Elevator Music: A Surreal History of Muzak, Easy-Listening, and Other Moodsong

by Joseph Lanza

Book Overview

Acclaimed author Lanza presents an informative and entertaining historical view of background music, from its beginnings in 1922 by a former Civil War general to alleviate the fears of passengers in the new-fangled elevators, through its evolution from lite FM to New Age to movie soundtracks. Photos.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312105401
• ISBN13: 9780312105402
• Release Date: January 1994
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press
• Length: 280 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.8" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

fantastic book

I loved those beautiful music radio stations back in the 70s and 80s . There was so much background information in this book about the makers of that wonderful music that we all grew up with.I had no idea about . It was interesting reading about the beginnings of MUZAc and the orchestras of that period.They really were very high quality.They were indeed quite artistic and always entertaining.I agree with the author that that type of music did not deserve the criticism it got. There was a lot of prejudice.The muzac today is really the problem as it does invade one's privacy.

"Elevator Music" gave me a BIG L-I-F-T!

The author did a marvelous job researching the subject ofpoporchestra easy listening music. He covers in some detail all thegreats who made this style of music so popular during the 1950s, '60s and '70s. The welcome chapter on Beautiful Music stereo FM radio stations of the '70s should have included the name of Bob Chandler, who programmed WGAY Washington, D.C. Bob was the person most responsible for making 'GAY the best station of its kind in the U.S. and the #1-rated station in our Nation's Capital during much of the 1970s. Please note that Time-Life Music has issued a series of Instrumental Favorites featuring all the artists discussed by the author. ( ) Author Joesph Lanza has written the annotations to this series of exquisite recordings.

"Elevator Music" gave me a BIG L-I-F-T!

The author did a marvelous job researching the subject ofpoporchestra easy listening music. He covers in some detail all thegreats who made this style of music so popular during the 1950s, '60s and '70s. The welcome chapter on Beautiful Music stereo FM radio stations of the '70s should have included the name of Bob Chandler, who programmed WGAY Washington, D.C. Bob was the person most responsible for making 'GAY the best station of its kind in the U.S. and the #1-rated station in our Nation's Capital during much of the 1970s. Please note that Time-Life Music has issued a series of Instrumental Favorites featuring all the artists discussed by the author...

Joseph Lanza Nails His Subject Matter Impressively

Lanza's exploration of elevator music, easy listening and all things moodsong is the definitive book for anyone who has an interest in a very misunderstood genre. As someone very close to the Easy Listening and Mood Music programming that quietly ruled FM radio for much of the 70's, let me tell you... Joseph Lanza nails his subject matter impressively. Whether you consider yourself a Percy Faith, Roger Williams or Mantovani fan... or are just curious about these plush, melodic sounds, "Elevator Music: A Surreal History Of Muzak, Easy Listening and Other Moodsong" makes for enjoyable reading. This isn't a book that seeks to cash in on what someone recently decided to call lounge music but an evenhanded evaluation of fascinating, mostly instrumental adult pop music with melodies that always lingered on.

The Oasis of Muzak

Standing apart from the slagheap of so-called histories of "Lounge" music is Joseph Lanza's brilliant "Elevator Music."  Lanza has contributed an exhaustively-researched and riveting account of a genre of music too often dismissed by those deafened by the relentless rhythms of today's popular music.  Without resorting to the insipid and meaningless exploitation of kitsch nostalgia, the book makes a convincing argument that this music does indeed serve to "elevate" the spirits of its listeners.  Rather than being an inescapable aural assault, elevator music has the possibility of being considered as pleasurable foreground, if the listener so chooses, or benign background, as a subconscious presence.  One need only walk into Howard Johnson's from the bustle of Times Square to experience the oasis that elevator music creates within that space. Our society would no doubt be much better off if elevator music were more prevalent in its public spaces than the angst-ridden, self-conscious pop and rap that now dominate our daily soundscape.