Malaysia Birds

The up-to-date text covers the identification, voice, habitat, behaviour and range of all the 1270 species and distinctive subspecies of this magnificent bird-rich region. The authoritative text is accompanied by over 140 full-colour plates painted by a range of expert artists and covering major plumage variations.

Alexandre Tansman (1897-1986) was born in Lodz, Poland, into a wealthy Jewish family of great culture. He spoke five languages and studied law and philosophy. His early compositions show experiments with atonality and 12-tone music. In 1919 he left Poland for Paris, where he settled permanently. Tansman: "I spent the first twenty years of my life in Poland. In regard to the importance of Slavic influence in my music, I can readily say that I followed the same path as Bartók or Manuel de Falla: folklore imaginé. I did not use popular themes per se. I used, however, their general melodic contour. This folklore remained strongly present in my musical sensitivity".