Reviews

One hundred pages longer than the first volume (LJ 9/15/87), this continued history of music in 19th-century New York covers seven fewer years. They were years when New York established itself as an international center for sophisticated culture and extravagant self-promotion, epitomized by the amazing story of P.T. Barnum and Jenny Lind. Following the format as before, Lawrence applies her own high style and enthusiasm and skill for digging out the whole story to relatively short entries on musical events from Strong's diaries. She supplies a separate chapter for each year that covers events not mentioned by Strong. Strong's diaries go to 1875, so one senses there is more of this welcome, important sociomusical history to come from Lawrence. For now, Volume 1 is available in an affordable paperback edition, so libraries that missed it earlier can add it now, along with its continuation.-Bonnie Jo Dopp, Montgomery Cty. P.L., Rockville, Md.