American Pioneers: Ives to Cage and Beyond

At the turn of the twentieth century, certain American music composers began throwing off the shackles of European tradition and inventing a new language, seeking to redefine what could or could not be embraced by the term 'music.' The pioneering flair of these composers was not only unprecedented, but an act of defiance. American Pioneers examines Charles Ives, Henry Cowell, John Cage, Carl Ruggles, Edgard Varese, Harry Patch, Colin McPhee, and Lou Harrison, focusing on the peculiarly American quality of their artistic motivation. This is the first book to concentrate on the rebellious trend within American music at the turn of the twentieth century.

American Pioneers is part of Phaidon's successful 20th Century Composers series, which presents authoritative and engaging biographies of the great creative musicians of our time, augmented by striking visual material and essential reference information. This edition of the book features a whimsical new cover by Jean-Jacques Sempe, the world-renowned illustrator and cartoonist.