Music: styles and genres Books

Book SynopsisAward-winning music journalist Don McLeese offers the first musical biography of the electrifying artist who has most successfully bridged the disparate worlds of commercial country and alternative/Americana/roots music, Dwight Yoakam.Trade ReviewThis lovingly crafted and compulsively readable biography is essential for fans of Yoakam and lovers of good music writing. * Library Journal *Table of Contents Introduction: A Thousand Miles from Nowhere 1. How Far Is Heaven? 2. Readin', Rightin', Rt. 23 3. South of Cincinnati, West of Columbus 4. Corvette Cowboy 5. From Kentucky Bourbon to Babylonian Cowboys 6. Who You Callin' Cowpunk? 7. Honky-Tonk Man 8. "It's Jes' Ol' Hillbilly Stuff" 9. Hillbilly Deluxe 10. Streets of Bakersfield 11. Bonus Cut 12. "Well, I'm Back Again . . ." 13. Wild Ride 14. Gone, Real Gone 15. Act Naturally 16. The Same Fool 17. Playing Out the String 18. South of Heaven, West of Hell (and Off the Charts) 19. Splitsville 20. Produced by Dwight Yoakam 21. The Buck Stops Here 22. "I Wanna Love Again, Feel Young Again" Appendix. The Dwight Dozen: A Selected Discography Acknowledgments

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Book SynopsisFrom his own adolescence, when his allegiance was to punk rock, to his work as one of the essential voices of our time on music and culture at the New York Times and the New Yorker, Kelefa Sanneh has made a deep study of how our popular music unites and divides us. Distilling a career's worth of knowledge, Sanneh explores the tribes music forms, and how its genres, shape-shifting across the years, give us a way to track larger forces and concerns.He debunks cherished myths, reappraises beloved heroes and upends familiar ideas of musical greatness, arguing that sometimes the best popular music isn't transcendent: it expresses our grudges as well as our hopes, and is motivated by greed as well as inspiration. Throughout, race is a powerful touchstone: just as there's always been a 'Black' audience and a 'white' audience (with some overlap) there is Black music and white music and a whole lot of expropriation.This is a book to shock and awe the deepest music nerd, and at the same time to work as a heady gateway drug for the uninitiated.Trade ReviewThe most elegant history of popular music ever written . . . Sanneh not only delivers a coolly dazzling overview of the battlefields of genre but also revels open-heartedly in the music itself, his taste unbound by dogma or prejudice. The operative word is keen: zealous in spirit, exact in execution, ferociously acute from the first sentence to the last -- ALEX ROSS * * author of The Rest is Noise * *Kelefa Sanneh has achieved the impossible. Major Labels somehow manages to unspool everything you need to know about 50 years of music, but more impressively, he makes you care about all of it. Even the stuff you don't care about. It's funny, it's personal, and as a piece of writing the book borders on poetry -- DAVID LETTERMANAn intellectually rigorous retelling of rock and pop history * * The Times, Best Books of the Year * *The most wide-ranging music book of the year . . . elegantly written * * Herald, Music Books of the Year * *Intriguing, controversial, personal . . . a unique and absorbing read * * Guardian * *The book is immensely readable, and full of rich detail * * Independent * *This is a long-haul read, yet charmingly conducted in that languid, laconic New Yorker style that makes such a mammoth undertaking even possible. Its kick is to sew into the stories some near hidden gems - and socking ones too -- ANNIE NIGHTINGALESanneh's hospitable prose makes understanding this labyrinthine history feel like an adventure * * Guardian * *Entertaining, diligent . . . His observations are always fresh and thought-provoking, and presented with clarity and wit * * MOJO * *Inside this big, ambitious hybrid book was a smaller, more personal and altogether more compelling exploration of belonging and identity through music * * Observer * *

