A best seller when first published in Germany in 2003; Jens Malte Fischers Gustav Mahler has been lauded by scholars as a landmark work. He draws on important primary resourcesmdash;some unavailable to previous biographersmdash;and sets in narrative context the extensive correspondence between Mahler and his wife; Alma; Alma Mahlers diaries; and the memoirs of Natalie Bauer-Lechner; a viola player and close friend of Mahler; whose private journals provide insight into the composers personal and professional lives and his creative process.Fischer explores Mahlers early life; his relationship to literature; his achievements as a conductor in Vienna and New York; his unhappy marriage; and his work with the Metropolitan Opera and the New York Philharmonic in his later years. He also illustrates why Mahler is a prime example of artistic idealism worn down by Austrian anti-Semitism and American commercialism. Gustav Mahler is the best-sourced and most balanced biography available about the composer; a nuanced and intriguing portrait of his dramatic life set against the backdrop of early 20th century America and fin de siegrave;cle Europe.
#456738 in eBooks 2003-10-01 2003-10-01File Name: B005HF4DGK
Review
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. Sinatra at his GREATEST!!!!By Tony PageThe essential book about Sinatras recording sessions. Having witnessed it first-hand in 1960. when I was personally invited by Neal Hefti to attend two nights of Sinatra recording the album. "Sinatra and Brass." Those were the two most magical evenings of my life. There was a section cordoned off for an audience. consisting only of those invited by Frank. his producer(s). engineers and the arranger/conductor. of whom Neal was. Neal and I became friends when we met in Chicago. 1958. At approximately 15 minutes prior to the actual recording. Frank walked in and you could feel the electricity in the air. As always. he personally greeted all of the musicians by name. etc. Neal had already rehearsed the band so that no time would be wasted in the session. Frank got to the his podium and commenced to sing his heart out. He was in a great mood. He only did one take. and after listening to it. he would say "lets do another one for me." That happened to all of the tracks. In addition. Frank would never record without a LIVE orchestra. He always felt that it would take the electricity needed to make an album special. This book exemplifies all of his qualities. Hooray for Charles L. Granata.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. The definitive story of how Frank Sinatra created his beautiful musicBy Alan C. SimkinThis is a must for any Sinatra fan. It explores his methods and technical style through all the periods of his career. The author is careful with the technical aspects to prevent it from becoming dry and dull. and instead makes it very interesting and enjoyable to ready. The book provides great insight as to how Sinatra approached his music. how he selected songs. how he liked to record. and how he interacted with musicians and producers. Dont miss this one!1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Best book yet on Sinatra in the studioBy WordchipperI have read many books on Frank Sinatra. but this has become my favorite. Why? Because I love books about the creative process and no other treatise Ive encountered has presented as much fascinating detail about Sinatras recording sessions. Granata also covers the singers close collaboration with his arrangers. including Nelson Riddle. Gordon Jenkins. Axel Stordahl. Billy May and Don Costa. and others. I have never encountered the "in studio Sinatra" more intimately than in this wonderful book. I highly recommend it to any Sinatra buff.
