Reviews provided by Syndetics

Library Journal Review

The leading Weill authority has completed the first of what promises to be the standard bibliographic, biographic, and critical study of this composer of two worlds. The central portion is a definitive catalog, arranged chronologically, of Weill's works, including those unpublished, unfinished, and juvenilia. For each, all essential information is provided, including notes on extant manuscripts, first performances, and synopses and song sequences of the stage works. Historical and critical remarks and accounts of bibliographic detective work make this much more than a reference. An extensive chronology and lengthy account of unfulfilled projects are included. Highly recommended. Steven J. Squires, Univ. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Lib. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

CHOICE Review

Drew, the foremost authority on Kurt Weill, has written the definitive source on the composer's musical works. Commissioned by the Academy of Arts, West Berlin, about 1958, the handbook is the result of years of meticulous preparation and research. The introduction is a fascinating and detailed account of the genesis, evolution, and maturation of the handbook, as well as a testament to the author's intense and lengthy involvement with Weill's music. The work includes a chronology of Weill's life, interesting biographical information, and a brief but informative description of the composer's methods of composition. The primary focus of the handbook is a chronological list of Weill's known compositions, and descriptions and locations of extant holographs. Entries include text author, instrumentation, cast lists, and synopses of works for the theater. The author provides a thorough inventory of projects planned by Weill but never begun and a brief summary of works still missing. The book is well indexed and contains several photographs of the composer and significant manuscripts. The handbook should complement Drew's forthcoming critical biography. Highly recommended for public and academic libraries, and essential for all music libraries.-W.J. Waters, Pensacola Junior College