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Strayhorn
by Produced by Billy Strayhorn Songs Inc. Contributions by David Hajdu Walter van de Leur Robert Levi Bruce Mayhall Rastrelli Gregory A. Morris Edited by A. Alyce Claerbaut David SchlesingerStrayhorn: An Illustrated Life is a stunning collection of essays, photographs, and ephemera celebrating Billy Strayhorn, one of the most significant yet under-appreciated contributors to 20th century American music. Released in commemoration of Strayhorn's centennial, this luxurious coffee-table book offers intimate details of the composer's life from musicians, scholars, and Strayhorn's closest relatives. Perhaps best known for his 28-year collaborative role as Duke Ellington's "writing and arranging companion," Strayhorn has emerged in recent years as an even more meritorious force in shaping the jazz canon. Strayhorn begins by describing Billy's abusive upbringing and early success, and goes on to cover his music, family, intellectual pursuits, involvement with civil rights, and open homosexuality. Strayhorn features contributions from Strayhorn's biographer David Hajdu, film director Rob Levi, music scholar Walter van de Leur, as well as commentary from jazz greats like Lena Horne, Clark Terry, Dianne Reeves, Nancy Wilson, Terell Stafford, Herb Jeffries, and more. With lush photography and rare memorabilia like handwritten scores, this is a book to be treasured by jazz aficionados and music lovers everywhere. Enthralling and visually captivating, Strayhorn: An Illustrated Life lauds a beloved jazz legend and captures a prodigious legacy that will influence generations to come.
Streben nach Momentum: Musikkultur zwischen Marken und Medienplattformen (Musikwirtschafts- und Musikkulturforschung)
by Lorenz Grünewald-SchukallaSeit der industriellen Produktion von Notendrucken nutzen Unternehmen Musik, um ihre Marken zu entwickeln und zu etablieren. Diese Studie beleuchtet die vielfältigen Formen der Verbindung von Marken und Musik, von den gebrandeten Radioshows im frühen 20. Jahrhundert bis hin zu den modernen, integrierten Musik-Dachmarken von Red Bull, der Telekom oder Seat. Sie zeigt, wie die Beziehungen zwischen Marken und Musik im Verlauf der Geschichte verändert wurden. Dabei lenkt sie erstmals den Blick auf die Rolle neuer Medienentwicklungen in diesem Prozess. Anhand der innovativen Methode einer digitalen, fokussierten und verteilten Ethnographie wird die besondere Rolle digitaler Plattformen für gegenwärtige gebrandete Musikkultur in den Blick genommen. Der Autor zeigt anschaulich, wie Markenunternehmen Orte und Events so arrangieren, dass medienbezogene Praktiken auf Plattformen ausgerichtet werden. So steigern Unternehmen die Wahrscheinlichkeit gebrandeter Kommunikationsströme und erzeugen ein „Momentum“, das den Wert einer Marke, die Karrieren von Musikschaffenden, aber auch gewöhnliche Musikerfahrung beflügeln kann. In der Summe führt dies zu einer neuen Musikkultur, einer Musikkultur zwischen Marken und Medienplattformen. In dieser können zwar viele an Musikkultur teilhaben, sind jedoch dem Zwang ausgesetzt, etwas zum Momentum einer Marke beizutragen.
Street Ballads in Nineteenth-Century Britain, Ireland, and North America: The Interface between Print and Oral Traditions
by David Atkinson Steve RoudIn recent years, the assumption that traditional songs originated from a primarily oral tradition has been challenged by research into ’street literature’ - that is, the cheap printed broadsides and chapbooks that poured from the presses of jobbing printers from the late sixteenth century until the beginning of the twentieth. Not only are some traditional singers known to have learned songs from printed sources, but most of the songs were composed by professional writers and reached the populace in printed form. Street Ballads in Nineteenth-Century Britain, Ireland, and North America engages with the long-running debate over the origin of traditional songs by examining street literature’s interaction with, and influence on, oral traditions.
