Product Description
A masterful exploration of therelationship between Tchaikovsky's life and his music.In this distinctive new work on Tchaikovsky,David Brown uniquely combines a lively biography of Russia's best-loved composer with achronological guide to his music, ranging fromthe popular symphonies, concertos, operas andballets like Swan Lake and TheNutcracker, to some lesser-known pieces.Brown skillfully guides the reader throughTchaikovsky's music within the context of hislife, and the result is an edifying journeythrough some of the greatest and most movingmusic ever composed.

As forTchaikovsky himself, he emerges as a man doggedwith bouts of depression but capable of greatkindness, devoted to his family, unstinting with his time and money, even on behalf of virtualstrangers. It is no wonder that when he died, he was given a state funeral, nor that the massivecrowds lining the streets delayed the procession to the cemetery by five hours.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Highly satisfying biography
I feel like the author had readers like me in mind when he wrote this biography.I have more passion for music than knowledge of it.I buy classical CDs and attend concerts, but generally, I let the music roll over me rather than try to analyze it.Tchaikovsky's music is my favorite of all, and I thought I'd like to learn a little more about both the composer and the works.Between the author's credentials and the 425 page length, I was afraid I'd immediately be over my head, but that never happened.The book is written in such a way that you can learn when and what was going on in Tchaikovsky's life when he createda piece and what makes each piece great; yet you can pass over more detailed musical descriptions and return to the biography if and when you wish. I want to quickly say, however, for more musically knowledgable readers than myself, there is plenty of discussion and intellectual opinion to recommend this work, and so it is not a beginners book by any stretch.In summary, due to David Brown's style, the book is easily accessable and a very enjoyable (and quick) read about a genius who had a fascinating life; yet you will learn so much you will feel like you took a course by the time you are done. I am now enjoying Tchaikovsky's music more than ever.

Wonderful, personal biography
This is a beautifully written and comprehensive biography of Tchaikovsky. The book is written in a very conversational yet authoritative style, and draws the reader in to what Tchaikovsky may have been thinking during his compositional periods. Clearly the author is extraordinarily knowledgeable about his subject, having written a four volume biography years earlier. This is a far more manageable read, yet conveys the essentials. By juxtaposing Tchaikovsky's life with his compositions, it is much easier to understand the meaning behind so many of his recondite works. I particularly enjoyed the in-depth analyses of his compositions, as well as the author's editorial comments about their quality. Although it seems there is little about Tchaikovsky that he doesn't like, the author uses a rating system to point the reader to the most important of works, such as the late symphonies, the violin and first piano concertos, and the ballets (especially Sleeping Beauty). I was left wishing how interesting it would have been to talk to the composer in person: he was a complex man who divulged his soul through his music. Understanding the background of the Tchaikovsky works, and understanding his state of mind against the backdrop of the tribulations of his personal life when composing, vastly enhances the listening of his music; in this regard Tchaikovsky is almost unique because the man, his life, and his music become inseparable. All the book lacked for me were recommendations for specific recordings that the author felt were exalted. Nevertheless - Bravo! ... Read more

Product Description
Complete orchestral score of Symphony No. 4 in F Minor, Op. 36; Symphony No. 5 in E Minor, Op. 64; Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, "Pathetique," Op. 74. Study score. Breitkopf & Härtel editions.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

yay!
I personally LOVE THIS BOOK!! Tchaikovsky's Symphonies are one of my absolute favorites!. they're those type of pieces that have the ablility to pierce the depths of the soul and articulate the inexpressible. Listening to them are a feast in itself but now my eyes can see the interweaving of every part. Everything about the book seems great, no missing pages etc. bassically..I LOVE IT

The score is a winner!
Tchaikovsky has long been my favorite composer, and his Fourth Symphony my all time favorite piece of music.The pleasure of listening to a fine recording (such as the Chicago Symphony's) is only heightened by following along in the score.This edition is easy to read, and as the symphony progresses, turns into a real page-turner!Nuances of the work appear in black and white, and even the smallest detail becomes crystal clear.See the note on the page, and hear it played, and the exquisite detail will never be lost in the hearing again.Analyze Tchaikovsky's brilliance, but most of all, lose yourself in his stunning melodies and especially in the case of the Fourth, his enchanting use of the woodwinds, but most of all, enhance your listening to his genius.

3 Classics
Important and affordable for conductors, music students, and afficionados, this edition is a valuable tool for the personal and professional library.The rehearsal numbers and letters correspond to the Kalmus/Lucks parts, so these scores can be used from the conductor's podium.Like all Dover scores, the paper is not of high quality and the binding will eventually fail with age and repeated use.Many conductors have the binding cut and bound with a good quality spiral binding for longer life.Dover scores are a fraction of the cost of the scores printed by the music publishing houses, which makes them the scores of choice for students and musicians on a budget (aren't we all!)

