Orchestral Music: A Handbook

Book Description

Familiar to conductors, orchestra managers, and music librarians, this classic sourcebook of information necessary to plan orchestral programs and organize rehearsals has been greatly expanded and revised. The fourth edition features nearly 6400 compositions that cover the standard repertoire for American orchestras (a 42% increase over the third edition), clearer entries, and a more useful system of appendixes. Included for the first time are entries from the American Symphony Orchestra League's OLIS repertoire database.

Customer Reviews:

the Holy Grail.......2007-04-10

This is my bible! Could not live without it. Far surpasses all previous editions.

Its getting better........2007-01-10

This book is a necessity for any conductor, orchestra librarian, or artistic director as it is an invaluable resource. It is significantly more comprehensive than the previous edition but nonetheless is a work in progress, missing many great, but obscure composers. The inclusion of the various appendixes with catagorization by duration, composer nationality, etc. are extremely useful. All being said, it is an essential part of any serious musician's library and will serve you well.

Orchestral Music is a must!.......2007-01-04

The fourth edition of Daniels' handbook is a must for anyone involved in selecting repertoire for the symphony orchestra. The appendices are extremely helpful, the precise instrumentation for percussion and auxilary instruments is valuable, and the listing of nationality, birth/death dates and places for the composers is useful. This handbook is truly a time-saving and informative reference work.

Daniels' standard work much improved.......2006-08-27

It's going to be hard to get used to using this very different-looking edition of a standard reference work for music librarians. That said, the new edition is an improvement in every way. Notation especially is much clearer. Errata have been corrected. Format is improved, and there's additional information. In my opinion, it's well worth buying this new edition, despite the price tag.

Orchestra Music a Handbook.......2006-08-14

Orchestral Music a Handbook compiled by David Daniels is an outstanding resource for any serious conductor. While it does omit some important items in the repertoire for chorus and orchestra, it is none the less an extremely valuable tool for basic information to assist with programing.

Face to Face With Orchestra and Chorus: A Handbook for Choral Conductors

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Face to Face With Orchestra and Chorus: A Handbook for Choral Conductors
Don V. Moses , Robert W., Jr. Demaree , and Allen F. Ohmes
Manufacturer: Indiana University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0253216990

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RESEARCH CAN BE FUN
Dances for Everyone

The Dances of Shakespeare
Jim Hoskins
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0415974348

Book Description

Dances of Shakespeare gives a brief introduction to how to perform all of the dance styles featured in Shakespeare's plays. Designed for the practicing director, actor, or choreographer, it gives clear instruction on how to perform popular dances of Shakespeare's day, including masques, brawls, canaries, corantos, galliards, jigs, La Volta, pavans, morris dances, and roundels. Accompanied by clear illustrations, these instructions allow even the dance-challenged to quickly master enough technique to suit amateur, community, college, or semi-professional productions. Other useful features include a chronological listing of popular dances similar in spirit to those of Shakespeare's days, designed for those staging Shakespeare's work in periods other than as written, as well as an appendix list of the plays grouped by what is called for in the text: a "dance," a "masque," or a specific dance form. Dances of Shakespeare is a "must have" for all student directors and performers interested in staging Shakespeare's works.

Customer Reviews:

RESEARCH CAN BE FUN.......2005-09-20

Often discussed in rehearsal but rarely researched in print, THE DANCES OF SHAKESPEARE are finally exposed for directors, choreographers, actors, scholars, "Elizabethanites", or anyone who wants an enjoyable read and some arcane knowledge. An invaluable tool, THE DANCES OF SHAKESPEARE provides authentic, historical data for reproducing period choreography, and the building blocks for creating your own. I highly recommend Mr. Hoskins' delightful book.

Dances for Everyone.......2005-08-24

What a joy to find, finally, an explanation of dance that's truly accessible! Anyone directing or choreographing a production of Shakespeare will find this an invaluable aid in staging dances and movement. One of the most interesting aspects of this book is the author's use of descriptions and diagrams that are clear and easy to follow. This book would be especially valuable for director/choreographers in the educational world, as it provides an easy avenue between drama and dance areas. The detail and obviously widely researched information is not too simple for any professional production. The author has made his topic entertaining and informative. Also enjoyable is the extraordinary story of Mr. Hoskins' amazing background. Highly recommended.

