In 1854, the Austrian music critic Eduard Hanslick wrote, ‘Unlike the architect, who has to mould the coarse and unwieldy rock, the composer reckons with the ulterior effect of past sounds.’ In the previous century, the German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe had observed poetically that ‘music is liquid architecture; architecture is frozen music’. This close relationship between sound and space, and the elegant crafting of both, is a significant element of why the sonata’s particular structure emerged as such a vital concept in modern music. Its framework is a system through which infinitely rich and emotive compositions may flow. And to quote Hanslick again, ‘Melody, unexhausted, nay, inexhaustible, is pre-eminently the source of musical beauty.’ The sonata form provided an innovative method for the emergence of new qualities of melody. In Gillian Perrin’s wonderfully compelling, lucid, and engaging new book on the sonata, a chronol
“ … an ideal read for sixth form music students. It offers an excellent opportunity to extend their wider listening, whilst also reading about various historical periods of music. The book is full of anecdotes which help bring the music and history to life, and there are useful descriptions, and explanations/definitions of musical vocabulary. The new specifications for GCSE and A level music place a distinct emphasis on the importance of wider listening, and this book offers the chance to do this across several periods of music. However, I would imagine that it would also appeal to a much larger audience; it is easy to read and digest, and is packed full of wonderful pieces of music to listen to
If music moves you, and you are intrigued to know more about its structure, as well as reasons behind your emotional response, then Past Sounds, written in a clear and stylish narrative, is for you. This is an unusual book – unusual because it is just as relevant to a young music student as it is to any person with an interest in music, its architecture, its development and its juxtaposition to the arts generally in society over the centuries. There are many text books and articles discussing and defining sonata form, but in Past Sounds, the author Gillian Perrin provides an engaging narrative. She begins with the composer JC Bach – known in 18th century London as John Bach – and sets the scene with the capital’s musical entertainment. She paints a lively city, and demonstrates her clear and detailed historical research. It makes enticing reading. We are then taken back centuries to look at the simplest of entertainment, that of dance, and how rhythmic
Past Sounds is a fantastic resource for music teachers and students. Gillian Perrin’s detailed exploration of the Sonata Idea within the context of the Piano Trio is a joy to read. Her writing is hugely engaging and informative, delving into fine examples of standard and lesser-known repertoire. She deconstructs key components of repertoire ranging from J. C. Bach and Haydn to Shostakovich and Martinů. The book is intended for a wide audience including students, performers and those who love music “but don’t understand how it works”. Perrin’s analyses are clear and accessible, explaining key musical concepts with detailed reference to structure, and the musical elements more widely. A helpful glossary of terms is also included – ideal for students working to develop their breadth of musical vocabulary and general skills of analysis. Many of the concepts explored in Past Sounds are highly relevant to A Level music
It is always a pleasure to encounter a book written by a genuine enthusiast for the subject they have chosen, no matter how specialist it may first appear, and that is most certainly the case here. The concept of investigating the sonata principle confined solely to the medium of the piano trio may seem a somewhat daunting prospect, but such is the author’s knowledge and enthusiasm that one is soon caught up in the subject and its varied ramifications. Aimed at those ‘who say they love music “but don’t understand how it works”, as well as for performers and music students of all ages’ – as the publisher’s accompanying text states, Gillian Perrin’s professional knowledge, individual enthusiasm and broadly cast scope of her subject reveals a stratum of classical music that is too often unjustly overlooked The piano trio is a medium that can offer difficult challenges to any composer, and did – from Haydn to the present-day