Pages missing
Very dissapointed in the Dover editions. There's always something wrong.
In this case it skips pages: from 54 it jumps to 200+ and after 30-40 pages in the 200 range it goes back to 86. It's very frustrating when you are trying to study the score.

2 star not 1 because layout is very clear, medium-big print. Nice pages.

Outstanding reprints of great music from fine early editions
Yet another triumph on the part of Dover Publications!Good size format allows easy following of all orchestral parts for anybody but the most visually-impaired;the full richness of the writing is there with practically no mistakes;an absolute MUST!!! ... Read more

Product Description
Contents: The Doll's Burial * Folk Dance * German Song * The Handorgan Man * The Hobby Horse (Le Petit Cavalier) * In Church * Italian Song * Mamma * March of the Soldiers * Mazurka * Morning Prayer * Neapolitan Dance-Song * The New Doll * The Nurse's Tale * Old French Song * The Peasant Plays the Accordion * Polka * Russian Song * The Sick Doll * Song of the Lark * Sweet Dream (Douce Reverie) * Waltz * A Winter Morning * The Witch. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

a fine composition
A few of the tests of a good composer are:

--to break free of the tyranny of square phrases.#12 is based on a 6-measure phrase.The phrases in #24 are uneven.#7 is in three 16-measure melodic units.

--to compose in a variety of styles.The album includes an accordion imitation, a couple of church hymn imitations, a few dance numbers, a couple of marches, and a variety of folk song styles.#4 is probably a spoof on Schumann.

--to devise original harmonic textures.This he exemplifies in several of the pieces, notably #6.#9 is in 3/8, with left-hand chords on the first and second beats and rests on the third beats.#16 and #23 make use of a tonic pedal.

--to write in a contrapuntal texture.#11 consists of a statement in chordal harmony, followed by a contrapuntal variation.

--to write in a variety of forms.Most of the pieces are in binary or ternary form, but #13 is a set of variations.#3 and #8 each have three subjects which are not arranged according to any conventional plan.

--to combine short motifs.This he does quite well in #2.

--to write in chromatic harmony.Music theory buffs might enjoy hunting for the German sixths (#2, 7, 19, 20), French sixths (#10, 21, 22), Italian sixths (#10), half-diminished sevenths (#16, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24)
and Phrygian cadences (#1, 6).The diminished sevenths are too numerous to list.

When Tschaikovsky abstains from chromatic harmony, it is to convey a programmic effect.In order to imitate an accordion in #12, there are no accidentals.In order to create a folk song effect, only the basic chords are used in #15, #17, and #18.

Tschaikovsky may be over-rated by the concert-going public, but he is certainly under-rated in circles of musical snobbery.

a fine composition
A few of the tests of a good composer are:

--to break free of the tyranny of square phrases.#12 is based on a 6-measure phrase.The phrases in #24 are uneven.#7 is in three 16-measure melodic units.

--to compose in a variety of styles.The album includes an accordion imitation, a couple of church hymn imitations, a few dance numbers, a couple of marches, and a variety of folk song styles.#4 is probably a spoof on Schumann.

--to devise original harmonic textures.This he exemplifies in several of the pieces, notably #6.#9 is in 3/8, with left-hand chords on the first and second beats and rests on the third beats.#16 and #23 make use of a tonic pedal.

--to write in a contrapuntal texture.#11 consists of a statement in chordal harmony, followed by a contrapuntal variation.

--to write in a variety of forms.Most of the pieces are in binary or ternary form, but #13 is a set of variations.#3 and #8 each have three subjects which are not arranged according to any conventional plan.

--to combine short motifs.This he does quite well in #2.

--to write in chromatic harmony.Music theory buffs might enjoy hunting for the German sixths (#2, 7, 19, 20), French sixths (#10, 21, 22), Italian sixths (#10), half-diminished sevenths (#16, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24)
and Phrygian cadences (#1, 6).The diminished sevenths are too numerous to list.

When Tschaikovsky abstains from chromatic harmony, it is to convey a programmic effect.In order to imitate an accordion in #12, there are no accidentals.In order to create a folk song effect, only the basic chords are used in #15, #17, and #18.

Tschaikovsky may be over-rated by the concert-going public, but he is certainly under-rated in circles of musical snobbery. ... Read more

Product Description
Driven by the ghosts of the Darakyon, Achaeos has tracked the stolen Shadow Box to the marsh-town of Jerez, but he has only days before the magical box is lost to him forever. Meanwhile, the forces of the Empire are mustering over winter for their great offensive, gathering their soldiers and perfecting their new weapons. Stenwold and his followers have only a short time to gather what allies they can before the Wasp armies march again, conquering everything in their path. If they cannot throw back the Wasps this spring then the imperial black-and-gold flag will fly over every city in the Lowlands before the year's end. In Jerez begins a fierce struggle over the Shadow Box, as lake creatures, secret police and renegade magicians compete to take possession. If it falls into the hands of the Wasp Emperor, however, then no amount of fighting will suffice to save the world from his relentless ambition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Not as good as 1 and 2, can't wait for 4
Things begin to slow down some in Blood of the Mantis. The third book in the Shadows of the Apt series is the smallest, and yet took the longest for me to read. Adrian Tchaikovsky maintains the same level of writing established in the first two, but seems to be struggling a bit with middle-book syndrome. The events in book 3 are too important to completely leave out of the story, it's too long to be split between other books, and feels a little wanting after the first two books' onslaught of awesomeness.

