Based on his decades of experience conducting these works, Leonard Slatkin delves into eight of the most beloved orchestral pieces of the twentieth century and tackles problems conductors face before stepping onto the podium. These works are:
Claude Debussy’s La Mer
Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5
Béla Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra
Igor Stravinsky’s Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring)
George Gershwin’s An American in Paris
Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring Suite
Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings
Benjamin Britten’s The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra…
Internationally acclaimed conductor Leonard Slatkin is music director laureate of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, directeur musical honoraire of the Orchestre National de Lyon, and conductor laureate of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. He maintains a rigorous schedule of guest conducting and is active as a composer, author, and educator. A six-time Grammy winner, Slatkin is a recipient of the National Medal of Arts and holds the rank of Chevalier in the French Legion of Honor. He lives in St. Louis, Missouri with his wife, composer Cindy McTee.
Introduction to Volume I
Claude Debussy: La Mer
Dmitri Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5
Béla Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra
Igor Stravinsky: Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring)
George Gershwin: An American in Paris
Aaron Copland: Appalachian Spring Suite
Samuel Barber: Adagio for Strings
Benjamin Britten: The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra
Bibliography
“Indispensable, lucid, detailed, thorough and persuasive—Eight Symphonic Masterworks of the Twentieth Century is not so much a masterclass as an entire curriculum in the art of orchestral conducting. Composers can only pray for the transparency, temporal architecture, and force that Leonard Slatkin brings both to his interpretations on the podium as well as to the principles and techniques he articulates so eloquently here.” — Mark Adamo, composer-librettist
"Reading this book is akin to watching a basketball game with Shaquille ONeal. Gold-plated insights from a master of the field are delivered with charm and wit. Slatkin’s brilliant observations about these works widen ones understanding of the entire canon, making this book is essential reading." — Mason Bates, GRAMMY Award-winning composer
“Leonard Slatkin is an excellent writer with clarity and substance. This book is a treasure for conductors, but anyone with a deep interest in these works will find each chapter fascinating. He not only deals with the specifics of conducting the works but also their history and general performance issues. Every serious conductor should read this and benefit from Slatkin’s tremendous experience and knowledge.” — Gerard Schwarz, music director laureate, Seattle Symphony Orchestra
