The last quarter of the twentieth-century saw a renewed interest in the hammered dulcimer in the United States at the grassroots level as well as from elements of the Folk Revival. This book offers the reader a discussion of the medieval origins of the dulcimer and its subsequent spread under many different names to other parts of the world. Drawing on articles the author has written in English as well as articles by specialists in their own languages, Gifford explains the history and evolution of the instrument. Special attention is paid to the North American tradition from the early 18th-century to the 1970s revival. Drawing from local histories, news clippings, photographs, and interviews, the book examines the playing of the dulcimer and its associated social meanings.

Written by a composer and a musician, The Contemporary Violin offers a unique menu of avant-garde musical possibilities that both performers and composers will enjoy exploring. Allen and Patricia Strange's comprehensive study critically examines extended performance techniques found in the violin literature of the latter half of the twentieth century. Drawing from both published and private manuscripts, the authors present extended performance options for the acoustic, modified, electric, and MIDI violin, with signal processing and computer-related techniques, and include more than 400 notated examples. The authors begin with bowing techniques and proceed systematically through other aspects of string playing, including MIDI technologies. Their correspondence and research with many performers and composers, the book's extensive score and text bibliography, and the discography of more than 130 recordings make The Contemporary Violin a valuable contemporary music reference and guide. An additional benefit is its listing of Internet resources that will keep the reader up to date with recent developments in contemporary performance and composition. First published by UC Press, 2001.

Classical Guitarists fills a void in the special world of the classical guitar. Although this realm is inhabited by world-class musicians, much of what they think and feel has never been captured in print. The interviewees, including Julian Bream, John Williams, Sharon Isbin, Eliot Fisk, David Starobin and David Tanenbaum are a select group at the peak of their prowess who speak openly and thoughtfully about their opportunities, accomplishments, and lessons learned. Each has made important contributions from establishing significant academic programs to broadening the audience for the classical guitar. The author shares his reviews of their most important recordings and New York City concerts during the 1990s, as well as discographies of their recordings. There are also interviews with Harold Shaw, the most prominent artist manager in the history of the classical guitar and several of today's most important composers for the guitar, including Pulitzer Prize winners George Crumb and Aaron Jay Kernis. An introductory chapter provides an historical perspective on classical guitar and a postscript explains how to create a basic repertoire of recordings.

This new edition contains all the scales and arpeggios required for ABRSM's Grade 8 Violin exam. Includes all Grade 8 scales and arpeggios for the revised syllabus from 2012, with bowing patterns and suggested fingering, along with a helpful introduction including advice on preparing for the exam.

The Great Cellists is a comprehensive and authoritative history of the lives and work of the cello's great performers and teachers, from the emergence of the solo instrument in the seventeenth century to the present day. In its early history, the cello was a genuine 'bass' violin that came in three sizes and from the thirteenth century was played side by side with viols and later violins. The instrument we know today came into general use by the time the great makers of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries - such as Amati, Stradivari and Guarneri - brought their craft to perfection and made numerous of the instruments most sought after by today's virtuosi. Many of the earliest known professional cellists were employed as court musicians, but their names have not been widely known. The most familiar names belong to those early cellists who were also composers: Boccherini, Romberg, Piatti and Popper. In more recent times, the great Europeans Becker, Klengel and Salmond led to Feuermann, Piatogorsky, Fournier, Rostropovich, and above all to Casals; and they, in turn, have greatly influenced contemporary musicians such as the late Jacqueline du Pre and the manifold brilliant players from Russia, Japan and the USA. The Great Cellists reveals a splendid range of personalities from the conventional to the eccentric. Included also are the numerous less well-known cellists who were important as founders of the various national 'schools'. Margaret Campbell has interviewed many eminent musicians and had rich access to letters and private documents in her coverage of the last hundred years. Her absorbing book presents to the reader a rich vision of skills and traditions that have been handed down nationally through the generations, and developed internationally since the twentieth century. It is a book for string players, students, concertgoers and CD buffs - indeed, anyone who enjoys the sound of the cello.

