David Nice (1)

Readability isn't this book's strong point. There seem to be nearly as many dates and references in the text as sentences.
Originally I thought it was merely the difficulty of compiling so much information together that made it a little dense and lacking in coherence. However, biographies I have read since (of other people, not Prokofiev) have made me realise this isn't the case, since other authors have managed to write equally comprehensive biographies without sacrificing readability and show more interest.

That said, I am looking forward to the next installment, mainly because having started on this biography of Prokofiev, I feel it's best to keep going with it. If nothing else it was very comprehensive, and I did enjoy reading it. show less

This illustrated biography presents a portrait of Richard Strauss and his times - his youth in the heady days of the Bismarck era, his 23-year collaboration with librettist Hugo Von Hoffmannstahl, and his controversial relationship with the Nazi regime.