Magician of Sound - (California Studies in 20th-Century Music) by Jessie Fillerup (Hardcover)

Maurice Ravel was a magician, conjurer, and illusionist in music, according to critics.

This book examines his music through the lens of illusory experience, using concepts from music theory, psychology, philosophy, and the history of magic to develop an approach to musical illusion that newly illuminates Ravel's fascination with machines and creates compelling links between his music and other forms of aesthetic illusion.

The book analyzes scenes of enchantment and illusory effects in Ravel's most popular works, including Boléro, La Valse, Daphnis et Chloé, and Rapsodie espagnole, relating his methods and musical effects to the practice of theatrical conjurers.

Magician of Sound provides a new interdisciplinary framework for interpreting this enigmatic composer, linking magic and music in a way that will captivate and inspire any music lover or scholar.