An ABC of Music (Oxford Quick Reference)

by Imogen Holst

Book Overview

"Learning to read music, and learning its grammar, need not be dull or too much trouble," writes Benjamin Britten in his Foreword to this book. An introduction to the language of music, designed for... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0193171031
• Release Date: December 1963
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Length: 204 Pages
• Weight: 1.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 5.1" x 0.6" x 7.8"

Customer Reviews

Excellent introduction and reference.

With this guide, the rudiments of music become accessible to the busiest lover of music.

authoritative

Ahem. In case you're wondering, the author of this wonderful introduction to music is Imogen Holst, daughter of Gustav Holst and a brilliant musician in her own right--as well as a supurb writer of lucid prose. The introduction is by Benjamen Britten. Who are Gustav Holst and Benjamen Britten? Along with Ralph Vaughn Williams, the most famous and highly regarded British composers of the twentieth century, that's who. (If you're one of the few people on this one who haven't heard Holst's THE PLANETS, you're in for a treat.) So forget Elmo what's-his-name, and learn music from someone who really, really knows what she's talking about.(Also check out Gustav Holst's favorite piece, EGDON HEATH.)

THE place to start

It's very sad to find so many people systematically brainwashed into believing everything a few decades old is "outdated"--this belief is pure superstition. It's very sad to feel constrained to point out the bleedingly obvious (as comedian John Cleese would put it): 1) the fundamentals of music HAVE NOT CHANGED since this book was first published. 2) What is good is what ENDURES.

recommended

This is a gloss that moves very quickly from elementary notation to dodecaphony. It is moderately pleasant to read and fairly clear for the novice. But beware: It is British, so it speaks of crotchets and quavers, rather than of quarter notes and eighth notes. It discusses dissonance in terms of Helmholtz's discredited beat theory. Also recommended (very much): PENTATONIC SCALES FOR THE JAZZ-ROCK KEYBOARDIST by Jeff Burns.

A time-honored classic, the best of its kind ever.

I came across Holst's ABC's 35 years ago as a teen and it gave me endless delight, fascination, inspiration and motivation. The explanations are clear and direct, classic in their simplicity. I rate this book as one of the keys to my becoming a professional musician.