distractions that influenced Mozart's ability to work on and complete these projects. For example: the fact that 5 different types of sheet paper were used by Mozart during the writing of "La Clemenza di Tito" gives clues not only as to the actual chronological order that some of the scenes were composed, but also an idea as to the geographic locales where different parts this opera was conceived. i.e. Prague or Vienna

It seems hard to believe that retrieving accurate material on Mozart's life and music would be difficult, given his fame. You'd just assume that every note (musical or otherwise) that he wrote would have been recorded for the sake of posterity: sadly, such is not the case. Although Mozart was regarded as a brilliant musician during his time he was only recognized for his true genius, posthumously. So, although a lot of the musical scores, letters, writings and conversation have survived, many were lost or went missing over the past 200 years. What a pity!

Well written and informative. This is certainly a book of special interest, but one that goes beyond the superficial discussions of Mozart's life. Recommended!

The references to Haydn and his relationship with Mozart gave me some really new insight into how the two interacted and regarded the other. The research that was involved in this book lends credit to the contents, which were presented in a common sense way. Mr. Robbins has written a book that, I feel, is a "must read" for anyone interested to learn about Mozart's life and circumstance. A lot of rumors were put to rest. I learned a lot I did not know. I learned a lot about people who touched Mozart's life. I like the fact that he gave Constanze the respect she deserves as one who saved Mozart's works for us to enjoy! Great Job!

Hope Bill Drummond writes more.

Hope Bill Drummond writes more.

Varnay's story, told calmly but with frequent flashes of wit, begins with the tale of how her parents, both opera singers, met, married, and made their careers in Europe before coming to the U.S. and settling in New York. Young Violet Varnay, as she was dubbed by a teacher who could not cope with her Hungarian name Ibolyka (little violet), worked as a secretary, waited in the Met standing room line and quietly prepared herself for an operatic career. She prepared so well with her coach and eventual husband, Hermann Weigert, in fact, that her resume was met with astonished laughter at her eventual Met audition. The powers that be were quickly won over upon actually hearing her, and her stage career began at the Met in 1941 as a last-minute replacement for Lotte Lehmann in Die Walkure. Before retiring in the late 90s, after a career spanning more than five decades, her voice and dramatic presence would take her to Bayreuth and all of the great opera houses of the world.

It is of course difficult to say how much of the structure of the book stems from the singer herself, and how much from her co-author, Donald Arthur; but one of the attractions of this memoir is the skillful mix of narrative, anecdote and self-analysis of Varnay's numerous roles. She draws portraits of her husband, family and colleagues that leap vividly from the page, without ever descending to mere bitchiness, though she does allow herself some jabs at Herbert von Karajan and Rudolf Bing. The ultimate impression is of a strong, self-aware but not overweeningly arrogant personality--someone one would like to meet and talk to in person. One is touched by her inexhaustible eagerness to perform, and her capacity for discovering insights into roles usually dismissed as worthy only of comprimaria singers. She is also not above laughing at herself, and includes some amusingly informal photographs. Highly recommended.

Best of all, running through this work as steadily as a flowing river is a deep reverence for musical expression at its most personal, its most intimate. A treasure of a read.

Amatneek grew up in New York's Greenwich Village in the 1940s, and his connections eventually led to him becoming a "string-bass poppin', banjo-pickin' Philadelphia folkie." His short vignettes from the 1960s through the 1990s include tales about meeting Bob Dylan, being "used" as a prop by Mary Travers, interviewing Aretha Franklin, having Dionne Warwick sing "Happy Birthday" to him on his 21st birthday, and being inspired by Mimi Farina to make the world a better place. Throughout the book, the author intersperses a few song lyrics amidst the narrative.

Acoustic musicians, especially in the folk genre, typically include stories into their presentation. Most are based on personal experience and relate thoughtful and honest portrayals of life on the road and the people they meet along the way. Many of Amatneek's yarns revolve around well-known music personalities. In one situation, he might be auditioning tortoiseshell picks with Tony Rice in Paris. In another, he and the Rowan Brothers might be picking with Bill Monroe at the Wintergrass Festival in Tacoma, Wa. A couple of my favorites are about a panel discussion of the meaning of Monroe's song lyrics in "Little Girl and the Dreadful Snake." Other favorites are his description of the 3-ring circus of Beach Blanket Babylon, and the 50th anniversary of D-Day in 1994 in Ranville, France.

The emotional impacts of death creep into the stories. The author becomes introspective when talking about the passing of Mimi Farina, Kate Wolf, Jerry Garcia, Steve Gorn's father, Steve Silver, Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins, and the New Orleans horn player Buddy Bolden. Amatneek claims to be "basically shy," but this book shows, in writing, his more social and extrovert side. His "Acoustic Stories' are affectionately told, and anyone who can appreciate a few slices of music-related folklore will enjoy this book. Not only will you get to know the reserved bassist, author and storyteller better, but you'll get a taste of what it's been like for Bill Amatneek to cross paths and play with many luminaries in the music business. (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now)

The first part of Amazing Grace is the story of John Newton and how he came to write the words to what is now America's favorite hymn. I learned a lot of history, especially of the slave trade in the 1700's, while getting the non-Arlo, complicated version of Mr. Newton's life. The second part of the book follows the history of the hymn post-Newton. Turner has done his homework and I especially enjoyed learning about the history of the hymn in the 1800's, including how Amazing Grace picked up the tune we now sing it to.

