Customer Reviews:
FORCED TO BUY FOR JAZZ HISTORY.......2007-07-26
This was required for my jazz history class at Sacramento City College (MUFHL 315 - online). It was 125.00 at the college book (packaged along with some worthless CD's). It is not laid out like a normal textbook. At the beginning, it doesn't have a chapter outline or learning objectives. At the end of each chapter, all you have is a sorry summery that doesn't cover any of what the author is trying to say within the chapter. THIS IS THE WORST BOOK I HAVE EVER BEEN FORCED TO BUY FOR A CLASS. I am tired people publishing the results of their graduate work as TEXTBOOKS and ripping off poor undeserving student. Reading this book is like watching paint dry.
This book connects the dots..........2006-02-13
I had begun to get serious about immersing myself in Jazz. A little dive around the corner was showing excellent Jazz groups and I had to take the opportunity to discover this great art form. My daughter lent me a textbook she had from college.
I immediately picked it up and for several hours was scanning it backwards and forwards. I kept referencing all the artists and songs I had heard of all my life and this book very handily made the connections. It's loaded with clear and concise and insightful teaching aids.
I can now understand much better the overall experience and history of jazz. The technical parts are still quite overwhelming, but the author's writing is very articulate and non-judgmental. I've rarely seen a more learning friendly book. As I started to mention, you can start anywhere you want in this book and just take what you can handle.
not for jazz scholars alone.......2005-12-20
It has been nearly 30 years since Mark Gridley's first edition of Jazz Styles appeared, and no other treatment of jazz styles comes close to his careful analysis of how jazz has been made since its inception. It is a work of great and serious scholarship, an invaluable resource for students of the genre. Yet, Jazz Styles is also an enjoyable and entertaining companion for anyone who wants to become a more perceptive listener to jazz. The Listening Guides are useful even for those 'veteran'
jazz fans familiar with the works described. Gridley will take you to ever-deeper levels of appreciation for jazz in all its varieties.
Book Description
With its superb recording package and innovative listening charts, this landmark text teaches students how to listen to music better than any other. Listen makes music approachable by placing it in its cultural context with lavish illustrations, timelines, and maps. Equipped with a free Study Guide CD-ROM, the new edition is more accessible than ever, offering additional help in focused listening and in music fundamentals.
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful selection of music.......2007-02-01
Bought this at a university bookstore some years ago (6 CDs). Wonderful selection of music (and some accompanying paintings) from early music like chant to the weird modern experimental art stuff.
A good introductory text.......2002-07-19
I have had this book prescribed as a textbook for a music history and theory course. This is a good book for such a purpose, it covers much. (This review is on the third edition).
Unit I has 5 chapters covering the fundamentals of musical theory. Sound, time, pitch, structure, form and style. Unit II is a 4-chapter overview of early music, starting with the Middle Ages. Unit III covers the 18th century in 6 chapters, starting with Late Baroque. Unit IV focuses on the 19th century, starting with Beethoven and finishing with the Late Romantics in 5 chapters.
Unit V: The Twentieth Century, was my favourite section. The prelude chapter discusses the concepts of music and modernism. The next chapter covers the early 20th century, then there is a chapter on alternatives to modernism, and the fourth chapter covers the late 20the century. Chapter 24 focuses on music in America: Jazz.
The book is organised around listening samples. These are available on a set of a 6 accompanying CDs. I liked the samples chosen. The late 20th century chapter, for example, discussed works by Ligeti, Berio, Varese, Cage, Crumb, Leon, Gubaidulina and Reich.
An alternative to "Listen" is Music: An appreciation" by Roger Kamien. It seems to me to have a bit more on artistic context, whilst at the same time covering more topics at slightly more depth.
However, "Listen" is well organised (always a good sign), and richly illustrated. Historical events are touched upon, and there is some reference to other art forms in context with the music of the time. I would recommend it as an introductory text even if you don't need to read it for school. Of course a book like this can cover topics only to a limited depth.
You Will Find It More and More Interesting.......2000-08-29
With the accompanied 6 CDs, Joseph Kerman has written one of the most interesting and comprehensive introductory music text. Not so much a memory-and-fact type of textbook, Kerman's uncanny ability to describe music experience has made this a success. Students do not need musicianship prerequisite to read this book. From ancient to modern, the book gives a broad overview of some of the masterpieces with insights and explanations. Excellent reading. (Note: The 6 CD set mentioned in this review is sold separately, and is not included in the price of the book. -Ed.)
comprehensive history of Western music.......2000-05-28
This book makes learning about music interesting and fun. It begins talking about basic structures of music (rhythm, harmony, tonality, etc.) but mostly follows the history of recorded music starting from the Middle Ages through Baroque to Jazz. It does a good job relating the development of music to other artistic developments of the time, like painting and architecture. With the CD you can listen right along and learn a lot of interesting things about music a novice like me had never thought about before.
