Nicolas SlonimskyRecensioni

So, so amusing! And it's useful for reception history research! (Well, sometimes.) A fascinating look at the most colorful critical insults on various famous (and some not-so-famous) composers throughout history. Notes available for further research.

Critics are so awesome in the creative critiques of music they don't like, especially from the early 1800s, before political correctness. The whole scholarly introduction is quite wonderful, basically saying "Music tastes change" when in reality, the whole point of this book is to put together horrible reviews for the amusement of readers.

My favourite review goes something like this "This piece of music sounds like a bunch of nails, and occasionally the hammer dropping". I don't remember who said it of which composer, but the quote is awesome. And strangely, I can totally imagine this piece of music.

This is a very handy little book for all students of music and also for professionals, who come across unusual terms in the course of their work. This book is well laid out and fits comfortably in a pocket or the palm of your hand.

This has to be my favourite dictionary. Its witty, lively and sometimes a bit subversive. Its a book to take to bed and to wonder at the amazing lives and phenomena of the most elusive of the arts.½

if you haven't read this, you've missed one of the great pleasures in life.

indispensable and enjoyable even when he didn't want to be such

This is the essential reference for classical musicians. Slonimsky's quirky humor permeates the book. A good example can found on page xvii (the preface to the 6th edition, which for some reason is included in this 8th edition) where Slonimsky talks about a fake entry for one "Krsto Zyzik" that he had created for an earlier edition. Although he didn't have the nerve to print it, it's still hilarious.

This is a fascinating collection of personal attacks, insults, and vituperation involving various classical musicians. My very favorite is what the German composer Max Reger wrote to a critic after his new violin sonata received a bad review: "Dear Sir, I am now sitting in the smallest room of my house. Your review is before me. Shortly, it will be behind me. Your obedient servant, Max Reger".

Renowned for his literary style as well as his musical scholarship, Nicolas Slonimsky wrote many program notes and articles for newspapers and other periodicals, in addition to his well-known books. These shorter writings, edited by Slonimsky's daughter, Electra Yourke, are collected for the first time in this excellent introduction to the classical repertoire, from Bach to Shostakovich. Arranged chronologically by composer, the chapters begin with biographical sketches and go on to describe some of each composer's most popular and imporant works.