Amy Beach, Passionate Victorian: The Life and Work of an American Composer, 1867-1944

by Adrienne Fried Block

Amy Marcy Cheney Beach (1867-1944), the most widely performed composer of her generation, was the first American woman to succeed as a creator of large-scale art music. Her "Gaelic" Symphony, given its premiere by the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1896, was the first work of its kind by an American woman to be performed by an American orchestra. Almost all of her more than 300 works were published soon after they were composed and performed, and today...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0195074084
• ISBN13: 9780195074086
• Release Date: December 1998
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Length: 448 Pages
• Weight: 1.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.5" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

Good book about a great composer

This book gives lots of detail about Amy Beach, born at a time when women were not encouraged to follow productive careers in music. Despite being handicapped by her society, Amy Beach overcame many of those by the shear force of her musical talents. This book follows Beach's musical and personal life and also provides a clear image of the time in which she lived. If I had any criticism, there may be too much detail, but then I bought the book just to concentrate on her music.

Amy Beach, Passionate Victorian

At last, a full-length biography of the "Dean of American Women Composers." Engaging and thorougly researched. The only thing lacking is a discography of Beach's music. Highly recommended.