Derek Watson Livres

Anton Bruckner's nine symphonies are a great achievement of the Romantic era, distinguished by their individuality and their intimation of a deeply spiritual nature. Widely mislabeled as a composer of 'Wagnerian' symphonies, Bruckner in fact developed a musical style completely distinct from Wagner's, even though he worshipped the older composer and admired his music passionately. He is often paired with Mahler, whom he influenced; both composers wrote symphonies of extravagant length, which really began to find a worldwide audience in the 1950s with the availability of long-playing records. On the personal level, Bruckner's life was in some ways a study in unhappiness. But the center of Bruckner's personality was surely his deep religious faith, reflected in his music and its range of emotions from terror to ecstasy. First published in 1975, Derek Watson's biography of Bruckner has been thoroughly revised and the discussion of the music significantly expanded in this new edition

Franz Liszt lived as he composed -- on the grand scale -- the quintessential, flamboyant romantic. Born in Hungary in 1811 to poor farm parents, he received his onyl education from his father who was a well-known amateur musician. Although a virtuous at age 13, he was tormented by his lack of formal education. Denied entrance to the Paris Conservatory because of his young age, he surrounded himself with the most celebrated men of letters and music of his time. This impressive volume encompasses Franz Liszt's entire legendary career -- the virtuous tours, the composition of piano works and transcriptions which revolutionized the instrument, the period as conductor at Weimar, and the creation of brilliant new forms of orchestral and choral music. -- From publisher's description