Musings: The Musical Worlds of Gunther Schuller (Oxford Paperbacks)

This collection of writings by Gunther Schuller--the first composer to be awarded the Elise L. Stoeger Composer's Chair of the Chamber Society of Lincoln Center--provides a marvelous introduction to the man and his extraordinary range of musical experience, taste, and learning. In Part I, "Jazz and the Third Stream," Schuller offers his reflections on jazz, insightful pieces on such figures as Duke Ellington, Cecil Taylor, and Sonny Rollins, and several essays on "the third stream," the genre where jazz and classical music intersect. Part II, "Music Performance and Contemporary Music," includes articles on the art of conducting, the future of opera, the question of a new classicism, and Schuller's own thoughts on his controversial opera The Visitation. The final section, "Music Aesthetics and Education," presents Schuller's reflections on such matters as form, structure, and symbol in music; the need for broadening the audience for quality music; and his vision of the ideal conservatory and the total musician. Contents......Page 12 I. JAZZ AND THE THIRD STREAM......Page 14 1. Jazz......Page 16 2. The Future of Form in Jazz......Page 31 3. What Makes Jazz Jazz?......Page 39 4. James Reese Europe......Page 50 5. The Orchestrator's Challenge......Page 55 6. Happy Feet: A Tribute to Paul Whiteman......Page 57 7. Ellington in the Pantheon......Page 60 8. Ellington vis-à-vis the Swing Era......Page 64 9. The Case for Ellington's Music as Living Repertory......Page 73 10. Cecil Taylor: Two Early Recordings......Page 78 11. Ornette Coleman......Page 89 12. Ornette Coleman's Compositions......Page 93 13. Sonny Rollins and the Challenge of Thematic Improvisation......Page 99 14. Lee Konitz......Page 111 15. The Divine Sarah......Page 115 16. Gil Evans......Page 122 17. Alec Wilder......Page 124 18. Third Stream......Page 127 19. Third Stream Revisited......Page 132 20. The Avant-Garde and Third Stream......Page 134 II. MUSIC PERFORMANCE AND CONTEMPORARY MUSIC......Page 148 21. Composing for Orchestra......Page 150 22. American Performance and New Music......Page 167 23. Conducting Revisited......Page 175 24. The Future of Opera......Page 181 25. Toward a New Classicism?......Page 187 26. The State of American Orchestras......Page 197 27. Program Notes—Various......Page 207 28. Still More Program Notes—on Others......Page 214 29. Concerning My Opera The Visitation......Page 242 III. MUSIC AESTHETICS AND EDUCATION......Page 248 30. The Compleat Musician in the Complete Conservatory......Page 250 31. Qualitative Evaluation in the Arts......Page 260 32. The State of Our Art......Page 271 33. Form, Content, and Symbol......Page 285 34. Form and Aesthetics in Twentieth-Century Music......Page 300 B......Page 318 C......Page 319 E......Page 320 H......Page 321 L......Page 322 M......Page 323 P......Page 324 S......Page 325 T......Page 326 X......Page 327 Z......Page 328

scholar, Composer, Conductor, Teacher, Author, Music Publisher, Indefatigable Advocate—gunther Schuller Isn't Merely A Musician; He's A Monopoly. So Wrote Alan Rich Of new York Magazine In 1978, And His Description Still Holds.
musings Is A Marvelous Introduction To Schuller And His Extraordinary Range Of Musical Experience, Taste, And Learning. The Book Is Devided Into Four Sections Offering A Rich Sampling Of Schuller's Musical Interests. In Part I, Jazz And The Third Stream, Schuller Gives Us His Definitions Of Jazz As Well As Insightful Pieces On Such Figures As Duke Ellington, Sarah Vaughan, Lee Konitz, Sonny Rollins, And Cecil Taylor. Part Ii, Music Performance And Contemporary Music, Includes Pieces On Conducting, The Future Of Opera, The Question Of A New Classicism, And The Works Of Monteverdi And Stravinsky, Part Iii Shows Us Schuller The Composer With Such Pieces As Shapes And Designs, Composing For Orchestra, And In Praise Of Winds, As Well As Schuller's Own Thought About His Controversial Opera the Visitation. The Final Section, Music Esthetics And Education, Finds Schuller Reflecting On Such Matters As Form, Structure, And Symbol In Music, And The Need For Broadening The Audience For Quality Music.
From The Scholarly To The Popular And The Polemical, musings Will Delight Schuller's Admirers And Win New Converts.
about The Authors:
gunther Schuller Is The Author Of early Jazz Which Nat Hentoff Proclaimed A Remarkable Breakthrough In musical Analysis Of Jazz. In Addition To Composing And Conducting, Schuller Has Been President Of The New England Conservatory Of Music In Boston.

Annotation This collection of writings by Gunther Schuller--the first composer to be awarded the Elise L. Stoeger Composer's Chair of the Chamber Society of Lincoln Center--provides a marvelous introduction to the man and his extraordinary range of musical experience, taste, and learning. In Part I, "Jazz and the Third Stream," Schuller offers his reflections on jazz, insightful pieces on such figures as Duke Ellington, Cecil Taylor, and Sonny Rollins, and several essays on "the third stream," the genre where jazz and classical music intersect. Part II, "Music Performance and ContemporaryMusic," includes articles on the art of conducting, the future of opera, the question of a new classicism, and Schuller's own thoughts on his controversial opera The Visitation. The final section, "Music Aesthetics and Education," presents Schuller's reflections on such matters as form, structure, and symbol in music; the need for broadening the audience for quality music; and his vision of the ideal conservatory and the total musician Composer, conductor, educator, jazz critic, and horn virtuoso, Gunther Schuller here brings together his writings on music. There are numerous articles about jazz, dealing with his favourite figures like Duke Ellington and Ornette Coleman, and also Schuller's concept of the 'Third Stream', the area where jazz and concert music intersect. Other sections deal with the composition and performance of contemporary music, musical education, and musical aesthetics JAZZ. Jazz is a style of music first developed in the southern United States representing a confluence of West African and European musical-social traditions.