Provides convenient access to a body of solo, recital, concerto, and chamber music literature that will enrich the repertoire of the violinist. Includes a biographies section which briefly summarizes the life and work of women composers from the Baroque to 20th century American and International. The music section identifies and describes compositions in 12 genre categories. The discography organizes recorded works by composer and by title. Reference and Research Book News This bibliography enhances the repertoire of the violinist by providing convenient access to a new solo recital, concerto, and chamber music literature: the music of women composers. While other source books exist in which some of this information could be found, it is often incomplete or in such abundance that selection is difficult. This well-organized bibliography will not only simplify the process of obtaining such information, but it represents a valuable contribution to the relatively new study of the musical compositions of women. Violin Music by Women Composers is divided into three main sections: Biographies, Music, and Discography. Preceding these is a general alphabetical index to all the composers included in the work, with reference to information on them contained in the three main sections following. The Biographies section is divided among five eras beginning with Baroque and concluding with Twentieth Century International. The second section of the book, Music, is organized in twelve genre categories in which composers are entered alphabetically along with the titles of their compositions. Wherever possible, information is provided on date of composition, publisher and/or source, and duration; often with additional comments included. Library sources are given for manuscripts and for published music that is out of print; otherwise, a current publisher is listed. The Discography section organizes recorded works alphabetically by composer, then alphabetically by title. This section also includes a directory of recording companies. The volume concludes with a bibliography and references. Violin Music by Women Composers is a unique, up-to-date, and thoughtfully organized resource. Exploring its contents will certainly inform and add to the repertoire of violinists and their presenters.

This carefully researched and definitive book recreates the magic of the greatest violinists in history.

In three centuries, the solo performer progressed from downtrodden private servant to revered public idol. The supreme artists Corelli, Vivaldi, Viotti, Paganini, Vieuxtemps, Joachim and Auer were pivotal figures in the history of violin playing, while more recent times have seen Sarasate, Ysaye and the virtuosi of the modern recording era. "The Great Violinists" reveals a range of personalities from the conventional to the eccentric.

In her coverage of the last hundred years, Margaret Campbell has interviewed many eminent musicians and had rich access to letters and private documents. Her book offers a vivid portrait of skills and traditions that have been handed down through generations. It is a book for string players, students, concert goers and music buffs - indeed, anyone who enjoys the sound of the violin.

Viola Basics is a landmark method by two of the leading figures in music education. Includes a pupil's tutor book with online audio and downloadable teacher's accompaniments, Viola Basics, providing everything you need to get playing. This book starts at absolute beginner level and progresses to Grade 1. Step-by-step technical progression is supported by fun exercises and warm-ups, alongside a wide range of imaginative repertoire, helpful fact files and rhythm boxes. Music theory and general musicianship activities help students to become well-rounded musicians.

Time Pieces is an exciting new series of repertoire which explores the wealth of music written from the sixteenth century to the present day. The pieces are presented chronologically within each volume and all include the year in which they were written too so you can map your journey through time. Time Pieces for Cello is a three-volume anthology providing a graded selection of well-crafted and idiomatic arrangements, as well as some original pieces, for cello and piano. All of them have been carefully written to provide practice of the keys, note ranges and fingering patterns encountered in the early grades, and there are suggestions for position work and varied bowing patterns. Each volume balances well-known pieces with less familiar music, and the emphasis throughout is on tuneful repertoire perfectly suited to the cello with a simple supportive piano accompaniment. From Tallis to Tchaikovsky and from Haydn to Britten, Time Pieces for Cello allows the pupil to get a real feel for the different styles of music through tune and will prove an invaluable, varied source of further study and recital repertoire. Perfect for learners exploring repertoire for the own-choice piece in ABRSM's Performance Grade exams

"Acoustic Guitar Styles" introduces the most popular traditional styles for the acoustic guitar. The step-by-step approach, using a small repertoire of well-known songs, enables the student to explore various styles that can be adapted to play personal favorites. Although a basic knowledge of the guitar is assumed, even the beginner will benefit from this progressive approach.