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Book Synopsis With this beautifully produced book, relive the extraordinary history of the of the hottest band in the land through 50 milestone events.Formed in New York City in 1973, Kiss became one of the most popular and best-selling bands in rock history with their inventive stage presence and heavy, hook-filled catalog, both ideally suited for packing hockey arenas and football stadiums. This richly illustrated book from prolific rock journalist Martin Popoff pays tribute to the band on the occasion of their 50th anniversary by curating and examining the 50 most significant milestones. This exquisite volume features:  Sturdy hardcover format Stunning concert and candid offstage photography, much of it never before published Images of memorabilia, including gig posters, 7-inch picture sleeves, ticket stubs, and more Gatefold Kiss timeline Popoff covers everything down through the decades:Trade Review"...gets into the nitty gritty detail that a card-carrying member of the KISS Army can appreciate...what makes Popoff’s writing a bit refreshingly different here is that he seems to give voice to many varied and common opinions of fans about both the high and low points of KISStory." * Houston Press *"All the important stand out moments are covered here, making this a welcoming engagement for KISS fans to see how one of their own, found in Martin Popoff, offers explanations, and gets critical in his case studies." * Spill Magazine *"I would be remiss not to discuss how gorgeous this book is....you wanted the best, you got the best. Popoff and Motorbooks combine forces for a fine tribute to the hottest band in the land." * Metal-Rules.com *Table of ContentsContents Introduction Part 1: Kiss Major “Rock and Roll All Nite”: Kiss form, in New York City. “Sweet Pain”: Kiss sign with Casablanca Records. “Kissin’ Time”: Kiss issue their self-titled debut album. “See You in Your Dreams”: Kiss appear on ABC’s In Concert. Recording Kiss “C’mon and Love Me”: Gene Simmons is interviewed on The Mike Douglas Show. “Two Timer”: Kiss issue Hotter Than Hell, their second album. “A Million to One”: Two fans unofficially form the Kiss Army. “Great Expectations”: Kiss issue Dressed to Kill, their third album. “Hotter Than Hell”: Kiss issue Alive!, a double live album. “Baby Driver”: Kiss take over Cadillac, Michigan. “Strutter”: Alive! goes gold, representing the band’s first RIAA certification. “Heaven’s on Fire”: Kiss issue Destroyer. “Creatures of the Night”: Kiss appear on The Paul Lynde Halloween Special. “Rockin’ in the USA”: Kiss issue Rock and Roll Over. “A World Without Heroes”: Kiss and Marvel Comics collaborate on a comic book. “Love’s a Deadly Weapon”: Kiss issue Love Gun. “Deuce”: Kiss issue Alive II. Part 2: Kiss Minor “Got to Choose”: Each member of Kiss issues a solo album. “Is That You?”: NBC airs a feature film called Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park. Ace for the Win “I Was Made for Lovin’ You”: Kiss issue Dynasty. “When Your Walls Come Down”: Kiss’s appearance on the Tomorrow show doesn’t go well. “Two Sides of the Coin”: Kiss issue Unmasked. “Fits Like a Glove”: Eric Carr plays his first show with Kiss. “Dark Light”: Kiss issue a concept album called Music from the Elder. “I Love It Loud”: Kiss issue Creatures of the Night. Part 3: MTV, Hair Metal, and Kiss “Naked City”: Kiss issue Lick It Up, featuring new guitarist Vinnie Vincent. “Turn on the Night”: Kiss issue Animalize, featuring new guitarist Mark St. John. From Kiss to Disco: Larry Harris on Casablanca “Trial by Fire”: Kiss issue Asylum, featuring new guitarist Bruce Kulick. “While the City Sleeps”: Kiss issue Crazy Nights. “Firehouse”: Kiss issue Hot in the Shade. “Comin’ Home”: Longtime Kiss drummer Eric Carr succumbs to cancer. “Bang Bang You”: Kiss issue Revenge, featuring new drummer Eric Singer. “Shout It Out Loud”: Kiss issue Alive III. Part 4: Reunion “Get All You Can Take”: Kiss execute their first Official Worldwide Kiss Convention. “Any Way You Want It”: Kiss perform on MTV Unplugged. “Unholy”: Kiss issue Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions. “I Still Love You”: The classic-era Kiss lineup issue a reunion album called Psycho Circus. Bill Aucoin: A Kiss Goodbye from Head Office “Outta This World”: Kiss perform at Super Bowl XXXIII. “Cadillac Dreams”: New Line Cinema issue a Kiss-themed feature film called Detroit Rock City. “You Wanted the Best”: Kiss issue The Box Set. “Raise Your Glasses”: Kiss issue Kiss Symphony: Alive IV. “Hooligan”: Peter Criss tours for the last time as part of Kiss. Part 5: Legacy “King of the Night Time World”: Kiss are honored at the first VH1 Rock Honors show, held in Las Vegas. “Black Diamond”: Gene Simmons Family Jewels premiers on A&E. “Rocket Ride”: Kiss issue Sonic Boom, featuring new guitarist Tommy Thayer. “Getaway”: Kiss launch their first Kiss Kruise. Paul Stanley: Reflections on the Kiss Kast “Almost Human”: Kiss issue Monster, their last album to date. “All the Way”: Kiss are inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. “When Lightning Strikes”: Kiss set the record for most gold records by any American band. “100,000 Years”: Kiss embark on their final tour, entitled the End of the Road World Tour. Discography About the Author

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Book SynopsisSka originated in Jamaica in the late Fifties and combined Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and r 'n' b. Ska developed in the Sixties with artists such as Prince Buster, Clement 'Coxsone' Dodd, and Duke Reid who formed sound systems to play American rhythm and blues and then began recording their own songs. Ska was popular with British mods and was later adopted by many skinheads. As music changed in the US, so did ska. In 1965 and 1966, when American soul music became slower and smoother, ska changed its sound accordingly and developed into rocksteady before evolving again from 1968 into reggae.

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Book SynopsisA collection of true stories, gossip and details of 500 of the singles that failed to dent the Top 10, but which are still worthy of inclusion in a volume such as this. This book demonstrates just how much a melting pot of talent, creativity and energy the decade really was. It s not just in the groove, but between the grooves that you'll find the magic. Nuggets of information and connections between the artists, producers and songwriters offer a unique insight into the careers and development of key (and not so key) performers. The idea behind this book is simple to gather together a fantastic selection of 60s pop releases that are not nearly as well-known as they deserve to be. Packed full of beautiful glossy pictures of each and every disc featured, it is a colourful and quirky guide to records that you may never have heard of, but you will certainly want to listen to when you've finished.

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Book Synopsis“Sinatra with a cold is Picasso without paint, Ferrari without fuel—only worse. For the common cold robs Sinatra of that uninsurable jewel, his voice, cutting into the core of his confidence.” — Gay Talese In the winter of 1965, writer Gay Talese set out for Los Angeles with an assignment from Esquire to write a major profile on Frank Sinatra. When he arrived, he found the singer and his vigilant entourage on the defensive: Sinatra was under the weather, not available, and not willing to be interviewed. Undeterred, Talese stayed, believing Sinatra might recover and reconsider, and used the meantime to observe the star and to interview his friends, associates, family members, and hangers-on. Sinatra never did grant the one-on-one, but Talese’s tenacity paid off: his profile Frank Sinatra Has a Cold went down in history as a tour de force of literary nonfiction and the advent of New Journalism. In this illustrated edition, Frank Sinatra Has a Cold is published with an introduction by Talese, reproductions of his manuscript pages, and correspondence. Interwoven are photographs from the legendary lens of Phil Stern, the only photographer granted access to Sinatra over four decades, as well as from top photojournalists of the ’60s, including John Bryson, John Dominis, and Terry O’Neill. The photographs complement Talese’s character study, painting an incisive portrait of Sinatra in the recording studio, on location, out on the town, and with the eponymous cold, which reveals as much about a singular star persona as it does about the Hollywood machine.Trade Review“Sinatra with a cold is Picasso without paint, Ferrari without fuel—only worse. For the common cold robs Sinatra of that uninsurable jewel, his voice, cutting into the core of his confidence.” * Gay Talese *“One of the greatest celebrity portraits ever written.” * GQ *

