Janacek and His World.(Book Review)

edited by Michael Beckerman. Princeton University Press (41 William St., Princeton, NJ 08540), 2003. 316pp. $22.95.

This excellent volume is a varied collection of essays pertaining to the great Czech composer Leos Janacek (1854-1928) and translations of several articles by the composer. The collection is edited by the distinguished Janacek scholar Michael Beckerman, professor of music at New York University and author of several works on Czech music, including Janacek as Theorist and Janacek and Czech Music. The work is not intended to be an introduction to Janacek's life and music, but to add new insights to what already has been written.

Leon Botstein's "Cultural Politics of Language and Music: Max Brod and Leos Janacek" discusses in-depth the critic who had much to do with introducing Janacek to the world. It is a penetrating analysis and one of the most challenging to the reader of all the essays. Appended to it are translations of reviews including Brod's critique of a Prague performance of Jenufa. It is extremely significant in that it helped launch the international recognition of the composer, and it is fascinating to see how passionately Brod wrote about the opera. John Tyrrell, the dean of English-language Janacek scholars, contributes "How Janacek Composed Operas." While unquestionably scholarly in nature, this ...