From Berlioz to Boulez [Hardcover]

Awarded the legion d'Honneur by the French government in 2006 for his services to French culture, acclaimed writer and broadcaster Roger Nichols invites the reader to accompany him on his journey through the century-and-a-half turbulent and fertile period in the history of French music from Berlioz to Boulez. In compiling his collection of articles, interviews, radio plays and talks, Nichols begins with Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique and ends with his obituary of Pierre Boulez. Along the way, he includes in-depth studies of Debussy and Ravel, connecting the two by a comparison of their operatic masterpieces, Pelleas et Melisande and l'Enfant et les sortileges. Twenty other significant composers from this fascinating period come in for Nichols' hallmark combination of erudition and wit.Foreword by Jeremy Sams Preface by Roger Nichols 1. Hector Berlioz - fantasy and fury 2. ...and... beyond 3. Frederic Chopin - a difficult genius 4. Charles Gounod 5. Edouard Lalo 6. Camille Saint-Saens 7. Leo Delibes 8. Jules Massenet - a man of pleasure 9. Chabrier - selected letters 10. Heap, heap, Hurrah! - a review 11. The Angel of Laughter 12. Gabriel Faure - Pelleas et Melisande 13. Debussy - the reception of his music in Britain up to 1914 14. Debussy as man and artist 15. Debussy and Degas - beyond Impressionism 16. Debussy, Ravel and an orchestra for the 20th century 17. Debussy, d'Annunzio and Le Martyre de Saint Sebastien 18. Pelleas et Melisande / L'Enfant et les sortileges 19. Pelleas et Melisande - reviews by d'Indy, Dukas and Willy 20. Who was Melisande? 21. Pelleas et Melisande - interview with Irene Joachim 22. Alberic Magnard 23. Florent Schmitt 24. Erik Satie 25. The Trouble with Satie 26. Parade - a mix of extraordinary talents 27. Le Groupe des Six - 100 years on 28. Reynaldo Hahn 29. Raveliana - new insights 30. Ravel and the 20th century 31. Ravel and the Dance 32. Ravel and Spain 33. Ravel, Dreyfus and Sex 34. Ravel and the critics 35. The Chatelet Ballet Glƒ8