Customer Reviews:
good condition.......2007-08-15
the product was in the conidition that it was said to be. I needed it for a college class and was able to get it used and much cheaper here than at a school bookstore. all the cds were in good condition.
Book Description
Alfred's Basic Adult All-in-One Course is designed for the beginner looking for a truly complete piano course that includes lesson, theory, technic and popular repertoire in one convenient, all-in-one book. This course has a number of features that make it particularly successful in achieving this goal, among them are smooth progression between concepts, the thorough explanation of chords and outstanding song material. At the completion of this course, the student will have learned to play some of the most popular music ever written and will have gained a thorough understanding of the basic concepts of music.
Customer Reviews:
Well crafted course for the older beginner.......2007-09-09
After reviewing numerous 'method' books on piano, I found this one to be the most comprehensive and well rounded of the lot. Utilizing the best apsects from the myriad methods developed over the years, this book engages the student with popular tunes, theory and technical exercises from the likes of Hanon and Leschetizky, without overemphasising any one element at the expense of another.
Excellant!.......2007-08-26
This book is easy-to-understand and very thorough. I'm using it under the guidance of a professional instructor, but I think it could be used independantly with great effect, as well. It starts with the absolute basics, but it's amazing how quickly an adult can move along. I feel quite confident playing everything covered in this book, and I've enjoyed it very much.
I'm 31 years old, and I've spent, probably, 6-9 mos total in Level 1 (with a few months off this summer). I've just purchased Level 2, and I fully intend to finish this course through Level 3.
Get This Freakin Book!!!!!.......2007-08-07
I have had no prior knowledge of the piano whatsoever. I mean no lessons no nothing! I bought the book and after 1 week of practicing at 1 hour everyday I'm half way through this book. I'm playing music with ease folks! I signed up for a piano course and found out about this book. After looking through it I dropped the class and started teaching myself. Call me crazy but its paying off. You actually can learn on your own. Imagine what your friends and family will think of you when you said you learned from a book. Can we say "gasps". It's easy to understand and takes you along the way the RIGHT way. Get this Freakin Book!
Great method book.......2007-08-03
I love this series for teaching piano. It is very methodical and logical. And I love that it incorporates the Hanon exercises. I see students grow leaps and bounds using those!
If you use the correlated 'Greatest Hits' book, you've got a teaching/learning package that can't be beat.
By the way, the series is labeled 'Adult' but I would recommend it for any student who is past the age of brightly colored pictures and kiddie lyrics. I guess I'd recommend it for anyone over the age of 13.
useful beginner's guide .......2007-05-18
I found it useful but I use many other pieces of music to complement this book.
Book Description
OnMusic: Appreciation is the first truly interactive, multimedia course for music appreciation
This exciting, interactive product integrates high-bandwidth audio-visual materials, provided on a student CD-ROM, with web-based, customizable low-bandwidth course content and management tools. Students simply purchase the CD-ROM containing the music, graphics, and video that the online course component draws from, log on to the course website, and they’re ready to start learning. The course CD-ROM allows instant, random access to the music, animated presentations, audio-linked photos, and instructional videos regardless of Internet connection speed and file size. The web-based portion provides customizable text content, communication, and advanced Learning Management System (LMS) tools that replicate virtually every administrative and academic aspect of a traditional face-to-face learning environment. The seamless integration of CD-ROM and web-based course materials and tools allows for the richest possible teaching and learning experience online. Discover how
OnMusic can revolutionize your campus-based or distance-learning music appreciation course! Visit
www.connect4education.com or contact your McGraw-Hill representative for more information.
Customer Reviews:
Not Yet Ordered.......2007-06-04
I wonder why Amazon takes 5-7 weeks when the vendor is shipping with next day. Here's a very classic case where text book industry is a big sham and needs some regulating -- just like Enron they over charge, because you can't get it elsewhere. This product is $15 more than Amazon, plus another $20 for next day shipping. Although, this is not all that bad, in general, the whole educational text book industry needs to be fixed.
Open to Music.......2006-08-15
This course was actually pretty enjoyable. It a shame how expensive the CD required is and the really sad part is that it's not like a textbook you can resell. I tried reselling it without knowing that it was a one time use code, but the buyer and I worked things out by..well...they were happy to have the "information" within the registration. Other than how rediculous school textbook prices are these days, the course itself was very simple to understand and multiple choice made it easy.
Word of Warning.......2006-08-12
This product accompanies a college course, so it is just about as interesting as you might expect. It was completely bearable, and I really have no interest in music.
