Genres Books

In "Workin' Man Blues," native son of the Oildale/Bakersfield area Gerald Haslam explores the mostly ignored role the Golden State played in the creation, evolution, and popularization of Country-Western Music.

Haslam (a retired California State University, Sonoma, English professor) explores the music's origins and by decades to explain where Country came from, how Western got added, the conflicting Nashville and California sounds, and why performers wear fancy clothing despite singing about the poor, outsiders and the working class. Haslam puts the music into the national context, showing how the performers and audience came West with the Dust Bowl migration and World War II's industrialization of Southern California.

He describes how the music's multiple currents -- bluegrass, hillbilly, rockabilly, Western swing, folk, country-rock, Old Time, mountain, and singing cowboys -- led to or were influenced by honky-tonks, dance halls, the horse opera Western movies Hollywood produced, the arrival and dominance of radio, and then the transition to television.

I have listened to Country-Western for nearly 35 years and didn't realize how little I knew about it until I read this well-researched and well-written piece of California's and America's cultural history.

Think of country music and you think of the South automatically - but California too has been the source of many a notable country music artists, and here's Workin' Man Blues: Country Music In California by Gerald Haslam with the assistance of Alexandra Haslam Russell and Richard Chonto celebrates and highlights that fact. Chapters cover a range of artists who contributed to the genre, from early immigrants to California to later stars. Bob Wills, Gene Autry, Buck Owens and Dwight Yoakam: the lives of each famous contributor to the genre is linked with California musical history as a whole, creating a vivid interplay between musical history and biography. Outstanding.

Nobody doubts the importance of Texas and Tennessee in the development of country music, yet the substantial contribution of California to country music is often ignored. At first glance, this is understandable, since the Californian music scene is generally dominated by the major cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco. However, these two cities are several hundred miles apart and much of the territory in between is deeply rural, populated by people displaced from other states, who took their music with them when they migrated. In particular, Bakersfield and its surrounding area became a hotbed of country music. This is the area from which the author comes, but in this book he covers all aspects of the California country music scene including Hollywood's contribution.

Whole chapters are devoted to the Crockett family, Gene Autry, Bob Wills, Spade Cooley, Rose Maddox and her brothers, Buck Owens, Merle Haggard and Dwight Yoakam. These are clearly the artists that the author regards as the most important to the development of Californian country music and I'm certainly not going to argue with him. While very few people these days know about the Crockett family, they were California's first country stars even if (as it seems) their appeal did not extend beyond their home state.

Between the chapters devoted to individual artists, there are chapters devoted to particular decades. These chapters describe all the remaining significant artists. Early on, the author attempts to define country music but, as we all know, it is impossible to define. Being unable to clearly define the music, the author covers the music in all its aspects from traditional to contemporary singers but focuses mainly on tradition. Thus, Glen Campbell (born in Arkansas but who made his career in California) and Barbara Mandrell (born in Texas but raised in California from an early age) are given due coverage, their achievements being far too important to ignore. Although I love their music, I know as much as I want to from elsewhere. It is important that they are covered but they are not the reason to buy this book.

Apart from the chapters on the selected major traditional artists, this book serves as a reminder of many great but obscure performers such as Kate Wolf, who seemed set to make a major commercial breakthrough with her brand of folk-country music but died of leukaemia before she could capitalize on her growing popularity.

Country-rock is covered too - there is a page devoted to a family tree showing how various performers switched between various groups - the Byrds, the Eagles, the Flying Burrito Brothers, Buffalo Springfield, Crosby Stills and Nash, Poco and a few others. It's not complete (no Dillard and Clark Expedition, no Desert Rose Band) but it covers all the line-ups that most people are interested in. A truly comprehensive family tree would take too much space to make it easy to follow.

This book is a real treasure trove of information about country music in California but if it whets your appetite for more reading, there is a selected bibliography that runs to over twenty pages.

Every country music fan can learn much about the history of the music from this book, which proves that California has played a major role in the development of country music - maybe not quite as important as Tennessee and Texas, but far more important than most people realize.

Nashville has not always been the home of country music. Following migrations westward from the South and Dust Bowl states during the 1930s and 1940s, country music flourished in California, where it thrived in Hollywood, throughout the agricultural interior valleys and around the war-related industries in Los Angeles. And it continued in the post-war years, peaking in creative output one final time in the 1960s.

