| Abstract |
"It should be the aim of the writer on music to explain or illumine the musical traits that make the style that is the man himself related to his environment," writes the author. This is the main intention of these essays, written with the easy, friendly charm which has made his work popular not only among expert music-lovers but among all those who take a pleasure in music. These are personal studies - informative and witty - that highlight the composer and his work against the wider background of the culture and of his time. An acute judgment and a happy blend of lucidity and descriptive simile enable the author to stimulate the reader with his own sensitivity and enthusiasm. The music-lover, who is so often confused by forbidding technical analyses, will be captivated by the author's flair for depicting the spirit of each man's music. The general reader will be engrossed by the ease, charm, and versatility of the writing. |
