Bruno Walter: A World Elsewhere
Using information gathered from thousands of unpublished letters, concert reviews, interviews, and recordings, Ryding, manager of catalog development at Sony Classical, and freelance harpsichordist Pechefsky trace the life and career of Walter (1876-1962), one of the most influential conductors of the 20th century. The biography is deservedly full of praise for its talented subject, but the authors do not hide his faults or suppress the less favorable reviews or criticisms he received during a brilliant career. The book opens with Walter's early successes in turn-of-the-century Germany, where he was aided by Gustav Mahler (who also encouraged him to change his name from Schlesinger) and continues through his expulsion from Europe in the 1930s by the Nazis and his many triumphs in North America. The picture they paint is a vivid one, and the treatment is thorough and well documented. Highly recommended. Timothy J. McGee, Univ. of TorontoCopyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.