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seminal figure for post-war European music new and old
An enlightening look into the mechanics of conducting

Handbook of Conducting
Hermann Scherchen , and Norman Del Mar
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0198161824

Amazon.com

The conductor is more than the chief musician or a human metronome; the conductor shapes the music and its interpretation. This is the classic handbook for conductors in training, and it's a useful tool for anyone who wants to understand just what's going on up there on the podium (besides baton-waving and displays of rank egotism) and why, whether you're a serious musician or an armchair conductor. The book runs through the basics--"On Conducting" and "The Science of the Orchestra"--and into the more esoteric aspects of music-making as well.

Book Description

The distinguished German conductor Hermann Scherchen, 1891-1966, became a legend in his own time as a supremely knowledgeable, inspiring, and uncompromising advocate of the most demanding orchestral repertoire. The founder of the Berlin Society of New Music, he was an ardent champion of twentieth-century music, especially that of Schoenberg, with whom he worked, and of Webern. He settled in Switzerland in 1933 and was for six years the conductor of the Zurich Radio Orchestra. His classic handbook offers an admirably full and clear analysis of the technique of conducting, at the same time giving a fascinating glimpse of orchestral life in Scherchen's time. First published in 1933, it has lost none of its ability to inspire and instruct aspiring conductors. It will be of absorbing interest, furthermore, to any musician or concert-goer.

Customer Reviews:

seminal figure for post-war European music new and old.......2004-12-06

When I studied conducting I thought only contemporary works will give one a technique,but no matter what you conduct Scherchen's book here makes you realize that music is music and we are simply examining timbre,and balance,its structure(top to bottom or vice versa) its shape and articulation.Whether you want to conduct only the new or only the old this is a wonderful compendium of basic problems. Scherchen focuses upon timbral problems, articulation and dynamics,what it means and how certain instruments "speak" or fail to within certain contexts.
The shapes and direction of phrases and musical lines are explored here and it makes you search for similar passages from Beethoven to Stockhausen. The structure of this book is by orchestral familes with an ample amount of real examples, excerpts from primarily classical literature, some excerpts by Hindemith.And I can tell you from experience that there is no shortage of knowledge in learning the unique features of each instrument. You can also accomplish this work from a rich survey of solo unaccompanied literarture. Bach's famous "Sonatas and Partitias" for solo violin, Berio's numerous "Sequenzas" would be great places to start.

There are no interpretive insights offered here as none can be. Scherchen lets you, he respects one's intelligence to make up your own mind and simply gives you the problem to be resolved and contemplated.

Scherchen was a seminal figure for post-war Europe, the new and old where young conductors as the young Pierre Boulez and Bruno Maderna had attended his rehearsals. Scherchen also encouraged young composers to submit works to him for performance. Xenakis tells a story where he had visited Scherchen in his hotel room where he found him covered in the enormous pages of his "Metastasis" 3 foot by 3 foot (on the bed)

An enlightening look into the mechanics of conducting.......1999-02-02

This book leads any students conductor through a series of excersises and musical examples that cover nearly every combination of ritards, stops, pauses etc. By this book, even if it is only for a reference or opinion on how you might handle a particular situation.

A Guide to Orchestral Music: The Handbook for Non-Musicians

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The Best Guide on Orchestral Music
Best introduction to classical music for novice listeners!
Lives up to its name. Excellent.

A Guide to Orchestral Music: The Handbook for Non-Musicians
Ethan Mordden
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0195040414

Book Description

Relaxed and accessible in style, this authoritative guide is the first symphony handbook for non-musicians. The book begins with a general introduction to the symphony and short pieces on the orchestra and musical styles. Mordden goes on to describe, chronologically, over 700 pieces--from Vivaldi to twentieth-century composers. Further aids to the reader include two lists of repertory builders and a glossary of musical terms. "Easy and pleasurable to read...a genuinely useful guide for the music lover who has not had a musical education but loves concert music."--John Barkham Reviews

Customer Reviews:

The Best Guide on Orchestral Music.......2000-03-20

This is probably the best guide about orchestral music I've ever come across. The author's style is familiar, accessible, and enjoyable. He also does not try to impress his opinions on the reader (though he does allow himself to vent his feelings about suites drawn from operas).I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to become familar with classical music.

