History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Music Fundamentals, Methods, and Materials for the Elementary Classroom Teacher (with Audio CD) (4th Edition)

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Music Fundamentals, Methods, and Materials for the Elementary Classroom Teacher (with Audio CD) (4th Edition)
Michon Rozmajzl , and Rene Boyer
Manufacturer: Allyn & Bacon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Ring-bound

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ASIN: 0205449646

A Creative Approach to Music Fundamentals (with CD-ROM and Keyboard Booklet)

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Review
. Class Book
Excellent content - criticism surprising
Confusing and not very creative...
A Creative Approach to Music Fundamentals (with CD-ROM)

A Creative Approach to Music Fundamentals (with CD-ROM and Keyboard Booklet)
William Duckworth
Manufacturer: Schirmer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 049509093X

Book Description

This market-leading book for the Fundamentals of Music course addresses students' differing abilities. Internationally renowned composer William Duckworth covers the fundamentals in 14 concise main chapters that are supplemented by 11 enrichment appendices. These offer extended coverage for teachers or students who desire additional instruction. With a practical focus on developing skills, Duckworth presents many clear examples that show students the basics. Because students can best learn the fundamentals by using them, written and aural exercises give students the opportunity to creatively apply their knowledge in realistic music situations.

Customer Reviews:

Review.......2007-09-30

I got my product I bought on time and it was what I wanted. Thank you!

. Class Book.......2007-09-17

This book was for my daughters class at PJC. She loves it and it seems to help her a lot.

Excellent content - criticism surprising.......2007-06-25

Criticism of this text as not good for people with little background is somewhat surprising. It begins rhythm with the idea that music is organized around an underlying pulse, then introduces basic note values and meters. It begins pitch at the level of "this is a staff." How much more basic can you get? I am an experienced music theory professor, and I find this an excellent systematic approach to music fundamentals. If you can learn, you can learn very well from this book; if you can teach, you can teach very well from it.

My only criticism regards the tear-out exercises. This 9th ed. has been improved so that the tear-outs won't take the rest of the text with them--that was a cheapskate, profit-centered approach to book design. Now they are all at the end of the chapter, albeit lumped together so they still don't come out individually. After students and I have all purchased a copy of the text, I still photocopy and distribute the exercises (now termed "Practice Materials") according to my lesson plans and overall course schedule.

The material itself is still presented as clearly and systematically as ever. As with any course content, mastery of material for many students still requires best teaching practices.

Confusing and not very creative..........2007-05-24

I have had to use this textbook to teach both a Theory I course and a music fundamentals course for non-music majors. The explanations in this book are confusing, don't include visual examples, and are too in-depth. For classes that have substantial music experience, the exercises could be helpful in reinforcing concepts they already know. However, for someone with little or no experience this book leaves students feeling quite lost. There is nothing creative about this text, except for possibly the visual use of the keyboard to reinforce a few skills. You would think something creative would use more modern musical examples, a tactile method of applying skills, and include more helpful visual examples. Also- unless a student is planning on becoming a musician, then they will never have a need for the information they learn in this book.

A Creative Approach to Music Fundamentals (with CD-ROM).......2006-07-31

A Creative Approach to Music Fundamentals (with CD-ROM)
WAT EALS DO U WANN

The Elements of Music: Concepts and Applications, Vol. I

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Useful Guide to Learn Music Theory
Learning Music Theory has never been easier!
Understandable & Comprehensive
No Title
The Elements of Music: Concepts and Applications

The Elements of Music: Concepts and Applications, Vol. I
Ralph Turek
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Plastic Comb

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ASIN: 0070654743

Book Description

The Elements of Music is a two-volume text with companion workbooks for 2-year music theory courses that take a comprehensive approach. The text is distinguished by an attention to detail that makes learning (and teaching) easier; it is example intensive, immediately reinforcing theoretical concepts with musical selections.

In addition, The Elements of Music gives students a command of essential compositional and analytical skills -- including a strong grounding in four-part writing -- and an understanding of musical style though comprehensive analysis. Built-in pedagogical aids assist the student, while the extensive Instructor's Manual saves time for the teacher.

