Paris at the turn of the 20th century was obsessed with the interrelations of the arts. It was a time when artists and writers spoke of poetry as music, sounds as colors, and paintings as symphonies. The music of Claude Debussy, with its unique textures and dazzling colors, was the perfect counterpart to the bold new styles of painting in France. Paul Roberts probes the sources of Debussy's artistic inspiration, relating the "impressionist" titles to the artistic and literary ferment of the time. He also draws on his own performing experience to touch on all the principal technical problems for a performer of Debussy's piano music. His many suggestions about interpreting the music will be particularly valuable to performers as well as listeners.

When F. E. Kirby published A Short History of Keyboard Music in 1966, scholars and keyboard players welcomed it as the first detailed historical interpretation of music for organ, harpsichord, clavichord, and piano. In this book, which is comparable in length but substantially different in content, Kirby focuses on music for the piano "in the fine-art or classical tradition", providing an in-depth survey of music for piano solo, and including discussions of important compositions for piano duet and two pianos. Beginning with early types of keyboard music that influenced the first music for the instrument in the seventeenth century, and ending with the bold, iconoclastic works of the late twentieth century, Kirby provides a scholarly yet readable overview of the literature, drawing on the results of the most recent research. Concerned with the historical context of the works, the author traces the development of the composers' styles in light of the times in which they lived. With an emphasis on principal composers and important compositions, the book is an excellent introduction for anyone interested in the development of the great repertoire of piano music. Incorporating an extensive topical bibliography of more than 1100 sources for further reading - likely the largest ever compiled - and illustrated throughout with music examples, this volume is indispensable to students and teachers at both the graduate and advanced undergraduate levels, music historians, and anyone interested in music literature.

In The Composer-Pianists: Hamelin and The Eight, Robert Rimm writes about eight legendary, enigmatic, and interrelated composer-pianists of the instrument's golden age and goes on to consider their present-day advocate and astounding interpreter Marc-Andre Hamelin, whose dynamic playing and engaging personality immediately impressed Rimm upon their first encounter. Rimm portrays The Eight (Alkan, Busoni, Feinberg, Godowsky, Medtner, Rachmaninov, Scriabin, and Sorabji) as the piano's aural sensualists and explores the relationships among their music, their music-making, their ideas, and their lives. HARDCOVER.

Tatjana Goldberg reveals the extent to which gender and socially constructed identity influenced female violinists' 'separate but unequal' status in a great male-dominated virtuoso lineage by focussing on the few that stood out: the American Maud Powell (1867-1920), Australian-born Alma Moodie (1898-1943), and the British Marie Hall (1884-1956). Despite breaking down traditional gender-based patriarchal social and cultural norms, becoming celebrated soloists, and greatly contributing towards violin works and the early recording industry (Powell and Hall), they received little historical recognition. Goldberg provides a more complete picture of their artistic achievements and the impact they had on audiences.

The composer and pianist Michael Finnissy (b. 1946) is an unmistakeable presence in the British and international new music scene, both for his immeasurable generosity as prolific composer for many different types of musicians, major advocate for the works of others, and performer and conductor who has also been a driving force behind ensembles; he was also President of the International Society for Contemporary Music from 1990 to 1996. His vast and enormously varied output confounds those who seek easy categorisations: once associated strongly with the 'new complexity', Finnissy is equally known as composer regularly engaged with many different folk musics, for working with amateur and community musicians, for a long-term engagement with sacred music, or as an advocate of Anglo-American 'experimental' music. Twenty years ago, a large-scale volume entitled Uncommon Ground: The Music of Michael Finnissy gave the first major overview of the output of any 'complex' composer. This new volume brings a greater plurality of perspectives and critical sensibility to bear upon an output which is almost twice as large as it was when the earlier book was published. A range of leading contributors - musicologists, composers, performers and others - each grapple with particular questions relating to Finnissy's music, often in ways which raise questions relating more widely to new music, and provide theoretical foundations for further of study both of Finnissy and other composers.

