All Vienna knows that the inhabitant of number 10 Seilerstatte is none other than Christopher Alt, piano maker, the best in Vienna, probably in all of Austria, and possiblly the world over. His piano keys have given life to melodies by Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, and many more. On his deathbed, moved by the wish to keep his children united, he leaves a will specifying that his descendants, if they are to get their inheritance, must live together in the family home. Over successive generations of the Alt family, history itself passes through the doors, down the halls, and into the private rooms of the Alt’s building. There is intrigue at the court of Franz-Josef: an heir to the throne has fallen in love with Henrietta Alt, who will have to carry the guilt for his eventual suicide. There are betrayals, beloved illegitimate children, and despised legitimate offspring. There are seething passions and icy relations, a world war and the rise of Nazism to contend with. There are duals, ambitions, hopes, affairs of the heart and affairs of state. Three generations of Alts live and die at number 10 Silerstatte and each member of the family, in his or or her own way, is a privileged witness to the winds of change and a Europe at the height of both its splendor and decadence

Esteemed by many of his most distinguished contemporaries, including Arnold Schoenberg , Alexander Zemlinsky (1871-1942) was a protégé of Brahms and Mahler. Despite this, he was overshadowed by the composers of the second Viennese school, and for many years after his death was remembered merely as the brother-in-law of Schoenberg. But with centenary celebrations of Zemlinsky's birth, scholars began a careful examination of his works and realized they had discovered a forgotten master. Zemlinsky's wonderful melodic gift was manifested in operas, choral works, chamber music, and symphonic pieces, but was realized most fully in his more than one hundred songs. In this important new study—the first such work in English—Lorraine Gorrell focuses on these songs, revealing the ways in which they represented a bridge between the 19th-century romantic lied and the 20th-century avant-garde. Of interest to scholars studying both the German art song and the development of the second Viennese school, Gorrell's work uses Zemlinsky's songs as a lens through which to examine an important, highly influential musical figure.

This present work had it's origin in two series of twelve public lectures on music as part of the general culture, given at Harvard University between 1934 and 1935. Since these lectures this subject matter has been considerable enlarged, supplemented and concluded. Chapters include: Music of the Greeks, The Gothic Period, The Renaissance, Seventeenth-Century Baroque, Classical Tendencies of the Eighteenth Century, The Romantic Movement, The Twentieth Century and many others.

"Sometimes the pearls inside us are small and ugly, but they are precious because they are real. But what can they do against the big, cheesy imitations that the world clamors for and can never seem to get enough of." You think that and keep silent, and an insurmountable power keeps you from giving away your pearls. Hidden they lie in this book, waiting to bring out yours too. To make you laugh, cry and think.

Articulate and impassioned, sophisticated but never esoteric, Steinberg and Rothe offer invigorating reflections on music that will delight both the beginning and the seasoned listener.

Four classic works that explore the lives and contributions of some of the greatest minds in classical music—essential reading for any classical music fan. In Legend of a Musical City, renowned Austrian music critic Max Graf shares his recollections of life with Anton Bruckner, Gustav Mahler, Johannes Brahms, Richard Strauss, Arnold Schoenberg, and other immortals of the music world. Bringing to life some of the most iconic figures in music as well as the city of Vienna itself, Graf recounts a charming, personal, and highly educational story of Austria’s musical legacy. Jan Holcman’s The Legacy of Chopin is a comprehensive study of the great composer’s views on music, including pianism, composition, pedagogy, criticism, and more. Drawing on extensive research from a wide range of sources, Holcman provides essential historical and musicological context for Chopin’s references and concepts, making his more esoteric ideas accessible to the general reader. In Schoenberg and His School, noted composer, conductor, and music theorist René Leibowitz offers an authoritative analysis of Schoenberg’s groundbreaking contributions to composition theory and Western polyphony. In addition to detailing his subject’s major works, Leibowitz also explores Schoenberg’s influence on the works of his two great disciples, Alban Berg and Anton Webern. In Shostakovich: The Man and His Work, Ivan Martynov presents a compelling and intimate biography of this pioneering legend. Martynov draws on extensive research, including interviews and conversations with Shostakovich himself, as well as his own expertise in the field of musicology.

The story of Vienna, the musical center of the world. Max Graf, the Nestor of Austrian music critics, relates in a fascinating manner his own recollections of life with Bruckner, Brahms, Strauss, and other immortals in the music world. The author has enjoyed the intimate friendships over the course of fifty years. He gives a delightful as well as a highly educational story of the development of Austrian music. From the table of contents: Studying with Anton Bruckner; Hours with Hugo Wolf; Recollections of Gustav Mahler; Memories of Johann Strauss; Talks with Johannes Brahms; Richard Strauss; Arnold Schoenberg; The Fight Pony Ballets; Music in Churches; The Dead City; Vienna of Tomorrow.

An invaluable guide for lovers of classical music designed to enhance their enjoyment of the core orchestral repertoire from 1700 to 1950 Robert Philip, scholar, broadcaster, and musician, has compiled an essential handbook for lovers of classical music, designed to enhance their listening experience to the full. Covering four hundred works by sixty-eight composers from Corelli to Shostakovich, this engaging companion explores and unpacks the most frequently performed works, including symphonies, concertos, overtures, suites, and ballet scores. It offers intriguing details about each piece while avoiding technical terminology that might frustrate the non-specialist reader. Philip identifies key features in each work, as well as subtleties and surprises that await the attentive listener, and he includes enough background and biographical information to illuminate the composer's intentions. Organized alphabetically from Bach to Webern, this compendium will be indispensable for classical music enthusiasts, whether in the concert hall or enjoying recordings at home.