| BRUNO WALTER: A World Elsewhere |
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| By Erik Ryding and Rebecca Pechefsky |
| Bruno Walter, one of the greatest conductors in the twentieth century, lived a fascinating life in difficult times. This book is the first full-length biography of Walter to appear in English. |
Revised paperback edition (University
of Nebraska Press, 2006), with a new
introduction, available at
of Nebraska Press, 2006), with a new
introduction, available at
Hardcover edition (Yale University
Press, 2001) available at
Press, 2001) available at
Amazon Kindle edition (2008; based on
Yale edition) available at
Yale edition) available at
WINNER OF THE 2002 ASCAP-DEEMS TAYLOR AWARD IN THE
SYMPHONIC BOOKS CATEGORY
FINALIST FOR THE 2002 ASSOCIATION FOR RECORDED SOUND
COLLECTIONS AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN HISTORICAL
RECORDED SOUND RESEARCH
Praise for Bruno Walter: A World Elsewhere
“In their comprehensive and highly readable biography … Ryding
and Pechefsky have a wonderfully firm grasp on the conductor’s
extremely busy career and its minute particulars. . . . One sees them
bearing down hard to prise out exactly what it was that audiences in
Berlin, Vienna, Prague, Riga, New York, and Boston were hearing
from a Bruno Walter that the recordings, from so much later, can
only hint about … In short, it’s all here. As must be clear, this book
rates not only as a labor of love but as an authority.”
Richard Buell, Boston Globe
“[A]s biographies of conductors go, it can take its place beside
Harvey Sachs’s Toscanini and Peter Heyworth’s Otto Klemperer as
a major contribution to the literature. For anyone interested in Walter
or in the musical life of the world his career touched, this is
essential reading.”
Mortimer Frank, Fanfare
“This is a loving and meticulous biography of one of the greatest
conductors of the 20th century. It is sceptical of much received
opinion, generally avoids one-sided judgments and carefully builds
up, from many thousands of documents, a detailed account of
Bruno Walter’s career, moving from imperial Prussia and Vienna to
the US of Nixon and juvenile delinquency … [I]t will be the
authoritative reference book for all Walter enthusiasts.”
Vincent Deane, The Irish Times (Dublin)
“[T]imely and welcome … a steady, evenhanded chronicle of
Walter’s career.”
Allan Keiler, New York Review of Books
“Erik Ryding and Rebecca Pechefsky, the authors of this major new
biography, have trawled through the archives, and have packed a
huge amount of valuable information into the 500-odd pages of this
book … The treatment … is detailed, scrupulous and fair.”
Noel Malcolm, Sunday Telegraph (London)
“[D]estined to become an indispensable vade mecum for Walter
fans worldwide.”
Andrew Green, Classical Music
“The authors make good use of Walter’s papers in the New York
Public Library and of hundreds of other sources … One can now
follow this extraordinary career as it unfolded, month by month, over
nearly 70 years.”
Harvey Sachs, Wall Street Journal
“[A] highly readable narrative that is accessible to a broad audience
… a fine account of Walter’s life.”
Scott Warfield, Notes
“Finally we have a Bruno Walter biography in English to supplement
the man’s own writings, some of them autobiographical. I spent
quite a few evenings with this, and I found it absorbing … The story
of his life and convictions is fascinating and moving. He was a rich
human being who cultivated every important aspect of human
character, including the spiritual. Few today have anything like his
depth or grace or charm.”
Donald Vroon, American Record Guide
“Here is the moving story of a principled man and musician who
was forced to flee Hitler’s Europe at the height of his career and
begin anew in the United States.”
Tim Page, Washington Post
“This first full-length biography of Walter in English effectively utilizes
many firsthand sources … [I]t should enhance his stature in
memory and perhaps send some back to his recordings. Focused
more on his professional than personal life, the authors
nonetheless treat his marriage, romantic affairs and family with
judicious balance.”
William W. Starr, The State (Columbia, SC)
SYMPHONIC BOOKS CATEGORY
FINALIST FOR THE 2002 ASSOCIATION FOR RECORDED SOUND
COLLECTIONS AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN HISTORICAL
RECORDED SOUND RESEARCH
Praise for Bruno Walter: A World Elsewhere
“In their comprehensive and highly readable biography … Ryding
and Pechefsky have a wonderfully firm grasp on the conductor’s
extremely busy career and its minute particulars. . . . One sees them
bearing down hard to prise out exactly what it was that audiences in
Berlin, Vienna, Prague, Riga, New York, and Boston were hearing
from a Bruno Walter that the recordings, from so much later, can
only hint about … In short, it’s all here. As must be clear, this book
rates not only as a labor of love but as an authority.”
Richard Buell, Boston Globe
“[A]s biographies of conductors go, it can take its place beside
Harvey Sachs’s Toscanini and Peter Heyworth’s Otto Klemperer as
a major contribution to the literature. For anyone interested in Walter
or in the musical life of the world his career touched, this is
essential reading.”
Mortimer Frank, Fanfare
“This is a loving and meticulous biography of one of the greatest
conductors of the 20th century. It is sceptical of much received
opinion, generally avoids one-sided judgments and carefully builds
up, from many thousands of documents, a detailed account of
Bruno Walter’s career, moving from imperial Prussia and Vienna to
the US of Nixon and juvenile delinquency … [I]t will be the
authoritative reference book for all Walter enthusiasts.”
Vincent Deane, The Irish Times (Dublin)
“[T]imely and welcome … a steady, evenhanded chronicle of
Walter’s career.”
Allan Keiler, New York Review of Books
“Erik Ryding and Rebecca Pechefsky, the authors of this major new
biography, have trawled through the archives, and have packed a
huge amount of valuable information into the 500-odd pages of this
book … The treatment … is detailed, scrupulous and fair.”
Noel Malcolm, Sunday Telegraph (London)
“[D]estined to become an indispensable vade mecum for Walter
fans worldwide.”
Andrew Green, Classical Music
“The authors make good use of Walter’s papers in the New York
Public Library and of hundreds of other sources … One can now
follow this extraordinary career as it unfolded, month by month, over
nearly 70 years.”
Harvey Sachs, Wall Street Journal
“[A] highly readable narrative that is accessible to a broad audience
… a fine account of Walter’s life.”
Scott Warfield, Notes
“Finally we have a Bruno Walter biography in English to supplement
the man’s own writings, some of them autobiographical. I spent
quite a few evenings with this, and I found it absorbing … The story
of his life and convictions is fascinating and moving. He was a rich
human being who cultivated every important aspect of human
character, including the spiritual. Few today have anything like his
depth or grace or charm.”
Donald Vroon, American Record Guide
“Here is the moving story of a principled man and musician who
was forced to flee Hitler’s Europe at the height of his career and
begin anew in the United States.”
Tim Page, Washington Post
“This first full-length biography of Walter in English effectively utilizes
many firsthand sources … [I]t should enhance his stature in
memory and perhaps send some back to his recordings. Focused
more on his professional than personal life, the authors
nonetheless treat his marriage, romantic affairs and family with
judicious balance.”
William W. Starr, The State (Columbia, SC)