Post by Jim Boylston on Oct 21, 2009 9:06:10 GMT -5
Book Reviews
Jesús F. De La Teja, Editor
Music of the Alamo: From 19th-Century Ballads to Big-Screen Soundtracks. By: William R. Chemerka
and Allen J. Wiener. Introduction by Phil Collins. Foreword by Fess Parker. (Houston: Bright
Sky Press, 2008. Pp. 192. Color illustrations, discography, bibliography. ISBN 9781933979311.
$21.95, cloth.)
To be honest, I was a bit apprehensive about reading this book. The glossy cover design, the opening commentaries by celebrities Fess Parker and Phil Collins, and the central theme—the music of the Alamo—had me concerned that this publication might be mostly fluff, suitable as a souvenir for tourists visiting the Alamo gift shop but not much more than that. I am pleased to say that I was very wrong.
It is not that this is not an attractive, readable book that can be enjoyed by anyone, historian or casual reader. It is. The images are impressive, the layout is well conceived, and the music CD included in the back cover sleeve provides a nice, broad sampling of music associated with the Alamo. This is an accessible, engaging, entertaining work that anyone with an interest in Texas history and culture
would find rewarding.
However, Music of the Alamo is also impressive in terms of its scholarship. It is not intended to be an exhaustive academic examination of the topic, so it is not laden with abstract historiographical arguments or extensive footnoting, but it is fairly well documented, and it does include a thoughtful, rather in-depth discussion of the many social, cultural, and political issues that helped shape the current mythology surrounding the state's most famous historical shrine.
Rather than focusing primarily on the brave deeds of Davy Crockett, William Travis, and others, as so many books about the Alamo have done, Chemerka and Wiener provide a very balanced account of the well-known battle and the subsequent mythology by candidly addressing such thorny issues as racism, ethnic stereotyping, and hero worship. The authors do a good job of affording due respect to the Alamo and its defenders while still pointing out that much of the popular music associated with this famous site has been manufactured by those seeking to glorify the dead as martyrs or simply to turn a profit.
Music is, after all, the book's main theme, and Chemerka and Wiener present a wide variety of song samples, ranging from the Civil War era to the present, which illustrate how the Alamo and some of its more prominent defenders (most notably Davy Crockett) have been celebrated throughout the world. Music of the Alamo includes sheet music, movie posters, photos of Alamo-related merchandise,
and a number of other images that help explain just how central music has been to the evolution and perpetuation of the Alamo myth. It also includes an extensive bibliography and discography that help guide the reader to additional sources of information.
All in all, this is a well-researched, well-written, and beautifully designed book that will be enjoyed by almost anyone interested in Texas music history.
Texas State University-San Marcos GARY HARTMAN
SOUTHWESTERN HISTORICAL QUARTERLY, OCTOBER, 2009 (VOL. CXIII, NO. 2)
Jesús F. De La Teja, Editor
Music of the Alamo: From 19th-Century Ballads to Big-Screen Soundtracks. By: William R. Chemerka
and Allen J. Wiener. Introduction by Phil Collins. Foreword by Fess Parker. (Houston: Bright
Sky Press, 2008. Pp. 192. Color illustrations, discography, bibliography. ISBN 9781933979311.
$21.95, cloth.)
To be honest, I was a bit apprehensive about reading this book. The glossy cover design, the opening commentaries by celebrities Fess Parker and Phil Collins, and the central theme—the music of the Alamo—had me concerned that this publication might be mostly fluff, suitable as a souvenir for tourists visiting the Alamo gift shop but not much more than that. I am pleased to say that I was very wrong.
It is not that this is not an attractive, readable book that can be enjoyed by anyone, historian or casual reader. It is. The images are impressive, the layout is well conceived, and the music CD included in the back cover sleeve provides a nice, broad sampling of music associated with the Alamo. This is an accessible, engaging, entertaining work that anyone with an interest in Texas history and culture
would find rewarding.
However, Music of the Alamo is also impressive in terms of its scholarship. It is not intended to be an exhaustive academic examination of the topic, so it is not laden with abstract historiographical arguments or extensive footnoting, but it is fairly well documented, and it does include a thoughtful, rather in-depth discussion of the many social, cultural, and political issues that helped shape the current mythology surrounding the state's most famous historical shrine.
Rather than focusing primarily on the brave deeds of Davy Crockett, William Travis, and others, as so many books about the Alamo have done, Chemerka and Wiener provide a very balanced account of the well-known battle and the subsequent mythology by candidly addressing such thorny issues as racism, ethnic stereotyping, and hero worship. The authors do a good job of affording due respect to the Alamo and its defenders while still pointing out that much of the popular music associated with this famous site has been manufactured by those seeking to glorify the dead as martyrs or simply to turn a profit.
Music is, after all, the book's main theme, and Chemerka and Wiener present a wide variety of song samples, ranging from the Civil War era to the present, which illustrate how the Alamo and some of its more prominent defenders (most notably Davy Crockett) have been celebrated throughout the world. Music of the Alamo includes sheet music, movie posters, photos of Alamo-related merchandise,
and a number of other images that help explain just how central music has been to the evolution and perpetuation of the Alamo myth. It also includes an extensive bibliography and discography that help guide the reader to additional sources of information.
All in all, this is a well-researched, well-written, and beautifully designed book that will be enjoyed by almost anyone interested in Texas music history.
Texas State University-San Marcos GARY HARTMAN
SOUTHWESTERN HISTORICAL QUARTERLY, OCTOBER, 2009 (VOL. CXIII, NO. 2)