The Sounds of Place: Music and the American Cultural Landscape
“The Sounds of Place teaches us extraordinary new things about pieces that we thought we knew (or perhaps thought we knew all that was important to know about them). The chapter on Ives above all is a must-read for anyone with a serious interest in this composer. For these and for many other reasons, The Sounds of Place is an enlightening and enriching book.”—Journal of Musicological Research“This is an excellent book, a pleasure to read and a substantial contribution to American musicology, cultural geography, and interdisciplinary scholarship.”—American Historical Review“Operating with a pleasantly light touch when it comes to critical theorizing about place, Von Glahn illuminates how composers’ attitudes toward America shaped their depictions and how the sites composers chose to commemorate reflect a general shift from valorizing unspoiled nature to recognizing (for good or ill) the human impact on the natural and national landscape.”—American Studies