An instructional book that helps rock guitarists of all levels hone their chops and learn from the masters. Offering lessons, licks, and tips drawn from rock guitar masters, this how-to guide boosts players' soloing techniques, rhythm playing, and understanding of rock theory. Fully updated and expanded, it reveals secrets of nu-metal stars such as Rage Against the Machine, provides lessons on roots-rock legends including Carl Perkins, teaches riffs from rock gods such as Jimi Hendrix and Eddie Van Halen, and spotlights the latest on gear and recording. This book is like taking a private lesson with Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, or Keith Richards. Beginners get how-to guidance plus notational symbols for building a solid rock 'n' roll fretboard foundation. Experienced players will find insights from guitar greats to use at the next gig. Outlining the basics as well as some of the masters' techniques, the easy-to-use book covers pentatonic scales, double- and triple-stop approaches to chords and solos, open tuning, wah-wah, the Hendrix rhythm style, and more. With the online recordings bringing these lessons to life, players can pick apart the music by string, fret, and finger while hearing exactly how it should sound.

Longtime collectors of video recordings (VHS) of piano, both solo and with orchestra desire nothing more than a catalog listing only piano performances. This catalog provides the means whereby music professionals, average piano students, and piano aficionados can study piano performance in both its audio and video aspects. Part I provides information on nearly 200 piano performance videos that where personally heard by the authors. There is a brief evaluation of each video, the authors thoughts as well as the opinions of highly regarded critics in the music performance field. Part II lists supplemental video recordings containing performances by more than one pianist, as in collections, competitions, and documentaries. Part III cross-references the catalog by composer. Each composition relates to a piano performance listed in Part I or Part II. In some instances, the pianist plays only excerpts of compositions, but these musical fragments are included because they are the only VHS performances the authors could find by that particular pianist or simply because they are so representative of the pianist's style. The video recording provides an evocative look at the pianist, how he produces his particular sound, what hand position he prefers when playing a concerto, and his rapport with both orchestra and conductor. A useful tool for piano music enthusiasts, for those looking to hear piano performance, and for skilled pianists looking for new insights.

Philip Hale (1854-1934) helped put Boston on the Transatlantic map through his music writing. Mitchell reconstructs Hale's oeuvre to produce an authoritative account of the role the Boston Symphony played in the international world of nineteenth- and early twentieth-century music.

First published in 1998, this volume is the first book to focus on the American symphony. Neil Butterworth surveys the development of the symphony in the United States from early European influences in the last century to the present day, and asks why American composers have shown such allegiance to a musical form which their European contemporaries appear to have discarded. An overview of the growth of musical societies in America during the eighteenth century and the establishment of the first professional orchestras during the early part of the nineteenth century is followed by chronological analyses of the works of those composers who have played important parts in the progress of symphony in the United States, from Charles Ives, Aaron Copland and Leonard Bernstein, to contemporary figures such as William Bolcom and John Harbison. Complete with a comprehensive catalogue of symphonies and an extensive discography, this book is an indispensable reference work.

First published in 1999, this biography from David Tunley draws on newly researched documentary evidence to chart Campoli's early success and his later struggle for recognition as a serious artist. Campoli's early success and his later struggle for recognition as a serious artist. Campoli's career emerges as one particularly shaped and directed by the great economic and social forces of the first half of the century, and the story here is as much that of his times, as of his life. Described by Szigeti as 'one of the last great individualists among violinists', Alfredo Campoli was a household name in the field of British light music prior to the Second World War. Having made his debut at the Wigmore Hall in 1923 Campoli toured with Melba and Butt, then turned to light music during the Depression. He became one of Decca's early recording artists and broadcast frequently for the BBC with his light music ensembles and pursued a long, successful career as a distinguished international performer.

For everyone who's read the Bible and wondered what David's harp, or Nebuchadnezzar's sackbut and cornett really were, Jeremy Montagu, retired curator of Oxford's Bate Collection of Historical Instruments, has composed an astoundingly thorough investigation and explanation of the musical instruments that pepper the pages of Western Civilization's most holy book. This is a detailed study of all the musical instruments mentioned in the Bible, using the resources of linguistics, organology, and ethnomusicology to identify and describe them. Every reference to an instrument is noted and all the misconceptions of translation are corrected. The Bible, as we know it in English, is a translation, and the history of biblical translations into Aramaic, Greek, Latin and other languages is one of guesswork. The substitution of the musical instruments from the translator's era for those of the original author is as common as it is overlooked. Jubal did not have an organ, nor David a harp. This book uses all the resources available to establish what each instrument really was, what it looked like, and how it was played and is arranged in the same order as the King James Bible, with explanation where this differs from other versions in English. As well as a full bibliography, there are three indexes. The first is of Biblical Citations so that readers may check every mention in the Bible from its chapter and verse. The second is a quadrilingual parallel citation in Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and English, so that each reference can be crosschecked. The third is a general index. The four biblical languages, Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, and Latin, are used to the full, and the original texts are cited frequently. There are 18 illustrations, some of which are archeological remains, some ethnographic parallels, and one is of the sole biblical instrument still in regular use: the ram's horn which brought down the walls of Jericho. Musical Instruments of the Bible is perfect for university theology and comparative religion depa

Packed with music, charts and photos, this easy-to-use guidebook provides a complete course for playing the blues. Starting with the basics, it then explores the styles of great bluesmen like Albert King, Eric Clapton, and John Lee Hookerooften in the playersi own words. Applicable to both acoustic and electric guitar, topics range from essential scales and turnarounds to Chicago blues, beatnik jazz, chromatic and altered notes, and blues accompaniment. An exciting feature allows guitarists to listen to the lessons in the book at a specially designed web page on the Internet using a private access code. Plusoreaders get an inspiring blues discography and tips on picking the right equipment for a great blues sound.

The Hammond B-3 organ has been grinding its way through gospel, blues, jazz, rock, and even home entertainment since the first one was built in 1954. Now fully updated, this book traces the artistic and technological evolution of the B-3 and other crucial models and the rotating Leslie speakers that catapulted the Hammond sound into musical history. Packed with anecdotes and insights from speaker inventor Don Leslie and 30-year Hammond engineer Alan Young, the book explains the innovative tone-wheel system that renders the famous Hammond growl. It reveals the technical magic of the B-3's drawbars, presets, pedalboard, percussion, and other unique features. This new edition also covers Hammond Brightwave organs and Tone Cabinets, the Hammond 102100 synthesizer, more information from the Hammond Technical Manual, and details on other organs that try to replicate the legendary Hammond sound. A list of recommended recordings covers the work of these and other great Hammond players, such as Jimmy Smith, Booker T. Jones, Billy Preston, Gregg Allman, Sly Stone, and today's new artists. Readers who play can put the books 25 Hammond Licks You Must Know into action, along with experts tips on buying, restoring, and maintining these truly unique organs.

(Keyboard Instruction). Learn to play the piano styles of today's top rock, pop, and jazz artists Here are the melodic and harmonic techniques of 23 iconic performers, including Ray Charles, Herbie Hancock, Norah Jones, Alicia Keys, Elton John and Stevie Wonder, to name just a few. The accompanying CD is designed to allow maximum flexibility when practicing: you can highlight the piano part, the rhythm section, or both according to your needs. A must for players who really want to get inside the styles of their favorite artists.

The Montagu Collection, of worldwide coverage and all types of instruments, began to take shape in the early 1960s when what had been a small and very random collection was then rapidly expanded to illustrate lectures and to provide material for research on all aspects of organology. By 1967, when Jeremy Montagu mounted an exhibition in Sheffield and for that reason started his ledger catalogue, the number of instruments had reached about 450. It has now, thirty years later, reached nearly 2,500. The Collection is always accessible to interested persons.

Virtuoso Mariachi presents a unique insight into the history and development of Mexico's traditional music, including how its history has affected performance practice, an in-depth discussion of mariachi trumpet style and technique, a survey of song types common in mariachi music today, critical examination of current trends in mariachi and the performers who set them, and the author's thoughts on the future of mariachi music. This unique, intelligently written and long awaited work is extremely important to the world of mariachi and will serve to elevate the status of this beautiful and passionate music in the eyes of the general public, Classical-Music musicians and enthusiasts, students everywhere who are studying mariachi, and indeed the thousands of mariachi musicians around the globe themselves, who have seen their music greatly ignored by the academic community up until now. Included with each book is a coupon for a free, full-length CD of the author's Mariachi Champana Nevin performing traditional mariachi music. This recording was made with great care and the intention of illustrating many of the issues discussed in Virtuoso Mariachi."