I highly recommend Amazing Grace to fans of history, music, and, of course, the hymn Amazing Grace.

I particularly appreciated the section on contemporary versions of "Amazing Grace" and its impact on the secular community. As a Unitarian Universalist, I was greatly cheered to find one of our ministers quoted on the impact of the hymn on those who don't necessarily believe in a divine presence.

The discography of AG recordings included as an appendix was also hugely valuable, as I compiled a CD of recorded versions as a "party favor" for my (small) congregation. Turner's correct when he says it's a "select" discography, but he got most of the really good ones!

Particularly striking is Cossette's willingness to reveal his failures in addition to his many successes. A man whose winning track record includes celebrated productions in Las Vegas, on television, on Broadway and throughout the music world could easily have omitted his duds, but his candidness helps make the book resonate all the more as an instructional primer on the entertainment industry. The clear lesson here -- that it is persistency that can and does succeed -- is hardly unique to Cossette, but his cheerful yet no hold's barred spin on it gives the reader a glimpse that they could never have been privy to prior.

Getting rejected by Angie Dickinson with a romantic overture might not be something most would boost of, but the author's ability to see it as a reality check and to move forward is a perfect example of his self-deprecating style. Then again, his success with woman has obviously been quite good as witnessed by his glowing words for his current wife. In fact, his clear love for her, as well as for the other key woman in his life, is one of the book's strongest suits. Despite, or perhaps because of, his tremendous success, the obvious tenderness of the man serves as a winning example of a "nice guy finishing first."

To call him a true renaissance man may sound like a cliché, but it is perfectly apt. He knew everybody before they were anybody. Among the many highlights of "Another Day in Showbiz" are lengthy sections on his career in Las Vegas (where he not only began the tradition of the lounge singer, but booked Ronald Reagan and nearly every star of the era), an odd but telling encounter with Howard Hughes, his dealings with superstars ranging from Andy Williams to Celine Dion, his Broadway success with "The Will Rogers Follies" (including some interesting Marla Maples' anecdotes), the founding of his Dunhill Records label, and of course the book's main highlight -- his producing the Grammy Awards telecast for 35 years.

The manner in which he was able to convince a reluctant television network to air the Grammys live for the first time nearly 35 years ago is a perfect example of juggling, risking and trusting your guts. Incredible as it may seem today, there was no real interest from the network brass in such a telecast. Again though, Cossette's persistency and obvious smarts paid off. Cossette has been rightly referred to as "The Godfather of the Grammys," and anyone who reads this book will probably want to kiss his ring -- and want to go into "Showbiz."

Particularly striking is Cossette's willingness to reveal his failures in addition to his many successes. A man whose winning track record includes celebrated productions in Las Vegas, on television, on Broadway and throughout the music world could easily have omitted his duds, but his candidness helps make the book resonate all the more as an instructional primer on the entertainment industry. The clear lesson here -- that it is persistency that can and does succeed -- is hardly unique to Cossette, but his cheerful yet no hold's barred spin on it gives the reader a glimpse that they could never have been privy to prior.

Getting rejected by Angie Dickinson with a romantic overture might not be something most would boost of, but the author's ability to see it as a reality check and to move forward is a perfect example of his self-deprecating style. Then again, his success with woman has obviously been quite good as witnessed by his glowing words for his current wife. In fact, his clear love for her, as well as for the other key woman in his life, is one of the book's strongest suits. Despite, or perhaps because of, his tremendous success, the obvious tenderness of the man serves as a winning example of a "nice guy finishing first."

To call him a true renaissance man may sound like a cliché, but it is perfectly apt. He knew everybody before they were anybody. Among the many highlights of "Another Day in Showbiz" are lengthy sections on his career in Las Vegas (where he not only began the tradition of the lounge singer, but booked Ronald Reagan and nearly every star of the era), an odd but telling encounter with Howard Hughes, his dealings with superstars ranging from Andy Williams to Celine Dion, his Broadway success with "The Will Rogers Follies" (including some interesting Marla Maples' anecdotes), the founding of his Dunhill Records label, and of course the book's main highlight -- his producing the Grammy Awards telecast for 35 years.

The manner in which he was able to convince a reluctant television network to air the Grammys live for the first time nearly 35 years ago is a perfect example of juggling, risking and trusting your guts. Incredible as it may seem today, there was no real interest from the network brass in such a telecast. Again though, Cossette's persistency and obvious smarts paid off. Cossette has been rightly referred to as "The Godfather of the Grammys," and anyone who reads this book will probably want to kiss his ring -- and want to go into "Showbiz."