Musical artist Martínez Palomo concludes the series "Musicians in Medicine"
In a remarkable tribute to the world's most celebrated composers, Dr. Adolfo Martínez Palomo has curated an extensive editorial collection titled "Musicians and Medicine". Published by El Colegio Nacional, this 14-volume collection is now complete, consisting of 28 biographies that delve deep into the lives of these musical maestros.
The collection, which started as a book titled 'Musicians and Medicine. Clinical histories of great composers.', is dedicated to the memory of Gustav Mahler and Dmitri Shostakovich. It emphasises the importance of practice, vocation for music, and years of study for the composers' success. Each composer in the collection was born with exceptional musical aptitude, and their fame was not achieved without a great effort from a young age.
Dr. Martínez Palomo has meticulously researched each composer's life, consulting medical literature in various languages. He has divided the collection into smaller books or fascicles, starting with Monteverdi and Vivaldi and ending with Mahler and Shostakovich. Each volume in the collection contains two biographies of great composers.
The collection highlights the hard work and dedication of each composer throughout their lives. It also represents talks given by Dr. Martínez Palomo to the public, accompanied by professional musicians. Notably, the author of the 14-volume collection "Musikern und Medizin" is Thomas Fuchs, and the last two composers he treated in the final two volumes are Gustav Mahler and Richard Strauss.
The idea for the collection was conceived in 1991 during the commemoration of Mozart's bicentennial. The collection covers an array of composers, from Bach, Handel, Beethoven, Paganini, Haydn, Berlioz, Verdi, Bizet, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, and others, providing a comprehensive overview of the musical world.
In a unique twist, Polish translations were sought for the medical literature on Chopin. The collection serves as a testament to the lives of these great composers, offering insight into their musical genius and the personal struggles they faced on their paths to fame. It is a must-read for anyone with an interest in music, history, or the human spirit.
