"The Sounds of the Smoke" is a colourful homage to 400 years of vivid life and creativity in London. It is a unique attempt to collate the various music sounds created in the capital and explain their roots, influences and legacy. Evocatively written, exhaustively researched and filled with fascinating geo-located facts and anecdotes, this is a social history of the capital's music and musicians, from the nursery rhyme "Oranges & Lemons", through classical romantics including "Elgar and Vaughan Williams", and early stars of Music Hall and English popular song such as "Noel Coward", to latter-day poets such as Joe Strummer, Ian Dury and The Streets.Glanvill identifies the ever-changing London-generated 'sound' over the centuries, and examines the people, events and places that have influenced the city's music tastes. He also investigates how the culture of the capital has had an impact on other main music makers of each epoch. At the same time, he looks at how the globe's greatest immigrant musicians - from Handel onwards - have been drawn to and inspired by the world's greatest city, as well as enriching London's soundscape in return.
It looks at the leading lights and unsung heroes; the great songs about London; the recurrent cultural themes; the various 'scenes' that captivated Londoners; the famous venues; and how the capital and its citizens have shaped music that entertained the world.
- ISBN10 1845963431
- ISBN13 9781845963439
- Publish Date 1 January 1999
- Publish Status Cancelled
- Out of Print 18 January 2010
- Publish Country GB
- Publisher Transworld Publishers Ltd
- Imprint Mainstream Publishing
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 304
- Language English