Musical World

Pieces of the Musical World: Sounds and Cultures is a fieldwork-based ethnomusicology textbook that introduces a series of musical worlds each through a single "piece." It focuses on a musical sound or object that provides a springboard from which to tell a story about a particular geographic region, introducing key aspects of the cultures in which it is embedded, contexts of performance, the musicians who create or perform it, the journeys it has travelled, and its changing meanings. A collaborative venture by staff and research ethnomusicologists associated with the Department of Music at SOAS, University of London, Pieces of the Musical World is organized thematically. Three broad themes: "Place", "Spirituality" and "Movement" help teachers to connect contemporary issues in ethnomusicology, including soundscape studies, music and the environment, the politics of identity, diaspora and globalization, and music and the body. Each of the book's fourteen chapters highlights a single musical "piece" broadly defined, spanning the range of "traditional," "popular", "classical" and "contemporary" musics, and even sounds which might be considered "not music." Primary sources and a web site hosting recordings with interactive listening guides, a glossary of musical terms and interviews all help to create a unique and dynamic learning experience of our musical world.

NOW IN PAPERBACK! J.J. Johnson, known as the spiritual father of modern trombone, has been a notable figure in the history of jazz. His career has embodied virtually every innovation and development in jazz over the past half-century. In this first comprehensive biography, filmography, catalog of compositions, and discography, the authors explore Johnson's childhood and early education, document his first compositions, and examine his classical roots, thereby creating a unique and powerful illustration of the composer's technical and stylistic development. New in the paperback edition is an Epilogue containing vital information about Johnson's suicide as well as an Index of Discography Titles.

Secular Songbooks Classroom Music

This book is a must for musicians, composers and music producers who want to explore the fascinating variety of musical scales that are now used in world music. Included are hundreds of scales from around the world such as: major and minor scales of Western music, diatonic modes, pentatonic scales, scales used in jazz and bebop, artificial and synthetic scales, scales of Greek folk music, pentatonic scales of Japanese and Chinese music, Ethiopian kinit, African kora scales, scales of Indonesian gamelan music, equal tone scales of Thailand and Burma, musical scales of classical Indian music and more. Each scale is presented in multiple formats including guitar tab, keyboard, note names, staff and where appropriate, details of fine tuning. A transposition pattern is also given for each scale, which enables the musician to practise and play the scale in any key required. An explanation of each scale, together with a description of its characteristics is also provided."

In Stories Behind the World's Great Music, second edition published in 1940, renowned musical author Sigmund Spaeth recounts the many and varied exploits of the great compsers and musicians from Bach to Tchaikowsky, Schubert to Brahms.