Blood of the Mantis is not a bad book by any stretch of the imagination; it's just not as good as the first two. It had some seriously high standards to meet after Dragonfly Falling. Dragonfly blew me away and is likely to be a contender for my favorite book this year. I think my perspective might be a little skewed as well. I've been reading these one right after the other, so the differences between the two are immediately apparent to me, possibly making my judgment a little unfair. With the previous two so fresh in my mind, I simply can't help making comparisons.

The plot is a continuation of what is set in motion in the previous books, and Blood of the Mantis doesn't have an strong subplot of its own. The characters are still hunting the ShadowBox, and Stenwold is still dealing with political intrigue in Collegium and Sarn while trying to rally an increasingly unlikely Lowland alliance. The character development that was so amazing in both the previous books is almost nonexistent here. A few side characters get a little more attention, but nothing develops to the level of the previous books.

Tchaikovsky does take the reader to some new places. We get to see the lands around the Exalsee, and the potpourri of kinden that inhabit that area. I did enjoy the notion that Shadows of the Apt will have a much larger geographical playground. The first two books never talked much about anything beyond the Spiderlands. Blood of the Mantis is the first to take the story into those other foreign lands.

Tchaikovsky has set himself up with a beautiful and amazing world to play in. The variety of races and characters at his disposal is limitless. Blood of the Mantis may be a bit of a stumble in the series, but it's a very small stumble. I'm very excited for book 4, and I get the feeling my reservations about Blood of the Mantis will be quickly forgotten. --Justin at FantasyLiterature

He does it again.
This book is a keeper. One of those can't-put-it-down books. The characters are wonderfully done, complex, and real enough that you truly feel like you are a part of the story. The second novel of the series, "Dragonfly Falling", left off at a very interesting point, which kicked right off in "Blood of the Mantis". The story continued at a breakneck pace through most of the novel, barely faltering and keeping the pages turning. Highly recommended.

Good, but a bit more sedate than the last volume
Blood of the Mantis dials things back a bit after the in-depth action of Dragonfly Falling, but strives to widen the world as the Spider-Kinden lands and other unexplored parts of the world are uncovered. Don't get me wrong it still has plenty of action, but it is more on the level of Empire in Black and Gold with skirmishes or one-on-one fights rather than the big scale of Dragonfly Falling. Mantis is also the shortest of the series to date at a mere 300ish pages compared to the bulky 450+ pages of Dragonfly.

Blood of the Mantis takes to the skies as Cheer makes her way into the Spiderlands to see what the Wasps are trying to pull there. She meets up with an aviatrix, which sounds just a bit dirty every time I read it who leads her around the area. Cheer is finally becoming her own person this time around as she is more decisive, but still wary. The second main part of the story is Achaeos in hot pursuit of the shadow box in Wasp controlled lands we haven't seen before. We get to meet some new and very unusual Kinden in these parts and I can only guess what will go on when this group leaves their nesting ground.

Overall this is a series that doesn't disappoint. It has got everything a lover of Epic Fantasy could want plus offers many new and fresh innovations with steam-tech, but it is the world and cultures you'll keep coming back for as you meet the whole pantheon of insect Kindens throughout the lands and delve deeper into the back story as it unfolds. It definitely pays to read these books close together so some of the details and nuances of the characters aren't lost. The only problem with the series is the constant jumping around of points of view, but the author knows this is a big world and he is anxious to give you all the details.

All of this has me wondering what is next as I'll soon be devouring Salute the Dark, which is the 4th book in the series. At this point the author hopes to do at least 10 total volumes in the series with the first 4 comprising one major arc so we aren't hanging open for some closures.

The high quality continues in book three of the 'Shadows of the Apt' series
The third book in the 'Shadows of the Apt' series (with more to come) by Adrian Tchaikovsky.

This book continues with the tale of the Wasp Empire's quest for expansion through continental domination, while their various and diversified (and often divided) 'enemies', try their absolute best to fend them off.

There is magic, battles, clandestine plotting, deceit and betrayals. Add to this a host of interesting and diversified characters and you've got fantasy/adventure with all the basic ingredients for a great tale.

However, all the above would mean little without great writing, and the writing in this book (as with the 2nd book) is stellar. The author has found that magic formula that allows him to tell an interesting tale and then present it with near perfect timing and pace.

In addition, there is:
1.) a good map, that encompasses an eastern extension of the maps found in books one and two.
2.) there is a helpful list of names, places and organizations (with brief descriptions of each) that explain the relationship of some of the unusual characters and places you'll encounter in this work.