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Book SynopsisTwenty years after its release, Phish’s double-CD collection A Live One has something rare and precious going for it: it still doesn’t sound like anybody else. Oversized, perverse, requiring an unusual amount of listener background knowledge? Yes to all. Yet the collective improvisations it captures, unprecedentedly coherent yet freewheeling and open-ended, are unique in rock ‘n’ roll. This book considers the music and moment of Phish's ecstatically inventive 1995 live document, a mix of weirdo acid-psych, ambient moonscapes, vaudevillian Americana, and riotous arena-rock energy, all filtered through bandleader Trey Anastasio's screwball compositional sensibility and the band’s idiosyncratic approach to spontaneous group creativity. It places Phish and their fandom in historical and cultural context, and picks apart the mechanics of their extended group jams. And it examines the mystery of how a quartet of nice boys from Burlington, VT could have been, all at once, one of America’s biggest touring acts and one of its best-kept secrets.Table of ContentsPreparatory to Anything Else You Can Feel Good Quiet Rebels The Method, Part 1 Average White Band Finally the Punks Are Taking Acid Long Time Can’t This Wait ‘til I’m Old The Method, Part 2 Twenty Years Later All of the Places and People Belong Afterword Selected Sources Next Steps Deepest Gratitude

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Book SynopsisElvis Presley remains the single most important figure in twentieth century popular music. To many commentators, however, he has simply embodied the benefits and problems of uncritically embracing capitalism. By 2005 the 'Memphis Flash' sold over a billion records worldwide, yet his cultural significance cannot be measured by these extraordinary sales figures alone. He cannot quite be reduced to a placeholder for the contradictions of commerce. As the most prominent performer of the rock'n'roll era, then as a charismatic global superstar, Elvis fundamentally challenged the established relationship between White and Black culture, drew attention to the social needs of women and young people, and promoted the value of Southern creativity. He functioned as a bridge figure between folk roots and high modernity, and in the process became a controversial symbol of American unity. Elvis interprets the image and music of Elvis Presley to reveal how they have evolved to construct a particularly appealing and powerful myth. Following broad contours of Presley's rollercoaster career, the book uses a range of analytical frames to challenge established perspectives on an icon. Its shows that the controversy around Elvis has effectively tested how far a concern for social equality could be articulated through the marketplace, and ultimately challenged how popular music itself should be assessed.

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Book Synopsis Experience music history with this memoir by one of the last of the genuine old school Blues and R&B legends, the Grammy-winning dynamic showman Bobby Rush.This memoir charts the extraordinary rise to fame of living blues legend, Bobby Rush. Born Emmett Ellis, Jr. in Homer, Louisiana, he adopted the stage name Bobby Rush out of respect for his father, a pastor. As a teenager, Rush acquired his first real guitar and started playing in juke joints in Little Rock, Arkansas, donning a fake mustache to trick club owners into thinking he was old enough to gain entry. He led his first band in Arkansas between Little Rock and Pine Bluff in the 1950s. It was there he first had Elmore James play in his band. Rush later relocated to Chicago to pursue his musical career and started to work with Earl Hooker, Luther Allison, and Freddie King, and sat in with many of his musical heroes, such as Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Jimmy Reed and Little Walter. Rush eventually began leading his own band in the 1960s, crafting his own distinct style of funky blues, and recording a succession of singles for various labels. It wasn't until the early 1970s that Rush finally scored a hit with 'Chicken Heads.' More recordings followed, including an album which went on to be listed in the Top 10 blues albums of the 1970s by Rolling Stone and a handful of regional jukebox favorites including 'Sue' and 'I Ain't Studdin' Ya.'And Rush's career shows no signs of slowing down now. The man once beloved for performing in local jukejoints is now headlining major music/blues festivals, clubs, and theaters across the U.S. and as far as Japan and Australia. At age eighty-six, he is still on the road for over 200 days a year. His lifelong hectic tour schedule has earned him the affectionate title 'King of the Chitlin' Circuit,' from Rolling Stone. In 2007, he earned the distinction of being the first blues artist to play at the Great Wall of China. His renowned stage act features his famed shake dancers, who personify his funky blues and his ribald sense of humor. He was featured in Martin Scorcese's The Blues docuseries on PBS, a documentary film called Take Me to the River, performed with Dan Aykroyd on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and most recently had a cameo in the Golden Globe nominated Netflix film, Dolemite Is My Name, starring Eddie Murphy. He was recently given the highest Blues Music Award honor of B.B. King Entertainer of the Year. His songs have also been featured in TV shows and films including HBO's Ballers and major motion pictures like Black Snake Moan, starring Samuel L. Jackson.Considered by many to be the greatest bluesman currently performing, this book will give readers unparalleled access into the man, the myth, the legend: Bobby Rush.

