A supplement to the current edition of The Penguin Guide to Compact Discs and Cassettes, this yearbook looks in depth at new and reissued classical recordings that appeared from the summer of 1994 up to the summer of 1995. Arranged alphabetically by composer, the book evaluates the interpretation and performance of each work, assesses the recording quality, and gives advice on the best values.
Downloads, CDs and DVD mean it is possible to listen to hundreds of thousands of classical recordings today - but how do you pick your way through the vast array of music now on offer? This title offers a treasury of music, whether you are just starting to build a collection or tracking down a particular favourite.
An intimate portrait of the iconic playwright, actor, and director Sam Shepard, this sweeping biography charts his journey from a small town in southern California to international acclaim. The son of an alcoholic father, Shepard crafted a public persona as the authentic American archetype: the loner, cowboy, and drifter. Despite his critical and financial success, he often felt dispossessed, much like his characters. This biography delves deeply into his life and the ways his work reflects it, taking readers through the vibrant world of downtown theater in the early sixties, the jazz scene at the Village Gate, and fringe theatre in London during the seventies. It also explores his involvement in Bob Dylan's legendary Rolling Thunder tour and the making of classic films like Zabriskie Point, Days of Heaven, and The Right Stuff, alongside Broadway productions such as Buried Child and True West. The author interviewed dozens of people who knew Shepard well, many speaking on the record for the first time. Through his relationships with notable figures like Patti Smith, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, and Jessica Lange, the biography positions Shepard not only as a great American writer but as a unique figure who brought rock 'n' roll sensibility to serious theater.