Dvořák

by John Clapham

London. 1979. David and Charles. 24x16. 238p.

Genres: Music

238 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1979

About the author

John Clapham, DMus (London), FRAM, was simultaneously Cellist of the Chamber Music Ensemble and Lecturer at University College of Wales, and then became Senior Lecturer and later Reader of Edinburgh University. His research places him in the forefront of authorities on Dvorak, earning him honours from the Dvorak Society of Prague, and the Silver Medal and Diploma of the Society for International Relations of the Czechoslovak Republic.

Reviews

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Workmanlike biography of an interesting composer, but with a lot of minutiae. Recommend for classical music geeks only.

Dvorak was an id... [see the rest on my book review site.]

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this biography dryer than a slimming biscuit, can't fault the sheer volume of research but that is only part of an outstanding biography, you need a novelists heart and sadly that i found was missing here, maybe its the period in which it was written im unsure

[Rachel Czech · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review Notes for now, more to come when less annoyed at the writing:
No wonder this book is no longer in print. The organization is terrible; within one page alone it's hard to follow the timeline because Clapham jumps forwards and backwards frequently. For one example, in Chapter 9, Clapham discusses the second contract drawn between Dvorak and America's National Conservatory. You read about the conflict and resolution in one or two paragraphs, the next bit is about his pleasant steamship voyage to America and his happiness from being relieved from financial strain in Bohemia, the next three paragraphs Clapham returns to the same information about the problems with the contract, and finally Clapham discusses how Dvorak was unhappy in New York. Ridiculous. Without reading the book, this may not seem like the worst organization, but it is also the least confusing example I could explain in the shortest amount of words.

This book, however, is still one of the best and most well-researched pieces about the composer and has established itself as an authority on Dvorak's life and works.

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the music of Antonin Dvorak! I love this book! A very nice western biography of the genus who this great Czech classical composer was. Before there was Jazz, before anyone in the rest of the world had any idea that American's would contribute anything to the world's music, Antonin Dvorak knew what American music was. Dvorak said of American music, "The music of the people is like a rare and lovely flower growing amidst encroaching weeds. Thousands pass it, while others trample it under foot, and thus the chances are that it will perish before it is seen by the one discriminating spirit who will prize it above all else. The fact that no one has as yet arisen to make the most of it does not prove that nothing is there." He knew it was there and of course now so do we. You may never come across or ever read this or any other book on Antonin Dvorak, but at least take the time to listen to his music! It is beautiful! It will last forever! I will change you!