The second edition includes a greater emphasis on comprehensive analysis along with more thorough coverage of 4-part voice leading, harmony, large scale melodic and harmonic relationships, and 20th Century music. The Elements of Music works particularly well with The Analytical Anthology of Music, also by Turek.

Customer Reviews:

Useful Guide to Learn Music Theory.......2004-02-02

I know nothing about music theory and have read five to six books on this subject. Most of them are written for seating in the ABRSM's examinations or just enough for playing one musical instrument. However, this book is tailor-made for layman, which is very detailed written in academic and professional style. To me and those who know nothing about music at all, it is very good "road signal" to get into it.

Learning Music Theory has never been easier!.......2003-04-02

I never played any musical instruments or even sang extensively using sheet music, and therefore knew nothing when I arrived at college to take my first music theory class. With this book, I went from knowing nothing to being at the top of my class! Turek is just phenomenal with how genius this book is! I now tutor kids in music theory who have had it all their lives, it is that great! Thanks Dr. Turek!

Understandable & Comprehensive.......2002-02-12

I picked up guitar about 3 year ago and wanted to understand music theory. This book started simple, used lots of examples and built to an advanced level. I have a solid grasp of musical concepts that used to mystify me. I've really enjoyed it and look forward to studying volume II!

No Title.......2002-01-16

I used this textbook (as well as Vol. II) when I was doing my Musicology and Composition studies. Since then, I have devoured several other Theory textbooks, but this set remains the greatest yet written. Were I teaching, I would swear by it.

The Elements of Music: Concepts and Applications.......2000-03-31

This is an excellent book for gaining a good fundamental knowledge of music theory. I picked the book up at a university bookstore where it is used in a formal music department instructional setting. However, the mature, disciplined musician who can set aside study time to work through this book for self instruction will enjoy it and greatly improve their musical ability. In particular, I found the selection of musical examples useful, enjoyable and fun. Overall a great book.

Average customer rating:

I think Schoenberg might be part Vulcan...
Designed as a text for student composers wanting to learn the basics of musical form
One of the best works on musical forms
Excellent introductory material about musical form.

Fundamentals of Musical Composition
Arnold Schoenberg , and Leonard Stein
Manufacturer: Faber & Faber
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0571092764

Customer Reviews:

I think Schoenberg might be part Vulcan..........2006-03-18

I don't particularly like Schoenberg's music, but I think he does quite well in this book, which primarily covers musical form ranging from the tiniest motif to the complete sonata. He goes into detail about how each part of a piece is structured from ever smaller elements down to the phrase and the motifs within it. Over all, it really does cover the fundamentals of musical composition well.

The book covers a number of common musical forms in classical music, including minuets, scherzos, theme-and-variation, and the sonata-allegro form. I was somewhat dissappointed to see that important forms like the concerto and the tone poem were not covered, and it should be noted that Schoenberg focuses mainly on form in this book rather than harmony.

However, the approach presented in the book strikes me as somewhat contrived and mechanical and I find it hard to believe that Beethoven thought to himself "hmm, maybe I should invert the motif in measure 2 and repeat it at a different interval in measure 3". Other than that, though, it is mostly quite useful, though certainly not light reading.

Designed as a text for student composers wanting to learn the basics of musical form.......2005-11-15

Schoenberg worked on this text as part of his work with students at UCLA. He worked on it until his death in 1951 and had revised it several times. It is meant for students of composition rather than general music students studying form. The terminology is often Schoenberg's own and he, of course, has many interesting and strongly held views and approaches. It is not a text on twelve-tone composition, but of traditional and classic forms.

It was written in English rather than Shoenberg's native German, but he had the help of this volume's editor, Gerald Strang. In this edition, many of Schoenberg's specially composed examples were replaced by examples from the literature and the proprietary examples moved to the volume "Structural Functions of Harmony". This is meant to serve as a very fundamental discussion of these matters for students who are thinking about becoming composers.

One of the best works on musical forms.......2000-08-06

Arnold Schoemberg clearly demonstrates, through examples taken from baroque, classical and romantical pieces, the stuctural aspect of music; its small units, such as subjects, themes and phrases are explained in rich detail; the musical forms, like the minuet, rondo and sonata are also shown in full detail, allowing every music student to make contact with basic and advanced composition techniques. However, this is not for begginers, since advanced theory and harmony is required for full understanding. Like Schoemberg's "Theory of Harmony", this book doesn't contain material on twelve-tone composition and its specific forms, unfortunately.

