"I am sure harpists throughout the world will love to read this inspiring account of Henriette Renie's life as seen through the eyes of one of her oldest and dearest friends and former students. Available now in this fine English edition prepared with devotion by Jaymee Haefner, this small volume gives the reader a glimpse of the heart and soul of this great harpist and pedagogue." Susann McDonald ----- "This is truly one of the finest and most detailed compilations of Renie's life in existence today. It has always been sad to me that Mlle Renie did not receive the tributes via the media that she so truly deserved, probably because of the time in which she lived. For Carlos Salzedo to say, 'Mlle Renie is higher above all harpists than the heavens above the earth' is very profound. It is so helpful to the harp world to have the information provided in this book and I will encourage all my students and friends to read it. This book represents many hours and years of careful research and devotion to an important cause." Linda Wood Rollo ----- "Henriette Renie was one of the most inspirational harpists in history. She set a standard of excellence that harpists for generations will aspire to. This thorough and comprehensive look at Renie's life and achievements is a treasure, containing information that is imperative to all harpists." Dr. Carrol McLaughlin ----- "The Legend of Henriette Renie is the most extensive resource currently available on the life of this significant artist in the history of the harp whose life reflected, intersected, and influenced many of the artistic and cultural trends in late nineteenth to early-mid-twentieth century France. It is an immeasurable contribution to the harp world and to those who are interested in learning about a person who profoundly affected her chosen profession yet also reflected the cultural and social restrictions of her time." Dr. Ann Yeung ----- "There are so few harpists in the world that each of the great ones leaves an identifiable imprint. Renie has had a far reaching effect on the world of the harp, and the opportunity to learn about her life and philosophy should be part of the education of every serious harpist. She also has much to offer those who consider the place of faith in everyday life." Anna Vorhes

Composed in 1718 while Handel was residing in Cannons Park. Like the other Chandos Anthems, it was comissioned by the Earl of Carnarvon James Brydges, subsequently named First Duke of Chandos. The anthem was first performed that year under the composer's direction ay St. Lawrence's Church in Cannons Park. The text is taken from Psalms 117, 135, and 148 in Nahum Tate and Nicolas Brady's 1696 "New Versions of the Psalms."This complete vocal and pano score, edited by Max Seiffert with a piano reduction by Karl Pasler, is an unabridged reprint of the score first issued by Breitkopf & Hartel, Leipzig ca. 1900.

"Whether you know a lot about music or nothing at all, Miles Hoffman will help you think about what you listen to and how you listen. This book is a great achievement. There's nothing else out there like it." -- Wynton Marsalis, composer, trumpeter, and winner of the Pulitzer Prize in music
An irresistible tour through the lexicon of classical music, The NPR Classical Music Companionoffers an essential education certain to increase any listener's understanding and appreciation of this potentially daunting musical genre. Miles Hoffman sheds light on more than 130 words and concepts that listeners may encounter in CD booklets, on the radio, in classical concert programs, or in newspaper reviews. These wholly delightful, accessible entries touch on fascinating topics, including what makes a good or a bad conductor, what musical term is most often misused, and why opera was invented. Whether you are an experienced concertgoer or have only recently been introduced to the music of Mozart and Beethoven, Hoffman's clear explanations will both enlighten and entertain.
"A musical guide filled with wit and unique charm. There are delicious musical morsels to delight everyone, from the novice to the scholar." -- Eugenia Zukerman, author, flutist, and arts correspondent for CBS News Sunday Morning
" Hoffman] takes the myth and starch out of classical music." -- Cleveland Plain Dealer
"Carefully researched . . . informal and informative. . . a reader-friendly book." -- Washington Post
Miles Hoffman is music commentator for National Public Radio(R) 's Morning Edition(R). A graduate of Yale University and the Juilliard School, he is the violist and artistic director of the American Chamber Players.

A riotous, rambling and incomplete history of classical music, complete with leg measurements. 'Hello, I'm Stephen Fry. Now time for the first outing of a brand, spanking new feature here on The Incomplete and Utter History of Classical Music...putting some unsuspecting figure in music under the spotlight.' In his Incomplete & Utter History of Classical Music, Stephen Fry presents a potted and brilliantly rambling 700-year history of classical music and the world as we know it. Along this musical journey he casually throws in references to pretty much whatever takes his fancy, from the Mongol invasion of Russia and Mr Khan (Genghis to his friends), the founding of the MCC, the Black Death (which once again became the new black in England), to the heady revolutionary atmosphere of Mozart's Don Giovanni and the deep doo-doo that Louis XVI got into (or 'du-du' as the French would say). It's all here - Ambrose and early English plainsong, Bach, Mozart (beloved of mobile phones everywhere), Beethoven, Debussy, Wagner (the old romantic), right up to the present day.; Entertaining and brilliantly written, this is a pretty reckless romp of a history through classical music and much much mo

While in examining the earlier works, the praise bestowed on them was often largely mixed with censure, and the admiration felt for them tempered by dissatisfaction; we shall have little else than pure praise and admiration for the works that remain to be considered, at least for the vast majority of them. One thing, however, seems to me needful before justice can be done to the composer Chopin: certain prejudices abroad concerning him have to be combated. I shall, therefore, preface my remarks on particular compositions and groups of compositions by some general observations.

