Music: Books

Giorgio Pestelli examines one of the crucial periods of musical history, from the middle of the eighteenth century to the era of Beethoven. This was a time of great cultural, technical and social changes. The free professional composer, in direct contact with the wide musical public, replaced the dependent court musician. Instrumental music became the centre of new developments, and sonata form, the cornerstone of nineteenth-century musical architecture, dominated its language. With the decrease in private patronage came the birth of the public concert; there was a vast increase in music publishing, and important developments were made in instrumental techniques, the dominant feature being the rise of the piano. Standing out from this common background are three major figures; Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven, whose specific characteristics are discussed in detail, along with their links with many other musicians. Dr Pestelli also emphasizes general lines of development: the galant style, the passion for antiquity and curiosity for the exotic, the debate over 'literary' opera, the Sturm und Drang movement, the influence of the French Revolution and the Restoration, and the origins of romanticism. The originality of the book arises from the fact that it views the music against the background of social, political, philosophical and cultural trends of the time, rather than relying on detailed analyses of specific works.

This book examines the intellectual history of instrumental music, in particular the idea of absolute music. It tries to show how certain ideas in philosophy, theology and the sciences affect the meaning and, indeed, the existence of instrumental music, and how, in turn, instrumental music is used to resolve or exemplify certain problems in modern culture. Instead of existing in a pure and autonomous form, music is woven back into the epistemological fabric and entangled with numerous discourses, thus demonstrating the centrality of music in the construction of meaning.

A remarkable amount of historical information is covered in this comprehensive history of the American band. Timelines and photos track developments in American band music from colonial drum and fife corps to the Big Band era; and useful tables compare band music milestones to those of other arts in western civilization, events in U.S. history, and with other American musical breakthroughs. The final section of the book discusses new directions in American music and predicts a bright future for the modern wind band.

"An anthology of 11 essays is the first to address the role of the sound engineering technologies and practices that shape contemporary world music. The essays look at technologies invented in the west and how they are incorporated by world cultures. It can be argued that new technologies extend western influence and bring about a homogenization of the world musical practices, but such technologies also have the potential to open up new directions for musical expression, empowering people to express their own cultural values. Wired for Sound challenges assumptions about the use of technology, seeking to move beyond the false dichotomy of "creative" musicians and "mechanical" sound engineers. The essays demonstrate how technologies create new possibilities for responding to a popular audience, for fulfilling artistic aims, and recreating traditional music."--Publisher

The first encyclopedia of theatre songs from Broadway shows ranging from The Black Crook (1866) to the 1994 Tony Award-winning Passion, this handy guide features over 1,800 songs from over 500 musicals. It gives such information as the songs' authors, original performers, and dates and history of recordings. Each song is described and briefly analyzed, explaining how the song fit in the original production and what is notable about its music, lyrics, and presentation. Thoroughly indexed by song title, show, authors, and performers. Of interest to scholars, students, and fans alike.

Complete piano, vocal music of Die Schöne Müllerin, Die Winterreise, Schwanengesang. Also Drinker English singing translations.

Brahms was a master of musical structure, especially in his 4 symphonies. This text presents full orchestral scores of No. 1 in C. Minor, Op. 68; No. 2 in D Major, Op. 73; No. 3 in F Major, Op. 90; and No. 4 in E Minor, Op. 98.

11 songs from the Broadway production of this story of the Founding Fathers of the United States and their courageous fight for independence. Includes: Sit Down, John * The Lees of Old Virginia * Mama, Look Sharp * Is Anybody There? * and more.

The film Rent , based on the Tony -winning Broadway production, is a modern-day adaptation of the opera La Boheme . Includes 18 songs: Another Day * I'll Cover You * Rent * Seasons of Love * Take Me or Leave Me * What You Own * Without You * You'll See * Your Eyes * and more. Includes eight pages of color photos.

Complete vocal score to the classic with all 14 songs, including: Getting to Know You * Hello, Young Lovers * I Whistle a Happy Tune * Shall We Dance? * Something Wonderful * We Kiss in a Shadow * and more.

Easy to understand and inspiring for all musicians wishing to explore the secrets of jazz improv. CD includes blues in Bb and F, four dorian minor tracks, four-measure cadences, cycle of dominants, 24-measure song, II/V7 in all keys. Book includes transposed parts for all instruments. The CD includes Jamey playing exercises from the book. Hear the master clinician show you exactly how it's done! Rhythm Section: Jamey Aebersold (p); Rufus Reid (b); Jonathan Higgins (d) Includes: Scales/Chords, Developing Creativity, Improv Fundamentals, 12 Blues Scales, Bebop Scales, Pentatonic Scales, Time and Feel, Melodic Development, II/V7s, Related Scales and Modes, Practical Exercises, Patterns and Licks, Dominant 7th Tree of Scale Choices, Nomenclature, Chromaticism, Scale Syllabus, and more!