Author Gerald Haslam's history of country music in California tells a story full of rich appreciation for its many musical styles, from hillbilly (the Crockett Family, seen on the cover), to the singing cowboys (Gene Autry), to the heyday of western swing (Bob Wills and Spade Cooley), to Tennessee Ernie Ford, and the Bakersfield music scene, centered around Buck Owens in the 1960s. Haslam then tracks its story since those golden years in the careers of Californians who made it big in the Nashville years, such as Merle Haggard.

Haslam's sympathies are clearly with performers who have bucked the homogenizing trends of Nashville and the dominance of a music today that calls itself country but has largely lost contact with its roots. He praises the musical mavericks and outlaws who keep traditional and "hard" country alive in California, giving special attention to Dwight Yoakum, who stubbornly and fiercely chose Los Angeles as a base to launch a career that got national attention in the 1980s.

You may or may not love the author's blue-collar bias. He notes the frequent theme of discontent in traditional country music, characterizing it as the music of the hard-working men and women who labor not always successfully in pursuit of an American dream. Their yearning for simpler times and rural values is a sensibility mostly absent from today's country play lists, with only rare exceptions like Alan Jackson. It's a sentiment that finds its parallel in the traditionalist's dislike for the urban market-driven output of Nashville's lucrative music industry.

This is a highly readable book, with over 50 photographs of performers, and it's also a reference based on a good deal of scholarship. There's a 22-page bibliography and both a song title index and a subject index covering another 24 pages. Readers interested in western swing will especially appreciate the author's extensive study of this subject. As a companion volume, I'd also recommend "The Rough Guide to Country Music."

I simply can't recommend this book highly enough! It was the first scholarly work on Country Music that I read, and it really opened my eyes to country music as a serious field of study. Being a native Californian, I had always been aware of the pivotal role the CA scene played in Country Music history, I was exposed to the music of Haggard at an early age and became familiar with the music of Buck Owens through Hee Haw, but I didn't know too much about other important players such as Chester Smith, The Maddox Bros & Rose, Wynn Stewart Etc. This book inspired me to go out and discover the music of these pioneering artists. The author also discusses the way rock and roll influenced west coast country and vice versa. If you're a serious student of country music history, this book is a must read! It should be required reading in all CA schools :)

I purchased this text for a class recently. This little book is quite dense with information. So much so that I've reread and reread. It's very affordable and highly informative on Dutch Baroque Art.

This book is very well written and easy to understand. A good introductory style and works great to explain basic concepts of this specific time period and region. It's a-okay by me.

This book has many strengths: a large number of color photographs, the latest scholarship, and a variety of interpretative considerations. Westermann organizes the book thematically instead of by genre, which allows the reader to grasp the wholeness of Dutch art. Weaknesses: landscape and the contributions of Rembrandt are not given their due. Overall, a fine work that is appropriate both for the layman and the scholar.

The Dutch Golden Age wasn't high on my list of favorites -- until this book came along.

This, in common with other volumes in the "Perspectives" series, offers high quality (though small) reproductions of important works, up-to-date analysis and discussion of the art and the contexts in which it was created.

It does all this while also offering two things that are rare in art books -- clear, well-written prose accessible to a lay audience, and a reasonable price. An excellent introduction to the subject, and a wonderful addition to any library.

This book is beautifully printed and full of not only splendid pictures, but much useful information. This is the kind of book to put on your shelf for reference over and over. And, on a gloomy day, it will be a delight to get out and look through again.

One of the most loved Christian Romance writers, Gail brings a wealth of knowledge to her topic. She covers every area of writing the Christian romance, from heroes and heroines to editing and submitting your work. If you're interested in writing Christian Romance, this is the book for you.

Gail's book has given me insights into my genre, as well as direction in technique. She has succinctly defined our category and provided a useful tool in a market previously lacking such a resource. Three cheers to Gail Gaymer Martin and Writer's Digest for meeting this need.

Gail's book is the 'bible' for new Christian romance writers. She covers every angle I could think of to get a writer started and headed in the right direction, giving examples from her own and other authors' works.

This book is a great resource for romance writers of all genres, but especially for those writing for the Christian market. Full of examples and at-your-fingertips information, the book is an easy-read, and one you'll refer back to again and again. Plus, it's pretty enough to be a coffee table edition.

Having read some of her novels, I was looking forward to reading Gail's book and gleaning all the advice she had to give about writing romance. Gail covered most of the essential elements of a good story: characterization, dialogue, tension, POV, and plotting. She leads the reader through the process of developing the hero and heroine as multi-dimensional, believable characters and escalating their romantic interest throughout the story.

