DEATH IN CLASSICAL MUSIC

making friends with the unfriendly

A brief survey of death in classical music and how composers treat the subject is the theme of this new book by John A. Sarkett. He is the author of Obscure Composers, Obscure Composers 2, and Bach and Heaven: The Promise of Afterlife in the Text of the Cantatas. A distinguished trio of scholars contributes a superb set of insightful essays as well: "Wagner and Schopenhauer," by Dr. Leo Eylar, professor and conductor, California State University, Sacramento "Arthur Schopenhauer reads Richard Wagner" by Dr. Karl S. Guthke, professor, Kuno Francke Research Professor of German Art and Culture, Harvard University "Horrifying Songs: Schubert’s “Winterreise,” Dr. Susan Youen, J. W. Van Gorkom Professor of Music, Professor of Musicology, University of Notre Dame Death in classical music: making friends with the unfriendly concludes with a large compendium of quotes on death from Christian, Eastern, ancient, and miscellaneous sources. Readers say it is: "strangely comforting." "Takes on a taboo and breaks it down." "Helped me get past the loss of a loved one."