Review (PDF) The Cambridge Companion To Gilbert And Sullivan (Cambridge Companions To Music)

                
              
Review (PDF) 
The Cambridge Companion To Gilbert And Sullivan (Cambridge Companions To Music)
Memorable melodies and fanciful worlds - the comic operas of Gilbert and Sullivan remain as popular today as when they were first performed. This Companion provides a timely guide to the history and development of the collaboration between the two men, including a fresh examination of the many myths and half-truths surrounding their relationship. Written by an international team of specialists, the volume features a personal account from film director Mike Leigh on his connection with the Savoy Operas and the creation of his film Topsy-Turvy. Starting with the early history of the operatic stage in Britain, the Companion places the operas in their theatrical and musical context, investigating the amateur performing tradition, providing new perspectives on the famous patter songs and analysing their dramatic and operatic potential. Perfect for enthusiasts, performers and students of Gilbert and Sullivan's enduring work, the book examines their legacy and looks forward to the future.
Series: Cambridge Companions to Music
Paperback: 292 pages
Publisher: Cambridge University Press; 1 edition (August 31, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0521716594
ISBN-13: 978-0521716598
Product Dimensions:  6.8 x 0.6 x 9.7 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review:  5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #2,214,663 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)   #63 in Books > Humor & Entertainment > Sheet Music & Scores > Composers > Sullivan   #64 in Books > Humor & Entertainment > Sheet Music & Scores > Composers > Gilbert   #1629 in Books > Humor & Entertainment > Sheet Music & Scores > Forms & Genres > Opera
This worthy contribution to the Cambridge Companions series is a collection of essays by musicologists, literary scholars, and other specialists. In a way, the book represents a snapshot of up-to-date scholarship, and unlike many other books on Gilbert and Sullivan, this one acknowledges a focus on the music. The book is intended for "enthusiasts, performers, and students" of Gilbert and Sullivan's works, but it will appeal most to readers who are knowledgeable about opera and 19th-century music. Readers who seek to understand some of the issues that have been misunderstood about the collaborations between these two artists will enjoy the discussion of myths and half-truths. Some of the issues might seem slightly trivial to the average reader (such as whether the names ought to read "Sullivan and Gilbert"), but this is the stuff of scholarship, and there are many significant and thought-provoking issues too.One of the most accessible essays--and for me one of the most enjoyable--is an account from the director of the film, "Topsy-Turvy," Mike Leigh, in which he candidly discusses many of the issues the film raises and describes the depth of research and detail that went into making it. There is a scene-by-scene list of Leigh's comments that gives background about historical facts, musical selections, and dialogue in the film. I found it fascinating.My only wish is that the last part of the book on productions today, and the outlook for Gilbert and Sullivan, might have gone a bit farther. The portion about musical scores and sources for the operas is relatively thin. Overall though, this is an indepth study of these great comic operas, sure to please the serious reader and enthusiast.
This works is a major contribution to knowledge about Gilbert and Sullivan because it treats their works as comic operas. It shows that Sullivan was a serious composer and his work with Gilbert not simply as a diversion from more serious work.Fr. John W. Morris
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