Conclusion:
Simply one of the finest series I've read in ages, and more to follow (I initially thought that this was a trilogy, but apparently this in not the end). A great story, told with superb writing and an author with a uncanny sense of timing for suspense and the unexpected. Fantasy/adventure lovers rejoice. 5 Stars...more if I could.

Ray Nicholson

Third in Series as good as the first two
With more books yet to come in the Shadows of the Apt series, the third book scatters our gang to edges of the
land and back in entertaining fashion.Strong fantasy award candidate and overall great read.The author develops the plot, the fantasy setting, and the characters with equal measure.Nice epic adventure continues
in this Fantasy/Steam punk style book. ... Read more

Product Description
Study the composer’s musical development and growing mastery of orchestration in authoritative editions of three early symphonies: "Winter Daydreams," the "Little Russian" and the "Polish." Reprinted from editions originally published separately by Editions de Musique de l’URSS, Moscow, 1946. Lists of instruments.
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Customer Reviews (2)

Dover rules!
Awesome book!Didn't know the Third, but once I cracked this open, I was astounded!It's worth the price just for this symphony alone.And the other two DO NOT suck!!!As expected, the usual Dover craftsmanship applies.Nice layout, easy to keep open on a stand or desk.

Highly recommended for anyone wanting to study the orchestration and symphonic structure of a master composer.

Great for Young Musicians to Study From!
Hi,
I heard the San Francisco Symphony preform Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 2 in C minor, Opus 17, Little Russian, recently and instantly fell in love with it.Though the shortest of Tchaikovsky's symphonies this is not a " Little Russian" symphony as distinct from a big one. The nickname refers to Little Russsia, an affectionate name for Ukraine. Anyways, after hearing it, I had a great interest to see the music to see how it was like and just to study it, so I bought at Amazon. com. It is really great: it has large unabridged,full score, Dover republication of the first three symphonies of Tchaikovsky.It's measures 9 3/8 x 12 1/4 which makes it really quite easy to read. I suggest that anyone serious in studying music should buy this because it's a great book to learn from!Nice cover artwork ,too! = )
Contents within this book:
Symphony No. 1 in G minor , Op. 13," Winter Day Dreams"
Symphony No. 2 in C minor, Op 17, "Little Russian"
Symphony no. 3 in D major, Op. 29, " Polish" ... Read more

Product Description
This volume includes 12 character pieces-one for every month of the year-which creates the musical atmosphere, alluded to by their respective titles. Expressive and thoughtful, they are effective performance pieces for intermediate to moderately advanced pianists. The editor has maintained the works in their original form and indicated tempo, dynamics, phrasing and fingering where necessary. Beautifully engraved, the music is widely spaced for easy reading. ... Read more

Product Description
The war with the Wasp Empire has ended in a bitter stalemate, and Collegium has nothing to show for it but wounded veterans. Cheerwell Maker finds herself crippled in ways no doctor can mend, haunted by ghosts of the past that she cannot appease, seeking for meaning in a city that no longer seems like home. The Empress Seda is regaining control over those imperial cities who refused to bow the knee to her, but she draws her power from something more sinister than mere armies and war machines. Only her consort, the former spymaster Thalric, knows the truth, and now the assassins are coming and he finds his life and his loyalties under threat yet again. Out past the desert of the Nem the ancient city of Khanaphes awaits them both, with a terrible secret entombed beneath its stones... ... Read more

Product Description
Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original artwork and text. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Cute publication of the Suite
I purchased this score years ago before Dover published the full ballet score, and though I wished I had the full ballet at the time, this sufficed as a convenient set of selections from the ballet that form the Suite. Please, do realize that this is the SUITE and not the full ballet. It does say it in the title, but I've read a few reviews from people upset by the fact that it wasn't the full ballet. The title says "Suite" so please realize this before purchasing this product.

Not Exactly What I Expected
I was slightly disappointed when I received this score. While the contents of the book are exceptional - as is always the case with Dover - and the binding of the book is unusually strong - sewn, not glued - I found it disturbingly thin. Much to my dismay, I discovered that this book did not contain every piece I had expected. Perhaps I am unfamiliar with the exact contents of the "Nutcracker Suite," but all the pieces on my Nutcracker CD were NOT in this score.

99.9% of the time, Dover produces the best score available to the average consumer. This is the .1%. While it might be the best score on the market today, I found that it was not what I had wanted. Don't get me wrong - everything in the book is fantastic - I had just expected more.