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Book SynopsisIn great detail, this book discusses the Californication album's writing and recording processes, the stories behind every song- including the B-sides and unreleased material, the ensuing world tour, and the legacy the record has left behind.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisGeorge Jacobs is generally considered ''the last of the Rat Pack'', a member of the exclusive club that has fascinated us for decades. He was Sinatra''s valet and confidant from 1953, when Ava Gardner had just left him, until the end of his marriage to Mia Farrow in 1968. Racy and revealing, this is a record of one of the longest and most outrageous mid-life crises ever as George helped Sinatra juggle his many mistresses - women like Marilyn Monroe, Judy Garland, Grace Kelly and Peggy Lee. Hollywood stars and Mafia bosses, the Kennedys and European royalty also all had a major part to play in Frank''s glory years. But above all there was the Rat Pack who accepted George as one of their own. Dean Martin tried his comedy routines out on him and Peter Lawford did his drugs in front of him. MR S gives an insider''s view of the highs and lows of life with the Rat Pack - the spectacle, the sex, the unrecounted brawls, violence, tensions and hatreds among the revellers at the wildest movea

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Book SynopsisTraces the history of Soviet popular song since 1955, through the careers of seven famous performers. This book delves into influential and widely disseminated songs that had a profound social significance in the Soviet Union. It discusses each singer's life, showing what it was that made them famous.Trade Review"An original, well-informed, and beautifully written overview of post-Stalinist culture. MacFadyen draws together a wealth of material and presents it in a meaningful, lucid way. His command over the vast body of information on which he draws is impressive and enables the reader to connect in a significant way with what might otherwise have been an embarrassment of riches." Olga Hasty, Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures, Princeton University

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Book SynopsisA historically situated study of the relationship between music, sound and the sublime, this book embraces familiar works and composers, such as Handel, C. P. E. Bach, Haydn and Wagner, but also explores less familiar repertory and source material. Performers and audiences are also considered as agents and sites of sublime experience.Trade Review'... carefully presented ...' Agathe Sueur, translated from Revue de musicologieTable of ContentsSonorous sublimes: an introduction Sarah Hibberd and Miranda Stanyon; 1. Thunder or celestial harmony: French theological debates on the sonorous sublime Sophie Hache; 2. 'A pleasing rape': John Dennis, music and the queer sublime Matthew Head; 3. The idea of the past in eighteenth-century British music Suzanne Aspden; 4. C. P. E. Bach and the neoclassical sublime: revisions of a concept Keith Chapin; 5. Cherubini's Médée and sublime vengeance Sarah Hibberd; 6. When does the sublime stop? Cavatinas and quotations in Haydn's Seasons Elaine Sisman; 7. Counterfeits, contraltos and consonance in De Quincey's sublime Miranda Stanyon; 8. The consecration of sound: sublime musical creation in Haydn, Weber and Spohr Benedict Taylor; 9. Commanding performances: opera, surrogation and the royal sublime in 1848 Dana Gooley; 10. Wagner's sublime effects: bells, cannon and the perception of heavy sound David Trippett.

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Book SynopsisBenjamin Britten, pianist, conductor, educator, composer of a wide range of music from large-scale operas and choral works to string quartets and songs, is acknowledged as a pivotal figure in mid-twentieth-century Britain. This volume explores the contexts for his multi-faceted career and his engagement with his contemporaries in music, art, literature, and film, British musical institutions, royal and governmental entities, and the church, as well as his ground-breaking projects, philosophical and ideological tenets. The book is thematically structured in five parts: Britten''s relationships with Peter Pears, his close friends, mentors, and colleagues; musical life in Britain; his interactions with previous and contemporary generations of composers; his professional work with choreographers, librettists, stage designers, and directors; and his socio-cultural, religious, and political environment. The chapters shed light on the many opportunities and challenges of post-war British musical life that shaped Britten''s creative output.Trade Review'informative and thought-provoking' Nigel Simeone, GramophoneTable of ContentsPrologue: Positioning Britten Vicki P. Stroeher and Justin Vickers; Part I. The Britten Circle(S): 1. Early mentors: The bridges, the Auden set, and the mayers of long Island Arnold Whittall; 2. Peter Pears Justin Vickers; 3. The open secret Nicholas Clark; 4. Britten's circle Lucy Walker; 5. Britten's musical assistants Christopher Scheer; 6. Britten's publishers as advance and rear guard Philip Reed; Part II. British Musical Life: 7. Composing in England Eric Saylor; 8. Britten and Film Mervyn Cooke; 9. Britten and the radio Alison Garnham; 10. Television and the composer Danielle Ward-Griffin; 11. Music critics and the press Philip Reed and Vicki P. Stroeher; 12. Britten and English opera: Myths and a (Chequered) history Mervyn Cooke; 13. Festival culture in the British Isles Justin Vickers; 14. Concert life in Britain Philip Reed; 15. Benjamin Britten and folksong Julian Onderdonk; 16. Educating the Nation: Britten's music for young people Kate Guthrie; Part III. Britten and Other Composers: 17. The compositional context: creating a voice Christopher Mark; 18. Responding to a British musical past Michael Burden; 19. Britten and the English musical renaissance Alain Frogley; 20. Responding to the continent Arved Ashby; 21. An English tradition? Christopher Mark; 22.'An exciting time with all Russians': Anglo-Soviet musical contacts Cameron Pyke; 23. The Avant-Garde Philip Rupprecht; Part IV. Wordsmiths, Designers, and Performers: 24. W. H. Auden Vicki P. Stroeher; 25. Eric Crozier Justin Vickers; 26. Two librettists: Montagu slater and Ronald Duncan Ian Patterson; 27. The wise, queer heart of Englishness: E. M. Forster Hanna Rochlitz; 28.William Plomer's poetics of exile at home Kevin Salfen; 29.'Don't colour them, the music will do that': Myfanwy Piper and Britten's marriage of words and music Frances Spalding; 30. Designing and dancing Britten Kevin Salfen and Lucy Walker; 31.Pears as illuminator, interpreter, and inspiration Justin Vickers; 32. Britten's singers Roger Vignoles; 33. Britten's performers: those most 'Instrumental' Thomas Schuttenhelm; Part V. British Socio-Cultural, Religious, and Political Life: 34. English and British national identity in the Arts Irene Morra; 35. Britten's landscapes Charlotte de Mille; 36. Monarchy, royalty, and arts patronage Matthias Range; 37. Literary leanings Nicholas Clark; 38. Faith, spirituality, and the church Margaret Lane; 39. The politics of the closet J. P. E. Harper-Scott; 40. Communism, socialism, and pacifism in British politics: From the 1930s to the cold war Joanna Bullivant; Epilogue: Britten's Legacy Arnold Whittall; Topical bibliography for further reading; Works cited; Index.

