Why read Lexicon of Musical Invective?

Book cover of Lexicon of Musical Invective: Critical Assaults on Composers Since Beethoven's Time

Book description

A snakeful of critical venom aimed at the composers and the classics of nineteenth- and twentieth-century music. Who wrote advanced cat music? What commonplace theme is very much like Yankee Doodle? Which composer is a scoundrel and a giftless bastard? What opera would His Satanic Majesty turn out? Whose name…

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Why read it?

1 author picked Lexicon of Musical Invective as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

J. Anthony Allen

Author

This book is essentially a book of quotes from famous musicians, composers, and conductors. I find this book especially inspiring because of the trivial nature of some of the quotes. Sometimes it is just refreshing to read Beethoven complaining about his taxes, or Mozart trying to get paid after a gig. I use this book in my university classes constantly.

From J.'s list on The best books to make you fall in love with music all over again.