Music

Enciclopédia Visual- Verbo #8

by Neil Ardley

Full-color photos. "Ardley introduces types of musical instruments in a scintillating blend that spans ancient to modern. Interesting historical asides and highlights about famous musicians contrast with the precisely labeled parts of the numerous illustrated instruments. The double-page spreads display an array of full-color photos, sketches, and explanatory text. Holds wide appeal for research and browsing."--(starred) Booklist.  

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Reference, Childrens, Education

63 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1960

About the author

Neil Ardley was an English jazz composer, pianist, arranger, and acclaimed science writer whose career bridged music, education, and publishing. After studying chemistry at Bristol University, he moved to London and immersed himself in the city's thriving jazz scene, studying composition and arranging before becoming a central figure in modern British jazz. As director of the New Jazz Orchestra, he helped nurture a generation of influential musicians while developing a distinctive musical voice that blended jazz improvisation with classical forms. His albums, including Le Déjeuner sur l'Herbe, Greek Variations and Other Aegean Exercises, Symphony of Amaranths, and Kaleidoscope of Rainbows, earned critical praise for their ambitious orchestration and innovative use of electronic sounds. Alongside his musical work, Ardley built an equally successful career in publishing. Beginning as an editor, he went on to write more than one hundred books, many aimed at introducing young readers to science, technology, nature, and music. His best-known work, The Way Things Work, illustrated by David Macaulay, became an international bestseller and helped establish him as one of Britain's most successful popular science authors. By the time of his retirement, his books had sold millions of copies worldwide, securing his reputation as both an influential musician and an exceptional communicator of knowledge.

Reviews

[jacky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I looked at this book with one of my practicum tutees today. I thought we would only look at a couple pages, but she was interested enough to flip through the rest of the book with me. We didn't read most of it, but we enjoyed looking at all the instruments and reading captions when we had questions or wanted to know more.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was a very informative book and it had some very interesting facts. However, I thought it was a little too complex in its explanations of how different instruments work. I was a little lost on what some of the things meant. However, I thought the historical information about the origins of certain instruments was very fascinating. A very informative book.

[Whitney Summers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the amount of information this book included along with visuals to go along with the facts. I have always had a at interest in music and all types of instruments. This book went into great detail about not only the history of music and the instruments, but also the construction and science behind the instruments. Very information and still fun for kids.

[Dan Castrigano · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stuff I wrote down: Adolphe Sax invented saxophone. John Philip Sousa invented the sousaphone. Louis Armstrong is called Satchmo because he has a huge mouth. Stradivari was the Italian who made violins. "Sympathetic strings" are strings not played on stringed instruments - they just vibrate when other strings are played. Xylophone = xylos and phone = Greek = wood sound. Best part of the book = the colorful images showing how a snare drum's head vibrates up and down after it is struck. Wicked cool!

[Brent Barnard · Rating 4 out of 5]

SUCH a fun book. It's particularly interesting to keep YouTube open while reading it so you can check out the different (exotic) instruments in action. It was a nice break from the heavier books I normally read.

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

pictures theories, and people of music and the history of music

[Foxtower · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like this book for all the wonderful pictures of musical instruments, from simple and basic to ornate.

[Andi Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Any book that keeps my nine year old busy for hours gets five stars... ; )