But - a WORD OF WARNING - do NOT buy this item used! It can only be used with a NEW PRODUCT KEY and once the item has been used once, it cannot be used again. There are DISHONEST people who sell the used CD set used to make a quick buck, but the CD's are USELESS to you if they do not have a BRAND NEW KEY.
Book Description
Brief (3) Cassette set - the only cassette set we will plan to offer with this edition.
Customer Reviews:
Very happy with the CD's.......2006-04-25
I loved these CD's. I had no problem playing them on a personal cd player or my car cd player. I did not hear any background noises while I played them. I really learned alot from them and I enjoyed the music and they were beautifully played.
Very Poor Quality CD's.......2006-04-01
This item deserves a zero as a rating. I never had problems with CDs as I did with this 8-CD set. They refuse to play when you make a selection. When I placed them in multiple CD players, they sounded as if an airplane was taking off. These are very poor quality CDs for $100. Do not waste your money on this item.
Poorest Quality.......2006-03-23
I have never had so many problems with a CD set as I have had with this one. I returned my first set to Amazon due to several of the discs being damaged to the point that the tracks I needed could not be listened to. Right out of the box some of the discs were scratched or had visible imprints from the case material on them. Amazon was great and quickly sent me a replacement set, but amazingly I had the same problems with the next set. I, like you probably do, need the set for a college class so I could not afford to lose more time in returning another set for a replacement. After spending $90.00 for an item you are required to have it is infuriating to deal with this sort of thing. Unless you are absolutely stuck don't buy this CD set or you will really be stuck!
Excellent Collection!.......2005-04-13
I purchased this collection for a Music class in college, and loved it a great deal. The selections are excellent and well arranged. I also love how the longer pieces are divided up into several tracks so that you can skip to a particularly interesting peak within a movement. The first and last two CD's are especially diverse and interesting, kicking off and wrapping up a HALF A DAYS WORTH (its 12 hours long!) of a musical explosion of Genius.
Sadly, I had to part with my copy for financial reasons, but I assure you that you won't be dissapointed. Load this puppy into your iPod, hit random, and you will essentially be listening to a jukebox full of the best orchestrations of music ever made.
Book Description
In this compulsively readable, fascinating, and provocative guide to classical music, Norman Lebrecht, one of the world’s most widely read cultural commentators tells the story of the rise of the classical recording industry from Caruso’s first notes to the heyday of Bernstein, Glenn Gould, Callas, and von Karajan.
Lebrecht compellingly demonstrates that classical recording has reached its end point–but this is not simply an expos? of decline and fall. It is, for the first time, the full story of a minor art form, analyzing the cultural revolution wrought by Schnabel, Toscanini, Callas, Rattle, the Three Tenors, and Charlotte Church
. It is the story of how stars were made and broken by the record business; how a war criminal conspired with
a concentration-camp victim to create a record empire; and how advancing technology, boardroom wars, public credulity and unscrupulous exploitation shaped the musical backdrop to our modern lives. The book ends with a suitable shrine to classical recording: the author’s critical selection of the 100 most important recordings–and the 20 most appalling.
Filled with memorable incidents and unforgettable personalities–from Goddard Lieberson, legendary head of CBS Masterworks who signed his letters as God; to Georg Solti, who turned the Chicago Symphony into “ the loudest symphony on earth”–this is at once the captivating story of the life and death of classical recording and an opinioned, insider’s guide to appreciating the genre, now and for years to come.
Customer Reviews:
The crisis of classical music?.......2007-08-17
In the last times several books and articles have cast doubts about the future of classical music. Evidences like the ageing of audiences attending concerts or the lack of renewal of repertoires support that thesis. In this context, the writer and critic Norman Lebrecht has published a new book on the subject. To support his thesis, the first part of the book is devoted to the history of the record industry, its rise and its fall, how were founded the companies that lead the sector for half a century; the impact of new technologies (stereophonic sound, digital recording) and formats (LP, CD) in its evolution; and, finally, the present situation where big companies face a shrinking production and a fierce competition from small independent publishers besides the internet and downloads.
Any selection is obviously subjective and the criteria applied can be questioned. Nevertheless it is worth to know the circumstances and fact that were around the making of these records, some of them unanimously considered as absolute references.
What is left after reading the book is a certain air of pessimism. However its reading is worthwhile as it offers a vivid description of the recording industry, well documented with bibliographic references, and what is more important, with the author's personal experiences.
