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The Encyclopedia of Music | 
 enlarge | Author: Max Wade-matthews
Publisher: Hermes House
Category: Book
Buy Used: $6.64
Used (17) from $6.64
Rating:  6 reviews
Sales Rank: 701122
Media: Paperback
Pages: 512
ISBN: 0681890436
EAN: 9780681890435
ASIN: 0681890436
Publication Date: 2003
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Paperback has minor wear. Pages are clean and unmarked. 6
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Product Description
Instruments of the orchestra and the great composers. This is an authoritative guide to instruments of the orchestra and great composers. It covers the history of music-making, each family of instruments, over 100 composers and much more. Comprehensively written and beautifully illustrated with over 1,000 paintings, drawings and photographs, this book is an indispensable reference for music lovers everywhere.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 1 more reviews...
 Every musical teen should have this book January 7, 2008
Joan Manning (Northern California)
Both my granddaughter and I have played several musical instruments and share a strong bond with music. At fifteen she is ready for a greater understanding of music history and theory, and this book provides it. Too many kids just learn to play in the high school band, then give up music once they leave school. I want music to be part of my granddaughter's life for the rest of her life, and this book is a tool toward that end. (Adult music lovers will enjoy the book, too.)
 pretty fabulous March 27, 2007
Bruce_in_LA (los angeles, ca United States)
A big coffee table book with endless superb illustrations and a lot of meaty text. Instruments get as much attention as the history of music itself. One reviewer found minor flaws - a mispelling here and that, a century of musical history covered too quickly. I can't speak to that. I think it's an amazing book to have and browse on any quiet evening.
 Always look before you leap! January 11, 2007
G. Callahan (Arlington, VA)
This book was a Christmas gift to myself, an impulse buy, and a splurge item all at the same time, as it was on clearance near the cash-register of a local book store this Christmas season. br / br /I regret not spending a few minutes with the book before I bought it. A few quiet moments, chai tea latte in hand, at an out-of-the-way table in the cafe would have saved me very much disappointment. When I got the book home, I fanned through the pages to find exquisite graphics: pictures, portraits, set design sketches, musical scores, and photographs all to illustrate the concepts of the text. br / br /However, as I examined the text itself, I discovered a few upsetting items. First, although Herbert van Karajan is given a 'meaty' 120+ word paragraph under conductors, he is not in fact, mentioned in the index. I have yet to find mention of Jascha Heifetz in the book, much less the index, but Fritz Kreisler does manage a spot in the Encyclopedia. (Although I understand that the book's subtitle is "Instruments of the Orchestra and the Great Composers", mention of the later without the former makes me question the balance and integrity of the editor.) On that same note, although published in 2003 and then in 2005, John Corigliano escapes any mention in the text at all under modern composers. This mystifies me, really. br / br /I've found one substantial typo so far: the Italian artist and set designer, Simon Qualigo, is subject to a misspelling of his last name when a "D" is inserted into the middle, making additional research on the talented figure nearly impossible until you realize the mistake. br / br /Finally, the delineation between the classical music eras is strangely smudged a bit in the first section when the Medieval and Renaissance time frames are blended into one "chapter" under the subject heading "The Middle Ages to the Renaissance" but each of the following classical music eras are given their own "chapter". (Also, the composer Telemann is given less than 60 biographical words under the section "Other Composers of the Era" while Corelli and Purcell are given full 2-page spreads in the "Baroque Era" "chapter.") br / br /This book might be a good superficial introduction to classical music and the history of classical composition for a young student. I've used it, and will continue to use it, in "emergencies" when general knowledge is needed quickly. br / br /I will admit my ignorance in the world of musical instruments, however, and state I can not review that portion of the book. br / br /The physical presentation, overally, is a treat for the eyes, which is why a youngster may very well take to these 512 pages quickly and easily.
Great music encyclopedia December 30, 2006
K. Jennings (Midwest, USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I really recommend this book to anyone who wants a nice overview of Musical instruments, history, and composers. It has great coverage of all the instruments and some information on how they work and are played. It covers a ton of music history and talks about many composers. I haven't gotten a chance to really thoroughly read it yet but I'm already very impressed and like it better than the other encyclopedia I had looked at.
Awesome book! July 14, 2006
H. Miller (Macon, GA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I am a high school music teacher and I use this book for my music appreciation class. It is extremely accurate and very helpful with instruments, composers, and time periods!
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