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Classical Composers - Biography, Berlioz, Hector
The Life of Berlioz by Peter Bloom β€” book cover

The Life of Berlioz

by Peter Bloom, Hector Berlioz
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Overview

Berlioz is the quintessential romantic composer by dint of the conspicuous intermingling of art and life that marks his musical and literary output. This Life of Berlioz situates the celebrated French musician in the vibrant and highly politicized musical culture of the periods of the Bourbon Restoration, July Monarchy, Second Republic, and Second Empire in which he lived and worked as composer, conductor, concert manager, and writer. The author of the Symphonie fantastique was possessed of a fertile and fantastical imagination; he was indeed obsessed, at times, by love; but the common image of Berlioz as a misunderstood and mistreated genius (an image he did little to controvert) obscures both the solidity of his work as a musical architect and the reality of his position, explored here, as one sometimes favored by those in power.

Synopsis

Tells the story of Berlioz, the greatest French composer of the nineteenth century.

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Editorials

From the Publisher

'One of the pleasures of The Life of Berlioz, by Peter Bloom, lies in the seamless way the author outlines the historical and cultural background. This book will be enjoyed by anyone interested in the period, not just in music.' The Times Literary Supplement

'Bloom brings fresh information and perspectives in a triumph of concentration entirely readable and compelling.' The Musical Times

Book Details

Published
November 1, 1998
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Pages
224
Format
Paperback
ISBN
9780521485487

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