Christopher Palmer (1) (1946–1995)

An interesting insight into the world and lives of Hollywood composers in the golden era and its aftermath. My attention flagged a little in the Miklos Rozsa chapter, which felt like it went on a little too long with just descriptions of how the music worked for specific scenes of specific films, and there are a few typos in later chapters. There's a degree of music tech-talk but not too much for general non-musicologist readers like me. Palmer's personal opinions on the state of show more “current” film music (the book was published in 1990) are clear enough – especially in the epilogue – and reminded me somewhat of those espoused by poster artist Drew Struzan in his book - viz. “fings ain't what they used to be.” show less

Really very good, written not long after the composer's death, and comprehensive in its coverage. Goes well with the recent Decca "Complete Works" set. However, this is for musicologists and serious musos, as the essays expect a good deal of musical ability as well as general knowledge.

"He stands in the front rank of moderns, together with Ravel and Stravinsky."--JOSEPH MARX.

KAROL SZYMANOWSKI, Poland's outstanding modern composer, was born in Timashovka, in Ukrania, in 1883. When it became apparent that he had enormous talent for music he was sent to Warsaw where, from 1901 until 1904, he studied under Sigismund Noskowski. Here he made rapid strides in his studies, and began the composition of piano pieces which, tho they revealed the influence of Chopin, disclosed amazing show more talent and imagination. His first compositions to reach publication were the Piano Preludes, and altho they are the creation of a boy of seventeen, they already emphatically announced the arrival of an important composer.

Critics are generally agreed that, about 1914, a definite break occurred in Szymanowski's style which suddenly turned from the influence of Chopin and became individual, based--as is the music of Scriabin--on complex chords. It is in this idiom that Szymanowski produced his most important works, works of great character and originality, works of deep emotional content.

"The work of Karol Szymanowski," in the opinion of Alexander Tansman, "does not merely mark a glorious page in Polish music; it has attached itself incontestably to the artistic heritage of the entire world, as very precious material; it is a robust branch of the musical tree of Europe. It is quite certain that the music of Szymanowski cannot please everyone; lovers of the 'picturesque', of 'local color', of extravagant sonorous effects will relish it only slightly; but for real musicians it presents a genuine interest by its very existence, because its undeniable originality imposes itself upon musicians of a different esthetic. Freeing himself from a certain heaviness which weighs down his earlier works, Szymanowski has learned to forge for his ideas a musical language that is very personal. He belongs, without doubt, to the group of the greatest musicians of our time. . . . Let us hope that musical Poland will also be prepared one day to appreciate at his full stature so glorious a musician!"

Joseph Marx analyzes Szymanowski's style as a "strong individual sense of melodic expression, and a capacity for sensitive differentations of feelings. One of the most striking features of his style is his scintillating, colored harmony. Another is the flowing, ever-imaginative polyphony. show less