Jan Swafford's Books

Mozart

The Reign of Love

By: Jan Swafford

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From the acclaimed composer and biographer Jan Swafford comes the definitive biography of one of the most lauded musical geniuses in history, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. At the earliest ages it was apparent that Wolfgang Mozart’s singular imagination was at work in every direction. He hated to be bored and hated to be idle, and through his life he responded to these threats with a repertoire of antidotes mental and physical. Whether in his rabidly obscene mode or not, Mozart was always hilarious. He went at every piece of his life, and perhaps most notably his social life, with tremendous gusto. His circle of friends and patrons was wide, encompassing anyone who appealed to his boundless appetites for music and all things pleasurable and fun. Mozart was known to be an inexplicable force of nature who could rise from a luminous improvisation at the keyboard to a leap over the furniture. He was forever drumming on things, tapping his feet, jabbering away, but who could grasp your hand and look at you with a profound, searching, and melancholy look in his blue eyes. Even in company there was often an air about Mozart of being not quite there. It was as if he lived onstage and off simultaneously, a character in life’s tragicomedy but also outside of it watching, studying, gathering material for the fabric of his art. Like Jan Swafford’s biographies Beethoven and Johannes Brahms, Mozart is the complete exhumation of a genius in his life and ours: a man who would enrich the world with his talent for centuries to come and who would immeasurably shape classical music. As Swafford reveals, it’s nearly impossible to understand classical music’s origins and indeed its evolutions, as well as the Baroque period, without studying the man himself.

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Page Count

832

Publisher

HarperCollins

Published Date

ISBN 10

0062433598

ISBN 13

9780062433596

Johannes Brahms

A Biography

By: Jan Swafford

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Johannes Brahms

A Biography

By: Jan Swafford

An illuminating new biography of one of the most beloved of all composers, published on the hundredth anniversary of his death, brilliantly written by a finalist for the 1996 National Book Critics Circle Award. Johannes Brahms has consistently eluded his biographers. Throughout his life, he attempted to erase traces of himself, wanting his music to be his sole legacy. Now, in this masterful book, Jan Swafford, critically acclaimed as both biographer and composer, takes a fresh look at Brahms, giving us for the first time a fully realized portrait of the man who created the magnificent music. Brahms was a man with many friends and no intimates, who experienced triumphs few artists achieve in their lifetime. Yet he lived with a relentless loneliness and a growing fatalism about the future of music and the world. The Brahms that emerges from these pages is not the bearded eminence of previous biographies but rather a fascinating assemblage of contradictions. Brought up in poverty, he was forced to play the piano in the brothels of Hamburg, where he met with both mental and physical abuse. At the same time, he was the golden boy of his teachers, who found themselves in awe of a stupendous talent: a miraculous young composer and pianist, poised between the emotionalism of the Romantics and the rigors of the composers he worshipped--Bach, Mozart, Beethoven. In 1853, Robert Schumann proclaimed the twenty-year-old Brahms the savior of German music. Brahms spent the rest of his days trying to live up to that prophecy, ever fearful of proving unworthy of his musical inheritance. We find here more of Brahms's words, his daily life and joys and sorrows, than in any other biography. With novelistic grace, Swafford shows us a warm-blooded but guarded genius who hid behind jokes and prickliness, rudeness and intractability with his friends as well as his enemies, but who was also a witty drinking companion and a consummate careerist skillfully courting the powerful. This is a book rich in secondary characters as well, including Robert Schumann, declining into madness as he hailed the advent of a new genius; Clara Schumann, the towering pianist, tormented personality, and great love of Brahms's life; Josef Joachim, the brilliant, self-lacerating violinist; the extraordinary musical amateur Elisabet von Herzogenberg, on whose exacting criticism Brahms relied; Brahms's rival and shadow, the malevolent genius Richard Wagner; and Eduard Hanslick, enemy of Wagner and apostle of Brahms, at once the most powerful and most wrongheaded music critic of his time. Among the characters in the book are two great cities: the stolid North German harbor town of Hamburg where Johannes grew up, which later spurned him; and glittering, fickle, music-mad Vienna, where Brahms the self-proclaimed vagabond finally settled, to find his sweetest triumphs and his most bitter failures. Unique to this book is the way in which musical scholarship and biography are combined: in a style refreshingly free of pretentiousness, Jan Swafford takes us deep into the music--from the grandeur of the First Symphony and the intricacies of the chamber work to the sorrow of the German Requiem--allowing us to hear these familiar works in new and often surprising ways. This is a clear-eyed study of a remarkable man and a vivid portrait of an era in transition. Ultimately, Johannes Brahms is the story of a great, backward-looking artist who inspired musical revolutionaries of the following generations, yet who was no less a prophet of the darkness and violence of our century. A biographical masterpiece at once wholly original and definitive.