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Book SynopsisFrom its early inception at the French court to modern-day developments and interpretations, ballet has long had a popular following. Packed full of essential information, this pocket-sized handbook explores the history, performers, composers and music, highlighting the very best ballets and the stand-out tracks that should feature in the collection of any aficionado. Classic FM's Handy Guides are a fun and informative set of introductions to standout subjects within classical music, each of which can be read and digested in one sitting: a perfect collectible series whether you're new to the world of classical music or an aficionado.Table of ContentsContents Introduction vii 1 Preface 1 2 A Brief History of Ballet 3 3 Great Choreographers and Dancers 23 4 Composers of Ballet Music 35 5 The Ballet Hall of Fame 51 6 50 Ballet Tracks to Download 65 7 Where To See Ballet 79 About Classic FM 93 About the Author 97 Index 99

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Book SynopsisFilm music is an increasingly popular part of the classical music repertoire, with a huge range of beautiful, dramatic and well-loved film scores coming out of Hollywood, from Star Wars to Up. From the early days of silent cinema through Hollywood's Golden Age and up to the modern-day blockbusters, this handy reference guide from Classic FM showcases some of the greatest composers of film scores, along with plenty of suggestions for musical delights ready to be discovered. Classical music plays a key role in film soundtracks, creating iconic moments and bringing classic tracks to a wide audience, from 2001: A Space Odyssey to Apocalypse Now. Packed full of essential information, this pocket-sized handbook explores the history of film music, the development of different styles, award-winning composers and the most popular pieces within the genre. Classic FM's Handy Guides are a fun and informative set of introductions to standout subjects within classical music, each of which can be read and digested in one sitting: a perfect collectible series whether you're new to the world of classical music or an aficionado.Table of ContentsContents Introduction vii Preface ix 1 Pioneering Days 1 2 The Golden Age 7 3 New Directions 17 4 Expanding Horizons 23 5 New Frontiers 29 6 Into the New Century 35 7 Classical Composers at the Movies 47 8 That's All, Folks! 63 9 And the Winner Is - 71 10 The Top 30 Film Themes to Download 79 Where To Find Out More 87 About Classic FM 89 About the Author 91 Index 93

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Book Synopsis1970 was a year of change in pop and rock music, with divisions between both becoming ever more blurred. More ambitiously-constructed epics, heavy rock numbers and contemporary folk songs competed with mainstream and easy listening fare on Top of the Pops and in the Top 30 singles, while progressive and jazz-rock took their bow in the album charts. Some acts disbanded, notably The Beatles, all of whom relished their freedom and launched solo careers, and Simon & Garfunkel, or else parted company and partially regrouped under new names. Festivals came into their own, particularly in Britain where the first Glastonbury event was launched, as did live albums, notably from The Rolling Stones and The Who, partly to combat the market in bootleg recordings; several singer-songwriters found major acceptance; the death of Jimi Hendrix was widely mourned; and the likes of Marc Bolan, Elton John, Rod Stewart (as a soloist, and as front man of The Faces), Lindisfarne and Hot Chocolate achieved their initial successes. By the end of the year, many a critic and music fan could look back on a 12-month period in which their landscape had altered almost beyond recognition. This is the story of that year and the key albums that helped define it.

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Book SynopsisWhen the Stockton & Darlington Railway opened in 1825, it was the first steam-powered railway to carry passengers. Since then there has been no shortage of music connected with trains and railways: orchestral pieces and popular songs describing railway journeys; those that celebrate the opening of a new line; worksongs and blues describing the hardship of building the railroads, even the first use of sampled music used railway sounds as its source. From the pastoral serenity of the Flanders and Swann song ‘Slow train’ to the shrieking horror of holocaust trains in Steve Reich’s Different Trains, the railway has inspired countless pieces of music. This is the first book to give a comprehensive coverage of music connected with the railways, it describes over 50 pieces of classical music and covers more than 250 popular songs.Table of Contents• Railway music in the United Kingdom in the nineteenth century • Music hall and the railway • Railway works bands, choirs and musical societies • Gilbert and Sullivan and the railway • The coming of the railways to Austria, the Strauss family and railway music • The coming of the railways to Scandinavia, Hans Christian Lumbye and others • The coming of the railways to France, Charles-Valentin Alkan and Hector Berlioz • The coming of the railways to Belgium, Gioachino Rossini • The coming of the railways to Russia, Mikhail Glinka • British railway pieces from the 1930s, Night Mail, The Way to the Sea and Coronation Scot • Railway music in Paris between the wars • Four pieces by Percy Grainger and Charles Ives • Railway music after World War II • A more experimental approach • The coming of the railroads to North America: work songs, hoboes, gospel music and the blues • Heroes and villains of the American railroads: John Henry, Casey Jones, Railroad Bill and Jesse James • Trains, lines and wrecks on the early American railroads • Sounds of the railroad in boogie-woogie, bluegrass, blues and jazz • A medley of popular songs