Gail does a thorough job of speaking to the specific elements of a Christian romance verses other genre fiction. She gives excellent information on how to handle delicate subjects without offending the Christian publisher or reader. She explains how to develop the spiritual thread of a story.

Her suggestions and tips are backed up by examples from a wide variety of authors. The exercises at the end of each chapter are thought-provoking and geared to teach the writer how to improve in specific areas.

Gail provided an example of a query/cover letter, short synopsis, a one-page synopsis, and a long synopsis. There may be others out there, but this is the first writing craft book I have read that gives a complete example of all four. This will be most helpful to those who struggle with this integral step in making a sale. She also gives sound advice on publication options, choosing a publisher, and searching for an agent.

Thanks for a great book, Gail!

Product came just as described (discounted b/c of folded corners) and came EXTREMELY quickly! thank you!

I am very happy with this book. I includes everything except the finales, goodbyes, and My Favorite Moment of the Bee (Rona's solos) the piano part is accompaniment and doesn't have the melody in the piano part. It's definitely worth the $21.95!

The songs aren't too difficult to play, and they're all great. I only wish they had included more music from the show!

The music for the funniest musical in years is now available!!! This book contains every song for the show except for the transitions (Goodbyes/Favorite Moments of the Bee/Spelling Rules) and contains more than just solo numbers! This show has music for that is all within range of anybody's voice and can be used for auditioning as well as performing!

Last I checked this book is not available in any store, this is definitely a great Amazon buy for any vocalist and will never be regretted by the buyer!

Although the information above is wrong, (the book is 102 pages) this book is worth far more than the $21.95, they're asking for. True to form, William Finn keeps putting out comprehensive songbooks with exciting arrangements of his music dramas. The lyrics in 25th Annual are a bit more rational than his exercises in stream-of-consciousness poeticism like Falsettos or A New Brain, but Finn continues to be a hilarious, accomplished lyricist. Although I was disappointed at the omission of the reprises and a few finales, overall, I was quite pleased with this book, and I recommend it to auditioners, amateur musical theatre actors, or simply fans of the show.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee spells out one thing for sure: F-U-N.

Great intro to slide guitar. I am an advanced player but have never played slide. I was able to pick up the picking styles and rhythm quickly. The control of the slide and smoothness is the hard part, but fun to learn. Interesting music information and examples that get you going on the right foot. The music audio examples on the CD are very helpful.

I have been playing for over 30 years, this is the best book on Bottleneck blues guitar. It is also alot of fun to play.

Bob Brozman, in addition to being a certified ethnomusicologist and world expert on the National resonator guitar has compiled a mother lode of slide and rhythm techniques in the Country Blues style.Although at his own admission Brozman doesn't "play Robert Johnson like Robert Johnson.." in recordings or live venues he does easily teach the style of Johnson flawlessly in rhythm, phrase and slide technique. In addition he quotes and instructs from the other Country Blues giants..Charlie Patton, Willie Brown as well as including his own trademark licks. The rhythmic instruction included is essential learning for this style. Included CD is excellent in detail and example. A must have for anyone interested in this style

I'm an intermediate player who bought 3 books to learn slide from.
This is the best of the bunch. The book covers a lot of ground but
the basics are here as well. Well spaced info and a good CD to
learn from. Other good books on blues (but not slide per se) are the Kenny Sultan series - they are not as hard as the Grossman and Mann books

I'm a metal guitarist (the real stuff, Maiden, Morbid Angel, Slayer style metal) that dabbles in jazz and fingerstyle.

I've loved Robert Johnson's country style blues forever and this book introduced me to the joys of playing slide guitar in open G in just two days! I can already play enough stuff to sound like I know what I'm doing.

I have only recently began playing the banjo and feel this book has taken me 100% closer to being the well rounded musician I aspire to be. If you are interested in history, music, and the banjo this is where to start!

A controversial but compelling argument concerning the early history and transmission of the banjo and it's music in America from black Africans to white players. One should also investigate opposing views published by individuals like Bob Winans.

Today, there is a greater awareness of the fact that the banjo, so often identified as an American original, is in fact of African descent. Yet, with the exception of Dena Epstein's and Paul Oliver's pioneering research, there's has been little in the way of literature devoted specifically to the subject of the banjo's African and African-American heritage.

