Choice called the first edition of this pioneering biography of Arnold Bax (1883-1953) "the definitive work for some time to come" (CH, Mar'84). The second edition (1987) was slightly revised, but this third notably expands the first and replaces the first two. This edition is partly justified by its incorporation of many letters written by Bax to his primary mistress, pianist Harriet Cohen (often erotic, these letters are only now available to scholars), but it also delineates the relatively recent rise of Bax's reputation in the generation of British composers who began to write just before WW I and died during or just after WW II. Since a large percentage of Bax's works are now available on CD, including all seven of his symphonies, Foreman's musical analyses acquire new force. An engaging, knowledgeable biographer, Foreman does not hesitate to criticize when he considers that Bax fell short. The discography and select bibliography have doubled in length from the original, and the painstaking "catalogue of works" is as useful as ever. Though live performances of Bax's works remain rare (despite stirrings of interest in the US), important performances since 1983 are noticed. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates and above. W. Metcalfe emeritus, University of Vermont
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BookDescription: xvii, 491 p., [24] p. of plates : ill., ports., music ; 25 cm.ISBN: 0859676439.Subject(s): Bax, Arnold, 1883-1953 | Composers -- England -- Biography