Excellent introductory material about musical form........1997-02-15

This is an excellent book for musicians interested in dabbling in composition. It defines the basic terminology frequently used in composition and discusses the common forms: scherzo, theme and variations, rondo, and sonata-allegro. One of the most important things about this book is probably that it does not focus upon the theoretical aspect of music at all. Experience in harmonic structure is not necessary to read this book, although ability to read music is. Most examples are excerpts from common pre-20th century composers such as Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, etc. This book is an essential to any musician's library. Even performers can benefit by understanding the forms common in standard repertoire. However, for someone specifically looking for information about harmonic theory, this book provides very little useful information.

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Fundamental Method for Mallets, Book 1
Mitchell Peters
Manufacturer: Alfred Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Plastic Comb

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ASIN: 0739017020

Book Description

This comprehensive new method by Mitchell Peters (principal percussionist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic) helps percussionists at any level develop solid skills. The method contains an abundance of essential exercises and etudes for both 2- and 4-mallet technique in two convenient volumes! Covers the grip, stroke, playing position, reading and technical studies, and more!

Fundamentals of Musical Acoustics: Second, Revised Edition

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The best book I have seen
Just about everything
Excellent Introduction to Musical Acoustics
An Outstanding Book, Designed to Make You Think
Misleading and completely worthless book

Fundamentals of Musical Acoustics: Second, Revised Edition
Arthur H. Benade
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 048626484X

Book Description

Landmark book by leading expert, hailed for its astonishingly clear, delightfully readable explication of everything acoustical important to music-making. "Comprehensive...rigorous...well-organized...will surely be the text of choice." — American Scientist. "Recommended for music lovers and audiophiles" — Stereo Review. Over 300 illustrations. Examples, experiments and questions conclude each chapter.

Customer Reviews:

The best book I have seen.......2007-08-09

The best book on this topic that I have seen. Benade is a master of writing clearly and giving great examples that help the reader to visualize or imagine why sound is acting the way it does. I am using it in my quest to design a new kind of guitar, and it is extremely helpful. I also have Horns String and Harmony by Benade. He is a nuclear physicist with a penchant for audio, and I am glad he beat his weapons into flutes.

Just about everything.......2007-05-15

This book is close to exhaustive and can be an excellent addition to any reference library.

Excellent Introduction to Musical Acoustics.......2006-12-01

This book is an excellent introduction to the topic. Benade explains the subject assuming that the reader has no background in science (good for musicians) and no background in music (good for scientists). He writes the book as if he's translating a mathematical proof into plain English. Benade starts from scratch (even the notion of pitch is considered alien) and builds wonderfully intuitive understandings. Yes, this is an old book, so if you are NOT new to this field (and not afraid of math) then you'd be more interested in one of the Rossing books. But on the plus side, because the book was written before Benade had access to modern laboratory techniques, the "experiments" described in the book are all simple to understand and can be done at home. Unlike the Rossing books (which I also highly recommend), Benade's book does not read like a textbook or a reference source. It is very easy-to-read, so you can actually benefit from just sitting down and reading it (though Benade does provide problems at the end of the chapter for the dedicated reader).

In response to one of the unfavorable reviews posted, I do not find any fault with Benade when he states (p. 66) that "lopping off the higher frequency ... harmonics does not alter the perceived pitch of the sound." In fact, this statement comes right after an in-depth explanation of how the higher frequency partials DETERMINE the pitch for INHARMONIC sounds (e.g. chimes and bells). Perhaps the reviewer was confused by Benade's terminology. As explained on p. 63, Benade uses the word "partial" generically to describe higher frequency components. Benade reserves the term "harmonics" for partials that have whole-number relationships.

I wouldn't use this work as a college textbook, but I would certainly add it to the students' list of additional recommended references.

