Terry Riley's In C

by Robert Carl

Overview

Setting the stage for a most intriguing journey into the world of minimalism, Robert Carl's Terry Riley's In C argues that the work holds its place in the canon because of the very challenges it presents to "classical" music. Carl examines In C in the context of its era, its grounding in aesthetic practices and assumptions, its process of composition, presentation, recording, and dissemination.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780199886739
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	08/05/2009
Series:	Studies in Musical Genesis, Structure, and Interpretation
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Robert Carl is Professor of Composition and Theory and Chair of Composition, Department of Music, The Hartt School, University of Hartford. His music has been performed throughout the United States and Europe and has been published by American composers' Edition, Boosey & Hawkes, and Apollo-Edition. Recent CD releases of works are found on New World, Innova, Neuma, Koch International, Lotus, Centaur, and Vienna Modern Masters. He also writes regularly on new music for Fanfare Magazine.

Table of Contents

Preface and Acknowledgements1. Introduction2. Terry Riley's Life and Art Before In C3. The Premiere4. Analysis5. The Columbia Recording, a "Second Premiere"6. LegacyAppendix: Recordings of In C, 1970-2007, with AnalysisNotesSelected Bibliography

Editorial Reviews

"Offer[s] performer and listener alike an eminently readable resource to better understand the significance of this work. Professor Carl assumes the dual role of faithful scribe to its oral history and scrutinizing theorist. When his task involves historical investigation and fact-finding, he is nonpareil... a book all conscientious performers will want to turn to when looking for a manual on the work's performance practice...A fine achievement." —American Record Guide

"A useful introductory volume, valuable to students and scholars for its wealth of uncomplicated analytical information and historical documentation." —Notes

"In C is a staggeringly important composition in the history of classical music and Robert Carl's writings on the piece are incredibly thorough in depth and breadth...Carl analyzes the piece through a variety of lenses and performances and discusses every major recording of the composition to date. I could not imagine a more complete exploration of this piece." —Sequenza21

"If In C needed any justification beyond its joyously jangling momentum, Robert Carl has provided it with a detailed legal brief to prove forever its intelligent inner logic and connection to multiple world musical traditions. The defense rests."-Kyle Gann, author of The Music of Conlon Nancarrow and American Music in the Twentieth Century

"Robert Carl was the right choice to write this book. Through a blend of scholarly research, professional connections and composerly musings, Carl brings the genesis of In C to life, while simultaneously opening the door for future manifestations of this mid-century masterpiece."—Lawrence Dillon, Composer in Residence, University of North Carolina School of the Arts

"Ambitious, elegantly written... His treatise is a labor of love: the result of prodigious effort and wholehearted veneration...We should hope for this book's success and for others like it to follow." —-New Music Connoisseur

"Readers of this journal will know Robert Carl as a generous and expert guide to contemporary music. Indeed, it is hard not to share his delight in discovering new aspects of In C...To judge by this book, he must also be a terrific teacher. Without the slightest talking down to his reader, he is clear, specific, and passionate about the important moments of this piece and how we can approach them... If you have been challenged by In C, this book will go a long way to helping you meet that challenge." —Fanfare

"Terry Riley's In C is a book that all musicians, music scholars, and music students should read." —Music & Letters

From the Publisher