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Harvard Dictionary of Music
A classic and invaluable reference work. Soon after its initial publication, the Harvard Dictionary of Music by Willi Apel was firmly established as a standard and essential resource for everyone concerned with music. The product of exceptional scholarship, it was praised as being comprehensive, concise, authoritative, scholarly, and enjoyable. Leopold Stokowski wrote, "I so often consult your dictionary of music, and with such never failing enlightenment, that I must offer you my thanks for your unique book, so profound and so broad in scope... The vast scholarship...is of immeasurable value to the whole world of music."
For this second edition the dictionary has been thoroughly revised, updated, and substantially enlarged. Apel and eighty-eight other eminent music scholars have contributed new articles and revised old ones completely. The already comprehensive list of accurate definitions has grown measurably and it now even includes nothus, pyiba, and merengue.
In the greatly expanded coverage of ethnomusicology, cumbia--an Afro-Panamanian dance form--and Vietnam are only two of the new entries. Additionally, all the general information about individual countries has been revised and the discussion of both theory and history has been amply increased. Developments of the last two decades are given special attention with particular emphasis on compositional techniques, including electronic music and serial music. Individual compositions, representative of every type from every era, are described. The bibliography following each article, a unique feature of the first edition, has been updated and expanded. There are fifty percent more illustrations than in the first edition, including explicit drawings of instruments, clear music examples, diagrams, charts and a full-page outline of the history of music.
An extensive list of the most important music libraries and collections throughout the world with summaries of their significant musical holdings is a valuable part of the dictionary. The section on historical editions now lists fifty-three collections of music and briefly describes each volume within each collection.
The Harvard Dictionary of Music, Second Edition, Revised and Enlarged, is the result of imaginative, specialized, modern, and reliable music scholarship. Containing nearly 1,000 pages of precise and accessible information on all musical subjects, it offers over fifty percent more material than the first edition. It is essential not only to the scholar of music, the professional performer, and the practicing amateur, but to everyone who has ever anticipated the pleasure of a weekly musical broadcast, purchased a favorite recording, or truly enjoyed a concert.
For this second edition the dictionary has been thoroughly revised, updated, and substantially enlarged. Apel and eighty-eight other eminent music scholars have contributed new articles and revised old ones completely. The already comprehensive list of accurate definitions has grown measurably and it now even includes nothus, pyiba, and merengue.
In the greatly expanded coverage of ethnomusicology, cumbia--an Afro-Panamanian dance form--and Vietnam are only two of the new entries. Additionally, all the general information about individual countries has been revised and the discussion of both theory and history has been amply increased. Developments of the last two decades are given special attention with particular emphasis on compositional techniques, including electronic music and serial music. Individual compositions, representative of every type from every era, are described. The bibliography following each article, a unique feature of the first edition, has been updated and expanded. There are fifty percent more illustrations than in the first edition, including explicit drawings of instruments, clear music examples, diagrams, charts and a full-page outline of the history of music.
An extensive list of the most important music libraries and collections throughout the world with summaries of their significant musical holdings is a valuable part of the dictionary. The section on historical editions now lists fifty-three collections of music and briefly describes each volume within each collection.
The Harvard Dictionary of Music, Second Edition, Revised and Enlarged, is the result of imaginative, specialized, modern, and reliable music scholarship. Containing nearly 1,000 pages of precise and accessible information on all musical subjects, it offers over fifty percent more material than the first edition. It is essential not only to the scholar of music, the professional performer, and the practicing amateur, but to everyone who has ever anticipated the pleasure of a weekly musical broadcast, purchased a favorite recording, or truly enjoyed a concert.
935 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1944
About the author
Willi Apel
34 books9 followersApel studied mathematics at the Universities of Bonn and Munich and the University of Berlin. Although pursuing mathematical studies, Apel continued to stud piano and gave music lessons.
Apel became a renowned musicologist and became a professor of musicology at Indiana University in 1950. He was awarded an honorary doctorate by the university in 1972.
He died in Bloomington, Indiana in March 1988.
Apel became a renowned musicologist and became a professor of musicology at Indiana University in 1950. He was awarded an honorary doctorate by the university in 1972.
He died in Bloomington, Indiana in March 1988.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 31, 2012
I haven't actually sat through and read this thing in a while and am mainly taking inventory of my bookshelf and found this scrunchy-wrapped and binding gone small pocket paperback. However, if you like, play, and study music, music theory, and music history, I think you could easily do much worse. A good reference when delving into other music study and you find yourself wanting to know what a glissando is when some critic talks about Vince Guaraldi's fingers spitting out glissandos like a dragon breaths fire.
March 22, 2012
Very simple this is a wonderful reference for those who are classical music lovers who understand all aspects of classical music, chamber and opera; It is in like dictionary format, so reading this book comes i handy when you wish to make reference to musical terms, composers and understanding opera; A must have!
April 25, 2010
This was one of the required texts for a required Music Appreciation class in college. That class actually did inspire an interest in and love for classical music, so I found this book very useful beyond the class and have kept it on my bookshelves. Very handy if you have any interesting in music.
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February 2, 2020I've played piano my whole life, but now I'm taking voice lessons, so there are things I don't know...I feel that this book has filled in some holes in my knowledge. Recommended.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews