Richard Taruskin’s sweeping collection of essays distills a half century of professional experience, demonstrating an unparalleled insider awareness of relevant debates in all areas of music studies, including historiography and criticism, representation and aesthetics, musical and professional politics, and the sociology of taste. Cursed Questions, invoking a famous catchphrase from Russian intellectual history, grapples with questions that are never finally answered but never go away. The writings gathered here form an intellectual biography that showcases the characteristic wit, provocation, and erudition that readers have come to expect from Taruskin, making it an essential volume for anyone interested in music, politics, and the arts.
A Tribute to the Influential Music Historian Richard Taruskin
With news of Richard Taruskin’s passing, UC Press Music, Film, and Media Studies Editor Raina Polivka shares a tribute to his work. Richard Taruskin, who died on July 1st, was a longtime …
Read More >