The fundamental characteristics of Chopin's style--the loose-textured, wide-meshed chords and arpeggios, the serpentine movements, the bold leaps--are exaggerated in the works of this group, and in their exaggeration become grotesque, and not unfrequently ineffective. These works show us, indeed, the composer's style in a state of fermentation; it has still to pass through a clearing process, in which some of its elements will be secreted and others undergo a greater or less change.

Carlyss has provided a comprehensive performance analysis for the timpani parts of Beethoven's nine symphonies. His easy-to-understand explanations are based on countless performances under many of the world's finest conductors. Includes complete parts for practice and performance.

"On the Field from Denver, Colorado!" is one man's view of the inside world of competitive junior drum corps. Whether you've marched 50 years ago, this past year or just yearned to be standing on the field, G.M. Kuzma's personal tale will give you a new appreciation for this musical art form."Good morning Blue Knights. Welcome to DCI Finals. The lights are on, stretch is in 12 and three quarter minutes." A couple of chuckles and moans ensue as we rise to face our destiny. It was "finally" here, three months of hard work, 12-hour practices, too many performances to count and now we are at the day of Finals.

Journey along with the young men and women of the 1994 Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps. Experience the Drum Corps International Summer Music Games and the intense preparations it took to arrive there.

Become a part of the action, stand on the field and learn what this life is really like in a drum & bugle corps on tour. The sacrifices, the joys, the heartbreak, the physical agony, the lifelong friendships, the lessons learned and earned.

"This is an essential read for all drum corps enthusiasts!"--Mark Arnold, Director

Arguments about musical aesthetics often degenerate into "shouting matches" that end in stalemate. In Breaking the Sound Barrier, John Winsor clears the air by presenting evidence that some works are, in fact, objectively better than others. This is a particularly timely issue because a great deal of bad music is being performed in American concert halls right now and a great deal of good music isn't. If you believe that qualitative judgment in the arts is purely subjective, this book should persuade you to rethink your position. If, on the other hand, you think there is a genuine qualitative difference between one musical work and another, this book will provide you with relevant ammunition. Winsor defines music, presents some empirical evidence from the field of music psychology, relates that evidence to events in Western music history, and explains what works and what doesn't - and why. He demonstrates that from the advent of notation to the present, music has, in fact, progressed and not merely changed. He then exposes some major errors in modernist and postmodernist writing that have disrupted music's progress and recommends remedial action for restoring the mainstream literary tradition.

This is a new, digitally enhanced reprint of the score originally published in 1911 by Durand et Cie., Paris. Originally composed in 1910 for piano solo, "Children's Corner" was scored for small orchestra the next year by Debussy's student and good friend Andre Caplet. This is the orchestral version most widely performed and recorded today. It is a brilliant example of early 20th century orchestral writing.

Beethoven And His Nine Symphonies By George Grove. Originally published in 1896. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Obscure Press are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork. Contents include: Preface- List of symphonies - Symphony No. 1 - Advertisement - Symphony No. 2 - Beethoven's 'testament'- Symphony No. 3 - Do. No. 4 - The Love-letters - Beethoven at Gneixendorf - Symphony No. 5 - Do. No. 6 - Do. No. 7 - Do. No. 8 - Do. No. 9 - Schiller's ode 'An die freude'.

He was so entirely filled with the sentiments whose most perfect types he believed he had known in his own youth, with the ideas which it alone pleased him to confide to art; he contemplated art so invariably from the same point of view, that his artistic preferences could not fail to be influenced by his early impressions. In the great models and CHEFS-D'OEUVRE, he only sought that which was in correspondence with his own soul. That which stood in relation to it pleased him; that which resembled it not, scarcely obtained justice from him.

My miserable hearing does not trouble me here. In the country it seems as if every tree said to me: 'Holy! holy!' Who can give complete expression to the ecstasy of the woods ! O, the sweet stillness of the woods!

(EMB). This volume includes three pieces: "Quartettino" by Luigi Boccherini (1743-1805), "Gavotte in Old Style" by Edvard Grieg (1843-1907) and "Elegie" by Josef Werner (1837-1922). Vols. 1 (50510615) and 2 (50510614) also available.

"The Gifted Listener" is a book for the music lover, who hasn't any musical skills. This small volume is about classical music and it's composers. It is simple and easy to read, with just enough detail, not to be confusing to the non-musician.
The author has a special insight into classical music, difficult even for a musician to understand.
In this small work a goodly amount of territory covering composers, their music and personal experiences in creative listening is covered. It is Sardo's opinion that listening is as creative as performing, regardless of age and background.
It is Michael Sardo's hope that "The Gifted Listener" will eventually be suggested reading in high school and Junior College musical appreciation classes. The author feels that his book should be considered for reading even in specialized secondary schools, which concentrate in all areas of performing arts. There are many excellent comprehensive music reference books on the market for serious students of music to study and read. What makes "The Gifted Listener" unique is the way that it treats musical listening in everyday language. The beauty of this book is that it makes classical music come alive, and at the same time is intimate to one's daily emotions. It is hoped that this book will encourage those that have not been touched with musical capability to continue on a joyful journey in creative listening, such as the author has traveled.