A Street Cat Named Bob: And How He Saved My Life
by James BowenThe Instant New York Times Bestseller! James is a street musician struggling to make ends meet. Bob is a stray cat looking for somewhere warm to sleep. When James and Bob meet, they forge a never-to-be-forgotten friendship that has been charming readers from Thailand to Turkey. A Street Cat Named Bob is an international sensation, landing on the bestseller list in England for 52 consecutive weeks and selling in 26 countries around the world. Now, James and Bob are ready to share their true story with the U. S. in this tale unlike any you’ve ever read of a cat who possesses some kind of magic. When street musician James Bowen found an injured cat curled up in the hallway of his apartment building, he had no idea how much his life was about to change. James was living hand to mouth on the streets of London, barely making enough money to feed himself, and the last thing he needed was a pet. Yet James couldn't resist helping the strikingly intelligent but very sick animal, whom he named Bob. He slowly nursed Bob back to health and then sent the cat on his way, imagining that he would never see him again. But Bob had other ideas. Perfect for fans of Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog and Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat That Changed the World, this instant classic about the power of love between man and animal has taken the world by storm and is guaranteed to be a huge hit with American fans as well. Note: Does not use standard American spelling or punctuation.
The Street Is My Pulpit: Hip Hop and Christianity in Kenya
by Mwenda NtarangwiTo some, Christianity and hip hop seem antithetical. Not so in Kenya. There, the music of Julius Owino, aka Juliani, blends faith and beats into a potent hip hop gospel aimed at a youth culture hungry for answers spiritual, material, and otherwise. Mwenda Ntarangwi explores the Kenyan hip hop scene through the lens of Juliani's life and career. A born-again Christian, Juliani produces work highlighting the tensions between hip hop's forceful self-expression and a pious approach to public life, even while contesting the basic presumptions of both. In The Street Is My Pulpit , Ntarangwi forges an uncommon collaboration with his subject that offers insights into Juliani's art and goals even as Ntarangwi explores his own religious experience and subjective identity as an ethnographer. What emerges is an original contribution to the scholarship on hip hop's global impact and a passionate study of the music's role in shaping new ways of being Christian in Africa.
Streets of Fire: Bruce Springsteen in Photographs and Lyrics 1977–1979
by Eric Meola Bruce Springsteen“On a day like this, I remember—I’m the President, but he’s The Boss.” —President Barack Obama, 2009 Kennedy Center Awards ceremonyCompiled by accomplished photographer Eric Meola—who knew “the Boss” when he was just an unknown Jersey kid with big rock and roll dreams—Streets of Fire is an intimate photographic look at Bruce Springsteen during a pivotal year in his life and career. In 1977, Springsteen was coming off the enormous success of his album, Born to Run, and in the studio working on his fourth record, Darkness on the Edge of Town—and these breathtaking candid photos are portraits of a master musician finally coming into his own. A stunning collection of photographs—some never before published—of Bruce and the E-Street Band combined with the haunting lyrics of some of Springsteen’s most unforgettable songs, Streets of Fire offers fans a privileged and rarefied look at one of rock’s most legendary and beloved icons.
Stretching Exercises for Guitarists
by Gareth Evansi>“Highly recommended to any musician who would like to improve and enrich his warm-up routine.” Lorenzo Micheli, Concert Classical Guitarist (Italy)“This is a book that every guitarist should have, a great tool that will help keep you playing.” Victor D'Ablaing, MFA in Classical Guitar performance (Georgia US)Stretching Exercises for Guitarists is a compact guide that can be used as part of a healthy and productive practise regime suited for guitarists and other musicians alike.- Stretching Like the importance of stretching for sport, stretching for musicians is important, yet an often overlooked aspect of many a practise regime. Whether you are a beginner finding it hard to stretch their fretting fingers to get a clear open G or C chord, or a more experienced player wanting fluent movement when playing at speed, stretching exercises encourage lengthening of your muscles and their associated tendons thereby improving your mobility and range of movement. Stretching opposes the shortening and tightening of muscles that can occur immediately after use and contributes to injury avoidance.- Diagrams and More All 30 exercises are demonstrated with over 40 professionally hand-drawn illustrations, starting from the top at the neck and shoulders, working down to the back, forearms, wrists, fingers and thumbs. Some stretches are graded from easier versions to the more difficult so you can choose which suits your level. Stretching Exercises for Guitarists also includes exercises for nerve mobility and has tips for posture and practise.Grab a copy today!“I like the simple instructions and clear drawings which rule out any potential misinterpretations. If you have been lazy about warming up for playing or practicing, trying a couple of exercises from this book will help you remember and experience how beneficial this part of your practice routine is.” Ingo Stahl - Singer, Guitarist and Songwriter (Denmark) “I find the book very thorough yet concise. As a Classical guitarist I would have liked to see some mention of the use of a footstool. Other than that the book is excellent.” Alan Grundy, MA in Performance and Musicology, F.T.C.L. - L.R.S.M. Hon. V.C.M. (The Dublin School of Guitar)
String Methods for Beginners
by Selim GirayString Methods for Beginners is designed for students to receive the essential playing and teaching skills on all orchestral string instruments. The goal of this textbook is to be truly methodical in its approach, and to assist the instructor, completely eliminating the need to do additional research, or reorganization in preparation to teach this class. Students will gain the basic knowledge and experience to teach bowed stringed instruments in public schools. String Methods for Beginners covers the necessary topics to learn and teach the violin, viola, cello, and string bass. It explores the fundamentals of those instruments and teaching considerations, utilizing a heterogeneous approach. As the primary resource to any college- and university-level String Techniques, String Methods, or Instrumental Methods class, this course book fits into a standard semester, comprised of 25 lessons, which correspond with two hourly classes per week for the term. It provides the instructor with the tools to teach a classroom of non-majors or string education majors, or a mixed classroom of both. FEATURES Offers a blueprint for a semester long string methods course. For beginning students, and also comprehensive for more in-depth study or for reference. Logical, step-by-step "recipe-like" approach.
