{"title":"Fiona Maddocks","description":"\u003cp\u003eDiscover the captivating world of Fiona Maddocks, an acclaimed author renowned for her insightful exploration of historical figures and the arts. Maddocks' eloquent prose and meticulous research bring to life the stories behind some of the most fascinating personalities in history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDive into \u003cem\u003eGoodbye Russia\u003c\/em\u003e, where Maddocks vividly narrates the poignant journey of Igor Stravinsky, one of Russia's greatest composers. This book unravels the intricate details of Stravinsky's personal and professional life, offering readers a comprehensive understanding of his immense influence on the world of music.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eExplore the mystique of the medieval era with \u003cem\u003eHildegard of Bingen\u003c\/em\u003e, a compelling biography that delves into the life of the extraordinary abbess, composer, and visionary. Maddocks' portrayal shines a light on Hildegard's remarkable contributions to music, medicine, and spirituality.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhether you're a seasoned music enthusiast or a newcomer to the world of biographies, Fiona Maddocks’ works promise to educate, inspire, and captivate. Her books are a testament to her ability to transform biographies into vibrant narratives that resonate with readers.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"goodbye-russia-by-fiona-maddocks-9780571371136","title":"Goodbye Russia","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 1940, Sergei Rachmaninoff, living in exile in America, broke his creative silence and composed a swan song to his Russian homeland. What happened in those final haunted years, and how did he come to write his farewell masterpiece, the Symphonic Dances?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eRachmaninoff left Petrograd in 1917 in the throes of the Russian Revolution. He was 44 years old, at the peak of his powers as a composer-conductor-performer, moving in elite Tsarist circles, as well as running the family estate, his refuge and solace. He had already written the music which, today, has made him one of the most popular composers of all time: the second and third Piano Concertos and two symphonies.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe story of his years in exile in America and Switzerland has only been told in passing. Reeling from the trauma of a life in upheaval, he wrote almost no music and quickly had to reinvent himself as a feted virtuoso pianist, building up untold wealth and meeting the stars—from Walt Disney and Charlie Chaplin to his Russian contemporaries and polar opposites, Prokofiev and Stravinsky.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eYet the melancholy of leaving his homeland never lifted. Using a wide range of sources, including important newly translated texts, Maddocks' immensely readable book conjures impressions of this enigmatic figure, his friends, and the world he encountered. It explores his life as an émigré artist and how he clung to an Old Russia which no longer existed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThat forging of past and present meets in his Symphonic Dances (1940), his last composition, written on Long Island shortly before his death in Beverly Hills, surrounded by a close-knit circle of Russian exiles.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eGoodbye Russia\u003c\/em\u003e by Fiona Maddocks is a captivating exploration of Rachmaninoff’s life, shedding light on his creative journey and the complex realities of his life in exile.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46843840463084,"sku":"9780571371136","price":59.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/11387473482391.jpg?v=1758815013"},{"product_id":"hildegard-of-bingen-by-fiona-maddocks-9780571302437","title":"Hildegard of Bingen","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBest known today as a fine composer, the twelfth-century German abbess Hildegard of Bingen was also a religious leader and visionary, a poet, naturalist, and writer of medical treatises. Despite her cloistered life, she had strong, often controversial views on sex, love, and marriage too—an astonishing woman in her own age, whose book of apocalyptic visions, \u003cem\u003eScivias\u003c\/em\u003e, would alone have been enough to ensure her lasting fame.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn this classic and highly praised biography, first published by Headline in 2001, distinguished writer and journalist Fiona Maddocks draws on Hildegard's prolific writings to paint a portrait of her extraordinary life against the turbulent medieval background of crusade and schism, scientific discovery, and cultural revolution. The great intellectual gifts and forceful character that emerge make her as fascinating as any figure in the Middle Ages.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMore than 800 years after her death, Pope Benedict XVI has made Hildegard a Saint and a Doctor of the Church (one of only four women). Fiona Maddocks has provided a short new preface to cover these tributes to an extraordinary and exceptional woman.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46843926511852,"sku":"9780571302437","price":36.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/10700483482391.jpg?v=1758820550"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.pro\/collections\/fiona-maddocks.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}