Nutcracker Suite a classic.
I thought that this book was moving. It was not the conventinal moving but a more enlightening one.The depth and the detail that the auther goes in to are so rare to find that it is in deed a tribute to a classic.I haveloved the Nutcracker sence I was a baby and this book brought it in to awhole new light. It was simply wonderful. ... Read more

Product Description
This compilation of reminiscences about Tchaikovsky the man is unprecedented in English. The memoirs, diary entries, and interviews written and conducted by his contemporaries show us both the public and the private figure: the law student, the professor, the philanthropist, the loving brother and uncle, the intrepid traveler, and of course the composer and conductor. In more than fifty documents--some laudatory, others not--Tchaikovsky's contemporaries speak of little-known facets of the composer's life: foibles and mannerisms, politics and tastes, prejudices and preferences (sexual and otherwise). The result is a dynamic portrayal of the composer, with all the complexities and paradoxes of a real life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Tchaikovsky Through Others' Eyes
This is a fascinating look at one of music's controversial composers seen through the eyes of his friends, his teachers, his classmates, etc. etc. Some of the articles have never been published before and lend a great look into Tchaikovsky's real life. An excellent book.

...suppressed by melancholy...

Tchaicovsky was highly melancholy and controversial figure; his personality -pessimist - appeared to be every bit less fascinating than the music he composed with consummate mastery.
Tchaicovsky mixed feelings towards his male and female lovers revealed profound dissatisfaction in him and remained in search of personal happiness that he never found (which made himself infirm of purpose, something of a miserable grasshopper jumping from adventure to another). His story does not fall within the scope of the sentiments, nostalgias or the occasions of pride prevalent among the other composers.

Quite Good
I worried that, with the book being made up of other people's accounts of Tchaikovsky, it would be difficult to get an accurate understanding of who Tchaikovsky was.That was not the case at all.With accounts ranging from those of his brother to those of mere acquaintances, Tchaikovsky Through Others' Eyes managed to keep me interested and feeling that I really knew something about not only Tchaikovsky's life, but about the man he was.Highly recommended for anyone with an interest.

A wonderful biography
I enjoyed this book very much. A must for anyone interested in Tchaikovsky's life, yet seen through the eyes of people who were close to him. Highly Recommended!

The best kind of biography. A scholar's delight.
This is a marvelous book about Tchaikovsky compiled of diary entries from his contemporaries with commentaries and analysis by Alexander Poznansky.It is the best kind of biography that makes him seem very real, coming tolife off the page.It begins in his school years and continues with avariety of rare diaries and letters of people who came in contact with himand kept journals or notes.It covers the entire social range from princesto valets, so we get quite a variety of observations from the intellectualesoteric to the very "earthy."We see not only Tchaikovsky thegreat composer, but also the student, the philosopher, the scholar, theworkman, the card player, the bon vivant, the unsuitable suitor.It alsoincludes explanations and diaries of his ill-fated marriage and manydetails of his rich personal life. The conflicts and turning points ofTchaikovsky's career and life are well illustrated.Each chapter ischronologically organized with often the inclusion of several diarists,most of whom are included in the copious illustrations.Poznansky beginseach chapter with a biographical essay describing the importance of thecontributor and the events of Tchaikovsky's life.The comprehensivescholarship is impeccable and the style superb.Poznansky is one of theonly serious scholars, who can put together a well researched biographywith style, flair and clarity that will satisfy the most stringentmusicologist, while also entertaining and moving any Tchaikovsky admirer. ... Read more

Product Description
Preface -.- Konzert: * I. Allegro moderato * II. Canzonetta. Andante * III. Finale. Allegrio vivacissimo ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (5)

Good Book
This is a great book for anyone wanting to understand harmony in theory or to just develop beter skills in composing harmonies. I also recommend The Study of Counterpoint by Alfred Mann for anyone who just want to understand how to write music in general, it's a big help. So both books should be used to improve writing skills and to just understand music.

Satisfyingly compact
At 137 pages this is a very slim book, especially given the breadth and depth of topics covered.

Each section has a very brief introduction - typically just a few clear sentences, followed by brief musical examples - often just a handful of bars. The example are usually in the key of C, which makes it usable even by the beginning music reader.

The book starts at the beginning - intervals, chord construction as stacked thirds (making no mention of the overtone series or the ratios so prevalent in other musical treatise of the time - clearly this book is meant for use with a teacher, or sitting at piano, or with other supplemental works). It works its way through various concepts such as extended chords, tritones, modulation, and so forth - 34 sections in all, ending appropriately with cadences. Each section flows logically from the previous one & builds on it.

It's hard to find fault with this compact volume.

Its brevity makes it great as a reference - stuck on a particular point? just look it up in the table of contents (though it is difficult to track down some things like plagal cadences). There you'll find a brief summary & musical example. What more could you want in a reference?

It's clarity, I presume, would make it great as a teaching tool. A true beginner who used this book exclusively may not gain a real solid understanding of traditional harmony through a single go-through (which one could do fairly quickly with just a modicum of ability to read music) simply because it is so brief & so little time is spent on each topic. But if they stuck with it & worked through the book a few times, I think things would begin to gel in their mind. Certainly this is a much simpler & clearer introduction than Hindemith's deservedly revered volumes, or the tremendously heavy Piston tome.

I picked this book up a month ago & already it's the music volume I reference the most.