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Page Count

754

Publisher

Vintage

Published Date

ISBN 10

0307809897

ISBN 13

9780307809896

Language of the Spirit

An Introduction to Classical Music

By: Jan Swafford

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Language of the Spirit

An Introduction to Classical Music

By: Jan Swafford

A preeminent composer, music scholar, and biographer presents an engaging and accessible introduction to classical music For many of us, classical music is something serious -- something we study in school, something played by cultivated musicians at fancy gatherings. In Language of the Spirit, renowned music scholar Jan Swafford argues that we have it all wrong: classical music has something for everyone and is accessible to all. Ranging from Gregorian chant to Handel's Messiah, from Vivaldi's The Four Seasons to the postmodern work of Philip Glass, Swafford is an affable and expert guide to the genre. He traces the history of Western music, introduces readers to the most important composers and compositions, and explains the underlying structure and logic of their music. Language of the Spirit is essential reading for anyone who has ever wished to know more about this sublime art.

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Page Count

302

Publisher

Basic Books

Published Date

ISBN 10

0465097553

ISBN 13

9780465097555

Johannes Brahms

A Biography

By: Jan Swafford

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Johannes Brahms

A Biography

By: Jan Swafford

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754

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Vintage

Published Date

ISBN 10

0307809897

ISBN 13

9780307809896

Beethoven

Anguish and Triumph : a Biography

By: Jan Swafford

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Beethoven

Anguish and Triumph : a Biography

By: Jan Swafford

The definitive book on the life and music of Ludwig van Beethoven, written by the acclaimed biographer of Brahms and Ives.

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Page Count

1107

Publisher

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Published Date

ISBN 10

061805474X

ISBN 13

9780618054749

Language of the Spirit

An Introduction to Classical Music

By: Jan Swafford

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Language of the Spirit

An Introduction to Classical Music

By: Jan Swafford

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302

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Basic Books

Published Date

ISBN 10

0465097553

ISBN 13

9780465097555

Ludwig Van Beethoven

The Piano Sonatas; History, Notation, Interpretation

By: Jan Marisse Huizing

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Ludwig Van Beethoven

The Piano Sonatas; History, Notation, Interpretation

By: Jan Marisse Huizing

A comprehensive and immersive survey of thirty-five Beethoven piano sonatas Beethoven's piano sonatas are among the iconic cornerstones of the classical music repertoire. Jan Marisse Huizing offers an in-depth study of the sonatas using available autographs, first editions, recordings, and nearly three hundred musical examples. Digging into the historical background and historical performance practice, the book provides illuminating detail on Beethoven's pianism as well as his characteristics of notation, form and content, "types of touch," articulation, beaming, pedal indications, character, rubato, meter, metric constructions, tempo, and metronome marks. Packed with anecdotes, quotations, and considerable new information, the book will inspire all involved with these masterworks, playing a fortepiano or modern Grand, giving the sense of the composer sitting beside them as he translates his inspiration and ideas into his notation.

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Page Count

335

Publisher

Yale University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0300251602

ISBN 13

9780300251609

Charles Ives

A Research and Information Guide

By: Gayle Sherwood Magee

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Charles Ives

A Research and Information Guide

By: Gayle Sherwood Magee

This research guide provides detailed information on over one thousand publications and websites concerning the American composer Charles Ives. With informative annotations and nearly two hundred new entries, this greatly expanded, updated, and revised guide offers a key survey of the field for interested readers and experienced researchers alike.

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Page Count

289

Publisher

Routledge

Published Date

ISBN 10

1135847169

ISBN 13

9781135847166

Research in the Decision Sciences for Innovations in Global Supply Chain Networks

Best Papers from the 2014 Annual Conference

By: European Decision Sciences Institute,Jan Stentoft,Antony Paulraj,Gyula Vastag

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Research in the Decision Sciences for Innovations in Global Supply Chain Networks

Best Papers from the 2014 Annual Conference

By: European Decision Sciences Institute,Jan Stentoft,Antony Paulraj,Gyula Vastag

The papers in this volume introduce powerful new innovations in global supply chain networks. The best papers from the 2014 annual conference of the European regional subdivision of the Decision Sciences Institute (EDSI), they analyze the latest global trends associated with: Sustainability and corporate social responsibility Applications in modeling and decision techniques Social network analysis for better decision-making Innovation and entrepreneurship Relationship management ERP/Enterprise Business Intelligence Globalized manufacturing Performance and revenue management Risk management Business innovation management Supply chain operations management, and more The papers collected here will be valuable to wide audiences of faculty, researchers, and students in diverse programs covering supply chain and/or operations management, and for others interested in the frontiers of decision science.

