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Bad Boy of Music
Book by Antheil, George
Paperback
First published January 1, 1945
3 people are currently reading
150 people want to read
About the author
George Antheil
29 books5 followersAvant-garde composer, pianist, author, and inventor whose modernist musical compositions explored the modern sounds – musical, industrial, and mechanical – of the early 20th century.
Spending much of the 1920s in Europe, Antheil returned to the US in the 1930s, and thereafter spent much of his time composing music for films, and eventually, television. As a result of this work, his style became more tonal. A man of diverse interests and talents, Antheil was constantly reinventing himself. He wrote magazine articles (one accurately predicted the development and outcome of World War II), an autobiography, a mystery novel, and newspaper and music columns.
In 1941, Antheil and the actress Hedy Lamarr developed a radio guidance system for Allied torpedoes that used a code (stored on a punched paper tape) to synchronise random frequencies, referred to as frequency hopping, with a receiver and transmitter. This technique is now known as spread spectrum and is widely used in telecommunications. This work led to their being inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2014.
Spending much of the 1920s in Europe, Antheil returned to the US in the 1930s, and thereafter spent much of his time composing music for films, and eventually, television. As a result of this work, his style became more tonal. A man of diverse interests and talents, Antheil was constantly reinventing himself. He wrote magazine articles (one accurately predicted the development and outcome of World War II), an autobiography, a mystery novel, and newspaper and music columns.
In 1941, Antheil and the actress Hedy Lamarr developed a radio guidance system for Allied torpedoes that used a code (stored on a punched paper tape) to synchronise random frequencies, referred to as frequency hopping, with a receiver and transmitter. This technique is now known as spread spectrum and is widely used in telecommunications. This work led to their being inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2014.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 6, 2008
George Antheil is one of my favorite composers - even though I think most of his work is lousy. Why is he a favorite? Because he composed "Ballet Méchanique". Because he composed "Airplane Sonata". Because he composed "Woman with 100 Heads" - inspired by the Max Ernst collage bk. Because he composed the "Jazz Symphonietta". Antheil is at times called an "American Futurist" - along w/ the likes of Leo Ornstein. Both were concert pianists who composed a few piano pieces inspired by technological advances - thusly having a little in common w/ the Italian Futurists. The resemblance more or less stops there. Strictly speaking, I'm not sure there was an American Futurist movement - esp in music. Anyway, after a precocious & energetic period of innovative composing when Antheil was in his twenties, he went on to become a fairly conventional composer - IMO, an almost spectacularly bad one. He also composed soundtracks for Hollywood movies - presumably making a very comfortable living. His autobiography is interesting. He certainly didn't lead a dull life - trying his hand at a diversity of things - including writing a detetctive story called "Death in the Dark" under the name of "Stacey Bishop". I'd recommend this bk to anyone interested in his music. Otherwise? I wdn't recommend it to much of anyone.. Somewhat sad to say.
In fairness to Antheil, I quote from page 138: "If the public still thinks of me at all, it probably thinks of me as the composer of this damned "Ballet Méchanique." It is now strange for me to remember that I actually finished it as long ago as early 1925, twenty years ago - yet I am still listed among the "young American composers"! Therefore, this "Ballet Méchanique" has become to me what the "G Sharp Minor Prelude" must have become to Rachmaninoff: it is frankly my nightmare, this in spite of the fact that since 1925 I have never again touched the idea of "mechanism" in music, either aesthetically or practically, not even in the generically related "Woman with 100 Heads," written in 1933.
In fairness to Antheil, I quote from page 138: "If the public still thinks of me at all, it probably thinks of me as the composer of this damned "Ballet Méchanique." It is now strange for me to remember that I actually finished it as long ago as early 1925, twenty years ago - yet I am still listed among the "young American composers"! Therefore, this "Ballet Méchanique" has become to me what the "G Sharp Minor Prelude" must have become to Rachmaninoff: it is frankly my nightmare, this in spite of the fact that since 1925 I have never again touched the idea of "mechanism" in music, either aesthetically or practically, not even in the generically related "Woman with 100 Heads," written in 1933.
June 26, 2022
Haven't read this since the 1980's, and I enjoyed it and reveled in the details of this era of history much more, all these years later. I am a musician and, nearly 40 years later, have a much greater sense of context than I had back then. Omigosh, I had forgotten how many people George Antheil (1900-1957) knew and hung out with. His life and career, the subject of this book, encompassed THE classical music and fine arts world of the first half of the 20th Century. He seems to have known everyone, including musicians, composers, artists, producers, theater managers, conductors, patrons of the arts, film makers ...... including the legendary American ex-pat, Sylvia Beach, whose bookshop he lived above. Picasso, Stravinsky, Copland, Barber, Boulanger, Dali, Diaghilev, Hemingway..... He was a multi-talented person -- concert pianist as well as author (he wrote a murder mystery), and co-inventor, with Hollywood bombshell Hedy Lamar, of a device that led to later developments in radar & the internet. A confident self-promoter, I suspect he has 'enhanced' some of his stories, but an entertaining and educational read for sure.
