Music in Western Civilization, Volume II : The Enlightenment to the Present
Editorial Reviews
Book Description
MUSIC IN WESTERN CIVILIZATION by Wright and Simms places music in the context of the politics and personalities, and the arts and humanities of each period of Western intellectual history. The importance of cultural context is evidenced by chapters entitled "Richard Strauss in Berlin," "Johann Sebastian Bach: Vocal Music in Leipzig," and "Music in Medieval Paris: Polyphony at Notre Dame." The writing is crystal clear, and student comprehension is increased by means of boldface Key Terms and by concise chapter summaries. The eighty-three brief chapters allow instructors to pick and choose which material they wish to emphasize, and it is available in three formats: comprehensive edition, 2 volumes, and 3 volumes. Moreover, the text is as comprehensive as it is clear. All major composers, styles, and genres are covered. 224 pieces are discussed, with additional commentary and complete musical scores in an accompanying anthology prepared by Professor Timothy Roden. The anthology is available in a two-as well as a three volume set to meet the needs of various course structures. Recordings of all 224 pieces are available on the 13 CDs, and student exercises and analysis questions are found in a companion Student Workbook. In sum, the text of Wright and Simms will revolutionize the teaching of music history because it situates music in its cultural context, yet does so in a way that is clear and easy to understand.
About the Author
Craig Wright (Bachelor of Music, Eastman School of Music, 1966; Ph.D., Harvard, 1972) taught at the University of Kentucky for one year and has taught at Yale University for the past thirty years. He is the author of numerous scholarly books and articles on composers ranging from Leoninus to Bach. Wright has also been the recipient of many awards, including a Guggenheim Fellowship, the Einstein and Kinkeldey Awards of the American Musicological Society, and the Dent Medal of the International Musicological Society. In 2004 he was awarded the honorary degree Doctor of Humane Letters from the University of Chicago. Bryan R. Simms (Bachelor of Arts, Yale University, 1966; Ph.D., Yale University, 1971) has taught since 1976 at the University of Southern California, where he has been Director of Graduate Studies and is currently chair of the department of musicology. He is the recipient of fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Fulbright Foundation, and he is the author of books and articles on topics in twentieth-century music and music theory, including MUSIC OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY (Schirmer 1996) and, most recently, THE ATONAL MUSIC OF ARNOLD SCHOENBERG, 1908-1923 (Oxford University Press).
Music in Western Civilization, Volume II : The Enlightenment to the Present,Craig Wright,Bryan R. Simms,Wadsworth Publishing,0495008664,General,Music,Music / General
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