From a personally assembled database of 13,859 classical musicians, What
Killed the Great and not so Great Composers delves into the medical
histories of a wide variety of composers from both a musical and medical
standpoint. Biographies of musicians from Johann Sebastian Bach of the
Baroque period to Benjamin Britten of the Modern era explore in depth
their illnesses and the impact their diseases had on musical
productivity. Other chapters referenced to specific composers are
devoted to such diverse ailments as deafness, mental disorders, sexually
transmitted diseases, surgery and war injuries, to name a few. A unique
section of statistics and demographics analyzes various aspects of
composers' lives such as their longevity related to contemporaneous
nonmusical populations, the incidence of various illnesses they
experienced over the centuries and the type of medical problems suffered
by the so-called top 100 classical musicians. Although a precise and
complete accounting of the great composers' ailments may never be
possible, a general understanding of the medical problems experienced by
these unique individuals, nevertheless, can heighten one's appreciation
of their creative processes despite the hardships imposed by their
physical and mental illnesses. Although some individuals surrendered to
their disabilities for a variety of reasons, others were able to rise
above their infirmities and produce the wonderful music mankind has
enjoyed through the centuries.
2010 | EPUB/MOBI | 652 pages | 3 MB/4 MB
Available upon email request only
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