A Friend's Guide to Chamber Music - by Nancy Monsman (Paperback)
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<p/><br></br><p><b> About the Book </b></p></br></br>Written for enthusiastic listeners and performers of chamber music as well as new listeners exploring this unique form, this guide surveys 175 works for three or more instruments written by 35 composers, ordered chronologically so that influences and developments can be discerned.<p/><br></br><p><b> Book Synopsis </b></p></br></br><p>Traditionally, it's the music that speaks from the stage, not the</p><p>musicians themselves. By the beginning of the 20th century, the</p><p>concert hall and the music chamber were no longer regarded as</p><p>appropriate venues for loud conversing, heavy drinking, reckless</p><p>gambling, and high-society ogling. The concert, formerly regarded</p><p>as a means of light if elegant entertainment, had become a sacred</p><p>rite. Musicians and audience members alike were now expected to</p><p>sit down, shut up, and focus solely and worshipfully on the music.</p><p>If you were surprised or confused by the music, nobody could</p><p>help you--except the person who had written the explanatory</p><p>notes in the printed program you clutched in your hands.</p><p>Today, the atmosphere is a bit more casual, though thankfully</p><p>not the free-for-all it had been in the 18th century. Performers seem</p><p>more relaxed; their dress is often more laid-back, their body language</p><p>looser. And many of them are eager to say a few unscripted</p><p>words to the audience, especially if they are introducing unfamiliar</p><p>music.</p><p>Quite frequently now, an ensemble will arrive in Tucson for an</p><p>Arizona Friends of Chamber Music concert expecting to give some</p><p>introductory remarks about a new or unusual composition they're</p><p>about to play. Then they open the printed program, read Nancy</p><p>Monsman's notes, and realize that all the essential information is</p><p>already there. They end up telling a couple of amusing anecdotes</p><p>and urging that people learn more by reading, in their words, "the</p><p>excellent notes in your programs."</p><p> </p><p>resources, and I have strong opinions about how notes should be</p><p>written. It is my strong opinion that Nancy Monsman's program</p><p>notes are models of clarity and concision, providing exactly the</p><p>information you need before the music takes over. When you're</p><p>seated in the concert hall, waiting for the downbeat, you don't have</p><p>much time to read up on what you're about to hear. There's no way</p><p>you could get through a chapter of cultural background on each</p><p>piece, followed by a detailed technical analysis. You need notes</p><p>that, in a very few paragraphs, can set the scene for the composer</p><p>and the composition, then provide just enough detail to help you</p><p>find your way through the music you are about to hear.</p><p>Nancy's notes provide exactly that sort of guide. And now we</p><p>are proud to present that guide in a format you can consult at your</p><p>leisure, and at your pleasure, particularly if you'd like on your own</p><p>to trace a composer's career more systematically than you can in a</p><p>single concert. Let this be your knowledgeable companion as you</p><p>explore the puzzles and delights of European chamber music.</p><p>JAMES REEL</p><p>President, Arizona Friends of Chamber Music</p>
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