Cecelia Conway's AFRICAN BANJO ECHOES IN APPALACHIA fills this frankly embarassing void in banjo literature. Ms. Conway is a folklorist who, back in the 1970s, had done field work in the North Carolina Piedmont documenting some of the last bearers of the centuries-old African-American folk banjo tradition. In the beginning of the book, she introduces us to venerable African-American traditional musicians, whose music predates the blues and jazz, such as Dink Roberts, John Snipes and Joe and Odell Thompson (of all the aforementioned, fiddler Joe Thompson is the only one left to carry on the tradition, which he still does with great vigor and determination). From there, Ms. Conway launches into a fascinating, scholarly exploration of the history and evolution of the banjo.

This leads to the thorny issue of just how the banjo-- now considered, along with the fiddle and mountain dulcimer, to be the quintessential musical manifestation of white Appalachia-- was introduced and absorbed into the folk culture of the European-American communities of the Southern Mountains. Ms. Conway, in true scientific fashion, utilizes the historical record and empiric evidence to boldly challenge the conventional suppositions of her fellow scholars and folklorists, such as Robert Winans, Alan Lomax and Tony Russell, that the banjo entered the remote white southern mountain communities after the Civil War via traveling Minstrel shows and returning veterans. I'll leave you to read the book for Ms. Conway's theory on the subject.

All in all, AFRICAN BANJO ECHOES is well-researched, well-documented and well-written with loads of great illustrations. It would be a worthy addition to any library. I highly recommend it not just to devotees of the banjo and old-time music, but to anyone interested in the evolution of American folk culture and pop music.

i HAD JUST handed in my MFA thesis to be published. I realized library priviledges I had had for 12 years would be gone in a couple weeks, I went to the music section of the FIU library and bumped into this book. I loved it, it loved me. I read it straight through--didnt go to work the next day. I have been studying and playing traditional American music for 40 years, and this is one of the best books on any level I have ever read. Ater talking about picking up the banjo for 40 years, I bought one right after I read this book and have bought another since.

So much of history and opinion about popular music is just congealed prejudice and wishful thinking. This is science and real life. The banjo is an African instrument, the traditional way of playing it is the African way of playing it. Not to speak of the non traditional post WWII guitar influenced Bluegrass way which simply adds as many blue and blues notes into the music as can be found.

What romanced me in this book is her interviews with African American banjo players from North Carolina and Virgina--some of whom have passed on since the book came out. The Photographs in there are great too.

Cece Also made a movie of these guys that was shown back when the book first came out. While it has been out of circulation for years, she will be showing it at the April 7-10 2005 Black Banjo Then and Now Gathering at Appalachian State College in Boone North Carolina.

You see that scene in the library was 6 years and three banjos ago. The book and the recordings and other development have brought many African American artists back to the banjo and back to the roots players that inspired Cece's book. Earlier this year (2004), I launched Black Banjo Then and Now, a group on Yahoo that carried forward where this book leaves off. We gather together Black banjoists from around the country, many scholars of the banjo including Cece, and folks of many types who honor or are interested in the Black legacy of the instrument. You might want to join us.

But back to this book: Buy it, give it to your friends, make sure every library has this book, make sure this book is taught in the schools, This is it!

Cecelia Conway and Scott Odell should be awarded an enormous fellowship from the MacArthur or Guggenheim folks for additional research. This book merits a readership among anyone who so much as owns a "banjer." The accompanying CD (called "Black Banjo Songsters" and available on the Smithsonian/Folkways label) is a bit academic in its notes and its repetition of songs, but hearing the likes of John Snipes and Dink Roberts go to town is thrilling.

You show the composer of this collection, not as the brilliant Stephen Flaherty, but as P.I. Tchaikowsky. Just checking to see if we're paying attention?

I've always been a fan of their musicals and this makes teaching so much easier than trying to find copies of their individual works.

I am a musical theatre student and am performing 2-3 new songs per week. In my quest for music books containing a substantial amount of fantastic music, I struck gold with this one. All of the songs in here have wonderful accompaniment, some simple, some more difficult. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS COLLECTION!!!!

I got this book so I could have sheet music for musical auditions. It's a great book to have if you're a musical performer or simply just a lover of Ahrens and Flaherty's tunes and plays (i.e. Once on This Island). It's a great addition to my theatrical and musical archive.

This is a nice book with selections from Seussical, Anastasia (the animated film), Ragtime, Once on this Island, The Glorious Ones, My Favorite Year, A Man of No Importance, and Lucky Stiff. Songs are All Those Christmas Cliches (no source credited), Alone in the Universe, At the Beginning, Back to Before, Come Down from the Tree, How Lucky You Are, The Human Heart, I Was Here, If the World Were Like the Movies, It's Possible, Journey to the Past, Larger Than Life, Love Who You Love, Make Them Hear You, Mama Will Provide, New Music, Oh the Thinks You Can Think, Once Upon a December, Our Children, Ragtime, Solla Sollew, Streets of Dublin, Times Like This, Waiting for Life, Wheels of a Dream.