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Page Count

574

Publisher

FT Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0134051106

ISBN 13

9780134051109

Passive House Details

Solutions for High-Performance Design

By: Donald B. Corner,Jan C. Fillinger,Alison G. Kwok

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Passive House Details

Solutions for High-Performance Design

By: Donald B. Corner,Jan C. Fillinger,Alison G. Kwok

Passive House Details introduces the concepts, principles, and design processes of building ultralow-energy buildings. The objective of this book is to provide design goals, research, analysis, systems, details, and inspiring images of some of the most energy-efficient, carbon-neutral, healthy, and satisfying buildings currently built in the region. Other topics included: heat transfer, moisture management, performance targets, and climatic zones. Illustrated with more than 375 color images, the book is a visual catalog of construction details, materials, and systems drawn from projects contributed from forty firms. Fourteen in-depth case studies demonstrate the most energy-efficient systems for foundations, walls, floors, roofs, windows, doors, and more.

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Page Count

464

Publisher

Routledge

Published Date

ISBN 10

1317339649

ISBN 13

9781317339649

Breastfeeding and Human Lactation, Enhanced Fifth Edition

By: Karen Wambach,Jan Riordan

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Breastfeeding and Human Lactation, Enhanced Fifth Edition

By: Karen Wambach,Jan Riordan

Breastfeeding and Human Lactation, Fifth Edition continues as the leading reference for the latest clinical techniques and research findings that direct evidence-based clinical practice for lactation consultants and specialists. Thoroughly updated and revised with current research, references, and photos, it contains a clear clinical focus with more than 2,000 research studies supporting the clinical recommendations found in the text. Topics include placing breastfeeding in its historical context, workplace-related issues, anatomical and biological imperatives of lactation, the prenatal and perinatal periods and concerns during the postpartum period, the mother’s health, and sociocultural issues. With contributions from the foremost experts in the field, Breastfeeding and Human Lactation, Fifth Edition is also an excellent resource to prepare for certification and practice as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC).

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Page Count

986

Publisher

Jones & Bartlett Publishers

Published Date

ISBN 10

1449697291

ISBN 13

9781449697297

Economic Reforms and Welfare Systems in the USSR, Poland and Hungary

Social Contract in Transformation

By: Jan Adam

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Economic Reforms and Welfare Systems in the USSR, Poland and Hungary

Social Contract in Transformation

By: Jan Adam

The contributors to this volume analyze the rise of the socialist welfare system, its advantages and disadvantages. The main focus of the volume is the analysis of the changes carried out and also those expected in the welfare system in the USSR, Poland and Hungary as a result of economic reforms.

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Page Count

198

Publisher

Springer

Published Date

ISBN 10

1349116904

ISBN 13

9781349116904

Breastfeeding and Human Lactation

By: Jan Riordan

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Breastfeeding and Human Lactation

By: Jan Riordan

Now in its Third Edition, this text has been updated to reflect new knowledge in the physiology of breastfeeding, milk supply, positioning, the management of breastfeeding, and the role of the lactation consultant. The text is divided into 5 sections that cover the sociocultural context of infant feeding; anatomy and biological imperatives; the prenatal; perinatal and postnatal periods; beyond postpartum; and contemporary issues.

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Page Count

868

Publisher

Jones & Bartlett Learning

Published Date

ISBN 10

0763745855

ISBN 13

9780763745851

Charles Ives

A Research and Information Guide

By: Gayle Sherwood Magee

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Charles Ives

A Research and Information Guide

By: Gayle Sherwood Magee

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Page Count

289

Publisher

Routledge

Published Date

ISBN 10

1135847169

ISBN 13

9781135847166

Book's by Jan Swafford

Mozart

Mozart

Johannes Brahms

Johannes Brahms

Language of the Spirit

Language of the Spirit

Johannes Brahms

Johannes Brahms

Beethoven

Beethoven

Language of the Spirit

Language of the Spirit

Ludwig Van Beethoven

Ludwig Van Beethoven

Charles Ives

Charles Ives

Research in the Decision Sciences for Innovations in Global Supply Chain Networks

Research in the Decision Sciences for Innovations in Global Supply Chain Networks

Passive House Details

Passive House Details

Breastfeeding and Human Lactation, Enhanced Fifth Edition

Breastfeeding and Human Lactation, Enhanced Fifth Edition

Economic Reforms and Welfare Systems in the USSR, Poland and Hungary

Economic Reforms and Welfare Systems in the USSR, Poland and Hungary

Breastfeeding and Human Lactation

Breastfeeding and Human Lactation

Charles Ives

Charles Ives

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