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Book Synopsis'The '80s were so good because you could experiment without any kind of fear any kind of consequence.' -Kate CeberanoThe '80s. The era of Hawke, a booming economy, big hair, gender benders and the new wave synth pop explosion. Every Sunday night, Australians would be glued to Countdown to watch the latest and local bands strut their stuff. Bands who became household names and sound-tracked our lives in one of the most colourful and creative decades in Australian music. I Hear Motion is a celebration of the Aussie bands we loved- Models, Machinations, Wa Wa Nee, Real Life, Kids in the Kitchen, Do-Re-Mi, Koo De Tah, Eurogliders, Boom Crash Opera and more -- and what happened to them following the end of the decade. With interviews, never-before seen photos and archives of the time, plus never-before told stories about the songs, bands, excesses and break-ups, I Hear Motion is a must-have for every Australian music fan. 'An amazing journey through the '80s music in Australia.' -Gavin Wood, the voice of Countdown

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Book SynopsisThe book explores the theory of classical Indian music and its visual representation through ragachitraas or raga paintings. It analyzes two sets of ragachitra folios from the Gem Palace Collection and Bharat Kala Bhavan, providing a comprehensive survey of their textual, aesthetic, and iconographic aspects.

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Book SynopsisOffers a compendium of the greatest sad songs and artists of the modern era and a collection of essays that attempts to explain what exactly draws us to sad music, and how sad music actually makes us happy.Trade Review"A comprehensive, sharply written journey through the music of sadness, of every stripe and from every genre...Whether read straight through or dipped into at random, in times of despair or not, this is a most helpful musical sourcebook through every kind of blue." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "Highly entertaining." -- Publishers Weekly "For the meticulously melancholy music fan in all of us, a celebration of songs with a dark side. This Will End in Tears gathers the downest, doomiest sounds in rock, soul, jazz, the blues, and any music that can put a serious chill in your evening." -- Rob Sheffield, author of Love Is A Mix Tape and Talking To Girls About Duran Duran "Sad sacks of the world: Rejoice! Adam Brent Houghtaling has ingeniously compiled the ultimate guide to this cruel world's maestros of miserabilism. The feel bad book of the year!" -- Craig Marks and Rob Tannenbaum, co-authors of I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution "Breaking up is hard to do, but not when you've got a book like this to help you make the saddest playlist of all time. Now, someone pass me a Kleenex...and that Elliott Smith album." -- Leslie Simon, co-author of Everybody Hurts and author of Wish You Were Here "Sad songs say so much, but Adam Brent Houghtaling has a lot to add to the conversation. This Will End in Tears is a book well worth wallowing in." -- Mark Yarm, author of Everybody Loves Our Town: An Oral History of Grunge

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Reading Sweat the Technique is like listening to a classic Rakim track with the same codification, spirituality, and simple-complexity that will make the reader press rewind and start at page one several times over.” — East Bay Express "Rakim and music journalist Bakari Kitwana offer a road map guiding readers to the source of his inspiration and the reason behind his career longevity: his unmatched skills on the mic. . . Their work reflects hip-hop's role as an innovative conduit of Black experiences." — Literary Hub “Sweat the Technique is the hip-hop version of Stephen King’s On Writing.” — Medium “Reflections on a life of artistic commitment during hop-hop’s golden age. . . insightful.” — Kirkus Reviews “[Sweat the Technique] joins the best of rap history and criticism and has the potential to inspire a new age of rap lyricism.” — Booklist

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Book SynopsisClassical music is everywhere in video games. But what does it reveal about the cultural value we place on entertainment? Replay Value offers a new perspective on the possibilities and challenges of trying to distinguish between art and pop culture in contemporary society.Trade ReviewUnlimited Replays occupies a significant place in game music scholarship. It is the first book devoted to ever-intriguing instances of classical music in video games, and through addressing that topic, it seeks to build a bridge from ludomusicology toward more longstanding fields of enquiry ... an accessible, thoughtful, and thought-provoking work on a topic of interest across academic disciplines, and beyond -- classical-music concert programmers and critics might find much to consider here in regard to the music's future, for instance. Indeed, the book could be recommended to almost anybody with an interest in its topic. * Jonathan Godsall, Journal of Sound and Music in Games *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Press Start to Replay Chapter 1: Terms and Conditions Chapter 2: Playing with Music History Chapter 3: A Requiem for Schrödinger's Cat Chapter 4: Allusions of Grandeur Chapter 5: A Clockwork Homage Chapter 6: Remixed Metaphors Chapter 7: Love in Many Monstrous Forms Chapter 8: Violent Offenders and Violin Defenders Chapter 9: Playing Chopin Chapter 10: Gamifying Classical Music Chapter 11: Classifying Game Music Conclusion

