Patricia Howard Livres

Focusing on the innovative approach of Christoph Willibald Gluck, this bibliography and guide highlights his unique ability to harmonize music and storytelling in opera and ballet. It compiles various writings about his life and contributions, offering readers efficient access to information about his artistic legacy and the poetic qualities of his compositions.

First published in 2003, this book from Routledge, an imprint of Taylor & Francis, explores significant themes and concepts relevant to its field. It offers insights and analyses that reflect contemporary issues, making it a valuable resource for scholars and practitioners alike. The text is designed to engage readers with its thorough examination of the subject matter, contributing to ongoing discussions and advancements within the discipline.

This book brings together a variety of eighteenth century sources in an attempt to construct a portrait of one of the most interesting musicians of that century. Celebrated today for his historical significance, as the one composer who did most to effect the transition between baroque and classical opera, Gluck in his lifetime was both a controversial figure and a colourful one: the sources portray a man of enormous energy, relish for good food and good company, and passion for his art.The basis of the book is the body of letters to and from Gluck. There has been only one previous attempt to collect and translate the material into English, and apart from the fact that it was universally deemed inadequate at the time of publication (1962), it has been superceded by discoveries of new material, now incorporated in this study. Besides the letters, the book includes a wealth of factual documents and informal anecdotes, not easily accessible in the original German, French and Italian languages, almost none of which has ever been made available in English. The material has been arranged and translated with the aim of providing readers with a lively, continuous narrative of Gluck's life, while at the same time indicating the major locations of the published and unpublished sources, in order that scholars can access the material in its original languages.