Sean Byrnes has everyone fooled. He has found the perfect con and the irony is just too much. Here he is in Arizona, serving as prison psychologist under the name of Dr. Charles McGuire. The real McGuire, the prison psychologist that assured that Sean served out his full sentence, remains undiscovered in the trunk of his car.

The real beauty of the situation is that no one will be even looking for the real McGuire for at least a month. The doctor was starting his sabbatical, taking time off after the death of his wife. This leaves the impostor free to use the good doctor's credit cards and good name to his advantage.

Aka McGuire leads the reader on a merry chase, wondering how, when, and even if this killer is going to be found out and brought to justice. There are so many times when the characters are startled by the odd behavior of this man but write these acts off as stress or grief. Mostly, these individuals just see what they want and ignore anything that could cast doubt on the fine reputation of Dr. Charles McGuire.

This is a must-read for any murder-mystery fan. Ms Entzel's characters are interesting and leave you wanting more. I agree, this is a shoe-in for a series. If you like Grafton, Evanovich, and Cornwell, you'll love this book. Bring on the next one! :)

Reviewed by Patricia E. Reid

Be careful who you trust is a lesson Katherine (Kitt) Logan learns the hard way. In the process, she puts herself in danger as well as her employees and friends.

Kitt's car breaks down on the highway outside of Empalme, Arizona. Eddie stops and gives her a lift into town and introduces her to the local mechanic. Eddie also invites her to the Carlita's Cantina in town for a drink and eventually invites Kitt to stay over in his house until her car repairs are completed. Eddie has a lovely home as well as a ranch outside of town. Eddie advises Kitt not to divulge that she is the warden at the prison in Florence. People in Empalme tend to be suspicious of people in law enforcement.

During Kitt's stay in Empalme she discovers a body in the cemetery while out for an evening's stroll. This particular body does not belong in this cemetery since it is just buried in a shallow grave and covered with a few rocks. Sheriff Martinez is called and an investigation begins to find out the name of the victim.

Kitt's car is repaired and she returns to her home and husband Cord. The first day back at the prison, Kitt discovers that the doctor is having problems due to a lack of a psychiatrist on duty at the prison. A new psychiatrist has been hired but will not be on site for at least another month. Kitt remembers a Dr. McGuire that she met in the Cantina. Dr. McGuire stated that he was staying there briefly to work on some research. Kitt contacts Dr. McGuire and he agrees to work at the prison temporarily until the new doctor is ready to fill the position.

The relief Kitt feels with Dr. McGuire's acceptance is short-lived. Although Dr. McGuire has plenty of experience in prisons, it is as an inmate and not as a doctor. The real doctor McGuire is dead.

I would place this book at the very top of my list of good books read this year. It is a very exciting book and I held my breath to see how the story would end for all involved with aka McGuire.

Armchair Interview says: Top-of-list book is a good recommendation for any mystery lover.

The intrigue and suspense was tempered with wit and humor! I sense a sequel (I hope) as both main characters seem to be just beginning to bloom. I couldn't put it down once I started. I hope Entzel is formulating her next book, I'm anxious for more!

From the first page to the last page, suspense is everywhere. Entzel does a great job weaving a tangled web that isn't illuminated until the end. I couldn't put it down. Never knew what was next. This is a great murder mystery with loads of suspense!

I am not a Science Fiction person. To me Alter Sphere is more of an action/adventure. A real kick ass adventure. I found myself unable to put it down, and didn't untill I finished.

Sandy S.Ayala has humor...adventure...suspense...action...sex all in one cracherjack book. Would make a good TV series or movie.

Megamorphis by Sandy S. Ayala is an adventurous science fiction novel of Sarah and her disintegrating marriage and the fantasy world and mate she consequently creates in her head which transforms into an amazing planetary shelter. Sarah's journey through wonders and psyche, and more, as well as her fateful meeting with an imperfect yet utterly human rescuer, ultimately lead to an amazing destination of wonder and self-realization in this forceful written tale of the power of the mind. Megamorphis is confidently recommended to the community of science fiction enthusiasts as a unique, imaginative, and thoroughly entertaining story from beginning to end.

