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MAESTROS AND THEIR MUSIC

John Mauceri

The Art and Alchemy of Conducting

From a celebrated conductor whose international career has spanned half a century—an exu- berant, uniquely accessible, sumptuously illustrated look inside the enigmatic art and craft of conducting.

John Mauceri brings a lifetime of experience to bear in this unprecedented, hugely informative, consistently entertaining exploration of his profession. With candor and humor, he makes clear that conducting is itself a composition: of legacy and tradition, techniques handed down from master to apprentice—and more than a trace of ine able magic. He reveals how conductors approach a piece of music (a calculated combination of personal interpretation, imagination, and insight into the composer’s intent); what it takes to communicate solely through gesture, with sometimes hundreds of performers at once; and the occasionally-glamorous, often challenging life of the itinerant maestro. Mauceri, who worked closely with Leonard Bernstein for 18 years, studied with Leopold Stokowski, and was on the faculty of Yale University for 15 years, is the perfect guide to the allure and theater, passion and drudgery, rivalries and rela- tionships of the conducting life. John Mauceri has, over the past five decades, conducted symphonies, operas, ballets, musicals, and film music around the world, appearing in the world’s most famous venues and serving as music director of four opera companies and three orchestras, as well as hosting television and radio programs. He is also a leading performer of music banned by the Third Reich and the music of Hollywood's émigré composers. An accomplished recording artist, he has more than 70 albums to his name, and is the recipient of a Grammy, a Tony, a Billboard, two Diapasons d’Or, three Emmys, and four Deutsche Schallplatten awards. He has written for The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, the Times of London, and the Huffington Post, among other publications.

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Book Published 2017-11-07 by Knopf

Comments

Symphony-lovers will be thrilled with the behind-the-scenes details, and aspiring conductors will enjoy the rich industry insight. Those simply curious about how classical music happens will feel drawn in by Mauceri's palpable passion.

Frank and informative about many aspects of the job of maestro . . . few authors have expressed so vividly the huge role of the score itself in a maestro's daily work, or the non-glamorous status of the guest conductor.

Written with the profound insight that comes out of a lifetime of conducting experience, John Mauceri's brilliant book about maestros and their music will transform your understanding of every concert and opera you attend. Everyone who cares about classical music should read this book.

Combining rare insights with personal, sometimes hilarious, recollections and historical anecdotes, John Mauceri has created a remarkably perceptive and charming guide into the mysterious art of the conductor. Part personal confession, part wise explication, Maestros and Their Music will be of tremendous value to anyone who wonders just what that person waving a stick in front of an orchestra is actually doing.

China: Ginkgo ; Italy: EDT ; Japan: Hakusi-Sha ; Koean: Epoch Books ; Russia: MIF ; Taiwan: Briefung Press

Articulate and insightful, John Mauceri unapologetically invites us into his world, offering a perspective seldom shared and little understood. Conductors are largely mysteries and intentionally so. John leads us on a journey, taking apart the complex and rebuilding it in a way that creates a narrative anyone can understand. This book not only unmasks a profession, it does the same for meeting and knowing John himself. Whether you are a board of directors looking for your next music director or simply a music lover, I highly recommend reading this book.

Mauceri demonstrates what it's like to work closely with brilliant conductors, bringing their artistry to life.

You think conducting is a matter of a maestro merely knowing the score? Let John Mauceri open your eyes and ears to the mysterious, solitary, itinerant world of the conductor and have all preconceptions blown away. Mauceri rips the smoke and mirrors off his profession with wicked and gleeful lucidity, filling us in on its history and answering questions you didn't even know to ask. This irresistible and unique book is guaranteed to send you to the concert hall and your CDs with newly educated earsand heart.

Informative and entertaining. [Mauceri] has an insider's grasp of the vagaries of the music business... [Maestros and Their Music] willappeal to both musicians and others seeking a broad base of information about conducting and conductors.