Best introduction to classical music for novice listeners!.......1998-02-02

This book is probably the best introduction to classical music I have come across. The author never condescends to the reader and speaks in a language that nurtures interest and enthusiasm in a world waiting to be discovered. There is a brief history of each composer that puts the music in historical context and is followed by a description of the major works with clues to listen for in enjoying the music. I find the program notes included with recorded music tend to be written for listeners who already have a moderate to advanced knowledge of classical music. Mordden seems to remember when he was a "beginner listener" and has shown the path leading into an exciting world just waiting to be discovered.

Lives up to its name. Excellent........1996-10-10

I was consulting this book again, today. The edges of thepages are starting to get a little worn from thumbing.I find it consistently more interesting and more helpful than the typical CD program notes, and has the great advantage of guiding you toward other works by the same composer. _Very_ complete. If you're looking for "a book on classical music" for yourself or as a gift, this is a good candidate. Covers about 700 works by 80 composers--every classical composer _I've_ heard of-- and the notes strike a good balance between the "received wisdom" and Mordden's own opinions. Idiosyncratic transliterations of some composers' names (he spells Tschaikowsky "Chaikofsky."

Dvorak Cello Concerto (Cambridge Music Handbooks)

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Dvorak Cello Concerto (Cambridge Music Handbooks)
Jan Smaczny
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0521669030

Book Description

Although Dvorák's cello concerto is enormously popular, no extended study of it has been undertaken hitherto. This book is a comprehensive study intended for concertgoers and students of this well-loved work. It considers aspects of historical background, form, virtuosity, performance and the concerto's rich personal content. This guide sees the work as a crucial means of exploring the composer's emotional life and links it intimately to the woman who was probably his first love.

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Dvor·k's Cello Concerto, composed during his second stay in America, is one of the most popular works in the orchestral repertoire. This guide explores Dvor·k's reasons for composing a concerto for an instrument which he at one time considered unsuitable for solo work, its relationship to his American period compositions and how it forms something of a bridge with his operatic interests. A particular focus is the concerto's unique qualities: why it stands apart in terms of form, melodic character and texture from the rest of Dvor·k's orchestral music. The role of the dedicatee of the work, Hanus Wihan, in its creation is also considered, as are performing traditions as they have developed in the twentieth century. In addition the guide explores the extraordinary emotional background to the work which links it intimately to the woman who was probably Dvor·k's first love.

Dance Rhythms of the French Baroque: A Handbook for Performance (Music Scholarship and Performance)

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Dance Rhythms of the French Baroque: A Handbook for Performance (Music Scholarship and Performance)
Betty Bang Mather , and Dean M. Karns
Manufacturer: Indiana University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0253316065

Dictionary of Foreign Musical Terms and Handbook of Orchestral Instruments

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Dictionary of Foreign Musical Terms and Handbook of Orchestral Instruments
Tom S. Wotton
Manufacturer: Scholarly Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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A Guide to Orchestral Music, The Handbook for Non-Musicians
Ethan Mordden
Manufacturer: New York: Oxford University Press, 1980
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NVCZYK

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Modern Instruments for Modern Times
Excellent reference source
the best i've seen yet
Indispensable; Keep it on your desk

Handbook of Instrumentation
Andrew Stiller
Manufacturer: Univ of California Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Customer Reviews:

Modern Instruments for Modern Times.......2002-01-02

I have not perused the section on historical instruments in depth, so none of my comments apply to it. However, the section regarding modern instruments impresses me continuously each time I open the book to look for references. I am a bass trombone player as well as a composer, and although the section on the trombone is rather brief (although accurate enough; and the listing of trombone family members, i.e. soprano, alto, tenor, tenor-bass, bass, and various contrabasses, grossly underdeveloped), Everything Else offers unparalleled information for the modern composer or arranger. Particularly useful is the citation of examples in contemporary music of instrumental prominence (where although certain composers are favored, this is perhaps done out of necessity given the slew of living composers today; and Stiller's choices of examples are superlative).
Dr. Stiller may underestimate the availability of certain instruments, however. The market for contrabassoons and contrabass trombones has increased greatly in recent years, and more slightly so for bass and tenor trumpets. As a rule, orchestral principal trombonists almost ALL own alto trombones (in alto clef, overtone series based on the Eb2 fundamental), and as aforementioned, the alto trombone is erroneously omitted from this book.
To create an inpenetrable weapon of scholarship, combine this book with Samuel Adler's "Study of Orchestration" and Kurt Stone's "Music Notation in the Twentieth Century", which is available at NPCimaging.com.

Excellent reference source.......1998-09-28

Stiller has created a fabulous reference source for the contemporary composer. He accurately covers information on almost every instrument and gives both detailed information as well as quick chart summaries. He spends a great deal of time dealing with modern and experimental techniques for many instruments, something which is not often dealt with in these kind of volumes. Its easy to use indexing system also makes it a wonderful "quick reference" source for when you might quickly need to know a piece of information like instrumental ranges. In my opinion, this is one of the best books of its kind available today.

the best i've seen yet.......1998-01-19

unlike other orchestration texts, this states pretty much the facts and just the facts. very handy for impatient young composers or arrangers who just need to read about an instrument and not dig through endless examples of an instrument's usage through the ages (although that's always nice too). the information is quick and easy to find for the most part, but does not skimp in the least on detail. my only disappointment (and this is for an older edition, it may have been corrected since) in is in the slightly skimpy coverage of electronics and electric guitar while instruments like the crumhorn get comparatively massive coverage given their relative modern importance. worth every penny, and then some.

Indispensable; Keep it on your desk.......1997-12-08

This is simply the best book of its kind I have ever seen. Each family of instruments receives an exhaustive chapter on its features amd capabilities. Impeccably accurate line drawings (with rulers showing the scale) illuminate the text in ways that no photographs could. Precise range charts include extended ranges, with a percentage estimate of how frequently the extended range can be produced, and maximum and minimum dynamics for each portion of the range. Detailed fingering charts for woodwinds are provided, including alternate trill fingerings. The book is oriented strongly to the contemporary composer. All musical examples are from contemporary or late 20th century pieces, and extended techniques receive thorough examination. If I have any complaint at all, and this is quite minor, it is that sometimes the author is rather aggressive in stating instrumental possibilities. The given maximum or minimum ranges are occasionally not universally accepted by all professional players, or the charts showing the maximum reaches for string double-stops include reaches that some players with smaller hands will refuse to execute. These are minor points. In most cases the book clearly distinguishes mainstream practice from advanced or extended practice, and personally I prefer a book that errs on the aggressive side. If you need to know how orchestral instruments work, including a wide array of percussion, look no further. The author rarely mixes opinions or dogma with facts (a rare feature for this kind of book), and when he does he clearly delineates which is which.

Book Description

Descartes is to blame. For centuries his tag "I think therefore I am" has dominated our notion of ourselves and the world; that the mind is what counts seems to be the message of Cartesianism, the body could fend for itself. What people thought has been central to academic study, what they ate was considered marginal and insignificant. But the picture is changing. Food, after all is fundamental. Critics in English literature are beginning to theorize about the significance of food in texts, "edible ecriture" as Terry Eagleton calls it. Historians chart the relationship between what we eat and how we live. Sociologists deconstruct the family meal. Psychiatrists ponder the inexorable rise of eating disorders. Philosophers construct the moral frameworks for ethical eating; and scientists work with social scientists as killer diseases, food borne, sweep the country. This book unites scientists, social scientists and those working in the humanities in a call for food to be studied more in universities across disciplines--and for those involved in its study no longer to be marginalized.

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