D駮dat de S騅erac: Musical Identity in Fin de Si鐵le France (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9780754641056)

D駮dat de S騅erac (1872-1921) is best known for his piano music but his compositions included orchestral and vocal works, including opera, cantata and incidental music. Claude Debussy described S騅erac's music as "exquisite and rich with ideas." The early works were influenced by Impressionist harmonies, church modes, cyclic techniques, folk-like melodies and Andalusian motives. S騅erac's style changed dramatically in 1907 when he left Paris and began to include Catalan elements in his compositions - a transition that has hitherto gone unrecognized. Robert Waters provides a much-needed study of the life and works of S騅erac, focusing on the composer's regionalist philosophy. S騅erac's engagement with folk music was not a patriotic gesture in the vein of nationalistic composers, but a way of expressing regional identity within France to counter the restrictive styles sanctioned by the Paris Conservatory. His musical philosophy mirrored larger social and political debates regarding anti-centralist positions on education, politics, art and culture in fin de si鐵le France. Such debates involved political and social leaders whom S騅erac knew and personally admired, including the writer Maurice Barr鑚 and the poet Fr馘駻ic Mistral. The book will appeal to those specializing in French music, European ethnic musics, piano music and French music history.

Author: Robert F. Waters
ISBN-10: 0754641058
ISBN-13: 9780754641056
Publisher: Routledge
Language: English
Published: 11/28/2008
Pages: 288
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.28lbs
Size: 9.21h x 6.14w x 0.69d

Review Citation(s):
Chronicle of Higher Education 02/06/2009 pg. 15