
Intimate Letters
John Tyrrell(Author)
Faber & Faber (Publisher)
Will be published approx. on 3. March 2005
Book
Paperback/Softback
416 pages
978-0-571-22510-1 (ISBN)
Description
In 1928 Leos Janacek completed 'Intimate Letters', his String Quartet No. 2, just a few months before he died at the age of seventy-four. This work encapsulated musically all his passionate feelings about Kamila Stoesslova, the married woman nearly forty years his junior to whom Janacek had written hundreds of letters in the past decade.
John Tyrrell has compiled and translated a selection of these letters and presents them together with some mostly unknown photographs, a decoding of the erotic references in the letters and a diary of the couple's meetings.The result is a remarkable book which illuminates the inner life of one of the greatest opera composers of the twentieth century.
John Tyrrell has compiled and translated a selection of these letters and presents them together with some mostly unknown photographs, a decoding of the erotic references in the letters and a diary of the couple's meetings.The result is a remarkable book which illuminates the inner life of one of the greatest opera composers of the twentieth century.
Reviews / Votes
"'There is no more intimate and honest self-portrait of any composer.' The Times; 'Tyrrell is a splendid guide. Every intimate reference is unravelled and explained. The letters are linked by a narrative which amounts to a substantial biographical effort in itself. This correspondence makes compelling reading and lets the light into the secret love behind Janacek's late creative surge.' Opera Now; 'A beautiful and important book, which will be of interest to anyone who enjoys a good love story.' Humphrey Burton, Sunday Express"More details
Edition
Main
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 199 mm
Width: 126 mm
Thickness: 27 mm
Weight
293 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-571-22510-1 (9780571225101)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Previous edition
Book
09/1994
Faber & Faber
€50.95
Article exhausted; check for reprint
Person
John Tyrrell is Professor of Music at Cardiff University. His books include Czech Opera, Janacek's Operas and editions of the memoirs of Janacek's widow and Janacek's correspondence with Kamila Stoesslova . He is co-author of the standard catalogue of Janacek's works and, with Sir Charles Mackerras, he edited Janacek's opera Jenufa. In 2002 he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Masaryk University of Brno for his work on Janacek and Czech music.