Music history -- Blues -- R&B

Elmore James, Sonny Boy Williamson, Little Milton, and James Waller-all of these musical powerhouses furthered their recording careers at a little label on once-thriving Farish Street, the historic black district of Jackson, Mississippi.

These blues, gospel, and R&B all-stars are featured in "Trumpet Records: Diamonds on Farish Street," the detailed story of this thriving recording label of the mid-1950s.

What caused it to spring to life in Jackson? It began in 1949, when a white woman named Lillian McMurry and her husband purchased a hardware store on Farish Street, then a location on the boundary between the city's white and black business and entertainment districts. While taking inventory of the original stock and renovating the building, she discovered a stack of unsold records, including Wynonie Harris's recording of "All She Wants to Do Is Rock." Curious, Mrs. McMurry played it on the store's record player and became so inspired that she decided to record more music like it. Thus was born Trumpet Records.

The life of the studio was brief, and this book, in careful detail, covers its short history (1951-1956) and includes accounts of recording sessions with its roster of gospel groups, blues musicians, and R&B singers, almost all of them African American. The book also documents McMurry's attempts to fuse country and African American popular music into what would become rock 'n' roll.

From interviews, archival recordings, company documents, reviews, photographs, and the assistance of the founder, Marc W. Ryan has compiled the fascinating history of this short-lived but influential company.

This new edition of a work recognized in 1993 by the Association for Recorded Sound Collections features an updated discography and bibliography, extensive new documentation, and additional insights into the operations of Trumpet Records.

Marc W. Ryan is an independent music scholar living in North San Juan, California. His work has been published in "Rolling Stone," "Discoveries," and "Blues and Rhythm."

This is a new, digitally enhanced reprint of the score originally published in 1897 by Arthur P. Schmidt. Amy Beach's only symphony is fully representative of her late Romantic style. Composed in 1896, the work makes use of several Irish folksongs as thematic material. The Gaelic symphony received favorable reviews and was subsequently performed by orchestras in both the USA and Europe in the years leading up to the World War I. Like most music of the American late-Romantic school, this lovely symphony was sadly neglected until recently. Thanks to an increased interest in the works of women composers and a general revival of interest in the American late-Romantic school, the Gaelic Symphony has seen a fair number of performances and recordings in recent years.

The ultimate guide to classical composers and their music-for both the novice and the experienced listener

Music, according to Aaron Copland, can thrive only if there are "gifted listeners." But today's listeners must choose between classical and rock, opera and rap, and the choices can seem overwhelming at times. In The Essential Canon of Classical Music, David Dubal comes to the aid of the struggling listener and provides a cultural-literacy handbook for classical music. Dubal identifies the 240 composers whose works are most important to an understanding of classical music and offers a comprehensive, chronological guide to their lives and works. He has searched beyond the traditional canon to introduce readers to little-known works by some of the most revered names in classical music-Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Schubert-as well as to the major works of lesser-known composers. In a spirited and opinionated voice, Dubal seeks to rid us of the notion of "masterpieces" and instead to foster a new generation of master listeners. The result is an uncommon collection of the wonders classical music has to offer.

El dialogo musical entre cada una de las voces de la orquesta, asi como el dialogo imaginario entre la musica y el oyente, conforman el punto central de las consideraciones de Nikolaus Harnoncourt sobre la cuestion musical desde que identifico este dialogo -que abrio nuevos horizontes a sus propios criterios interpretativos- como medio esencial de expresion para los compositores entre finales del siglo XVI y del XIX. En un extenso analisis de las grandes obras de Monteverdi y Bach, nos muestra como ese dialogo musical puede volver a expresarse hoy en la ejecucion musical. Harnoncourt rinde cuentas de como en sus audiciones intenta conseguir, mediante la musica, la transformacion intelectual del oyente pretendida por el compositor. En la parte correspondiente a Mozart, el musico y estudioso demuestra con importantes ejemplos que la musica de este, en esencia siempre dramatica y caracterizada por fuertes contrastes animicos, adolece de una interpretacion erronea a causa de versiones carentes de contrastes sonoros y dominadas por un sentido erroneo del equilibrio.

This comprehensive guide is a must-have for the legions of fans of the beloved and perennially popular music known as soul and rhythm & blues. The latest in the definitive All Music Guide series, the All Music Guide to Soul offers entertaining and informative reviews that lead readers to the best recordings by their favorite artists and help them find new music to explore. Informative biographies, essays, and "music maps" trace R&B's growth from its roots in blues and gospel and its flowering in Memphis and Motown, to its many branches today. Complete discographies note bootlegs, important out-of-print albums, and import-only releases.