On Russian Music

(Paperback, Main)

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First published in 1939, On Russian Music was conceived by Gerald Abraham as a sequel to his earlier Studies in Russian Music (1935, also in Faber Finds), and complements the previous work in many useful respects. Glinka moves to the forefront via close study of both of his operas. A historical account of the composition of Borodin's Prince Igor enriches the critical study made in the first book. And chapters on Mlada and Tsar Saltan round out Abraham's appreciations of the major operas of Rimsky-Korsakov.There are also critical and historical essays on works by Mussorgsky, Dargomizhsky, Tchaikovsky and other composers, and analyses that, in their time, threw new light on the programmatic meaning of such well-known compositions as Scheherazade and the Pathetique symphony. The book is superbly illustrated with music examples throughout.

Author Bio

Gerald Abraham (1904-1988) was a distinguished musicologist, holding honorary doctorates from the unversities of Durham, Liverpool, Southampton and California. Among the official posts he held were Professor of Music at the University of Liverpool, Assistant Controller of Music at the BBC, and President of the Royal Musical Association. He wrote or edited many books on music including several volumes in The New Oxford History of Music, of which he was the General Editor. Other books include Essays on Russian and East European Music, Slavonic and Romantic Music , Studies in Russian Music and The Tradition of Western Music.