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.

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'.

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.

Inspired by Canto V of the "Inferno" of Dante's "Divine Comedy," Tchaikovsky initially planned to create an opera on the subject but abandoned the idea in favor the present 24-minute fantasia for orchestra in 1876. Bearing all the hallmarks of the composer's late romantic style, "Francesca da Rimini" takes full advantage of the powerful orchestral forces employed. The first performance was given on March 9, 1877 in Moscow, with the RMS Orchestra conducted by Nikolay Rubinstein. This is a new, digitally enhanced reissue of the score originally published around 1900 in Leipzig by Ernst Eulenburg.

Unabridged reprint of the score issued in 1896 by Arthur P. Schmidt.

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.

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.

"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.

Study Score. Reprint of the 1888 score issued in Boston by Arthur P. Schmidt. The first American symphony published in full score on a non-subscription basis, the Symphony No. 2 bears all of the hallmarks of Chadwick's uniquely American style.

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!

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.

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."

Among the world's instruments, the piano stands out as the most versatile, powerful, and misunderstood -- even by those who have spent much of their lives learning to play. In "Piano Notes, " a finalist for a 2003 National Book Critics Circle Award, Charles Rosen, one of the world's most talented pianists, distills a lifetime of wisdom and lore into an unforgettable tour of the hidden world of piano playing.

You'll read about how a note is produced, why a chord can move us, why the piano -- "hero and villain" of tonality -- has shaped the course of Western music, and why it is growing obsolete. Rosen explains what it means that Beethoven composed in his head whereas Mozart would never dream of doing so, why there are no "fortissimos" in the works of Ravel, and why a piano player's acrobatics have an important dramatic effect but nothing more. Ending on a contemplative note, "Piano Notes" offers an elegant argument that piano music "is not just sound or even significant sound" but a mechanical, physical, and fetishistic experience that faces new challenges in an era of recorded music. Rosen ponders whether piano playing will ever again be the same, and his insights astonish.

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.

"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.

In a music business amply buffered against surprise, Danny Gatton swam stubbornly, from country, to gospel, rockabilly, soul, and standards. "Redneck Jazz" became Gatton's calling card for playing whatever and whenever he wanted. Hailed as the best unknown guitar player by both Rolling Stone and Guitar player magazines, he was a players' player who never received the popular acclaim he deserved. The struggle to reach a wider audience while staying true to his own muse proved to much for him to bear, and in 1994 he took his own life. Gatton's legend has only grown since his untimely death, along with appreciation for his blinding speed, effortless genre-hopping, flawless technique, and never-ending appetitie for tinkering and problem-solving. Unfinished Business places Gatton's musical contributions into context, as well as his influence on those peers who admired him most, including Albert Lee, Vince Gill, Arlen Roth, and Lou Reed.

Someone has finally hit the entertainment jackpot in Las Vegas! This riveting and explosive tell-all book dives into the uncharted territory of Las Vegas entertainment politics.

A look at the contemporary blues scene of greater Boston, including dozens of interviews with musicians, blues radio DJs and photographers; regional festival listings; radio stations, and a brief history of the blues in Boston. (Music)