This book is designed to complement Harp Music Bibliography: Compositions for Solo Harp and Harp Ensemble (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1995). The IU Press title has 3356 entries; the supplement has almost 3000 entries, nearly doubling the total number of listings of works for harp. Following the design of the earlier title, the Supplement contains citations for harp music published between 1800 and 2000 in a classified arrangement: 1) Method books; 2) Orchestral studies; 3) Solos (original works for harp); 4) Solo arrangements (arrangements of works originally for other combinations of instruments); 5) Harp ensembles; and 6) Arranged harp ensembles. Each entry includes information needed to accurately identify a work, including uniform titles when needed, publisher information, pagination when available, and complete contents listings for anthologies. Following the main sections is an index of names and titles. Specifically excluded are manuscript and rental material, student theses and dissertations, and reprints by the same publisher. Finally, there is an index of music playable on non-pedal or "folk" harps.

Warm, lyrical, cantabile melodies and rich harmonic structures are found in this expressive series.

A continental tour of Europe doesn't go quite as planned! When Stockwell Park Orchestra goes on tour to Europe, it proves a challenge for even the most efficient German logistical planner. A teenage stowaway, brass players falling in canals and a sabotaged timpani van are all in a day's work for Ingrid Bauer of Note Perfect Tours, but even she can't solve all the problems this week throws at her. Maybe a bit of surprise Bach can calm the muddy Brexit waters. She just has to fish out the musicians first. Praise for The Stockwell Park Orchestra Series: "I was charmed... a very enjoyable read." Marian Keyes "Friendly insults between musicians, sacrosanct coffee-and-biscuit breaks, tedious committee meetings: welcome to the world of the amateur orchestra." BBC Music Magazine "...a witty and irreverent musical romp, full of characters I'd love to go for a pint with. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the Stockwell Park Orchestra and can't wait for the next book in the series." Claire King, author of The Night Rainbow "Sharp, witty and richly entertaining." Lev Parikian, author of Why Do Birds Suddenly Disappear? "With its retro humour bordering on farce, this novel offers an escape into the turbulent (and bonkers) world of the orchestra." Isabel Costello, author of Paris Mon Amour "...a very funny tale of musical shenanigans set in the febrile atmosphere of the Stockwell Park Orchestra" Ian Critchley

The Appalachian dulcimer is one of America's major contributions to world music and folk art. Homemade and handmade, played by people with no formal knowledge of music, this beautiful instrument arrived in the light of the 20th century with virtually no written record. Appalachian Dulcimer Traditions is a first-hand report to enlarge our knowledge of the dulcimer's history by searching the hills and "hollers" of Appalachia, looking at old instruments, and listening to the tales of old folks. After reviewing the instrument's special musical features, the book describes some related instruments, and reveals little-known facts about the dulcimer's origins on the early Appalachian frontier. The book then describes three major design traditions of the dulcimer, each centered in its own geographical area, and focuses on important makers in each of the three traditions-the Melton family of Galax, Virginia, Charles M. Prichard of Huntington, West Virginia, and "Uncle Ed" Thomas of Kentucky. A final chapter describes four Appalachian makers of the folk revival transition, who began making instruments the old-time way and modernized them to meet the needs of Post-World-War-II urban players. The book concludes with listings of dulcimer recordings in the Archive of Folk Culture of the Library of Congress.

Instant Harmonica is a totally new way of teaching yourself to play the harmonica in as short a time as possible. Yes, even if you have never played a note of music before in your life, you'll be playing your first songs on the harmonica in a matter of minutes. And what songs you'll be learning to play! We've chosen the best Country, Folk, and Cowboy songs around to insure that Instant Harmonica is not only fast but also a lot of fun!