Paul Henry Lang (1) (1901–1991)

A sort-of lightweight history of opera. Lang's experienced and wise pen flicks from Gluck to the big 19th century names to Strauss and the rise of opera in English. It's an engaging-enough history although not one of the first books I'd think to grab on this subject. But if you find it on your travels, and would like to learn a little more about the changes that have impacted opera over the last 400 years (at least up until Britten), it's entertaining. Some good material later in the book, too, on interpreting the works for the theatre within a mid-20th century context.… (meer)

The writing is dense and rather constipated if correct otherwise. Not recommended for the general reader.

Though first published in 1941, the explication stops short of addressing serialism and 12-tone music; I suspect the author was afraid to confront them. Perhaps he preferred a riposte like one from China: "ask me in a thousand years". Fortunately it has taken less than a hundred years to expose that pestilence which for average music lovers suffocated classical music for generations if not forever. Would that Lang and other critics had risen in force to assure us that that emperor had no clothes and so rid us sooner of that troublesome and expensive experiment.

I enjoyed the occasional comments on the historical flow among the arts over time and place.

The book requires at least two years' reading in the smallest room in your house.… (meer)