The String Quartet, 1750–1797: Four Types of Musical Conversation
by Mara ParkerThe second half of the eighteenth century witnessed a flourishing of the string quartet, often represented as a smooth and logical progression from first violin-dominated homophony to a more equal conversation between the four voices. Yet this progression was neither as smooth nor as linear as previously thought, as Mara Parker illustrates in her examination of the string quartet during this period. Looking at a wide variety of string quartets by composers such as Pleyel, Distler and Filtz, in addition to Haydn and Mozart, the book proposes a new way of describing the relationships between the four instruments in different works. Broadly speaking, these relationships follow one of four patterns: the 'lecture', the 'polite conversation', the 'debate', and the 'conversation'. In focusing on these musical discourses, it becomes apparent that each work is the product of its composer's stylistic choices, location, intended performers and intended audience. Instead of evolving in a strict and universal sequence, the string quartet in the latter half of the eighteenth century was a complex genre with composers mixing and matching musical discourses as circumstances and their own creative impulses required.
String Quartets: A Research and Information Guide (Routledge Music Bibliographies)
by Mara ParkerThis research guide is an annotated bibliography of sources dealing with the string quartet. This second edition is organized as in the original publication (chapters for general references, histories, individual composers, aspects of performance, facsimiles and critical editions, and miscellaneous topics) and has been updated to cover research since publication of the first edition. Listings in the previous volume have been updated to reflect the burgeoning interest in this genre (social aspects, newly issued critical editions, doctoral dissertations). It also offers commentary on online links, databases, and references.
String Quartets by Debussy and Ravel: Quartet in G Minor, Op. 10/Debussy; Quartet in F Major/Ravel (Dover Chamber Music Scores)
by Maurice Ravel Claude DebussyFew composers of the 20th century have wielded more influence in the musical world than the two "impressionist" masters represented in this volume. Such composers as Webern, Bartók, Varèse, Messianen, and even John Cage owe a debt to Debussy's innovations in harmony, coloring, and psychological penetration.Similarly, Ravel's achievements in pianistic style, sophisticated harmonies, and bold experiments with form had a profound effect on both contemporary and later musicians. Each composer wrote only one string quartet, but by virtue of their individuality, unique interpretations of the medium and delicate and subtle beauties, both compositions enjoy a special place in the chamber music repertoire.This attractive, high-quality volume, based on authoritative French editions, brings both influential masterpieces together in one inexpensive resource. Clearly printed and sturdily bound for long life on the music stand, this book will enable musicians and music lovers to study, compare, and delight in two landmarks of the string quartet genre.
The String Quartets of Beethoven
by William KindermanWe do not understand music--it understands us. <P><P> This aphorism by Theodor W. Adorno expresses the quandary and the fascination many listeners have felt in approaching Beethoven's late quartets. No group of compositions occupies a more central position in chamber music, yet the meaning of these works continues to stimulate debate. <P> William Kinderman's The String Quartets of Beethoven stands as the most detailed and comprehensive exploration of the subject. It collects new work by leading international scholars who draw on a variety of historical sources and analytical approaches to offer fresh insights into the aesthetics of the quartets, probing expressive and structural features that have hitherto received little attention. This volume also includes an appendix with updated information on the chronology and sources of the quartets and a detailed bibliography.
