A prolific American master whose work is rooted in the tonal tradition of nineteenth-century Romanticism, Robert Ward has had a long, varied, and successful musical career. Ward is noted for his keyboard and chamber music, songs and choral works, orchestral compositions, and operas, especially his musical rendering of "The Crucible," which has become an established feature of the contemporary operatic repertoire. In this latest volume in the "Bio-Bibliographies in Music" series, Kenneth Kreitner presents a comprehensive bibliographic guide that includes the composer's complete works, recordings of his music, and relevant critical literature.
In the introductory biographical section, Kreitner discusses Ward's life and career and examines the influence that have shaped his musical style. The complete list of works is arranged chronologically and supplies basic bibliographic data such as information on premieres and other selected performances. A discography offers data on commercially-produced recordings and an annotated bibliography lists writings by and about Ward and his music. The different sections are fully cross-referenced, and several indexes are provided. An important tool for scholars engaged in research on contemporary classical music, this volume will also be of interest to reference librarians and performing organizations.