Samuel Wesley (1766-1837): A Source Book
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Taylor & Francis Ltd
Published:12th Sep '01
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
Hailed as a child prodigy and later acclaimed as England's finest extempore organist, Samuel Wesley - son of Charles Wesley and nephew of John Wesley, the founders of Methodism - is best known today for his musical compositions and for his promotion of the music of J. S. Bach. At the heart of this source book is a calendar of Samuel Wesley's correspondence. The editors date and summarise the content of over 1100 surviving letters and other documents, most of which have not previously been published. The book accordingly reveals considerable new information about Wesley and his complex personal affairs, including his incarceration for debt and his confinement in a lunatic asylum for a year. Many details are provided about London musical life in the era from Boyce to Mendelssohn that prior scholars have not taken into account. The book also presents a chronology of Wesley's life, a descriptive list of his nearly 550 musical and literary works, a discography, an iconography and a bibliography. It therefore is the most comprehensive available reference source for Wesley's life, times and music.
'This is a splendid book handsomely produced by Ashgate... Wesley scholars will certainly be indebted to Kassler and Olleson for many years to come...' Theological Book Review
'Kassler and Olleson's book will serve as an important reference source for research on Wesley. The information is accurate and the indexing clean. Highly recommended without reservations for academic collections, all levels.' Choice
'...not only a landmark contribution to Wesley studies, but certainly one of the year's most distinguished pieces of English-language musical scholarship.' The American Organist
'...the scope of the sources employed is impressive...for the first time, we can appreciate the full extent of Samuel Wesley's oeuvre ...of considerable value as a reference book...clarity and logic ooze from its pages...(the) approach is sensible, reliable and accessible.' The Musical Times
'... this book is the first extensive r m f the more intimate details of this influential composer/performer... a rigorously researched and detailed chronological compilation of Samuel Wesley's correspondence and compositions. Our understanding of the musical scene in early eighteenth-century England can only be further enhanced by this important source of documentation of a musician, who was without doubt, one of the most fascinating and influential during his time.' Musicology Australia
'...if you wish to know more, here is all and in abundance. Elegantly produced and documented, so that you can readily dip in and find what you need, it is laudible that such detailed information on Wesley's life and work is now readily available; this is a real bonanza.' Organists' Review
'...a distinctive contribution to Wesley scholarship...'
ISBN: 9781859283578
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: 1542g
776 pages