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 | | Concise History of Western Music, Second Edition by Barbara Russano Hanning, Donald J. Grout ISBN-10: 9780393977752 ISBN-10: 0-393-97775-7 ISBN-13: 9780393977752 ISBN-13: 978-0-393-97775-2 Hardcover 2002-01 W. W. Norton & Company Find Lowest Price |
Editorials | ||
Product Description Thoroughly revised and updated with outstanding new pedagogy, Concise History of Western Music, Second Edition, provides an authoritative yet succinct survey of Western music history. Based on Grout and Palisca’s classic A History of Western Music, Sixth Edition, Professor Hanning's text retains the uncompromising reliability and scope of its parent volume while presenting material in readable prose, with more pedagogy and fewer details. Lavishly illustrated with maps, timelines, color plates, and musical examples, Concise History of Western Music, Second Edition, delivers authoritative scholarship in an accessible and engaging format. | ||
Reviews | ||
Student of Music History I recommend this book to professors and students for its clarity, conciseness and simplicity. Russano-Hanning's "Concise History of Western Music" serves well as a stimulus to inspire questions, discussion, and interactive teaching which ultimately leads to the best learning. Her books on Music History convey that music is not and has not been created in a vacuum but is a reflection of the cultural ambience and events of society. She teaches that music reflects philosophy and politics, that it mingles with art, literature, and sciences, and that music expresses the biology, environment and relationships of the composers. Barbara Russano-Hanning is one of the most intelligent professors at The City College of New York and certainly the best in Music. I have taken several of her classes and her teaching inspired me to make Music History a focus of study for a great understanding of life and the world in general. Don't expect all the answers about music in one book but expect to be very inspired to seek more and more knowledge about music as an expression of life. I highly recommend this professor's books and lectures. | ||
Easy to Read, Impossible to Learn From I've used this book for Music History 1 and 2, and after having spent the past year studying from this book regularly, I have to say it is one of the worst textbooks I have ever used. When reading, it becomes obvious very quickly that the text has been condensed from a much larger work, and the author has very little knowledge about the material itself. The language is flowery and vague, and the author spends most of her time simply praising the composer or the work as "wonderful", "influential", "brilliant", and all kinds of other useless adjectives. I've spent hours reading this book only to begin a test that asks for an essay on Brahms and realize how painfully little I actually know about him. You will read through several pages on a composer only to learn the most basic facts about his life, and a short list of works he composed. The rest is garbage. The accessibility of the language is tempting, but save yourself hours of wasted time and find a different book. | ||
I know the author I know the author of this book and took a class with her. She is quite knowledgable. This book goes well as a compliment to the Western Anthology of Music to expand upon the scores and history. There are many pictures within this book that help to visualize the feel of the time periods and movements in art. It can be useful to see the parallels in music and visual art. | ||
Disappointingly dry I chose this title because I wanted to get a sense of the history of classical music, its development and the lives of composers. I like classical music but my knowledge of it is sporadic at best, so this book seemed like a good starting point to build up some more structured knowledge, and to be introduced to music previously unknown to me. While quite informative, I was disappointed by the book. The writing is really rather dry, and failed to convey any enthusiasm about music. This, I think, is a crucial lack. Music is intended to animate, not to bore. I expected to be inspired, and get lots of ideas about what music to explore, but sadly I wasn't. Has it not been shown over and over that one can write academically sound works without presenting the material in a clear but emotionless manner? There are also some strange omissions in the book. For instance, Bach's Goldberg Variations are mentioned, but why they are called this is not in the text. Finally, I have the distinct feeling the book also sometimes presents information of questionable accuracy as true. Composer's lives tend to spark many legends which, though amusing, are usually completely false. The story that Rameau was such a nag that he reproached the priest who came to his deathbed for poor chanting is presented as true, but I would guess that it has the status of an emblematic anecdote, not historical fact. If anyone knows of a book which gives a slightly more inspiring history of western music, please let me know! | ||
Makes teaching Western Music Culture an excellent experience I have been using Hanning's Concise History Vol. 2 in my Music History classes. I have found it an excellent tool. She uses standard excerpts often throughout the text with original manuscript citings and easily understood analyses. Each of the chapters begins with an excellent overview and ends with a review. Both are a strong broad cross section of historic context. Excellent period artwork in full color is included. The teachers manual gives a good overview and can be used in class to teach from. The quizzes are appropriate and emphasize material that is most significant to each chapter. If I were to write a manual I would want to include what she has. The anthology, CD and print, are well done and affordable. I have found the recordings she uses to be excellent in quality and fitting to each of the periods. I have struggles with this in other publisher's works especially with regard to the price. My students have told me they listen to these CDs long after the class has ended. I do wish there was more from the current period, especially with regard for Rock, Pop and Contemporary Christian Music Culture. That said I think Hanning has done an exceptional job in capturing a concise history of western music culture. | ||