Overview

Granville Bantock's letters to the Scottish composer William Wallace and the music critic Ernest Newman provide a fascinating window into British music and musical life in the early twentieth century and the 'dawn' of musical modernism. British music and musical life before the Great War have been relatively neglected in discussions of the idea of the 'modern' in the early twentieth century. This collection of almost 300 letters, written by Granville Bantock (1868-1946) to the Scottish composer William Wallace (1860-1940) and the music critic Ernest Newman (1868-1959) places Bantock and his circle at the heart of this debate. The letters highlight Bantock's and Wallace's development of the modern British symphonic poem, their contribution (with Newman) to music criticism and journalism, and their attempts to promote a young generation of British composers - revealing an early frustration with the musical establishment. Confirming the impact of visits to Britain by Richard Strauss and Sibelius, Bantock offers opinions on a range of composers active around the turn of the twentieth century, identifying Elgar and Delius as the future for English music. Along with references to conductors, entertainers and contemporary writers (Maeterlinck, Conrad), there are fascinating details of the musical culture of London, Liverpool and Birmingham - including programming strategies at the Tower, New Brighton, and abortive plans to relaunch the New Quarterly Musical Review. Fully annotated, the letters provide a fascinating window into British music and musical life in the early twentieth century and the 'dawn' of musical modernism. MICHAEL ALLIS is Professor of Musicology at the School of Music, University of Leeds.

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9781783272334

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Overall, the letters illustrate just how central a figure Bantock was in British musical life at the start of the twentieth century. . . . Consequently, this book is essential reading for all musicologists working on early twentieth-century British music, but it also offers a fascinating window through which to view the musical culture of the time more generally. -- Peter Atkinson * NOTES, JOURNAL OF THE MUSIC LIBRARY ASSOCIATION * A fascinating study of these three men at a 'crucial stage of their careers...highlights many troubles and tensions in music of the period: the future and purpose of the symphonic poem, the plight of opera in Britain, and the difficulties of suitable training for musicians. * MUSIC & LETTERS * Excellent...the collection is a veritable treasure trove for those wanting to know more about the composers and musical tastes and programming of that era of British music performance. * FONTES ARTIS MUSICAE * Allis identifies and brings out a consistent theme in the correspondence, provides a helpful context for the letters, and fills in the holes that result in reading one side of a discussion without over explaining or diminishing the impact of the correspondence. This book serves as a model for publishing a collection of letters and fills an important gap in scholarship on these three figures as well as British music around the turn of the twentieth century. * NABMSA * A pleasure to read...this is certainly a worthwhile addition to the bookshelves of anyone who enjoys reading about early 20th century music in Britain. * THE DELIUS SOCIETY JOURNAL *

A fascinating study of these three men at a 'crucial stage of their careers...highlights many troubles and tensions in music of the period: the future and purpose of the symphonic poem, the plight of opera in Britain, and the difficulties of suitable training for musicians. MUSIC & LETTERS Excellent...the collection is a veritable treasure trove for those wanting to know more about the composers and musical tastes and programming of that era of British music performance. FONTES ARTIS MUSICAE Allis identifies and brings out a consistent theme in the correspondence, provides a helpful context for the letters, and fills in the holes that result in reading one side of a discussion without over explaining or diminishing the impact of the correspondence. This book serves as a model for publishing a collection of letters and fills an important gap in scholarship on these three figures as well as British music around the turn of the twentieth century. NABMSA A pleasure to read...this is certainly a worthwhile addition to the bookshelves of anyone who enjoys reading about early 20th century music in Britain. THE DELIUS SOCIETY JOURNAL

A pleasure to read...this is certainly a worthwhile addition to the bookshelves of anyone who enjoys reading about early 20th century music in Britain. THE DELIUS SOCIETY JOURNAL

Allis identifies and brings out a consistent theme in the correspondence, provides a helpful context for the letters, and fills in the holes that result in reading one side of a discussion without over explaining or diminishing the impact of the correspondence. This book serves as a model for publishing a collection of letters and fills an important gap in scholarship on these three figures as well as British music around the turn of the twentieth century. NABMSA A pleasure to read...this is certainly a worthwhile addition to the bookshelves of anyone who enjoys reading about early 20th century music in Britain. THE DELIUS SOCIETY JOURNAL

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