Reviews by the editorial staff of Early Music America. Have a new recording or book? Submit it for consideration.
Keyboard Songs In Need Of No Words
Histories of keyboard music frequently bypass this large repertoire of “derived” (arranged) music, so one notes with satisfaction the very thorough coverage here, with a generous amount of illustrative material, tables of publications, music examples, and facsimiles.
French City Soundscapes Full Of Joie De Vivre
What The Musical Sounds of Medieval French Cities: Players, Patrons, and Politics shows is the exquisite diversity of how public “fanfare” was sponsored by individual cities and coordinated by civic ordinances with more private musical practices.
Hailing The Hearty Hurdy-Gurdy
In the second edition of Robert Green’s book, the author has set out to share “new insights” and information about the hurdy-gurdy and its music to bring what has been considered an obscure instrument into the realm of practical historical performance, as well as to underscore its value in the contemporary world of folk music and jazz.
A Noted Violinist Shares His Approach To Bach
Stanley Ritchie’s new volume, perhaps best described as a memoir of his lifelong engagement as both performer and pedagogue with these core works, offers his preferences for fingerings, bowings, dynamics, articulations, tempos, and much more.
Traveling With Bach: An Enthralling Experience
The American Bach Society, which sponsored "Exploring the World of Bach: A Traveler’s Guide," could not have chosen a better authorial team: Robert Marshall, whose numerous writings about Bach are infused with a rare passion, clarity, and eloquence, and Traute Marshall, a highly accomplished editor, writer, and translator.
Sumptuous Volumes Celebrate Erard Instruments
Drawn from the Gaveau-Érard-Pleyel Archives now maintained by the AXA Insurance Group in France, this beautifully produced two-volume set about the history of the Érard piano and harp represents a rich lode of information not only for those interested in these instruments, but also for all who want to learn about the role of music within the context of European culture of the last two centuries.
A Stimulating Spin on Handel’s Life
The Lives of George Frideric Handel more than accomplishes its goals. Well-written, richly documented, and colorfully presented, David Hunter’s unique spin on what we know about Handel, or thought we knew, is a valuable addition to the early-music library.