Always entertaining and informative.......2007-07-04
Lebrecht has been placing lilies on the grave of classical music for some time now. A more accurate title would be "The Life and Death of Classical Recording," as classical music itself is alive and well. It is an observable fact that the traditional CD is probably on its way out as a "pop" music vehicle; it would be unrealistic to expect classical recording to be unaffected by the ongoing shift to MP3 and other computer formats. Like the "Death" card of the Tarot deck, signifying not death so much as change, the industry is not dying but evolving in unexpected directions. What must be upsetting for those involved is the unpredictability of change - who, in 1975, would have predicted the prevalence of hip-hop today? The same forces are reflected in classical music, on a smaller scale.
The relative popularity of classical music in the 20th century's midpoint was an anomaly. Through the Baroque, Classical, and Romantic eras, composers were dependent on patronage (Schubert may have been the first serious composer to support himself, primarily through the popularity of his songs for the Biedermeier set, rather than his "serious" music). The typical 19th century European peasant, like his modern American counterpart, may have gone his entire life without hearing a Beethoven piano sonata. The majority, then as now, had their "popular" music.
Lebrecht manages to unearth endless troves of fascinating minutiae. For instance, he relates how Phillips, the inventors of the cassette, partnered with Sony to develop the compact disc. The Dutch wanted the new format to be the same size as the cassette, however, the favorite piece of the Sony chairman's wife was Beethoven's 9th Symphony, too long to fit onto a disk of that size. To accommodate it, the disk's diameter was increased to allow 80 minutes of music, with the center hole corresponding to the size of the smallest Dutch coin.
The list of the "100 best" and "20 worst" recordings don't exactly complement each other. The "100" are sometimes, but not always, the "best;" Lebrecht chose many recordings primarily for their significance, be it artistic, historical, or political. The "20" were not chosen for their lack of significance; in most cases, they represent bad ideas or poor execution by people who should have known better.
Deserves to be placed aside next to the Penguin Guide...........2007-06-21
A fascinating and absorbing read, Lebrecht's expose into the demise of classical music is as revealing as it is heartbreaking. Ten years ago, I was fortunate enough to work at one of the top classical radio stations in the US--(KDFC Classical 102.1 FM in San Francisco)there, I acquired a passion for classical music, reading Grammaphone and the Penguin Guide to Classial Compact Disc's with a fervor as children do with comic books. In short, it was an education in many ways--music as an art form, the aquisition of a refined taste, and a practical education into a highly unpredicatable business.
Lebrecht's book sheds light on all the vanities, egos, and personalities in the industry--past and present. Here is Karajan--masestro grandioso--feared but respected, whose net worth at his death was estimated at over $500 million with most of it derived from reissues of his earlier and better performances. Here is Bernstein, who, considered a somewhat of a second-tier conductor, plagued with insecurities and pretentious self-doubt, would often exasperate orchestras without punctuality or form (often forcing entire orchestras to wait an hour or more before he took to the podium) with his disdain for the inviolate nature of some works that are an inherent part of a country's national identity. Although venerated as a national treasure, Lebrecht paints another dimension to Bernstein; he recalls how the conductor completely botched a recording session with BBC Orchestra to produce one of the "worst classical recordings of all time"--Elgar's Enigma Variations in 1982. A very sloppy and unprofessional approach to a job overall and a personal insult to the dead composer's memory and the English.
What is interesting about this book is how Lebrecht puts it all together; the rivalries between the major labels: Decca, DG, Phillips, EMI and their producers scrambling to be the first to sign an exclusive contract with the industry's power players--Bernstein, Solti, Rattle, among others; how "crossover" discs and performances(a Bono and Pavarotti duo easily comes to mind)ultimately spelled doom for serious classical music fan; how the major labels used sexy CD cover art of young and talented artists like Vanessa Mae, Anne Sophie Mutter and Charlotte Church to increase sales of an already declining market, and the unexpected rise of Klaus Heymann and NAXOS. Here is the budget CD tycoon who taught all the "majors" a valuable lesson by hiring lesser known and Eastern European orchestras looking for work and produced several Grammaphone award-winning discs with Vivaldi's Four Seasons taking away honors as one of the best-selling classical recordings ever produced topping sales of 1.16 million besting even the venerated Arthur Fiedler of the Boston Pops!
If you ever wanted to know the in and outs of a business as fascinating as the classical music industry, this is a must read.
Glad to finally meet Chopin.......2007-06-16
This book is an informative and enjoyable read but I'm most grateful for the Masterpieces List. I bought #15- Chopin Waltzes played by Dinu Lipatti and discovered the Chopin who all the shouting was about. Lipatti's Chopin is sparkling, witty and entirely lacks the dirge-like sound that the other artists in my small collection have. Wow! I can hardly wait to sample others from Lebrecht's list.
