Music History & Criticism Books

[LOVE4LPGA]

I know that books are going way of the dinosaurs.

 

I love them.

 

Esp the subjects that lend themselves to a thick hardcover I can buy used for dimes on the dollar online. Subjects like history, art appreciation, and music criticism.

 

I was recently struck by something odd.

 

The New Oxford History of Music suite is actually quite a bit older than the current Oxford History of Music series.

 

Also, the older editions (called "New") are an edited batch of chapter-articles written by subject experts. While the newer version (not called "New") is an equally lofty set written by one person.

 

This thread is bound to generate a lot of replies and raging controversy.

[PeanutsDaddy]

Five days and the thread hasn't hit its stride yet. I'm a history teacher who has a fine appreciation for the arts, what pot are you attempting to stir?

[LOVE4LPGA]

[quote name='PeanutsDaddy' timestamp='1387764812' post='8337297']

Five days and the thread hasn't hit its stride yet. I'm a history teacher who has a fine appreciation for the arts, what pot are you attempting to stir?

[/quote]

Is "stirring pot" always a negative? If so, it does not apply to my motives in this thread. I figured I might get a couple of constructive comments. Either about books or music history books.

My acquaintance in the book selling business says their latest thinking is that e-reading has almost peaked and it is not really killing books as much as originally thought. It is widely iterated that Amazon killed most of the B&M bookstores, esp the BB genre. Most of his business is via Internet sales, so the market is evolving.

[PeanutsDaddy]

I've always got a book, or two, or three on the go and I am a big music fan. My wife and I collect books and CD's. It almost sounds archaic to read that statement in print as digital media appears to hold a lion's share of the marketplace. I don't ever see myself holding an 'E-Reader' as I like the feeling of a paperback book in my hand. I very rarely purchase digital music, and if I do it is downloaded from iTunes and/or taken from a CD I purchase.

Currently a big fan of Brandon Mull; author of the series [i]Fablehaven[/i] and [i]T[i]h[/i]e Beyonders[/i]. Also, just finished the first two books in the Richard Paul Evans series; [i]Michael Vey. [/i]Finished Tom WIshon's [i]'New' Search for The Perfect Golf Club. [/i] An enlightening read.

The car radio currently alternates between Pearl Jam's [i]Sirens [/i]and Passenger's [i]All the Little Lights. [/i]Really love the distinct sound of both singer's voices. Eddie Vedder could burp and I probably would like he sound of it.

What do you have on the go?

[LOVE4LPGA]

[quote name='PeanutsDaddy' timestamp='1388699369' post='8386953']

What do you have on the go?

[/quote]

[i]Idiots Guide to Roman History[/i] in the bathroom.

In the bedroom, A WWI history book that is making an amazing synthesis of the cultural, technical, and political forces ([i]Rites of Spring[/i]) and a history of the music impressionists era around turn of century ([i]Paris: The musical kaleidoscope[/i]). Also picking at a history of the impressionist painting era in late 1800s ([i]Judgement of Paris[/i]), but that is about to get fired for lacking grip. I find music history fascinating, but art history much less so...

Music at home is all 20th Century Euro and modern jazz. In car is all pop or hip hop radio. While driving, I like to be entertained and kept energized.

[PeanutsDaddy]

Varied interests. I like it. I get my fair share of historic reading during the school year. I did receive [i]Canada at War: A Graphic History of World War Two[/i] for Christmas and intend to read the book before bed in the next week . I tend to gravitate toward stories of fiction that contain fantasy and adventure. Escapism at its finest.

I have no issues listening to jazz, pop, hip hop, but they are definitely not my first choice of music. I like to keep it pretty mellow. Do you enjoy classical music? What fascinates you the most about the history of music?

[itchyfinger]

A History of Western Music was my textbook in college. One of the few I kept.

[LOVE4LPGA]

[quote name='PeanutsDaddy' timestamp='1388761608' post='8390387']

What fascinates you the most about the history of music?

[/quote]

The exciting history of music started in the late Romantic era (late 1800s) when the Benefactor process was all but over and the composers were fully self-employed folks. They started rapidly breaking "rules" and diversity of styles became much more apparent. I find the early history boring, even though the music is beautiful.

[PeanutsDaddy]

Literally just finished a unit of study on the 'age of enlightenment' and the 'scientific revolution'. We will be studying the 'industrial revolution' shortly. Had never really given much thought to how much this age influenced musical instruments and consequently the music produced.

I've never heard of the 'Benefactor process' but I assume you are referring to the patronage of the upper classes. The Romantic era brought music to the masses. It must have been amazing to sit at large public concerts and festivals for the first time.

This thread is about to 'explode'. I can just sense it. itchyfinger (and his/her Joe Dirt avatar) fills me with hope.

[itchyfinger]

[quote name='LOVE4LPGA' timestamp='1388773399' post='8391559']
[quote name='PeanutsDaddy' timestamp='1388761608' post='8390387']
What fascinates you the most about the history of music?

[/quote]

The exciting history of music started in the late Romantic era (late 1800s) when the Benefactor process was all but over and the composers were fully self-employed folks. They started rapidly breaking "rules" and diversity of styles became much more apparent. I find the early history boring, even though the music is beautiful.
[/quote]

I enjoy everything in The Common Practice Period. my ear doesn't like instrumental music before that time. we spend so much time in equal temperament that it makes your brain itch hearing the older tuning systems. I do enjoy the older sacred vocal works. I recommend the complete works of Hildegard of Bingen by Sequentia.

[itchyfinger]

[quote name='PeanutsDaddy' timestamp='1388774642' post='8391705']
Literally just finished a unit of study on the 'age of enlightenment' and the 'scientific revolution'. We will be studying the 'industrial revolution' shortly. Had never really given much thought to how much this age influenced musical instruments and consequently the music produced.

I've never heard of the 'Benefactor process' but I assume you are referring to the patronage of the upper classes. The Romantic era brought music to the masses. It must have been amazing to sit at large public concerts and festivals for the first time.

This thread is about to 'explode'. I can just sense it. itchyfinger (and his/her Joe Dirt avatar) fills me with hope.
[/quote]

I was a Music Education Major. It seems like ages ago that I have studied this stuff. My instrument was French Horn.

[PeanutsDaddy]

itchy,

I literally know nothing about which you speak, but I will read, listen and report back when I have a clue. Here we go.

[PeanutsDaddy]

I played trumpet from grade 4 - 10 and I am a 'self-taught' guitarist. Never great at either, but I really like to sing and jam.

[itchyfinger]

[quote name='PeanutsDaddy' timestamp='1388775806' post='8391855']
itchy,

I literally know nothing about which you speak, but I will read, listen and report back when I have a clue. Here we go.
[/quote]

getting the different frequencies of wind instruments, stringed instruments and voices was a real problem. The frequencies want to destabilize. Ancient music worked on intonation between notes which works in only one key. So if you have an instrument working in a different frequency the nice consonant sound (or beats) you hear when harmonic notes are lined up become offset by a few hertz which is very unpleasant to the human ear.

The evolution of tuning systems to solve this problem spanned many generations to what we have now. It's cool to understand how music progressed to what we have now.

The same hype that these modern pop groups generate with a new music video was the same kind of hype when Mozart or Handel was composing their next opera.