Understanding Music teaches students what to listen for in music. Jeremy Yudkin’s text is a rich music appreciation program that supports the instructor’s ultimate goal of teaching active listening. By focusing on music of the Western tradition in its social, historical, and global context, this text engages students in an active listening experience of music through a lively narrative and innovative activities— all supported by a computer program which once downloaded will allow you to use the web-based listening guides, and printed listening guides within the text.
I thought I appreciated music but after reading this textbook, I truly now know what it means to appreciate music! Changed my life by introducing classical music and it's greatest to me. Took "music appreciation 101" at the community college when I was a teen and it changed my life. Cheesy? Yes. Still blown away everytime I hear Tchaikovsky's Sixth symphony? You bet your ass, yes!
Such a systematic learn of the different periods of musical history. I especially love the story between Clara Schumann and Robert Schumann.
“And now these three endure: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” — this quote from the Bible is what Clara wrote it to Robert Schumann after he passed away. Simply beautiful.
This textbook is full of information. I found that some students thrived on all the history and information about the evolution of Western Music. Others were overwhelmed. I think that chapters two and twelve were too long and could have been edited. However, I really enjoyed teaching from this book. I used companion CDs, websites, and Powerpoints. I plan on teaching from this book in the future. (this review is based on the 6th edition of this book)