On Innovative Musicians

This book is the re-publication of a compilation of profiles—all of them originally written between the late 1960s and the late 1980s, some of them a quick glance, others in considerable depth—of a selection of fascinating performers, composers, and personalities that have played important roles in shaping the course of new music through the twentieth century. Based on interviews, personal knowledge, and friendships, Richard Kostelanetz has made the twentieth century live again. He talks about Glenn Gould, Charles Ives, Milton Babbitt, John Cage, Merce Cunningham, Elliott Carter, Alan Hovhaness, Paul Zukofsky, Philip Glass, La Monte Young, Joao Carlos Martins, Peter Schickele, B. B. King, and Robert Moog. He explains what they did, how they did it, and how they thought about it. They are an extraordinary group of artists and Kostelanetz gives us a unique perspective on their lives and their accomplishments. He explains how Babbitt creates the words for Phonemena. He recalls the first performance of John Cage and Lejaren Hiller's HPSCHD. He converses with Cage while Cage is writing through Finnigans Wake. He follows B. B. King's career as a blues guitarist. He tells us about Robert Moog's startup, La Monte Young's Theater of Eternal Music, Paul Zukofsky's incredible talent as a violinist, and Elliott Carter's emergence as one of America's important composers. Kostelanetz's writing style is so personal, flowing, interesting, that it's truly a pleasure to share his insights. No one else could have written this book. And no composer, no student, no professor, no one involved in new music should miss it.