A most interesting, if rather depressing, book.......2007-06-15
Norman Lebrecht can always be counted on to stir things up, and this book is no exception. The first half is a brief history of the classical recording industry, which Lebrecht believes to be dead. The second half is an annotated list of recordings, 100 of the most significant of the century, and 20 that should never have been made. The tone is breezy, gossipy, and opinionated; the anecdotes are fascinating, and Lebrecht pulls no punches. One wishes he had checked facts a bit closer, however. For example: Gould's "first on a major label" Goldbergs were preceded by Landowska's on RCA; Rautavaara is by no means a minimalist composer; the Beaux Arts Trio recorded Beethoven's Triple Concerto with Haitink and the LPO, not Masur and the Leipzig Gewandhaus. But these are minor quibbles in what is a very recommendable read.
Book Description
Whether from a concert stage or at the front of a classroom, Roger Kamien knows how to reach an audience--blending intelligence and passion to lift music from the page and bring it to life. His unique combination of artistic and teaching skills makes Music: An Appreciation, Brief Edition an invaluable tool for students wanting to learn more about music.
This best-selling textbook introduces students to perceptive listening and provides an engaging introduction to musical elements, forms, and stylistic periods. It is organized chronologically, but individual sections can be addressed in any order, for a variety of teaching approaches. Musical notation is included but is not required to understand the popular listening guides featured in the text, which focus students’ attention on musical events as they unfold.
Every new copy of the fifth edition is packaged free with the outstanding Multimedia Companion CD-ROM Version 5.0, which makes the study of music easier, more rewarding, and more fun. In addition, the fifth brief edition introduces "Performance Perspectives" boxes and includes revised sections on Jazz and Rock, a new section on music in film, and more!
Customer Reviews:
good.......2007-06-05
easy to understand and learn from, it is a textbook so that's what you are getting. Good pictures and diagrams so far. I bought here because it had the best price.
Music: An Appreciation.......2007-03-10
I ordered this book/ cd set because it was required text for a college class. It is well organized and clearly written. I especially like the way the listening guides in the book refer to specific portions of songs which are recorded so that the entire work can be played seemlessly in its entirity, or specific portions can be accessed individually.
The only thing this work lacks is impossible for any work that attempts to offer a complete appreciation of music to achieve, complete scope.
I recommend this set.
A Good Overview of Music in Context .......2006-10-22
This book does a good job of putting music in an overall historical context. For example, it notes how Baroque productions, whether sculpture or music, meant to "fill space." That accounts for elaborate melodies in music, and movement in painting and sculpture.
Music used to be written as much for the mind as the ear. In some vocal pieces, lyrics correspond to melody. For example, if the word "ascending" is used in the song, the notes of the melody also go up. Vice-versa for descending. If the song mentions one person, a single voice is used--three voices come in when three people are in the storyline.
The musical selections are varied and enjoyable to listen to.
great shape just as promised fast shipping.......2006-02-25
would buy from again everything just as promised and recieved book fast
If you have trouble remembering the names of the music pieces for school..........2005-10-07
I'm using this 5th Brief Edition with Brief Set Of Four CDs for my fall-2005 community college Music Appreciation class.
As a person with a few listening skills, I wish more joyful pieces were here. Some of the music seems overtly here for historic context; but, please don't exact the comment as negativity, but only for face-value. I feel Gustav Mahler had a tremendous impact on society particularly since the 1960s and '70s and is a strange omission. Also, I feel a section of one of Gilbert & Sullivan's operas belongs in this class. Students may relate the storytelling with orchestral music if they understood the language, and Gilbert and Sullivan composed in English. Gilbert and Sullivan operas are just as good as any other opera. English opera could be important because many of the people in my class have the attitude of, "What, you actually expect me to listen to this stuff?" Well, some people in the class are just idiotic, anyway. They don't know what they are saying; but, the quicker they relate, the more convinced we make them, that this music really is better. We must tell the students what makes better music; otherwise, they go back to Paula Abdul. Do you know what I mean?
One thing I noted, the CDs use multiple tracks for each single piece of music. E.g., Duke Ellington's C-Jam Blues, the second piece of music in the set, runs 2:38, but it is divided into 8 CD tracks so that teachers can goto a specific place within the song. I understand the point, but dividing the songs into different tracks confuses me, a student, because the class uses the CD set to test me on "music recognition". I have to hunt down the manual with every listen because the pieces aren't just more simply track-labeled according to piece. One piece may take up 16 tracks, and, initially, when I'm looking at the player, I can't always recognize when the song changes to a different composer. (Some composers sound very similar.) Granted, that's what the tests are for, but THE CD SET EVERYONE BUYS IS USED FOR STUDY. As far as the track divisions, the track method opts to appeal to the teachers before the students for a single reason: book sales depend on the teachers selecting their books for classes, so make the teachers happy. An author marketing his book is not negative, but affective.
