Books

While SWANN'S WAY (1991) is Donald's official autobiography, his other two volumes of prose (SPACE BETWEEN THE BARS and SWANN'S WAY OUT) share with us much detail about the life and thoughts of this extraordinary man. All three books are now unfortunately out of print.

THE SPACE BETWEEN THE BARS (1968) Swann's autobiographical reflections and testament of faith. "I've often wondered what Donald Swann thinks about when we're on stage together. Here it all is. The book reminds me of the Confessions of Saint Augustine. But not much." Michael Flanders (dust jacket frontispiece). Hardback: Hodder and Stoughton. 9th Sept 1968. UK Hardback: Hodder and Stoughton. 9th Sept 1968. US Hardback: Simon & Schuster 1968 UK Paperback: Hodder & Stoughton 1972 (republished to link with BETWEEN THE BARS run at the Shaw Theatre). Click on the cover pictures for a larger version.

SWANN'S WAY OUT – A Posthumous Adventure (1975) Personal exploration and theological divertissement. "Once I saw myself dead, a torrent of ideas came into my mind exactly as when I start a new musical composition, and those ideas carried me through all sorts of after-death states and locations where I meet after-death people." Donald Swann (dust jacket frontispiece). Hardback: Weidenfeld & Nicolson 3rd April 1975.

SWANN'S WAY: A LIFE IN SONG (1991) The definitive autobiography (as told to Lyn Smith). 1st edition (Hardback). Heinemann 1991. 2nd edition (Paperback) with an extra chapter (CODA). Arthur James 1993. 3rd edition (Paperback) with revised index and postscript by Leon Berger & Alison Swann Smith. Thames Publishing 1997.

ALPHABETAPHON A quirky coffee-table book. 26 pensées arranged alphabetically, eccentrically illustrated by Natasha Swann. Publisher: Albert House 1983. A few Archive copies are available. Contact Leon Berger. Click on the cover picture for a larger version.

Bibliography

Dozens of music and showbiz books mention Donald (and Michael). Below are just a few key texts:

BOOKS
Amiscellany, John Amis. Faber & Faber, London 1985.
My Music in London, John Amis. Amiscellany Books 2006.
Promise Me You'll Sing Mud, Ian Wallace. John Calder, London 1975.
Nothing Quite Like It, Ian Wallace, Elm Tree Books, London 1982.
Laughing in My Sleep, Frank Topping. Spire, Hodder & Stoughton London 1993.

ARTICLES
'With the Swann in the Evening', Royal College of Music Magazine. Alison Smith, Autumn Term 1992.Volume LXXXIX No.3. Pp27-30.

'Donald Swann', Sacred Music Drama: The Producer's Guide. Carl Gerbrandt, Prestige Publications, Princeton, New Jersey 1993. Pp229-234.

'Fantasy Set to Music: Donald Swann, C.S.Lewis and J.R.R.Tolkien', SEVEN: An Anglo-American Literary Review, William Phemister. Volume 13 1996. The Marian E. Wade Center, Wheaton College, Illinois. Pp65-82.

'Perelandra: An Opera by Donald Swann & David Marsh', THE CHRONICLE OF THE OXFORD UNIVERSITY C.S. LEWIS SOCIETY. Leon Berger. Volume 6, Issue 1. Hilary Term, Winter 2009.Pp2-6.

'Donald Swann', New Grove Dictionary of Music & Musicians (edited by Stanley Sadie). Leon Berger, Volume 24. OUP 2001. Pp 756-7.