Music History and Appreciation Books

This book is a fun and informative historical survey of songs that lionize notorious brigands from Ireland to Brazil, Italy to Australia, to the drug lords of Mexico and the inner-city gangs of the United

In this book, music scholar and noted pianist Alfred Kanwischer takes readers on an extended exploration in which each of the thirty-three pieces making up Beethoven's Diabelli Variations, Op. 120

The Great British Recording Studios tells the story of the iconic British facilities where many of the most important recordings of all time were made. The first comprehensive account of British recording

Prepare to be astonished, bewildered, and stupefied by the tantalizing tidbits of music history collected by master historian Rick Beyer! Did you know about: The ballet that sparked a riot? The rock star

This book contains a chronology, an introduction, appendixes that provide a comprehensive directory of college music business programs and a listing of all relevant music industry trade associations, and an

Music history is nearly as old as human civilization itself, but many of the most enduring works - the ones we call "classics" - carry an aura of mystery and remain little understood by modern listeners.

The History of Opera For Beginners starts with the radical assumption that opera is simply music, rather than the inaccessible, high-brown art form that many assume it to be. Not fluent in German or

Comprehensive history of western choral music from Romanticism through the avant-garde of the late twentieth century. Unique in its detailed analysis and breadth of Western choral music and key composers.

This anthology explores the various genres, key composers, and influential works essential to the development of the western choral tradition.  Chester L. Alwes divides this exploration into two

This groundbreaking study of slavery and spirituals is the first to place the unique voices of an enslaved people squarely within the context of their daily lives. A succinct history is woven into an

The essential reference for music history and music theory instructors for finding specific listings and details for all the pieces included in more than 140 anthologies published between 1931 and 2016.

The essential reference for music history and music theory instructors for finding specific listings and details for all the pieces included in more than 140 anthologies published between 1931 and 2016.

This book continues to develop the semiotic theory of musical meaning presented in Robert S. Hatten's first book, Musical Meaning in Beethoven. In addition to expanding theories of markedness, topics, and

Continuing in the tradition of their critically acclaimed works, Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns vividly bring to life the story of the quintessential American music - jazz. Born in the black community of

With his 12-string Stella guitar, Lead Belly sang out a cornucopia of songs that included his classics The Midnight Special, Irene, The Bourgeois Blues and many more, which in turn have been