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Book SynopsisThe first history of keyboard improvisation in European music from the time of Beethoven through the later nineteenth century, Dana Gooley's Free Play: Fantasies of Improvisation in Nineteenth-Century Music describes the motives, intentions, and musical styles of the nineteenth century's leading improvisers, and traces the evolution of the performance practice into a glorified ideal.Trade ReviewThis is an extremely interesting book on a topic that has not received as much attention as it deserves ... Highly recommended. * W. E. Grim, CHOICE *Classical improvisation is making a comeback, and in timely fashion we can now read its remarkable history. Prof. Gooley has discovered lively contemporary accounts of pianists performing free fantasies on stage for the masses, in salons for elites, and in private for personal inspiration. The big names are all there - Chopin, Liszt, Schumann, Mendelssohn - as are dozens of names less well known but hailed as great improvisors in their own day. Through diaries, reviews, letters, and biographies we can gauge the thoughts of both sides of what were by all accounts emotionally powerful interactions between musicians and their audiences. * Robert O. Gjerdingen, Northwestern University *Gooley's fascinating book sheds new light on the musical nineteenth century, illuminating unwritten histories of improvisation at the keyboard. By focusing on the contemporaneous renown of currently neglected figures such as Vogler, Hummel, Moscheles, and Loewe, Fantasies of Improvisation provides a richly textured account of how extemporization flourished and withered. Beyond that, Gooley elucidates the complex conversion of improvisation into discursive, rhetorical, pedagogical, and ethical terms. As a result, the book not only restores an element of the unexpected to over-determined historical narratives, but also suggests how the scores of Schumann and Liszt might be played and heard afresh. * Roger Moseley, author of Keys to Play: Music as a Ludic Medium from Apollo to Nintendo *Table of ContentsPrelude: The Virtue of Improvisation Chapter 1: The School of Abbé Vogler: Weber and Meyerbeer Chapter 2: The Kapellmeister Network and the Performance of Community: Hummel, Moscheles, and Mendelssohn Chapter 3: Carl Loewe's Performative Romanticism Chapter 4: Schumann and the Economization of Musical Labor Chapter 5: Liszt and the Romantic Rhetoric of Improvisation Chapter 6: Improvisatoriness: The Regime of the Improvisation Imaginary Postlude: Improvisation and Utopia

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Book SynopsisWho''s better? Billie Holiday or P.J. Harvey? Blur or Oasis? Dylan or Keats? And how many friendships have ridden on the answer? Such questions aren''t merely the stuff of fanzines and idle talk; they inform our most passionate arguments, distil our most deeply held values, make meaning of our ever-changing culture. In Performing Rites, one of the most influential writers on popular music asks what we talk about when we talk about music. What''s good, what''s bad? What''s high, what''s low? Why do such distinctions matter? Instead of dismissing emotional response and personal taste as inaccessible to the academic critic, Simon Frith takes these forms of engagement as his subject and discloses their place at the very centre of the aesthetics that structure our culture and colour our lives. Taking up hundreds of songs and writers, Frith insists on acts of evaluation of popular music as music. Ranging through and beyond the twentieth century, Performing Rites puts the Pet Shop Boys and PuTrade ReviewFrith understands precisely what pop music is actually for, and thus has a right to write about it that few others share. * Pete Townshend *This is a good, and arguably a great book. * Colin McCabe, New Statesman & Society *quite simply one of the best books I've ever read about music * BBC Music Magazine *Pop music matters to Frith, and he gives one of the best accounts yet written of how and why this should be so ... a very necessary book. * Peter Aspden, Financial Times *Table of ContentsACKNOWLEDGEMENTS; PART I MUSIC TALK: 1 THE VALUE PROBLEM IN CULTURAL STUDIES; 2 THE SOCIOLOGICAL RESPONSE; 3 COMMON SENSE AND THE LANGUAGE OF CRITICISM; 4 GENRE RULES; PART II ON MUSIC ITSELF: 5 WHERE DO SOUNDS COME FROM?; 6 RHYTHM: RACE, SEX, AND THE BODY; 7 RHYTHM: TIME, SEX, AND THE MIND; 8 SONGS AS TEXTS; 9 THE VOICE; 10 PERFORMANCE; 11 TECHNOLOGY AND AUTHORITY; PART III WHY MUSIC MATTERS: 12 THE MEANING OF MUSIC; 13 TOWARD A POPULAR AESTHETIC; NOTES; INDEX.

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Book SynopsisA comprehensive volume on all facets of vocal performance, On the Art of Singing considers in detail established comparative vocal techniques, the specifics of interpretation and communication, the factors that contribute to career preparation and maintainance, and the application of functional information to the art of singing. Topics that most frequently concern singers and teachers at all levels of accomplishment are reviewed. These include an examination of pedagogical approaches to breath management, to laryngeal freedom, and to resonance balance, advice on career building, considerations of style and interpretation, and information on the physiology and acoustics of the singing voice. Data from diverse sources, otherwise inaccessible to the singer, are assembled and interpreted in the light of performance artistry. From his own long and distinguished career as a performer, teacher of singing, and vocal researcher, the author aims at making practical the relationship of technical Trade ReviewThe content of the book is commendable, useful and illustrated with plenty of amusing anecdotes. * Elin Harries, Music Teacher, May 1997 *On the Art of Singing is undoubtedly a labour of love, the fruit of years of dedicated training of voices. * Martin Bussey, B J Music 14/3 *Richard Miller's eminence as a vocal pedagogue, is securely rooted in considerable performance experience, masterful teaching and extensive scientific research. Everything presented in this book is excellent, thoroughly researched and practised material. It should be required reading for every singer and teacher. This book is a compendium of authoritative. justified and distilled wisdom. Those of us who have sat humbly at the feet of the master are able to hear his voice clearly speaking and demonstrating throughout this text. Written by a cultured and refined teacher/artist and writer, this is the soundest and liveliest book on vocal pedagogy published recently. * the singer, December/January 1997/1998 *The content of the book is commendable, useful and illustrated with plenty of amusing anecdotes. * Elin Harries, Music Teacher, May 1997 *Table of ContentsIntroduction PART I: On Trainining the Singing Voice PART II: On Musical Style and Interpretation PART III: On Preparation for the Professional Life PART IV: On the Singing Voice and Vocal Function Index

