Recommendations required for classical music/opera books preferably autobiographies

[umslopogaas]

It was rather a good joke, though completely unintentional, I know the book is by Elizabeth Wilson, but for some reason the name of David keeps muscling in. Anyway, Wilson's book is worth buying, she provides an impressive amount of information.

[Barbirollians]

I have not tried Lagavulin !

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I have not tried Lagavulin !

Apparently Donald MacLeod's favourite tipple, as well as my own. Wonderfully smooth & smokey (the whisky that is - I cannot account for DMacL!) - reserved for very special occasions.

[jayne lee wilson]

Arrived today, not so much essential as unavoidable....

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1...ilpage_o00_s00

[David-G]

David Cairns's two volumes on Berlioz are marvellous.

I can also recommend the various books by H C Robbins Landon on Haydn and Mozart.

[Flosshilde]

I'd recommend Cosima Wagner's diaries which although lengthy are a vivid portrait of life with RW and those that were closest to him.

But apparently extremely unreliable - she was intent on portraying RW (& herself) in the best possible light, & everybody else in the worst. If you're into Wagner Cosima Wagner: The Lady of Bayreuth by Oliver Hilmes is well worth reading, as is Richard Wagner: The Last of the Titans by Joachim Köhler

[HighlandDougie]

Peter Heyworth's "Otto Klemperer: his Life and Times" is, alas, OOP but second-hand copies are available, easily and relatively cheaply of Volume One, rather more expensively of Volume Two. As good a biography as I've ever read. Roger Nichols' biography of Ravel, available in paperback is a good read, too.

[Stanfordian]

Currently I reading an insightful book on opera production and the world of opera. It pulls no punches and mentions names of errant conductors, divas and divos, the Shah of Iran etc. The book is 'Lotfi Mansouri - An Operatic Journey'.

[gurnemanz]

But apparently extremely unreliable - she was intent on portraying RW (& herself) in the best possible light, & everybody else in the worst. If you're into Wagner Cosima Wagner: The Lady of Bayreuth by Oliver Hilmes is well worth reading, as is Richard Wagner: The Last of the Titans by Joachim Köhler

I was given the Hilmes Cosima biography in German - Die Herrin des Hügels (The Mistress of the Hill). Thoroughly researched and very readable. Donington changed the way I think about Wagner in The Ring and its Symbols. Also Wagner and Philosophy by Bryan Magee.

Ian Bostridge's book on Winterreise is excellent.

I will definitely get the new Julian Barnes Shostakovich book.

[Acavus]

Carrying on the Wagner theme, there is a absolutely fascinating and eminently readable biography of the Welsh-born wife of Siegfried Wagner by Brigitte Hamann: 'Winifred Wagner - A Life at the Heart of Hitler's Bayreuth', published by Granta Books.

[Flosshilde]

Yes - it would continue (or rather overlap with) the book on Cosima (such an inappropriate name, I always feel).

[Nimrod]

I can heartily recommend Michael Kennedy's books on Elgar and Barbirolli; lovingly written and at least the Barbirolli Society have his biography for sale.

[Roslynmuse]

Mention of Cosima Wagner reminds me of Alan Walker's detailed and eminently readable three-volume biography of Liszt. I'm ambivalent about the music but these books really brought the originality and contradictions of this strange figure to life. And Cosima certainly doesn't cover herself in glory as her father's life comes to its sorry conclusion.

[gurnemanz]

Mention of Cosima Wagner reminds me of Alan Walker's detailed and eminently readable three-volume biography of Liszt. I'm ambivalent about the music but these books really brought the originality and contradictions of this strange figure to life. And Cosima certainly doesn't cover herself in glory as her father's life comes to its sorry conclusion.

... indeed, her father's death came at a most inconvenient time for Cosima who was pre-occupied with the Wagnerfest. Liszt himself commented that he would rather have been taken ill somewhere other than Bayreth. She was unable to look after her dying father properly but prevented others from being involved, such as his devoted student, Lina Schmalhausen. Banned from his presence, she was reduced to hiding behind a bush in the garden to observe what was going on and claimed that at the moment of Liszt's death Cosima had actually nodded off. At the funeral, mostly Wagner's music was played, including Anton Bruckner improvising a Parsifal theme on the organ - no doubt fascinating to hear - but not one note by Liszt was played.

I haven't read the 3 volumes. I enjoyed a shorter option: Alan Walker's book of essays called "Reflections on Liszt".