In November 1916; a young Afro-Brazilian musician named Donga registered sheet music for the song "Pelo telefone" ("On the Telephone") at the National Library in Rio de Janeiro. This apparently simple actmdash;claiming ownership of a musical compositionmdash;set in motion a series of events that would shake Brazils cultural landscape. Before the debut of "Pelo telephone;" samba was a somewhat obscure term; but by the late 1920s; the wildly popular song had helped to make it synonymous with Brazilian national music.The success of "Pelo telephone" embroiled Donga in controversy. A group of musicians claimed that he had stolen their work; and a prominent journalist accused him of selling out his people in pursuit of profit and fame. Within this single episode are many of the concerns that animate Making Samba; including intellectual property claims; the Brazilian state; popular music; race; gender; national identity; and the history of Afro-Brazilians in Rio de Janeiro. By tracing the careers of Rios pioneering black musicians from the late nineteenth century until the 1970s; Marc A. Hertzman revises the histories of samba and of Brazilian national culture.
#4579009 in eBooks 2012-12-20 2012-12-20File Name: B00E3FBPDE
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. A Good ReadBy Richard BThere are plenty of books around covering the island of Manhattan and its transformation from a Dutch colony to the megatropolis that it is today. There are many angles to this story; but this one comes from the side that says we are too quick to destroy our landmark buildings and New York has become a battle ground for that issue. Some great photos and interesting information. If you like old buildings and the idea of keeping them around; this is a good read.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. The pre-law preservation battles for landmarks like Castle ClintonBy Bradley J. VogelWhy does New Yorks soaring Grand Central Terminal exist today...but not the equally impressive beaux arts Pennsylvania Station? This eminently readable and well-researched book unravels the tale of how New York City came to have a law protecting its historic; cultural and architectural landmarks. The pre-law preservation battles for landmarks like Castle Clinton; the Brokaw mansions and Greenwich Villages Jefferson Courthouse (and various other tussles with Robert Moses) are brought to life; as are key individual preservationists; such as the indomitable Albert Bard.In this; the year of the fiftieth anniversary of NYCs landmarks law; it has been especially rewarding to discover in full the roots of New Yorks great effort to save its own sense of itself1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Preserving New York: A Must-Read for Every PreservationistBy William J. CookAlthough many people think of New York City as a place that never looks back; it has managed to retain a wealth of architectural evidence from the past; even as it has experienced significant losses. In his book Preserving New York: Winning the Right to Protect a Citys Landmarks (2008); noted preservation advocate and expert Anthony C. Wood describes New Yorks historic preservation legacy with a fresh point of view; one that goes far beyond the U.S. Supreme Courts decision in Penn Central. (Historic preservation aficionados know this case as the first to uphold historic preservation as a valid public policy; most others associate it with the regulatory takings test the Court established there.) Describing an overlooked period in the development of the preservation movement in New York--1913 to 1965--Wood gives insight into the origins of the Citys Landmarks Law. This nationally recognized law; Wood demonstrates; didnt spring into being merely because of the destruction of Pennsylvania Station; but also resulted from the culmination of the efforts of forgotten civic leaders on behalf of a wide range of equally important historic properties. Their work lives on in the rich and varied city we appreciate today and in the laws that protect it. Preservation leaders across the country will find lessons to apply in their own communities. In addition; I recommend it as a text to accompany any course in historic preservation.William J. CookAssistant ProfessorCharleston School of Law