An Outstanding Book, Designed to Make You Think.......2004-08-03

While Benade's first book, "Horns Strings and Harmony", has some errors which he himself later acknowledged, "Fundamentals of Musical Acoustics" is one of the seminal books in the field. That doesn't mean that it is perfect in every respect, but it introduces a broad range of concepts in musical acoustics without the use of advanced mathematics, in a writing style that will appeal to the musician in addition to the scientist. The fine details of his theories regarding psychoacoustics, particularly pitch perception, have been challenged. But his general concepts are well accepted, and he presents them in a way that makes the reader think. His descriptions of experimental techniques (which generally aren't very complicated) have inspired me and others to repeat his experiments. Sometimes, results don't agree - that's when you have to think. Psychoacoustics relies on neurology and psychology, two sciences that, despite much brilliant work over the last 100 years, are still in their infancy. So, you can't judge his theories on psychoacoustics in the same light as his description of wave propagation, room modes, and perturbation functions in clarinets.

As a musician and an engineer, I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in how music and physics intersect. This is not the book to answer all your questions - it is the book to get you started on asking the right questions.

Misleading and completely worthless book.......2002-05-28

I bought this book ...in hope to get some help in explaining basics of musical acoustics to my college-age kids in a systematic, organized manner. What a disappointment!

In page 56 the author lists "Measured Values of Components of a Set of Guitar Strings".
One would expect a discussion about string inharmonicity as an explanation why partials of different strings have different frequencies while having the same fundamental' frequency. An utterly important and well known phenomenon is "responsible" for correct musical instruments recognition and perception is completely avoided in the text. Moreover, in the page 66 we found that "It is easy to verify ... that lopping off the higher frequency members of ...harmonics does not alter the perceived pitch of the sound". This statement is simply wrong: it is an established fact that the spectrum of the sound DOES affect the perceived pith. On the page 194 another treasure left me wondering what the author meant by "Compact, small, solid objects act somewhat as new sources of sound that originate new impulses of modified shape whenever an impulse is incident upon them". Here's more of the same amusing kind on the page 574:
"Brass instruments, particularly French horns, often "talk" to one another, so that the sound radiated by one of them enters the bell of its neighbor and thence joins in at the player's lips to influence the regime of oscillation." Tell this to a brass player!

There're glowing phrase on the back cover of this book by Audio Amateur, American Scientist, Physics Today and Stereo Review. While the first and the last - now extinct - publications can be "forgiven" as being amateur indeed, the American Scientist's and Physics' credibility is drastically diminished in my eyes; it's hard for me to believe those magazines fell for this misleading and in many cases simply wrong, book.
As a whole, this Mr. Benade' creation is anything but "a landmark book in its field, hailed for its astonishingly clear, delightfully readable statement of everything of acoustical importance..." as stated on the back; rather this book is nothing more that a pathetic waste of paper.

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Great as a Reference, But...

Fool not to own one

For a couple previous idiots:

Quite helpful

does what the title says

How to Read Music: Fundamentals of Music Notation Made Easy
Roger Evans
Manufacturer: Three Rivers Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Learn to Read Music

Basic Guide to How to Read Music

How to Play Piano: Everything You Need to Know to Play the Piano (How to Play)

The Everything Reading Music Book: A Step-By-Step Introduction To Understanding Music Notation And Theory (Everything: Sports and Hobbies)

How to Read Music: Reading Music Made Simple

ASIN: 0517884380
Release Date: 1995-04-25

Book Description

A basic primer for anyone without musical training who wishes to learn to read musical scores when singing or taking up an instrument. The book explains how notes are named and written; how to read melody, interpret time signatures, keys, sharps, flats, and naturals; how to read tempo; and how to play chords.

Customer Reviews:

Great as a Reference, But..........2007-09-10

...not so great for trying to learn from scratch! I had been playing the keyboard/piano for years (learning songs by ear and making my own compositions) before I decided that I wanted to give a shot at learning how to read sheet music. Back in '04, this was the first book I got on music notation. The statement on the outside cover about "challenging exercises" is right! This book jumps right in to assuming that the learner will want to spend time pouring over each exercise repeatedly for extended lengths of time before moving onto the next one, without offering assistance in the way of memorization techniques. For instance, in one of the early sections, the author states: "As long as you can remember the name of ONE note, you can work out all the others." This isn't much help, being that the book introduces nearly all the notes at once, in rapid succession; first the ones on the staff, then all the notes above and below the staffs! The only song learned in between is a brief version of Beethoven's "Ode to Joy". Not even E-G-B-D-F (Every Good Boy Does Fine) and G-B-D-F-A (Great Big Dogs Fight Animals) are thrown in as helpful mnemonics for the treble and bass cleff!

