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Rock Me Amadeus – Seb Hunter
This review is brought to you by contributing reviewer - Charlotte Bryant.
I loved this book. Unfortunately Seb Hunter’s work has only just come to my attention and Rock Me Amadeus (published 2007) is a must if you have a soul, a sense of humour and love music. Thankfully Mr Hunter is in the middle of writing another masterpiece, of which I will endeavour to review hot off the press.
Seb Hunter’s concise and enlightening personal journey into the history of classical music was written on the pretext, that it was a quest for knowledge and adulthood. I feel that after a rather successful, alcoholic trip around Europe to the theme tune of Bruckner’s Symphony No 2 in C Minor, he just gleaned the knowledge – who needs adulthood anyway.
I, like Mr hunter, am a ‘twightlight-chasing thirty something’, quasi teenager with a passion for popular music. However, unlike Mr Hunter, my love for all things rock, stem from years of classical music appreciation. This was going to be an interesting read.
Rock Me Amadeus travels from the medieval era (11th – 15th century) through to 20th century composers. The book starts with the “world’s first ever composer” Abbess Hildegard of Bingen (1095 - 1179). Have you ever heard of her?
Actually I had, and also owned a tape of her music! I couldn’t work out whether this made me a grown-up or just a very straight teenager. Needless to say the book continues in this surprisingly indepth way, but with a beginner ‘s excitement for assimilating knowledge. Bach was a genius, Mozart had Tourette’s syndrome and ‘Mahler was Rammstein on Prozac’. The book is thorough enough to be educational, but with a light heartedness that makes you laugh openly on every page.
Seb Hunter researches, ridicules and grades all of his subjects on a ‘sex, drugs and rock’n’roll’ rating, whilst giving you his own recommendations – it made me reassess my classical collection. And although he modestly uses urine and swimming pool metaphors to explain the conciseness of his book, it is a perfect introduction to classical music.
A note to music teachers – this could be the jewel in the crown of your teaching career.
A note to students – if you want to get to grips with the origins and complexities of many rock classics, Rock me Amadeus will take you on the essential joyride of a lifetime.
A note to Mr Hunter – Chopin may be the Jeff Beck of the 1800’s, but he looked uncannily like Marilyn Manson, don’t you think?
Right, I’m off to read Seb Hunter’s first published epic 'Hell Bent for Leather' (Confessions of a Heavy Metal Addict), mainly because reading Rock Me Amadeus again, is a little too akin to Kathy Bates in Misery.
PS. Don’t forget to read the inspired glossary.
Buy Rock Me Amadeus Here.
Buy Hell Bent For Leather Here.