WAYNE'S friendly and FUN approach to learning has taught tens of thousands of total beginners to play bluegrass music. Join the club!
In this, his 26th book, Wayne cuts through the clutter and confusion of learning to play with his SIMPLE approach to playing the melody. He then leads the beginner down the path of being able to IMPROVISE on the melody by adding several simple rhythms. With Wayne's help, you'll soon be jamming up a storm. Guaranteed.

Titles: Principles of Study and Guidance * Basic Technique * Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star: Variations and Theme (Shinichi Suzuki) * Lightly Row (Folk Song) * Go Tell Aunt Rhody (Folk Song) * Song of the Wind (Folk Song) * May Song (Folk Song) * Allegretto (M. Giuliani) * Perpetual Motion (Shinichi Suzuki) * Rigadoon (H. Purcell) * Are You Sleeping, Brother John? (Folk Song) * French Folk Song (Folk Song) * Tanz (J. F?hrman) * Tanz (J.C. Bach) * With Steady Hands (F. Longay) * Meadow Minuet (F. Longay). Performed by Himmelhoch, Lafreniere, and Brown.

for solo violin and orchestra or piano This serene romance is one of Vaughan Williams's most enduring popular works. Taking its title from a poem by George Meredith, the music perfectly evokes the lark's 'chirrup, whistle, slur, and shake'. This beautifully presented new edition of the violin and piano score includes a preface by Michael Kennedy.

In A Notebook for Viola Players, Ivo-Jan van der Werff offers a guide to playing the viola with the greatest freedom, dexterity, and ease. It includes right and left hand exercises to build a sound technique, sections on how to practice them, how to hold the viola and bow, how to think about good posture, how to create a good sound, how to play with the least amount of tension, how to deal with anxiety, and thoughts on wellness and practice techniques. Alongside these are photographs and a companion website of video demonstrations of the exercises played by the author, as if in a lesson. Interspersed throughout the book are lively and illuminating anecdotes of van der Werff's own experiences as a student and as a professional musician, as well as a number of blank pages and staff paper for the student to literally 'make notes' and write down their own ideas, offering a space for creative expression using the skills they learn in reading and playing along with the text. Bringing together decades of teaching and performance experience from one of the most respected figures in viola pedagogy, A Notebook for Viola Players is a master class in viola ideal for any player hoping to perfect the fundamental areas of their practice.

(Fretted). The Hal Leonard Ukulele Method is designed for anyone just learning to play ukulele. This comprehensive and easy-to-use beginner's guide by acclaimed performer and uke master Lil' Rev includes many fun songs of different styles to learn and play. The accompanying CD contains 46 tracks of songs for demonstration and play along. Includes: types of ukuleles, tuning, music reading, melody playing, chords, strumming, scales, tremolo, music notation and tablature, a variety of music styles, ukulele history and much more.

An amazing collection of 59 hits from The King with simply the lyrics and guitar chords. Includes: All Shook Up * Always on My Mind * Are You Lonesome Tonight? * Blue Suede Shoes * Burning Love * Can't Help Falling in Love * Don't Be Cruel (To a Heart That's True) * Heartbreak Hotel * Hound Dog * In the Ghetto (The Vicious Circle) * It's Now or Never * Jailhouse Rock * Kentucky Rain * Love Me Tender * Return to Sender * Suspicious Minds * (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear * That's All Right * Viva Las Vegas * and more.