Plus, this book only includes eleven practice songs! While covering a myriad of complex areas, there is little chance to practice and whole lot of imformation to memorize for a complete beginner. The attitude of this book is comparable to the situation where you ask someone how to draw something, and they say "Oh, it's easy, you just do this..." and then proceed draw a masterpiece from scratch without telling you anything about method or technique! While claiming that it is "fundamentals of music notation made easy", Evans' book really presents the material in a way which is more frustrating than enlightening.

I had given up on learning how to read sheet music for awhile, until I came across Adult All-In-One Course: Lesson-Theory-Technic : Level 1 (Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course), which is fantastic. Unlike Roger Evan's book, I was able to progress through a new section and song every few days in Alfred's, and it took me about 3 1/2 months to finish. There are two other levels in the course that I plan on moving onto, since I can now play all the songs in that book, a few songs in other sheet music books I've gotten, and I have a pretty good understanding of the principals that the book covers (what key a song is in, chords, etc.).

However, I should note that I have actually used Evans' as a reference on occasion For being such a pretentious book, its 'Directory of Musical Signs', 'Note Directory', and 'Short Musical Dictionary' are definitely useful for clarifying certain terms and notes. But, helpful in learning how to actually read music for the first time? Not for me!

Fool not to own one.......2007-02-21

After reading some of the foolish comments by some of the "reviewers", here's the honest truth. This is ONE GREAT LITTLE BOOK! It's amazing that so much can be packed in such a short package, but this one does it. Forget about the staff/stave BS. It's irrelevant. I may say quaver or semiquaver half note or whole note. Who cares? If you are this picky then you shouldn't be learning to read music in the first place. I have been teaching all my student using this and earlier editions for about 10yrs now. NEVER had a complaint.
BTW, I do agree. It's a GREAT lil reference too. Buy it! Own it!

For a couple previous idiots:.......2006-04-21

The Staff: Music. A set of horizontal lines and intermediate spaces used in notation to represent a sequence of pitches, in modern notation normally consisting of five lines and four spaces. Also called stave.

Thank you dictionary.com :)

Don't get caught up on what YOU refer to the staff as, you miss the point of the book.

Quite helpful.......2006-03-01

I was able to see this book in person before purchasing it online. It is easy to read and understand, especially when you wonder if you're too old to learn to read music. I haven't applied the techniques yet, but I understand what I'm reading. I looked through several other books and they were more confusing - keeping in mind that I have never read music.

does what the title says.......2005-08-24

In the first part, the book covers the basic notation in detail, step by step. Author asks you to do a review and make sure you know all the previous material before attempting musical sight reading exercises. The second part of the book covers the more complex notation found in the classical pieces. It is more fast paced because the author assumes that a reader has accumulated the knowledge from the first part. At the end, there are: a directory of musical signs, a directory of all notes on the piano and guitar, and a short musical dictionary. Very handy reference.

Are there better books on the topic? I do not know. I'm not an expert. In my opinion the book does what it advertises. You'll certainly learn how to read the music. Price is really acceptable. Check out the reviews for other books of Roger Evans. Rather impressive. Then judge for yourself.
I'll give it five stars.

Evoking Sound: Fundamentals of Choral Conducting and Rehearsing (Item #4257)

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If you are a musician you need to read this book!
A return to the basics of the conducting art
Ground Breaking
A complete waste of time!

Evoking Sound: Fundamentals of Choral Conducting and Rehearsing (Item #4257)
James Mark Jordan
Manufacturer: GIA Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0941050831

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If you are a musician you need to read this book!.......2005-03-15

This book is AMAZING! I can honestly say that reading this book changed my life. Dr. James Jordan is a pioneer of the music world and his books are my most cherished. The Musician's Spirit is also excellent, and it is also a book worth owning.

To put is simply, Dr. Jordan writes beautifully. Buy his books they are worth every penny.