An in depth text on theoretical harmony
I bought this book on the strength of the authors name. It's a shame that his writing is not as strong as his music. Even for the period in which it was written, it is hard to read and much concentration required to ingest the information. That said, the information is there and goes from the basic intervals to complex chord structures, but most experienced composers/musicians would start reading at about two third into the book.

This is an interesting book, more interesting for giving an insight into the great Mr Tchaikovsky than studying harmony and for that I would buy it again. In my opinion, there are far better books on the subject.

A W.Roberts. (Composer)

About Tchaikovsky's book
A very good book.
I think it is one of the most important books to learn more about Harmony

efficiency plus
so far i have been very pleased with the efficiency with which the product has arrived and the easiness with which i could buy these books. ... Read more

Product Description
Tchaikovsky kept a detailed diary of his trip to America and these observations are woven into the fictional diary of shy and awkward eleven-year old Jenny Petroff, who meets the composer during his stay in America. In the tormented Tchaikovsky, Jenny finds a kindred spirit who loves music and ballet as much as she does. Their brief encounter leaves Jenny with treasured memories of a man who gave the world some of the best music ever written. ... Read more

Product Description
The vampiric sorcerer Uctebri has at last got his hands on the Shadow Box and can finally begin his dark ritual--a ritual that the Wasp-kinden Emperor believes will grant him immortality--but Uctebri has his own plans for both the Emperor and the Empire.

The massed Wasp armies are on the march, and the spymaster Stenwold must see which of his allies will stand now that the war has finally arrived. This time the Empire will not stop until a black and gold flag waves over Stenwold's own home city of Collegium.

Tisamon the Weaponsmaster is faced with a terrible choice: a path that could lead him to abandon his friends and his daughter, to face degradation and loss, that might possibly bring him before the Wasp Emperor with a blade in his hand--but is he being driven by Mantis-kinden honor, or manipulated by something more sinister? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Sweeping conclusion
This was a pretty good finish for a series that has for the most part been top notch all along. I will agree with some of the reviews I saw that it does feel kind of rushed right at the end. Like the author had to get finished under a certain amount of pages, and realized he wasn't going to be able to do it. Not that the quality of the writing suffers much if at all, but it just feels like you're being pulled along in the story, instead of being in the midst of it. The series itself was amazing, I'd recommend to any fantasy fans to go and buy the first book, "An Empire in Black and Gold". It's unique, and will really draw you in.

Excellent Conclusion to the First Arc of this Story
The Shadows of the Apt book series is an engaging and well-plotted series. The author creates engaging characters who each have their own, believable motivations that guide their actions. There are no characters that are just evil for evil's sake, or good for good's sake. All of his characters, for good or ill, operate from enlightened self-interest. The actions and events in the series are, for the most part, well written and you get sucked into the action thoroughly.

That being sad, this book suffers a bit because so many aspects of the plot are wound not into a temporary solution but a final one. Heroes and Villains die, armies are defeated, independence is won and lost and the question of whether Collegium will rise or fall is resolved... for the near future. Because so many events are carried to a conclusion some of them have to get short shrift. Battles that would have consumed chapters in other books are only reflected on as after-thoughts by those that saw them, but it would have been impossible to give us the level of detail we've previously had and bring things to a close.

For fans of the series, you're going to buy this book, and you'll enjoy it... but the author has shown that in this world there are few happy endings, and those few are paid for in a full price of blood. You may want to keep that in mind as the end of the book approaches.

Satisfying story arc ender
The fourth book in the Shadows of the Apt series brings a resolution to many story lines and character arcs including the big Wasp conflict started with Empire in Black and Gold. I've been loving this series and this arc ender didn't let me down. It still didn't bring me back to the high that was Dragonfly Falling, but it made everything I've read up to now worth all the time spent, which is what should happen in a long running series. With more Shadows of the Apt books on the way I'm eager to see where Tchaikovsky takes the series from here. Highly recommended.

Good series, but ..........
I believe the author made a big mistake.If you haven't read the book to the end, please stop here.I have invested alot of time reading the series and I was disappointed in the end.Many of the characters I liked have died.I don't understand the facination with Che the author has but I am not a big fan of hers.Salma and Tisamon are much more interesting characters. I will no longer be purchasing the subsequent books although it WAS a good concept. I say WAS because once you introduce guns, the sword fighting becomes moot.

excellent military fantasy
The armies of the Wasp Empire continue their ruthless conquest of the other nations.Their prime opponent is Stenwald, but though he and his Lowlander allies have had some success slowing down the blitzkrieg (see Blood of the Mantis), conquest by the belligerent Wasp Empire seems inevitable.Ironically under their iron rule, the various Lowlander entities would be forced to cooperate; however, although still free none of the at-risk kinden trusts the other sects.

Meanwhile inside the Wasp Empire where technology has recently superseded magic unlike their weaker neighbors, vampiric sorcerer Uctebri incongruously uses the Shadow Box to stealthily control the ruler.As the combat turns bloodier, the certainty of the outcome appears very lucid even to a wary frustrated Stenwald who has learned sometimes the good guys fail.