Stringbean: The Life and Murder of a Country Legend (Music in American Life)
by Taylor HagoodA beloved member of the country music community, David “Stringbean” Akeman found nationwide fame as a cast member of Hee Haw. The 1973 murder of Stringbean and his wife forever changed Nashville’s sense of itself. Millions of others mourned not only the slain couple but the passing of the way of life that country music had long represented. Taylor Hagood merges the story of Stringbean’s life with an account of murder and courtroom drama. Mentored by Uncle Dave Macon and Bill Monroe, Stringbean was a bridge to country’s early days. His instrumental savvy and old-time singing style drew upon a deep love for traditional country music that, along with his humor and humanity, won him the reverence of younger artists and made his violent death all the more shocking. Hagood delves into the unexpected questions and uneasy resolutions raised by the atmosphere of retribution surrounding the murder trial and recounts the redemption story that followed decades later.
Strings Attached (Orca Limelights)
by null Diane DakersBrielle and Tawni have played cello side by side in orchestras since they were nine years old. Brielle has always played second chair to Tawni’s first, and she's been happy with that arrangement. When Tawni is injured, Brielle suddenly finds herself principal cellist. Not only does that mean she'll be thrust into the spotlight, but it also means she is now leader of the cello section. Brielle is terrified. Is she good enough? Will the other musicians accept her? What if she screws up? Despite her fears, Brielle rises to the occasion. Her cello skills, and her leadership skills, improve as she grows into her new role. But just as Brielle is beginning to feel confident, Tawni returns. And she wants her job back. If Brielle steps down now, she'll lose her place in the spotlight. If she doesn't, her friendship could be in jeopardy. This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read! The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.
Strings Attached: One Tough Teacher And The Art Of Perfection
by Joanne Lipman Melanie KupchynskyStrings Attached is a powerful memoir about resilience in the face of unspeakable tragedy, an inspiring and poignant tale of how one man transformed his own heartache into a legacy of joy for his students. His students knew Jerry Kupchynsky as "Mr. K"-the fierce Ukrainian-born music teacher who rehearsed them until their fingers almost bled and who made them better than they ever expected to be. Away from the classroom, though, life seemed to conspire against him at every turn. Strings Attached takes you on his remarkable journey, from his childhood on the run in Nazi Germany, to his life in America caring for his disabled wife while raising their two small daughters, to his search for his beloved younger daughter after she mysteriously disappeared-a search that would last for seven years. His unforgettable story is lyrically told in alternating chapters by two childhood friends who reconnected decades later: Melanie Kupchynsky, his daughter, and Joanne Lipman, a former student. Heartbreaking yet ultimately triumphant, Strings Attached is a testament to the astonishing power of hope-and a celebration of the profound impact one person can have on the lives of others.
Stronger: Forty Days of Metal and Spirituality
by Brian WelchThis 40-Day devotional from Brian “Head” Welch, former lead guitarist of Korn and the New York Times bestselling author of Save Me From Myself, is an intimate tour through the Bible passages that have meant the most to him on his trying journey from substance abuse to salvation. Save Me From Myself, Welch’s self-effacing story his against addiction and his reawakening to divine love, has made the metal band icon into a hero of Christian rock. Uncompromisingly honest about his demons, and equally fervent about his faith, Head and his impassioned devotional offer a uniquely voiced guiding light perfect for young Christians and rock music fans everywhere.
Structurally Sound: Seven Musical Masterworks Deconstructed (Dover Books on Music)
by Eric WenMusic theorist Eric Wen presents in-depth analyses of seven masterworks from the common-practice period of Western art music:Bach: Air from Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D, BWV 1068 Mendelssohn: Andante con moto tranquillo from Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 49 Schubert: Nacht und Traüme, D. 827 Haydn: Adagio — Vivace assai from Symphony No. 94 in G, Hob. I:94 Mozart: Molto Allegro from Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K. 550 Beethoven: Marcia funebre: Adagio assai from Symphony No. 3 in E-flat, Op. 55 Brahms: Un poco presto e con sentimento from Violin Sonata No. 3 in D minor, Op. 108Wen employs the analytic approach developed by Heinrich Schenker, a method that uses musical notation to clarify and illuminate a work's structural hierarchies. Copiously illustrated with analytic musical examples that elucidate the tonal organization of each of the seven works, this study also explores aspects of form, rhythmic organization, and programmatic meaning. This volume will be of particular interest to musicologists and professional musicians, and it will also appeal to listeners keen to probe the rich complexities of these masterpieces.
