"Overall, for the Francophile, re­searcher of urban studies, curious traveler, or musicologist (including college or university music history in­structors), Blaszkiewicz provides an en­lightening look at nineteenth-century Paris in a way not often considered…Blaszkiewicz’s study, utilizing Second Empire monumentality and spectacle as a jumping off point, chal­lenges readers to consider Paris at the street level by imagining and listening to the voices and the stories of those who made the city “the city” and who brushed up against the barrier be­tween old and new Paris."

“Fanfare for a City is an impressive, deeply researched achievement that offers a fresh perspective on the relationship between soundscape and cityscape in the Second Empire. For musicologists and readers interested in nineteenth-century French culture, the book provides new insights about musical practices and genres that have been little explored. “

“This book shines and succeeds on every level: its methodological purpose, its wide use of sources, its clever exploration of terms, all of which are delivered in beautiful prose.”