Essential Dictionary of Music: The Most Practical and Useful Music Dictionary for Students and Professionals (Essential Dictionary Series)

by Lindsey C. Harnsberger

Book Overview

A useful collection of definitions, composers, and theory. This pocket-sized reference book of over 330 pages includes a broad range of important information, from basic principles of theory and concise biographies of composers to pronunciations of foreign terms and ranges of instruments and voices. This easy-to-use volume covers every major aspect of music.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0882847287
• ISBN13: 9780882847283
• Release Date: October 1996
• Publisher: Alfred Music
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.39 lbs.
• Dimensions: 5.8" x 0.8" x 4.5"

Customer Reviews

Useful

....I'm a Music Major in college, and I will soon be a band director....this product is very useful because is helps me further understand the terms I've known and have never seen before....it also has instrument and vocal ranges for whenever I compose a piece for Band or Choir....the only thing I wish it had was a fingering chart for all instruments

very useful overview

I give copies of this brief dictionary to my graduating (high school) Band seniors. It is quite comprehensive in terms of subject matter covered, even if most stuff is covered superficially. A nice basic reference for high school sudents.

Essential Dictionary of Musical Notation

A comprehensive and well laid out reference book. A quick and concise aid for writing and teaching music.

Very concise

This is a very useful and helpful book containing practically everything you'll ever need to look up when it comes to basic information about musical instruments, music theory, composers etc. Amongst other things, this book presents and illustrates: - the average ranges for musical instruments and vocalists (basses, tenors, altos, sopranos) - definitions of common English, French, German, Italian, Polish (et al) musical terms and abbreviations. - basic musical theory starting with an introduction to how notes and rests work, how sharps and flats work within different key signatures, and proceeds to things like intervals, scale types, chord types, chord charts, the cycle of fifths, ornaments, dynamic marks, tempo marks, music symbols, repeat signs etc. - basic information about a large amount of composers, such as when and where they were born and musically active and what historical periods they belong to. Over 120 pages of the book presents composers of early music, like Bach, Beethoven and Mozart, but also modern composers like Edgard Varèse, Frank Zappa and Charles Mingus. The book does not include information about any musical groups, it doesn't illustrate musical examples from any composed music, it doesn't give you tips on what and how to practice on certain instruments, nor does it touch upon topics like instrumental and vocal technique, but everything basic that you should know if you're teaching or studying within the field of music you will find here (for a very low price.) As it reads on the cover of the book: "The most practical and useful dictionary for students and professionals - over 330 pages of comprehensive music information." Add "basic" to the last sentence and the statement is 100% accurate. ...the fact that the book is small, and therefore easy to carry with you anywhere, makes it great.