Struggling for Perfection: The Story of Glenn Gould
by Vladimir KoniecznyStruggling for Perfection is the story of the famous pianist, an enigmatic figure who made some of the most acclaimed classical recordings of the last century. A former child prodigy and an unpredictable, passionate man, Glenn Gould was known as much for his eccentricities as his vast musical genius. After retiring prematurely from performing, Gould branched out into work in film and radio and helped bring classical music recording technology into a new age. He has became a national icon in Canada. Vladimir Konieczny delivers a sensitive and affectionate portrait of this imposing figure in music history. The book is illustrated with sketches and archival photos.
Strumming the Guitar: Guitar Strumming for Intermediate & Upward with Audio & Video (Strumming the Guitar #2)
by Gareth EvansStrumming the Guitar Book 2 is a detailed course for intermediate level and upward focusing solely on the subject of guitar strumming. This book goes beyond the basics, covering power chords, strumming in 3/4 time, barre chords, swing feel, early chord changes, using a capo to change key, using a capo to avoid barre chords, muted strums and 16th note strumming in 4/4 time and 6/8 time. Throughout the book as the difficulty level progresses, separate sections take on strumming alone, changing chords alone and coordinating chord changes while strumming, therefore maintaining a thorough approach with components broken down at every level. Guitar Strumming Techniques - Advice is given on how to fret and strum power chords, barre chords (major, minor and dominant 7th) and how to refer to the root note to find them, using a capo and muted strumming. All with purpose made diagrams and professionally hand drawn illustrations. Guitar Strumming Patterns - 158 different guitar strumming patterns that can be used throughout the book, all written with easy to understand, graphical, strumming diagrams. These include 70 strumming patterns in 4/4 time, 22 strumming patterns in 3/4 time, 20 muted strumming patterns, 24 sixteenth note strumming patterns in 6/8 time and 22 sixteenth note strumming patterns in 4/4 time. Chord Changes - Over 100 chords are used to facilitate what the book teaches about strumming, divided into fourteen groups of chord changes. From simpler chords such as A major to more advanced ones such as A7sus2/G and lots more inbetween. Strumming Exercises and Study Pieces - Every section includes strumming exercises that combine chord changes with strumming, each section concluding with a musical study piece using the skills learnt in styles of Grunge, UK Modern Alternative, Jig, Waltz, Pop, Swing Jazz, Blues, Pop Ballad and Power Ballad. There are 70+ strumming exercises and 15 musical study pieces, while more combinations can be found by selecting from the 158 given strumming patterns to use with them. Audio and Video - All exercises and musical study pieces are demonstrated with audio (downloadable 149 MB). All study pieces have a backing audio track for you to play over. Online videos (7 in total size of 90.8 MB) are also used to enhance explanations. Please Note: The eBook includes musical pieces so is not suitable for smaller screens.
Strumming the Guitar: Guitar Strumming for Beginners and Upward with Audio and Video (Strumming the Guitar #1)
by Gareth EvansStrumming the Guitar Book 1 is a detailed course for beginners and upward, focusing solely on the subject of guitar strumming. Separate sections take on strumming, changing chords and coordinating chord changes while strumming, therefore maintaining a thorough approach throughout with components broken down at every level. With this incremental method, this guitar strumming book enables beginners to absorb everything important from the start and progress consistently as the difficulty level increases. Guitar Strumming Techniques - Before anything else, the basics of strumming are covered from the ground up, assisted with professional hand drawn illustrations. Learn how to hold the plectrum for strumming, how to strum chords that require you to miss certain strings, pre-emptive chord changing, open strums and more.Guitar Strumming Patterns - 70 different guitar strumming patterns that can be used throughout the book, all written with easy to understand, graphical, strumming diagrams. Rhythmical Notation - Understand the common language of music by becoming familiar with rhythmical notation. Learn whole notes, half notes, quarter notes, eighth notes, their equivalent rests, dotted notes, ties and the basics of time signatures. All shown with clear charts and diagrams.Chord Changes - Seven groups of chord changes, made up almost entirely of open chords. The book starts with the easiest chord changes in which fretting finger locations can be shared and works up to more difficult chord changes where fretting fingers need to relocate in independent directions.Strumming Exercises and Study Pieces - Every section includes strumming exercises that combine chord changes with strumming, each section concluding with a musical study piece using the skills learnt in styles of Slow Pop, Spanish style, Grunge and Country Pop. In total there are 85 strumming exercises and 10 musical study pieces, while more combinations can be found by selecting from the 70 given strumming patterns to use with them.Audio and Video - All exercises and musical study pieces are demonstrated with audio (downloadable 154 MB). All study pieces have a backing track for you to play over. Online videos (21 in total size of 775 MB) are also used to enhance explanations.Please Note: The eBook includes musical pieces so is not suitable for smaller screens.
