Samuel Beckett and Music

Abstract Much has been written about the importance of the viewing eye in Samuel Beckett's writing. Less attention has been paid to the place of sound and musicality. Yet Beckett once told a friend that he had always written for a voice. As well as being an accomplished pianist, Beckett was a passionate listener to music. In this study - the first full-length work to deal exclusively with Beckett and music - Mary Bryden brings together academics and composers in a wide-ranging collection of essays. Divided into two main sections, entitled 'Words' and 'Music', the book not only analyses a number of specific musical settings of Beckett's texts, but also considers the wider issue of sound and music within the author's work. Whether interviews, personal recollections by friends or relatives, or more formal essays, all the material in this collection has either been written specially for this volume, or is appearing for the first time in English.