Another alternative, which I recommend regardless, is track-naming the disc. I imagine the production cost may rise; or maybe not, I don't know. I play the CDs while I drive my car, and, if the track names were on the disc, I could just look at the CD player screen, instead of fumbling around with the booklet while I'm waiting at a stoplight. Tracknames would be useful, either way.
I like having booklets of information in CDs of classical music, or whatever music I buy. Usually, musical pieces with a foreign language means translation necessity. I believe, wholeheartedly, that foreign language classical music belongs in any class like mine, and excluding a translation seems unwise, since much of classical music history came from Europe. If anything, putting a translation in the set makes it certifiable as classical music. Instead, it has an eight-page booklet stating almost the exact information already on the backside of the CD case, which doesn't even include the first name of the composers: you have to get that from the textbook. Maybe the textbook is supposed to act as the CD booklet, but I still prefer the info in the CD case. Well, since it's in the book, then maybe this is okay, but I felt like putting that fact here because I want the CD information with the CD for reactive reference.
Many famous movies used the pieces referenced in the book, some more famously than others. Multiple viewings of certain films helped me know these pieces before I heard the CD set or began attending this class; particularly, Unfaithfully Yours (1948), and Disney's Fantasia and Fantasia 2000. Buying the movies help benefit your "music recognition" skills because the films paint imagery to the works of great composers, many of which are used in the CDs, making those pieces even more distinguishable for recognition when getting tested.
On an individual opinion, some may think Pavarotti is a great singer, I understand, but he only has one sound when he sings. He is generally incapable of the proper feeling outside of shtick. For the section of La Boheme, he fits into his part quite well, even if he doesn't rise above his normal self. It's a great piece for his singing, but I usually don't think he deserves his reputation.
CD1,1-2, Igor Stravinsky's Firebird was used as the finale of "Fantasia 2000".
CD1,37-41, Bizet's L'Arlesienne Suite No. 2 Farandole was used in Preston Sturges' "Unfaithfully Yours" (1948), recently released by Criterion DVD.
CD1,42-44, Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite was used in Disney's original "Fantasia". If I have to listen to the Nutcracker ONE MORE TIME,... I may flip out.
CD2,45-69, Beethoven's Fifth Symphony is the initial segment used in "Fantasia 2000".
CD4,16-23, Stravinsky's Rites Of Spring [Le Sacre du Printemps] is used in "Fantasia", showing Earth's evolutions of early forms of life, finally including the violence of dinosaurs.
Book Description
With nearly three million copies sold over eight editions, The Enjoyment of Music is the best-selling music appreciation text of all time. Spanning the Middle Ages through the twenty-first century, the text offers a thorough introduction to the elements of music, a broad overview of the history of musical styles, and fascinating cultural contexts and perspectives. The Ninth Edition of this classic text features a stunning new design, exciting new repertory, and an unmatched ancillary and media package.
Customer Reviews:
Good, but older editions are better............2007-05-06
I really appreciated the older editions of this book and thought the language was clear and understandable. I still think these aspects of the book are good, however, I am disappointed at the content. I agree with other reviewers who have suggested that the work should be broken into two books -- one on modern music and another on classic music. It just doesn't make any sense to skip major composers and I feel this one size fits all approach misses the mark in this regard.
On the other hand, the book is well-written and has been well-received over its many years and editions. Some reviewers point to an overly politically correct stance, which I believe has some validity. Including minor women composers at the expense of major male composers is not politically correct, it is an inexcusable error. On the other hand, excluding women's contribution to the musical literature completely or leaving out a major woman composer is also an error. I am guessing that a chapter on the cultural issues around women and music with an overview of women composers that are largely unknown or underrated would have better served the target audience.
Textbooks are EXTREMELY expensive and after so many editions, I think this one should be a homerun. Unfortunately, it is now good, but not great. If you don't like this one, you may want to try Music: An Appreciation w/ Multimedia Companion 4.5 CD-ROM. This is done by a concert pianist and does justice to the major composers.
While I am not currently a professional musician, I was for 11 years and I continue to take lessons from a concert pianist. I play a variety of instruments and I've been studying music since before I could read. As such, I think I am in a good position to evaluate the merits of this text. It is still very worthwhile, but I hope they do better in the next edition. Another book worth considering is What to Listen for in Music and Music, The Brain, And Ecstasy: How Music Captures Our Imagination. The former book, gives you an inside look at music through the eyes of a composer and the second is a wonderful and entertaining journey through understanding sound and how music produces pleasure from a psychological and biological viewpoint. Both books are very readable by non-musicians and laypersons without a background of any type. The second book is one that I read in two sittings.... AWESOME! I have reviewed both, if you want more details.
