Books like The home book of musical knowledge by David Ewen

A comprehensive, seven‑edition‑updated survey of Western music from medieval chants to contemporary genres, emphasizing historical context, key composers, and cultural impact.

Many people grimace at the sound of music theory. It can conjure up bad memories of grade school music classes, rattle the brains of college students, and make self-taught musicians feel self-defeated. Music Theory may seem tedious and unnecessary, especially since not many people can read music. Luckily, Music Theory for Dummies shows you the fun and easy way to understanding the concepts needed to compose, deconstruct, and comprehend music. This helpful guide will give you a great grasp of: Note value and counting notes Treble and bass clefs Time signatures and measures Naturalizing the rhythm Tempo and dynamic Tone, color, and harmonics Half steps and whole steps Harmonic and melodic intervals Key signatures and circles of fifths Scales, chords, and their progressions Elements of form Music theory's fascinating history This friendly guide not only explores these concepts, it provides examples of music to compliment them so you can hear how they sound firsthand. With a bonus CD that demonstrates these ideas with musical excerpts on guitar and piano, this hands-on resource will prove to you that music theory is as enjoyable as it is useful. Don't get discouraged by the seemingly complicated written structure. With Music Theory for Dummies, understanding music has never been easier! Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file. Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included.

A practical handbook that links music performance skills to academic writing, offering clear guidance and diverse assignment examples for papers, reviews, program notes, and research projects.

For this new edition of The Oxford Dictionary of Music, Michael Kennedy has added over 1,500 entries to the 11,000 already existing, at least four-fifths of which have been revised, some extensively. The dictionary encompasses musical subjects of all kinds: composers (for the majority of whom he gives up-to-date and accurate lists of principal works); musical performers in all fields; orchestras; titles and descriptions of individual works, operas, and ballets; musical forms and terms; instruments; institutions; and writers and scholars. Particular attention has been paid to living composers and to younger musical performers making their names in the concert hall, opera house, or on recordings. The increase in the number of entries on opera producers and designers reflects their growing influence on the public's perception of opera. Compiled for general readers as well as musicians and musicologists, this new edition will be an indispensable addition to the reference shelf of the concert-goer, the opera lover, or anyone involved in music, whether amateur or professional.