Being a slow reader and easily distracted, i had to go to Sadona AZ, to get ingrossed in the story.What I like best about this book, however, is that it encourages a love even though you have made a mistake with one Marriage. without ever letting the reader know it is doing so. The wonderful tongue-rolling combination of words, the silly (but not really) images the words evoke, and the simple joy in every Day Dreamer are tailor-made to enchant a Reader and encourage him or her to read more.Sandy has a hit and if this is a spin from her Life she's captured the very essence of a Love-Thriller.

Highly recommended!!

Sandy S. Ayala weaves an unforgettable tale of love, courage, action, and the ability to trust in yourself. This is a science fiction book set in the future.After chemical warfare destroys the world, Sarah sets out with the man of her dreams and an unusual crew on a thrilling adventure. I can't wait for the next book! Young Adult+

In her imaginative, yet realistic style, Sandy blends a fantastic combination of reality and fantasy. Her characters hit close to home with their emotion, imagination, attitudes, and expression. Her blend of fantasy and reality creates a world unlike any written before.

Sandy's writing brings out the best of human perseverance when faced with immeasurable odds. Ms. Ayala paints a fantastic picture of a world born again. With witty dialogue and characters that readers can very much relate to in their mind eye, it's a book readers of all adults young or Old are sure to treasure in their Library. Isaac, or Gene would have liked Her style.

Anyone with a more than passing interest in Orchestral music should try this one. Especially good for young players in school or civic orchestras. It desecribes what everyone's job is, how they play different effects, hangups, foibles, etc...

Tells you why Horns don't like sitting in front of percussion. Why the tympanist won't play other percussion, but the the rest of the kitchen dept is running around playing 3 and four different instruments.

It talks a lot about keys, notes, and has many copies of the score for illustration, but if you don't read music don't despair... your enjoyment should not be diminished.

When to disagree with the conductor...

And describes the curious relations amongst all those infighting violins.

Great book for music lovers, proffessional musicians and composers. Gives you a real insight into the orchestra and individual instruments. Practical and well written. Highly recommended.

This is an elemental resources for all advanced students of composition and conducting.

I doubt if you can really teach orchestration,like composition; for whatever you are doing is simply revisiting in rote formations of what has already been done, and what has already been done, and what already has been done should be heard in its original form anyway. A book that merely speaks and addresses problems is the most virulent, viable route, I think, Give me what's the most resonant parts of the instrument,tell me where that is please! also tell me what is rather dull, what is noise-like, and what "lays" best in what register.Then how do we come to mix timbres? who can tell you that if you have an original vision for your music,if you write music, If you have many friends who play all the instruments of the orchestra that's the best route as well, real live expositions cannot be replaced by a text.Learning orchestration is about someone being there to ask questions on why you did what you did, and why you didn't do it another way! Texts are merely stepping stones anyway, unless you got "axes" to grind as Gunther Schuller.(incorreect tempi)
Seasoned conductor Del Mar at least has other interesting books on Brahms and Beethoven and potpourris of other lesser knowns on the problems of conducting and indirectly exposing the problems that exist within the orchestral repertoire.This is a facet of orchestration often overlooked. Everyone had some problem at some time that needs to be corrected by an experienced conductor. For if you simply play the music exactly as written it would be rather boring,unispired; how does one explain the phenomenon of; take five conductors, each rehearsing the same piece with the same orcehstra, and you will get/render five different conceptions of timbre, gestural differences, rhythm, balance and meaning. So music breathes I guess, and an orcehstration book will only tell you what to put into the right or wrong pegs in the systems of notations. Orchestrations, the orchestra itself is/are becoming reaching a dinosaur status, with commissioning funds drying up; or only reserved to academia-bound prize winners. Especially now since some orchestras are resorting to playing film music,with the film in the back or not; as interesting as that is, the orchestrations of the cinema have a kind of fixed entity, a horizon you can see, and who would rather listen to music for "Forrest Gump"? than brilliant orcehstrators as Stravinsky or Boulez, or Eotvos, Berio or Xenakis, or Sciarrino.Learning to write film music is not learning about the orchestra, for there still needs someone to develop its timbre, otherwise it dies. This is a good book nonethless, Del Mar has marvelous insights into problems with ample examples not overdone/overdetermined as the Berlioz-Strauss.I learned orcehstration simply by looking at the best (those mentioned above) and re-translating that into whatever I thought I could see as my music,my timbre, or conception of sound.

This is a well-written and thought-out text about the modern day symphony orchestra. It provides and analysis of every instrument in the orchestra, it's purposes, the sound it produces, and the possibilities. Norman Del Mar's book is a must for music students and professionals alike.