If you are also looking to understand some music theory, try Harmony and Theory: A Comprehensive Source for All Musicians (Essential Concepts (Musicians Institute).). This is a great short introduction to music theory and harmony as it relates to modern music. If you are musical at all, you will find that this covers a lot of ground in a short space.
Buying the Book Online.......2007-02-07
This isn't a review about the work of the book but about ordering it online for people who might be nervous about buying this product online. I bought it for a college course. The bookstore wanted to charge me $50 downtown. I bought it online for about $25, including standard shipping. I was nervous that the book wouldn't make it here on time and I also wondered if it really would be the correct book. The book was shipping in 3 business days (5 days) which was faster than I thought. It was more than a great price, it was said to be in "good condition" and it was in great condition and it was the correct book!
The book itself is easy to understand and follow. I enjoy reading it and it has a lot of up to date information that makes it all the more interesting.
Response to "a reader" and "music teacher".......2006-07-20
After having gone through nine editions, this text bears little resemblence to the original work published in 1955. That text, and the next few editions, were solid and informative. With the addition of co-author Kristine Forney, the work has definitely taken on a more modern perspective at the unfortunate expense of truly great composers.
Having been a serious student of music in earlier life, and a constant listener since birth, I have an avid appreciation of most genres of music. Having said that, I firmly believe the study of music appreciation should remain somewhat "high-brow". By this I mean that it should limit itself to what is considered, in common parlance, as "classical" or "orchestral" music.
Modern genres of music do display moments of true musical genius and originality. But, for the most part, the majority of the material is borrowed, ultimately from the "classical." Most popular musicians have little knowledge of musical composition, or even how to record their works in musical notation. Rap and electronic are the ultimate in this area, many times outright recording a piece of someone else's music and blending the cuts together to produce their own "song."
If one seriously wants to develop an appreciation of music, a solid exposure to and understanding of the "classical" composers is a must. Otherwise, as is the case with most modern and post-modern (whatever that means) teaching materials, a true understanding of the origins, history, and development of the subject is lost. Herbie Hancock and Michael Jackson may be interesting and enjoyable, but they are hardly groundbreaking from a musical perspective.
The authors should separate the "classical" from the "modern" into two texts. Both studies would greatly benefit. After all, with the proliferation of college students downloading music and playing it on every device that can produce a sound, does anyone really think students do not have an appreciation of "modern" music?
Excellent History of Music!!!.......2006-05-12
This is an excellent book to read and study music from. It lays out the history of music in a very understandable manner for an average person. The timeline of music consisting of such musical eras as the medieval, renaissance, baroque, classical, romantic, post-romantic, impressionism, early twentieth century and later twentieth century is very enlightening. It's all there from folk to jazz to ragtime and swing. The great composers would have loved to read this one. By the way, poets, make your feast on the history of the Troubadours, Trobairitz, Trouveres and Minnesingers poet-musicians from the middle ages from France and Germany. This is really an interesting book to read regarding music. It's truly educational. Also check "Trilogy Moments for the Miond, Body and Soul" with a new selection of Epulaeryu poems.
Responding to "a reader".......2006-04-09
In response to "a reader's" review, Holst and Orff did not contribute to the larger schema of music history. Although a work like "Carmina Burana" is significant only because it's been rehashed over in dramatic parts of a film, it has little value in terms of delineating trends in music. I only partially agree with his/her assessment of J.-de-la-Guerre because her work is used more to show a common example of highly ornamented French harpsichord music, rather than the composer herself. This is a well-organized book, giving a survey (keyword: SURVEY) of Western music, which means that if you want to learn about Elgar, read a book on him.
Book Description
Ever heard a song and thought "Hey, they ripped that off!"
Sounds Like Teen Spirit: Stolen Melodies, Ripped-off Riffs and the Secret History of Rock 'n' Roll is the first book ever to examine the phenomenon of songs that appear to have "borrowed" their melodies from earlier songs.
While many are familiar with the similarities between George Harrison's My Sweet Lord and the Chiffon's oldie He's So Fine, did you also know that:
· The first rock 'n' roll hit, Bill Haley's Rock Around the Clock took part of its melody from Hank William's Move it on Over?
· The guitar riff that powered Nirvana's classic Smells Like Teen Spirit had its origins in Boston's More Than a Feeling?
· Bob Marley's Buffalo Soldier shares its melody with The Theme from the Banana Splits, a kids show from the 1960s?
