Edward Elgar and His World
Edited by Byron Adams

Paper | 2007 | $22.95 / £13.50
Cloth | 2007 | $60.00 / £35.00
448 pp. | 6 x 9 | 23 halftones. 25 musical examples.

Shopping Cart | Reviews | Table of Contents
Chapter 1 [HTML] or [PDF]

Edward Elgar (1857-1934) is undoubtedly one of the most fascinating, important, and influential figures in the history of British music. He rose from humble beginnings and achieved fame with music that to this day is beloved by audiences in England, and his work has secured an enduring legacy worldwide. Leading scholars examine the composer's life in Edward Elgar and His World, presenting a comprehensive portrait of both the man and the age in which he lived.

Elgar's achievement is remarkably varied and wide-ranging, from immensely popular works like the famous Pomp and Circumstance March no. 1--a standard feature of American graduations--to sweeping masterpieces like his great oratorio The Dream of Gerontius. The contributors explore Elgar's Catholicism, which put him at odds with the prejudices of Protestant Britain; his glorification of British colonialism; his populist tendencies; his inner life as an inspired autodidact; the aristocratic London drawing rooms where his reputation was made; the class prejudice with which he contended throughout his career; and his anguished reaction to World War I. Published in conjunction with the 2007 Bard Music Festival and the 150th anniversary of Elgar's birth, this elegant and thought-provoking volume illuminates the greatness of this accomplished English composer and brings vividly to life the rich panorama of Victorian and Edwardian Britain.

The contributors are Byron Adams, Leon Botstein, Rachel Cowgill, Sophie Fuller, Daniel M. Grimley, Nalini Ghuman Gwynne, Deborah Heckert, Charles Edward McGuire, Matthew Riley, Alison I. Shiel, and Aidan J. Thomson.

Byron Adams is professor of composition and musicology at the University of California, Riverside. He is the coeditor of Vaughan Williams Essays.

Reviews:

"Byron Adams clearly loves Elgar and his music...[His] chapter on Elgar's self-education...is a fascinating exploration of how books read by the budding composer had an enduring influence on his music."--Daniel Jaffe, BBC Music Magazine

"This fine and fascinating book includes welcome pieces by younger scholars working in the US and England--recent PhDs who bring new perspectives, ideas, and methodologies to this tricky and provocative branch of 'socio/historical musicology.' In addition to providing a clear, helpful introduction and a striking essay on 'the persistence of memory,' Adams proves himself an inspired editor."--W. Metcalfe, Choice

"[A] handsome volume of essays by a dozen scholars, who strive to assess Elgaršs place in music history."--George B. Stauffer, Weekly Standard

"This fine and fascinating book includes welcome pieces by younger scholars working in the U.S. and England--recent PhDs who bring new perspectives, ideas, and methodologies to this tricky and provocative branch of socio/historical musicology. In addition to providing a clear, helpful introduction and a striking essay on the persistence of memory, Adams proves himself an inspired editor. The 13 essays--not a dud among them--look at societal, cultural, historical, and psychological aspects of Elgar's life and world."--W. Metcalfe, Choice

Table of Contents

Series:

• The Bard Music Festival

Subject Area:

• Music

Shopping Cart:

For customers in the U.S., Canada, Latin America, Asia, and Australia
Paper: $22.95 ISBN13: 978-0-691-13446-8
Cloth: $60.00 ISBN13: 978-0-691-13445-1

For customers in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and India
Paper: £13.50 ISBN13: 978-0-691-13446-8
Cloth: £35.00 ISBN13: 978-0-691-13445-1

Prices subject to change without notice

File created: 7/1/2008

Questions and comments to: webmaster@press.princeton.edu
Princeton University Press