The latest Shadows of the Apt military fantasy is a fabulous entry as the overarching theme moves forward while individuals find out the hard way that good intentions are meaningless in the heat of battle as the bad guys are winning.Action-packed with a clear stunning cause and effect consequences, readers will relish Adrian Tchaikovsky's strong tale.

Harriet Klausner

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Product Description

"In this splendid volume, Richard Sylvester treats Tchaikovsky's songs with great sympathy and understanding, with special emphasis on relating the texts to the music. The songs are presented chronologically, interspersed with insightful observations about their relevance to the composer's life. This book will be welcomed by performers and scholars, but its fluent readability and avoidance of unnecessary detail make it easily accessible to the general reader. A welcome bonus is a CD with 22 songs interpreted by outstanding singers of at least two generations." -- George Jellinek, author, critic, andhost of WQXR's nationally syndicated program The Vocal Scene

Customer Reviews (1)

All the songs and much more
"splendid... its fluent readability and avoidance of unnecessary detail make it easily accessible to the general reader. A welcome bonus is a CD with 22 songs interpreted by outstanding singers of at least two generations."
-George Jellinek, author, critic, and host of WQXR's nationally syndicated program "The Vocal Scene"

"as user-friendly a guide to Tchaikovsky song as the general reader could wish for."
-Andrew Green, "Classical Music"

"indispensable... each short chapter, focused on a different song, is a snapshot of a creative moment in Tchaikovsky's career, and emerging from the whole is the story of an inspired life in an extraordinary era."
-Nancy Ries, "The Colgate Scene"

"It's not often that a book really does 'fill a long-felt want,' but here is an example, and an outstanding one... The core of the book is the discussions of each [lyric], its author and its significance to Tchaikovsky. These come from a deep knowledge of Russian poetry and ideas... The three-page introduction to Tchaikovsky's finest set, for instance, the Op 73 group, is ideal preparation for enjoyment of these amazing songs."
-John Warrack, "Gramophone"

"... an unexpected, long-overdue, and welcome labor of love, imbued with intelligent scholarship... much more than a song anthology or pedantic study." -Elizabeth Blades-Zeller, "Notes: Quarterly Journal of the Music Library Association"

"presents an enormous amount of information in a convenient format, with comprehensible translations and a coherent organization, making these songs more accessible to the non-Russian speaker than perhaps any Russian vocal music has heretofore been."
-Leslie Kearney, "Slavic Review"

"Sylvester ... sweeps the reader into the creative world of Tchaikovsky, describing the 'romances,' and, in the process, the cultural and political times in which the composer lived... [sharing] a wealth of information with a storyteller's knack."
-Debra Greschner, "Journal of Singing"

"Richard Sylvester has wrapped Tchaikovsky's songs in such vibrant, illuminating layers of information-linguistic, musical, biographical, poetic-that they emerge from this volume as living events, resonant with stories of their own. With these scrupulous contextualizations, a new standard is set for scholarship on Russian song."
-Caryl Emerson, Princeton University, author of "The Life of Musorgsky" ... Read more

Product Description
The great Russian composer Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was a compulsive letter writer. ... Read more

Product Description
The latest edition in our highly regarded series The World's Great Classical Music, this songbook features 47 faithful intermediate to advanced piano solo transcriptions of works by Tchaikovsky, often regarded as the greatest Russian composer. Includes selections from symphonies, concertos, operas, ballets and piano works, as well as a thorough biography of the composer. ... Read more

Product Description
Preface * Vorwort -.- Sinfonie: * I. Allegro tranquillo (Reveries of a Winter Journey) * II. Adagio cantabile ma non tanto (Land of Desolation, Land of Mists) * III. Scherzo. Allegro scherzando giocoso *IV. Finale. Andante lugubre-Allegro Maestoso ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

It's really small.
For a full orchestra score, the dimensions are ridiculous.There's not even a chance of using it while you play.No room at all for notes on the side. ... Read more

Product Description
The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians is the most up-to-date body of musical knowledge ever gathered together. The New Grove composer biographies have been selected from the dictionary to bring the finest of the biographies to a wider audience.

Each has been expanded and updated for book publication and contains a comprehensive work-list, index, and fully revised bibliography, in addition to the definitive view of the subject's life and works.

The great traditions of Russian music began in the mid-19th century with Mikhail Glinka—the father figure for the next generations of Russian composers. His direct heirs were 'The Five,' or 'The Mighty Handful,' drawn together by Mily Balakirev, the teacher of two leading figures in the group: Alexander Borodin, creator of Prince Igor and quartets of an unmistakably Russian flavor, and Modest Musorgsky, creator of the greatest Russian epics of the lyric stage. Slightly apart from this group because of his more cosmopolitan approach to his art stands the most-loved of all Russian composers, the ever-appealing Tchaikovsky.

