Modern Musical Drift

Name: Modern Musical Drift
Author: W. J. Henderson

By W. J. Henderson

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About This Book

A sequence of critical essays surveys contemporary musical trends by analyzing major works, composers, and genres. The author critiques late Wagnerian drama and orchestration through readings of Parsifal and the Ring, considers questions of ethics and aesthetics, and explores the idea of national and religious drama. Extended essays address Richard Strauss, Italian opera of the day, song writing, and the modern oratorio, combining historical overview, aesthetic argument, and practical criticism to clarify how recent compositional practices and stagecraft reshape musical meaning.

About the Author

W. J. Henderson

W. J. Henderson was an influential musicologist and critic known for his insightful writings on the development of music and its cultural significance. His notable works include "How Music Developed," which offers a critical examination of the evolution of modern music, and "Richard Wagner: His Life and His Dramas," a biographical study that delves into the life and contributions of the renowned composer. Henderson's scholarship also extends to the realms of opera and orchestral music, as seen in titles like "Some Forerunners of Italian Opera" and "The Orchestra and Orchestral Music." Through his writings, he has contributed significantly to the understanding of music's historical context and its artistic expressions.