The Enjoyment Of Music Classic Reprint

Excerpt from The Enjoyment of Music What then is meant by listening? Something m more than the mere reception of sounds by the ears. Listen is to attend, to stretch and bend the mind with sense of hearing to what is offered. It means, theref the effort to exclude other things the what he desires to hear and tries not to hear other sounds. He gives himself to this and for the time takes himself away from the rest of the world. If we are to listen to music we shall repeat this double process of attention of reservation over and over again for the same sounds, the same groups and sequences of sounds, the same piece or work. From this repetition two results must follow first, we get into the habit of listening to this work as a whole, and second, within the work as a whole we learn to distinguish various parts we learn, in fact, what to listen for, and we listen for that. But we shall not always listen to the same work, when we are listening to music; we: shall hear various works by various writers. To all of them we shall come with the determination to attend, with the willingness to yield ourselves to them, and yet with the sturdy purpose of retaining our judgment and our self respect. We shall listen for what they have to say. As in listening to an orator we are not content to have our ears delighted with the notes of his voice, but also insist on knowing what he means, so in listening to music we are not, or ought not to be content with sounds, but must know what the musician means by them. Yet here a danger threatens us. The musician means what he says in sound, that and nothing else music must be musically received. It is not to be translated into the language of words. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Music lovers of all ages are drawn to the pure melodies of classical music. Now aficionados of this timeless genre can learn something about classical music every day of the year! Readers will find everything from brief biographies of their favorite composers to summaries of the most revered operas. Interesting facts about the world’s most celebrated songs and discussions of classical music–meets–pop culture make this book as fun as it is informative. Ten categories of discussion rotate throughout the year: Classical Music Periods, Compositional Forms, Great Composers, Celebrated Works, Basic Instruments, Famous Operas, Music Theory, Venues of the World, Museums & Festivals, and Pop Culture Medley.

For more than 60 years, this text has led the way in preparing students for a lifetime of listening to great music and understanding its cultural and historical context. The Thirteenth Edition builds on this foundation with NEW coverage of performance and musical style. NEW tools help students share their deepening listening skills and appreciation in writing and conversation.

Excerpt from The Pleasures of Music That music gives pleasure is axiomatic. Because that is So, the pleasures of music as a subject for discussion may seem to some of you a rather elementary dish to place be fore so knowing an audience. But I think you will agree that the source of that pleasure, our musical instinct, is not at all elementary; it is, in fact, one of the prime puzzles of consciousness. Why is it that sound waves, when they strike the ear, cause volleys of nerve impulses to flow up into the brain, resulting in a pleasurable sensation? More than that, why is it that we are able to make sense out of these volleys of nerve signals so that we emerge from engulfment in the orderly presentation of sound stimuli as if we had lived through a simulacrum of life, the in stinctive life of the emotions? And why, when safely seated and merely listening, should our hearts beat faster, our temperature rise, our toes start tapping, our minds start racing after the music, hoping it will go one way and watch ing it go another, deceived and disgruntled when we are unconvinced, elated and grateful when we acquiesce? We have a part answer, I suppose, in that the physical nature of sound has been thoroughly explored; but the phe nomenon of music as an expressive, communicative agency remains as inexplicable as ever it was. - We musicians don't ask for much. All we want is to have one investigator tell us why this young fellow seated in row A is firmly held by the musical sounds he hears while his girl friend gets little or nothing out of them, or vice versa. Think how many millions of useless practice hours {might have been saved if some alert professor of genetics had developed a test for musical sensibility, The fascination of music for some human beings was curiously illustrated for me once during a visit I made to the showrooms of a manufacturer of elec tronic organs. As part of my tour I was taken to see the practice room. There, to my surprise, [i found not one but eight aspiring organists, all busily practicing simultanely on eight organs. More surprising still was the fact that not a sound was audible, for all eight performers were listen ing through earphones to their individual instrument. It was an uncanny sight, even for a fellow musician, to watch these grown men mesmerized, as it were, by a silent and in visible genie. On that day I fully realized how mesmerized we ear-minded creatures must seem to our less musically inclined friends. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Excerpt from The Basis of Musical Pleasure In considering the theories which have been offered to explain the musical mystery, there is no pretension to be exhaustive; however, the more familiar and representative views are included. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Learn about the world’s greatest classical compositions and musical traditions in The Classical Music Book. Part of the fascinating Big Ideas series, this book tackles tricky topics and themes in a simple and easy to follow format. Learn about Classic Music in this overview guide to the subject, great for novices looking to find out more and experts wishing to refresh their knowledge alike! The Classical Music Book brings a fresh and vibrant take on the topic through eye-catching graphics and diagrams to immerse yourself in. This captivating book will broaden your understanding of Classical Music, with: - More than 90 pieces of world-famous music - Packed with facts, charts, timelines and graphs to help explain core concepts - A visual approach to big subjects with striking illustrations and graphics throughout - Easy to follow text makes topics accessible for people at any level of understanding The Classical Music Book is a captivating introduction to music theory, crucial composers and the impact of seminal pieces, aimed at adults with an interest in the subject and students wanting to gain more of an overview. Here you’ll discover more than 90 works by famous composers from the early period to the modern day, through exciting text and bold graphics. Your Classical Music Questions, Simply Explained From Mozart to Mendelssohn, this fresh new guide goes beyond your typical music books, offering a comprehensive overview to classical music history and biography. If you thought it was difficult to learn about music theory, The Classical Music Book presents key information in an easy to follow layout. Explore the main ideas underpinning the world’s greatest compositions and musical traditions, and define their importance to the musical canon and into their wider social, cultural, and historical context. The Big Ideas Series With millions of copies sold worldwide, The Classical Music Book is part of the award-winning Big Ideas series from DK. The series uses striking graphics along with engaging writing, making big topics easy to understand.

Who’s Afraid of Classical Music? For years Joan Kennedy, at home, on the campaign trail, and in concert, has shared her love of classical music with adults and children. Now she uses her experience as a teacher and musician to show how you and your family can make music an enriching part of your lives. In this easy-to-understand and reassuring guide, Joan Kennedy explains: • How to start listening to classical music and enjoying what you hear—with a minimum of effort and expense • Creative, fun ways to bring music to your children—both at home and in school • All you and your family will need to enjoy a musical performance: a brief history of classical music, a user-friendly guide to concert rituals, and advice on how to bring your children to concerts—choosing the performances they will enjoy and making sure they get the most out of the experience Also: a glossary of musical terms • lists of the most popular classical pieces and Joan Kennedy’s personal favorites • a guide to further reading • sixteen pages of photographs • foreword by John Williams, former conducter of the Boston Pops and Academy Award–winning composer of the classic film scores for Star Wars, E.T., and Schindler’s List.