Come along for an exiting and informative journey through The Secret History of Rock 'n' Roll. You'll find out how ultra-hipsters the Strokes borrowed a melody from ultra-dork Barry Manilow; why Huey Lewis sued Ray Parker Jr. over Ghostbusters, how a novelty record cut by his dad may have influenced John Lennon's Imagine, and how an obscure song by the band Spirit was a likely inspiration in the creation of Led Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven.
Sounds Like Teen Spirit will delight any music fan, and is sure to send you running to your stereo or I-Pod to hear the songs for yourself!
"A fun and fact-filled book that you can either read from cover to cover, or skip around and open up at any page and dig in. Most of the songs you can hear in your head (or dig out the cds!) and you'll find yourself going again and again 'Oh yeah, this song really does sound like that song!' An enjoyable read."-
Bob Brainen, WFMU, Jersey City, NJ
"The book is a winner, one of those why didn't-I-think-of-that projects.guaranteed to elicit laughter and/or fistfights among your friendly neighborhood music geeks."
-Kirkus Discoveries
Customer Reviews:
Sounds Like is a Behind The Hits winner.......2007-06-29
As a music author (Behind The Hits) and a radio dj/musicologist, I was very excited to learn of Timothy's book. Smells Like Teen Spirit has put together many of the songs I have chronicled over the years that sound suspiciously like others.
On my radio shows I have played them in a feature named "Call The Lawyers!" -- and, indeed, some of these song pairings went to court. Others didn't but perhaps should have. All in all, they represent a fascinating side of rock music history. Rip offs or inspirations? Homages or stolen riffs? No matter -- it's what was in the grooves that counts. Some are obvious, but one is often surprised by the musical connection Tim's ears have made. There are some songs here that even I never put together (or didn't know about), like Jorge Ben's "Taj Mahal" as the basis for Rod Stewart's "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy". And the song by John Lennon's father? Imagine that!
This is a very well-researched, well-documented and well-written reference as well as being a fun read. I commend and recommend Timothy's book to all who love and enjoy the various decades of rock and roll and the artists who made (or should we say, "re-made"?) the music.
--Bob Shannon
A lot of fun despite errors.......2007-06-29
This book was a lot of fun. It included the sound-alikes everyone knows - "My Sweet Lord" and "He's So Fine," "Sweet Little Sixteen" and "Surfin' U.S.A." - and some surprises. Did you know, for example, that Radiohead's "Creep" borrows from the Hollies' "The Air That I Breathe," and that Bon Jovi's "You Give Love A Bad Name" was re-worked from a Bonnie Tyler song? I didn't, and it made me listen to those songs to hear the resemblances.
I wish the book had been twice as long, as there certainly are more such examples. I also wish the author had included a CD with examples, but I'm sure that would have been a copyright nightmare.
The book, as fun as it is, is full of printer's errors. Who are "Nirvina" and "Holwin' Wolf?" I hope the sequel is more carefully edited.
Fun and quick, but could be so much more.......2007-06-08
If you're into the history of rock music and love dissecting songs to see where they came from, you'll enjoy this book. It has many interesting examples of songs that were either directly ripped off from something else, or just sound suspiciously similar. The author gets into the history of the songs, the lawsuits and the stories behind the scenes. You'll be surprised and amused when you realize how many classic songs were ripped off from others, and that's the real joy of the book.
On the down side, the writing isn't dynamic and the book is a very quick read. You can probably get through it in half an hour. Also, it's tough to enjoy without hearing the music you're reading about. But if you can flip through it and listen to the songs at the same time, it's a lot of fun.
Books:
- Kansas City Jazz: From Ragtime to Bebop--A History
- Kids' Broadway Songbook (Book/CD) (Vocal Collection)
- Lead Us into Temptation
- Les Misérables (Signet Classics)
- Living In Hell: A True Odyssey of a Woman's Struggle in Islamic Iran Against Personal and Political Forces
- Ludwig van Beethoven Complete String Quartets
- My First Book of Classical Music: 29 Themes by Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin and Other Great Composers in Easy Piano Arrangements
- My First Book of Classical Music: 29 Themes by Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin and Other Great Composers in Easy Piano Arrangements
- Naked Playwriting: The Art, The Craft, And The Life Laid Bare
- National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees: Eastern Region (Eastern)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
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- My Life at Grey Gardens: 13 Months and Beyond
- Honor Guards
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- History: Fiction or Science
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- If My Mom Were A Platypus: Animal Babies and Their Mothers
- MOUS Essentials: Access 2000
- Corporate Governance und Controlling
- The Changing World of Publishing: A Special Issue of the Journal of Media Economics
General
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Jazz Styles. History and Analysis. with Demonstration Cd
The History of Jazz
Ken Burns's Jazz: The Story of American Music
Keeping Time: Readings in Jazz History
Blues People: Negro Music in White America