May 17, 2012
How could I resist reading the autobiography/memoirs of the composer of Ballet Mecanique, whose early concerts incited such riots that he took to performing with a gun in a shoulder holster? Antheil's book is kind of midway between memoirs and autobiography - it covers his life (up until 1943 or so - the book was published in 1945) as thoroughly as an autobiography, but is more chatty and less linear, like memoirs.
Antheil's narrative style is fairly casual and chatty, which made for a good reading experience. His life was very interesting - he started out as a kind of enfant terrible, living a bohemian expat life in Paris during the 1920s and 30s, writing shockingly avant-garde music. The coming of WWII caused him to return to America, where he attempted to support himself in various ways both musical and non-musical so that he could provide for his family and continue composing. His return to America also heralded his shift to a more neo-romantic and less wild style.
I found the earlier parts of Antheil's book the most interesting. His life in Paris was eventful and creative, and involved some of his most interesting composing. His anecdotes about his personal and artistic escapades of these years were always entertaining, even if I didn't always fully believe his accounts. Once he returned to America, Antheil seemed to flounder and struggle, becoming too caught up in sometimes ill-conceived efforts to establish financial security, and also having a series of creative crises.
Antheil's narrative style is fairly casual and chatty, which made for a good reading experience. His life was very interesting - he started out as a kind of enfant terrible, living a bohemian expat life in Paris during the 1920s and 30s, writing shockingly avant-garde music. The coming of WWII caused him to return to America, where he attempted to support himself in various ways both musical and non-musical so that he could provide for his family and continue composing. His return to America also heralded his shift to a more neo-romantic and less wild style.
I found the earlier parts of Antheil's book the most interesting. His life in Paris was eventful and creative, and involved some of his most interesting composing. His anecdotes about his personal and artistic escapades of these years were always entertaining, even if I didn't always fully believe his accounts. Once he returned to America, Antheil seemed to flounder and struggle, becoming too caught up in sometimes ill-conceived efforts to establish financial security, and also having a series of creative crises.
April 26, 2020
A friend and I were introduced to George Antheil's "8 Fragments from Shelley" at the 1955 rehearsals of the Roger Wagner Chorale held at UCLA. Our college music professor from Pepperdine played violin in the orchestra and while we never met Antheil himself, we met his amazing music and were simply blown away! (A high school chum, Marilyn Horne, was singing in that chorale at that time!). Since then, there never has been a time when I didn't have a recording of Antheil's music in my possession. Just recently I learned of his autobiography, and of course I had to read it.
Naturally I was predisposed to favor it, and I was not disappointed. I found his writing, as well as his story interesting, enjoyable, surprising, and spell-binding (meaning of course that I couldn't put it down!). All I knew of him before I read the book was of his connection to Shelley's writings; I am so pleased and enriched by everything I read.
And it makes me laugh that 61 years after "finding" Antheil the first time I "find" him again - and enjoy him in an entirely different way. Now I am getting ready to put on my CD "Antheil Plays Antheil" and once again listen to those "8 Fragments" - my favorite being: "To the Moon."
Naturally I was predisposed to favor it, and I was not disappointed. I found his writing, as well as his story interesting, enjoyable, surprising, and spell-binding (meaning of course that I couldn't put it down!). All I knew of him before I read the book was of his connection to Shelley's writings; I am so pleased and enriched by everything I read.
And it makes me laugh that 61 years after "finding" Antheil the first time I "find" him again - and enjoy him in an entirely different way. Now I am getting ready to put on my CD "Antheil Plays Antheil" and once again listen to those "8 Fragments" - my favorite being: "To the Moon."
August 11, 2009
The early 20th century new music world, as reported by a hyper-imaginative and slightly grandiose participant. The first half of it is an absolute hoot. Then it slows down as the author matures. Finally, we're given a weird rah-rah patriotic finish (the book was written during WWII) detailing Antheil's strictly platonic relationship with the beautiful Hedy Lamarr and how they invented and patented a secret torpedo-homing device together.
Told you it was weird.
Told you it was weird.
April 15, 2012
What fun this man was. A true musical talent who lived amongst great talent in a time when artists were breaking conventions. I'm pretty sure he makes tons of stuff up but it's good stuff and his writing style is easy and enjoyable.
July 9, 2013
the chapter in this book on what one should do if you want to be a composer was the most helpful to me, how to support and take care of yourself (and others) if you want to have the energy and time to be a creative writer
September 30, 2015
Antheil partied in Europe with Stravinsky, Joyce, Hemingway, and others. The writing is breezy and amusing. Is it truthful? That is rather beside the point. It's an easy read and a fun snapshot of Europe and specifically Paris between the wars.
August 29, 2012
I had fun reading this book. It is filled with truths, half truths and outright lies. The fun was finding out which were which.
August 15, 2015
A must-read for any aspiring artist/musician. Antheil's life - ups and downs - is the message itself. This book also paints a great picture of music in Europe between the world wars.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews