THE LIVES OF THE GREAT COMPOSERS

Anyone who enjoys classical music will find this an enriching listening experience. Every major composer from Monteverdi through the serialists is presented, warts and all. The advantages of the recorded version are that 1) reader Edwardson has a voice that wears well over 33 hours, 2) his pronunciation of the Italian, German, French and Russian titles and phrases is exquisite, and 3) he reads letters and reviews in character. One hears shock at the "decadence" of the Viennese waltz or peevishness in a jealous Debussy's description of Richard Strauss. On the other hand, without a contents list, specific information is hard to locate. This reservation aside, LIVES is a fascinating excursion through music history. J.B.G. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC/JAN 99]