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The KPAC Blog features classical music news, reviews, and analysis from South Texas and around the world.

Classical Summer Reads: From The Beach To The Ballroom

Courtesy of wikipedia

Summer reading can be a blast, but it doesn't have to be the latest thriller from the NY Times, or a cheap romance novel. I was delighted to see so many new novels just typing in "Classical music" in Amazon.com and sorting by publication date - they start next April (2014) with lots of titles to preorder!

You can find new books about Wagner, Britten, and Verdi, composers who are all enjoying major anniversaries. They also list lots of sheet music, from Johnny Cash (really Amazon, classical music?!) to the Beatles (instrumental versions, so okay, I'll give you that one), and other scores including Bach, Beethoven, and Scarlatti.

There's anew book by Christopher Seaman (former Artistic Advisor to the San Antonio Symphony, who helped out during their Music Director search) that sheds light on the art of conducting. Read a review here.

Robert Craft has penned yet another book on his mentor, Stravinsky: Discoveries And Memories. Since the April publication, and the big May anniversary of the Rite of Spring, Craft claims the composer was gay. Read more here.

There is also a new digital version of Richard Wagner (Critical Lives) that explores the achievements of this famous composer.

So what are you reading this summer? Are you taking the book along or do you read it on your Kindle, tablet or smart phone?

John Clare is comfortable behind a microphone, streaming video or playing violin. A former broadcaster for NPR, John has previously worked with Voice of America, the Canadian Broadcast Corporation and stations in Kansas, Nevada, California, and Pennsylvania.