Struts and Frets
by Jon SkovronTold in a voice that's honest, urgent, and hilarious, "Struts and Frets" is a bright debut novel about forming a band, falling in love, and facing the truth.
Struttin' with Some Barbecue: Lil Hardin Armstrong Becomes the First Lady of Jazz
by Patricia Hruby PowellLil Hardin and her man, Louis Armstrong, were musical royalty--inventing a new kind of sound--makin' jazz. Believe it, baby!This is the true story of Lil Hardin Armstrong: pianist, composer, and bandleader in the early days of jazz. Ahead of her time, Lil made a career for herself--and for Louis Armstrong, her modest, unassuming husband. Louis might never have become the groundbreaking jazz player he was, if it hadn't been for Lil. Scat-inspired verse celebrates how Lil overcame race and gender barriers to become the first lady of the Chicago jazz scene."Brimming with a contagious love of jazz and its first lady, this work brings down the house"--Kirkus Reviews, STARRED review
Stryper: Fuerte y Claro
by Dale Erickson Jesse SturdevantEste libro relata toda la historia de esta legendaria banda de metal cristiano. Desde la infancia de los miembros, la época del Roxx Regime, su éxito en la radio y MTV, y los estadios llenos, hasta las triunfantes giras de reunión y las grabaciones, cubre casi todo lo que hay que saber sobre Stryper, y no sólo la palabrería. Preguntas como "¿Cómo evolucionó Stryper?" o "¿Qué ocurrió realmente durante el periodo de Against the Law?" tienen respuesta aquí. Las respuestas, derivadas de incontables horas de entrevistas, proceden directamente de los propios miembros de la banda y de muchas otras fuentes.
Stuart Adamson: In a Big Country
by Glen AllanA music journalist and fan examines the life and work of the Scottish guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter. The book that fans of the Skids, Big Country and the Raphaels have been waiting for—a critical perspective not only of Adamson&’s music and its wider cultural influence, but also the excesses of fame and how the music business really works. Stuart Adamson: In A Big Country tells the story of how a teenager who was raised in a small Fife village released his first single at 19, wrote three Top 40 albums in the next three years and was written off as a has-been at 23, but then went on to form a new band and sell more than 10 million records worldwide, touring with the Rolling Stones and David Bowie. Although Adamson was one of the most respected and popular figures in the music industry, his personal life was complex and ultimately tragic, ending with his alcohol-fueled suicide in a Hawaiian hotel in December, 2001.&“He was a massive, massive influence on me . . . Absolute genius.&” —James Dean Bradfield, Manic Street Preachers&“An overdue tribute to a visionary musician and honorable man.&” —Keith Cameron, Mojo&“Engaging journey through the peaks and troughs of an ultimately troubled life . . . Moving and well-judged.&” —Rob Hughes, The Word
A Student's Guide to Music History (ISI Guides to the Major Disciplines)
by R.J. Stove&“Delightfully sophisticated . . . the only music history that can be savored, muscatel in hand, in the green shade of a beach umbrella&” (John Simon, The Hudson Review). R. J. Stove&’s A Student&’s Guide to Music History is a concise account, written for the intelligent lay reader, of classical music&’s development from the early Middle Ages onwards. Beginning with a discussion of Hildegard von Bingen, a twelfth-century German nun and composer, and the origins of plainchant, Stove&’s narrative recounts the rise (and ever-increasing complexity) of harmony during the medieval world, the differences between secular and sacred music, the glories of the contrapuntal style, and the origins of opera. Stove then relates the achievements of the high baroque period, the very different idioms that prevailed during the late eighteenth century, and the emergence of Romanticism, with its emphasis upon the artist-hero. With the late nineteenth century came a growing emphasis on musical patriotism, writes Stove, especially in Spain, Hungary, Russia, Bohemia, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and the United States. A final section discusses the trends that have characterized music since 1945. Stove&’s guide also singles out eminent composers for special coverage, including Palestrina, Monteverdi, Handel, Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Wagner, Verdi, Brahms, Debussy, Richard Strauss, Sibelius, and Messiaen. As a brief orientation to the history and contours of classical music, A Student&’s Guide to Music History is an unparalleled resource.