Customer Reviews (2)

An easy read
Highly informative.As a student studying for my doctoral comprehensive exams, I enjoy rereading these chapters on my bus route to work.Each chapter probably takes 45 minutes to an hour.

Well-written synopsis...not for in-depth study
I decided to order this book as part of my growing collection of Russian music literature.In preparing various lecture recitals, an eventual DMA dissertation topic, and out of pure interest, I thought it necessary to an overview of some of the most important Russian composers of the 19th century.This book is essentially a leaner version of complete Grove (which is available in many volumes and online).

The composers discussed include Glinka, Borodin, Balakirev, Musorgsky, and Tchaikovsky.Certainly this set of composers represents the development of Russian art as it tried to separate itself from the common European practices at the time.Each composer is discussed by highly-respected experts in the field, including Gerald Abraham, David Brown, Edward Garden, and David Lloyd-Jones.The writing is succinct, albeit a bit brief.The research, although it is quite incredible, is not the most recent in all cases, though the authors do explore many facets of the composers' lives, their compositional styles, their works, and their affect on and influences from other Russian and European composers.

Each "essay" is divided into sections, for example, Tchaikovsky (Brown) is split into the following sub-categories: 1840-70; High nationalism, 1870-74; Increasing problems, 1874-7; Marriage: crisis and aftermath, 1877-8; Creative trough, 1878-84; Creative renewal, 1884-90; Last Years, 1891-3; Technique and style.In addition, there is a compiled works' list and bibliography at the end of each section (essay on a specific composer).

My only complaint is that the book is indeed so short that is cannot possibly cover all the necessary content to give an in-depth portrayal of these great composers, much less a complete one.There are very few visual musical examples to accompany the written text.Of course, this book is only meant to be a cursory view of the larger subject matter.In that, it succeeds. ... Read more

Product Description
This book features the world famous composer Tchaikovsky. Venezia's mixture of colour photos and his own illustrations provides the reader with factual biographical information about Tchaikovsky, along with the forces that inspired his music. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

great book, info and so funny!
All of the Getting to Know the World's Greatest Composers books are good.Tchaikovsky's is full of information AND the funniest cartoons! I read it before I read it to my daughter and I laughed out loud while learning at the same time. Moviemaniac

Wonderful
This book has made Tchaikovsky's music even more interesting to our family.The book was comprehended and enjoyed by my 5 and 8 year old daughters.Nice use of humor in the cartoons to lighten it up.

Amusing Illustrations
This is one in a wonderful series of books intended to introduce young readers to the lives of famous composers. Tchaikovsky was an interesting character, to say the least, and Venezia does a nice job of expressing thatin an amusing way without losing respect for the composer. Venezia picksout events in Tchaikovsky's life that children can relate to and at thesame time, see his unique way of dealing with life. As with all the booksin this series, the best part are the illustrations. Cartoonlike andcolorful; they are full of details and wonderfully amusing. ... Read more

Product Description
Composer and author Daniel Felsenfeld takes the reader on a tour of some of the "Little Russian's" most beloved works, including The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, 1812 Overture, Romeo and Juliet, Symphonies Nos. 4 and 6, the Serenade for Strings, and his Violin Concerto. The book is a series of blow-by-blow listening sections matched to the music on two accompanying CDs, guiding the reader through these magical compositions, illuminating their edges and fine points. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Tough Reading
This is probably the first book that I have ever read where I had to keep a dictionary next to me.It's been a while but I recall that I was averaging about one dictionary lookup per page. Oeuvre, twee, elegiac on the first page of the introduction.

Two CD's come with the book and you can follow selections on the CD's with chapters in the book. I've done the first selection, Romeo and Juliet Overture, and it was very educational and enjoyable.

So, overall, I recommend the book but, as the author states, it is not Tchaikovsky for Dummies.

Perfect for high school-level music libraries or any general lending collection handling cds and text alike.
Tchaikovsky was a composer of lovely melodies rooted in his personal angst: TCHAIKOVSKY: A LISTENER'S GUIDE blends prose to music by offering two accompanying cds from classical music cd publisher Naxos to accompany author Daniel Felsenfeld's exploration of his most notable works. The pairing of text from a music writer and composer with the master pieces of an artist makes for a particularly involving production perfect for newcomers to Tchaikovsky's works. Perfect for high school-level music libraries or any general lending collection handling cds and text alike.

What an Expert Sees/Hears
To listen to great music and to enjoy it is one thing. Yet the professional student of classical music sees/hears/understands so much more than the rest of us.

In this book Daniel Felsenfeld, a prolific composer and music writer has written what he sais agimes to give 'the interested but potentially uninitiated listener' the tools he or she needs to lsiten to Tchaikovsky's music and to become more comfortable with classical music overall.This provides an insite that most of us, particularily those of us living in remote areas, can never see.

I never imagined that you could see so much in this music.

The book comes with two full length CDs. ... Read more