A return to the basics of the conducting art.......2002-05-23

The ability of going beyond patterns and conducting technique is what matters the most for a conductor. Though books dedicated to conducting techniques are mandatory for studying the discipline, a conductor definitely needs to be concerned with the close relationship between choral sound and physical gesture. The most difficult duty for conductors is the ability to express themselves through gestures and other human elements to their best, in such a way that the singers be able to react spontaneously and honestly. For that, it is imperative for both the conductor and the singers that they master the technique of being, reacting, conducting, and singing in a natural way. As a consequence, the physical approach is defining. The way a conductor feels, breathes, reacts, and knows a choral work is reflected in his or her gestures and face. From there, these aspects will be reflected in the way singers respond to a conductor's gestures and suggestions. The closeness of the conductor - choir mental and psychological relationship must be so intense that it has the ability to anticipate any unsuitable performing 'slips.'
To write his remarkable book about conducting choral sound, Jordan masterfully combined research with his background inherited from his gifted teachers, as well as with the experience he gained while working with students at Westminster and Chapel Choirs he conducted.
Evoking Sound is structured in three parts: 'Building a Relationship of Gesture to Sound,' 'Literature for Study and Self-Evaluation,' and 'A Primer for Rehearsal Technique.' The book also comprises two Appendices, Bibliography, and Suggested List for Further Reading, as well as an Index of Quoted Persons and a Topical Index. Each part defines through several chapters the main aspects of breathing and muscle relaxation (Alexander Technique), self-observation (of the Laban Effort Elements), consistent tempo, the anticipatory position, gestural vocabulary, music aptitude, preparing the score, literature for study and self-evaluation, to name only a few of them. In the second part, after a thorough explanation of all the above concepts, one can find a broad list of musical examples with practical suggestions and charts. The last part discusses elements of choral sound producing as well as pronunciation and diction issues, and provides a final table in which Jordan summarizes rehearsal technique issues.
Though the literary style of this book is accessible through the use of common language, the depth of Jordan's analysis and the details he provides make Evoking Sound a method book for professionals and people interested in this subject matter. However, the author tries to ease the 'heavy academic' approach by citing many opinions of famous artists at the beginning of each chapter. Also, he is very organized, the structure of each of his chapters following a specific order, i.e. definitions, applications, drawings (if necessary), musical examples, and ending with practical exercises.
In conclusion, James Jordan's Evoking Sound returns to the basics of the conducting art by pointing out the importance of achieving the ability to inspire those being conducted even before one can conduct. The cover of the book optimistically states its goal: "You'll come away from Evoking Sound feeling a renewed sense of the totality of the conducting endeavor, as well as a grasp of how to better undertake it to evoke sound from many, unique human instruments." Consequently, I consider this book worth having in any conductor's personal library or even better, on the study desk.

Ground Breaking.......1999-08-02

This book is NOT a re-ordering of previously published information found in the myriad of conducting texts available. Quite the contrary, Jordan addresses some of the most important issues that face the conductor but are rarely, if ever, discussed, but tend to have the most dramatic impact on their success. As a conductor and teacher of conducting for over 15 years, I will adopt this text as the core material for my future conducting classes. Jordan has been able to put into words the very things that I have been trying to teach, offering concrete excercises along with the philosophical discussion. This book will make the learning process so much easier and systematic for my students. Way to go James Jordan! I get it!

A complete waste of time!.......1999-07-21

The author talks in circles and never says much that is useful. Most of the material that IS useful is stolen from other writers. You are better off reading one of the standard conducting texts. This book is a waste of your time.

Music Every Day: Transforming the Elementary Classroom

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Music Every Day: Transforming the Elementary Classroom
Carol Richardson , and Betty Atterbury
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Ring-bound

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ASIN: 0070523967

Book Description

The ideal textbook for elementary education students who want to make music a part of their future classrooms. Confronting the issues of skill and confidence that deter many elementary classroom teachers from bringing music to their students, Music Every Day offers a program to put prospective educators at ease with music and with music teaching. By explaining the benefits of elementary music education, and by offering a practical introduction to music fundamentals, the text provides prospective teachers the encouragement and the confidence they need to effectively integrate music into their classrooms.

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