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Book SynopsisThis work offers a complete system for training each type of soprano voice based on historic vocal pedagogy coupled with modern-day research on the singing voice. The book places emphasis on the special nature of the physiological functioning for the establishment of vocal proficiency.Trade ReviewMiller has produced another must-have book for professional voice libraries....Everything this reviewer expects from one of Miller's books is here: clarity, scientific support, practicality, proven exercises, relevant extracts from the literature, and, of course, strong opinions. With his books Miller is leaving a legacy of a lifetime of study and learning pursued with rigor and passion. * Choice Print *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. Categories of Female Voice ; 2. Registration Events in Female Voices ; 3. Making a Beginning ; 4. Breath Energy in Singing ; 5. The Agility Factor ; 6. Resonance in Soprano Voices (Supraglottic Considerations) ; 7. Nasal Continuants as Assists in Adjustment of the Resonator Tract ; 8. Non-nasal Consonants as Assists in Adjustment of the Resonator Tract ; 9. The Sostenuto Factor ; 10. Soprano Vocal Registration and Vowel Modification ; 11. Accomplishing Dynamic Control ; 12. The Daily Regimen ; 13. The Wedding of Emotion and Skill ; Appendix: Several Matters Concerning Female Vocal Health

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Book SynopsisA&M's affiliates were George Harrison's Dark Horse Records, Windham Hill, Ode Records, IRS Records, Cypress Records, Delos, Denon, Gold Mountain Records, Nimbus Records, Perspective, Tabu, Vendetta Records, and Word Records.From Brass to Gold Vol.Table of ContentsForeword Preface Introduction Abbreviations Great Britain Canada Germany Japan Other Countries Indexes

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Book SynopsisThe British punk movement is thought to have begun in the mid-1970s with bands such as the Clash and the Sex Pistols, and the American punk movement in the early 1970s with bands such as the Ramones, Patti Smith, and Television playing at CBGB's in New York City's Lower East Side.Trade ReviewCogan draws on his long-term involvement with punk culture as writer and musician to create this broad-based, up-to-date guide to the performers, publications, labels, venues, and terminology of punk. The more than 600 entries are alphabetically arranged, and can also be found via a topical guide and analytical index. . . . The work's strength is the analytical discussion of styles (e.g., emo, hardcore, straight edge); city scenes; gender, sexual, and political issues; and influences (e.g., reggae, rockabilly, Captain Beefheart), with coverage inclusive of 1960s protopunk through each evolution of the following 40 years. . . . Recommended. All levels. * Choice *Longtime punk fan, journalist, and academic Cogan takes a highly catholic approach to what is and isn't punk, opting not to restrict the movement to a particular locale or time period. He tries to cover nearly every important band, taking in all manner of subgenres from hardcore to oi with an octopuslike reach. . . . [F]or academic and large public libraries. * Library Journal *[A] fascinating overview of the punk world from its origins in the early 1970s until the present day. Written from the perspective of an insider, writing about outsiders, this is a considerable and comprehensive resource that well captures the spirit and influence of punk and its manifold cultures and subcultures. . . . It should prove a really good starting point for undergraduates across a range of disciplines from musicology to cultural studies, social history to subcultures. . . . Cogan's deep understanding of his subject is reflected in the excellent cross-referencing. The book also presents an interesting counterpoint to the modern music culture of downloads, MTV and MySpace. . . . It is a highly enjoyable, accessible overview and introduction of what is a fascinating and individualistic way of life. * Reference Reviews *Recommended for comprehensive research collections and collections with a significant popular culture emphasis. * Reference & User Services Quarterly` *Brian Cogan captures the spirit of punk music and culture in his detailed descriptions of various bands, songs, genres, and records. Frequently noting musical influences and professional relationships, Cogan succeeds in conveying the contemporary feelings of excitement and experimentation surrounding the movement. In the process, he explores the clubs and locations that set the early scene for the music, the record labels and leading spirits who set the tone for punk culture, as well as the fanzines, books and films that have helped keep the movement alive. Also examined are the relationship of punk to drug use, fashion, parents and politics. Needless to say, Cogan views punk culture as an active development, and he demonstrates it continuing influence in the likes of Fugazi, the Riot Grrrl movement, and Green Day. With nearly 600 entries and selected discographies, this entertaining guide is certain to find an audience in high school, public and academic libraries. * Lawrence Looks at Books *For any reader with an existing interest in punk . . . there will certainly be some appeal, since the author provides a good deal of very obscure information alongside detail concerning all the most well-known punk acts. * Journal of Popular Music *Table of ContentsCONTENTSList of Entries viiGuide to Related Topics xvPreface xxiiiIntroduction xxvThe Encyclopedia 1Selected Bibliography 261Index 267

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Book SynopsisPart mystery, part biography, part meditation on a forgotten singer from the early days of jazz, this is Nick Tosches piecing together of a life - that of Emmett Miller, whose songs prefigured jazz, country, blues and much of the popular music of the 20th century.

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Book SynopsisWhat makes us fall in love with a song? What makes us want to write our own songs? Do songs help? Do songs help us live better lives? And do the lives we live help us write better songs? Following publication of Let's Go (So We Can Get Back) and How To Write One Song, both New York Times bestsellers that cemented and expanded his legacy as one of America's best-loved performers and songwriters, Jeff Tweedy is back with another disarming, beautiful, and inspiring book.Featuring over fifty songs that have both changed Jeff''s life and influenced his musicincluding songs by the Velvet Underground, Joni Mitchell, Otis Redding, Dolly Parton, and Billie Eilishas well as thoughts on Jeff''s own songs, World Within a Song asks why do we listen to music, why we love songs, and how music can connect us to each other and to ourselves.

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