Books

FORTHCOMING March 24, 2026

(Blackwater Press):

The Disciple: A Wagnerian Tale of the Gilded Age

A prequel to The Marriage, The Disciple tracks the New York career of Wagner's charismatic New World prophet, Anton Seidl -- a triumphant journey ending in tragedy.

ADVANCE PRAISE:

“Joseph Horowitz’s captivating novel of the Gilded Age comes alive through the saga of an overlooked genius: Wagner’s protégé Anton Seidl. He transfigures the vibrant world of American classical music at the dawn of the 20th century into a compelling narrative commanding in detail. And he yet again challenges our mounting cultural amnesia.” —Thomas Hampson

“For several decades now, Joseph Horowitz has been our Cicerone through the vibrant scenery of classical music in Gilded Age America. Such is his love for that almost forgotten chapter of our history that he felt moved to transpose his unmatched knowledge of the era to the more easily accessible plane of fiction. The Disciple moves dexterously among New York, Bayreuth, and Brooklyn, glimpsing a memorable rendezvous of Wagnerism and Feminism. Those who love the cultural history of New York will come away both enriched and enlightened.” —Hans Rudolf Vaget (Shedd Professor of German Studies and Comparative Literature Emeritus, Smith College)

“The Disciple will astonish readers with its insights into an extraordinary but little-known American artistic epoch. The re-creation of Antonin Dvorak is absolutely magical – poetic, tender, funny, irresistible. It evinces Horowitz’s love for the man and his music, brought to life in the most fascinating and beautiful way.” --JoAnn Falletta, Music Director, the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra

“Joseph Horowitz’s knowledge of the great Anton Seidl—one of the most charismatic figures of the Gilded Age—is second to none. He also possesses a remarkable capacity to weave a compelling fictional narrative. I learned a lot about Seidl, about the social milieu that he seduced, and about the thrilling musical life that he dominated.” —Barry Millington (chief music critic for The London Evening Standard and editor of The Wagner Journal)

The Marriage

The first book-length account of the Mahlers'
tumultuous New York sojourn

(BlackWater Press, 2023)

(Wolke Verlag, 2024)

"On My Way"

A revelatory history of the operatic masterpiece
that both made and destroyed Rouben Mamoulian,
its director and unsung hero

(W.W. Norton & Company, 2013)

Artists in Exile

An Economist Best Book of the Year
A New York Times Book Review Editor's Choice

(HarperCollins, Feb 2008)

Dvorak in America

A book for young readers

(Cricket Books, 2003)

Wagner Nights

Named best book of the year by the Society of American Music

(Univ. of California Press, 1994; paperback 1995)

Understanding Toscanini

Named one of the best books of the year by the New York Book Critics Circle

(Knopf, 1987; paperback: Univ. of Minnesota Press,
Univ. of California Press)

The Propaganda of Freedom

Horowitz explores the perils of equating notions of freedom with artistic vitality.

(University of Illinois Press, 2023)

Dvorak's Prophecy

A provocative interpretation of why classical music in America "stayed white"—how it got to be that way and what can be done about it.

(W.W. Norton & Company, 2021)

Moral Fire

"Consistently fascinating, thought-provoking, and rewarding. This book should be of great interest to anyone who loves music." — Mark Volpe, Managing Director, Boston Symphony Orchestra

(University of California Press 2012)