The zheng zither is one of the most popular instruments in contemporary China. It is commonly regarded as a solo instrument with a continuous tradition dating back to ancient times. But in fact, much of its contemporary solo repertory is derived from several different regional folk ensemble repertories of the mid-twentieth century. Since the setting up of China's modern conservatories, the zheng has been transformed within these new contexts of professional music-making. Over the course of the twentieth century, these regional folk repertories were brought into the performance traditions of modern regional zheng schools. From this basis, a large new zheng repertory was created by conservatory musicians, combining aspects of Western classical music with folk music materials. With the 'opening up' of China's economy since the 1980s, the zheng has been brought into the wider stage of international music-making which includes contemporary art music compositions by overseas based Chinese composers and commercial world music works by Western composers. Through a series of case studies, this book explores how the transformation of the Chinese zheng has constantly responded to its changing social context, critiquing the long-standing arguments concerning 'authenticity' in the development of tradition. This work arises out of, and reflects on, the research methodologies known as performance as research. As an insider to the tradition, brought up within China's zheng society, a trained and practising zheng performer, this study is largely drawn from the author's own experiences of practising and performing the music in question; her study also draws on fieldwork, as well as primary and secondary written sources in Chinese and English. This book is accompanied by downloadable resources which contain audio visual materials relating to the author's fieldwork and zheng performances by different zheng musicians.

Titles: Tonalization and Intonation Exercises (S. Suzuki) * Exercises in Octaves and Fifths (D. Preucil) * La Folia (M. Marais/arr. D. Preucil) * Allegro (G.H. Fiocco) * Suite in G Major from Suite in G Major for Violoncello, BWV 1007 (Allemande, Minuet I, Minuet II) (J.S. Bach) * Arioso, Sinfonia for Oboe, Violin, Viola, Basso Continuo, Ich Steh mit einen Fuss im Grabe, BWV 156 (J.S. Bach) * Chromatic Scale Exercises (D. Preucil) * Three-Octave Scales and Arpeggios in D Major and D Minor (D. Preucil) * Adagio and Rondo in D (Adagio, Rondo) (W.A. Mozart) * Hungarian Dance No. 5 (J. Brahms) * Position Etudes (S. Suzuki) * Country Dances (L. van Beethoven) * Concerto for Two Violins, Violin II arranged for Viola, BWV 1043 (1st Movement: Vivace) (J.S. Bach) * Concerto in C Minor (I. Allegro molto ma maestoso, II. Adagio molto espressivo) (J.C. Bach/arr. Casadesus).
This title is available in SmartMusic.

The revised edition for Suzuki Violin School, Volume 5 is now available. Like the other revised violin books, the music has been edited by the International Violin Committee. Other features include:
* New engravings in a more easily readable 9 x 12 format
* New editing of pieces, including bowings and fingerings
* Available together with a newly recorded CD for $19.95
* CD recorded by William Preucil, Concertmaster of the Cleveland Orchestra
* Piano accompaniments recorded by Linda Perry

Following the pattern established with his pioneering work, Woodwind Music of Black Composers, Aaron Horne now presents a comparable work for the string music of Black composers. Composers from Africa as well as the Diaspora are covered in this, the most comprehensive work on the topic yet published. Organized in alphabetical order by composer, each entry provides information, where available, on the composer's life and career, and then details all works that include strings as well as information about commission, premiere, and composer bibliography and discography. The volume includes a string index, as well as a general discography and bibliography. This work should prove invaluable for scholars examining the impact of Black composers on classical music, opera, and ballet, and it will be equally valuable to those devising repertoire for teaching and concert purposes.

(Bass Instruction). A walking bass line is the most common approach to jazz bass playing, but it is also used in rock music, blues, rockabilly, R&B, gospel, Latin, country and many other types of music. The term 'walking' is used to describe the moving feeling that quarter notes create in the bass part. The specific goal of this book is to familiarize players with the techniques used to build walking bass lines and to make them aware of how the process works. Through the use of 90-minutes' worth of recorded rhythm tracks, players will have the opportunity to put the new learning directly into action. This book literally gives bassists the tools they need to build their own walking bass lines.