Musicals Books

I bought this book for my daughter who is a Sound of Music affectionado. She loved the book and all the background materials provided.

The Sound of Music Companion by Laurence Malson, Andrew Lloyd Webber should be owned by all who enjoyed the movie.


Thanks

This is a wonderful book for THE SOUND OF MUSIC enthusiast. Lots of great background information and photographs. Thank you.

Lawrence Maslon should be thanked and congratulated for offering a concise and informative Sound of Music book. Although there have been a few Sound of Music books written in the past, this book is probably the first of its kind to tell the story in a concise manner. The Hirsch book on the film and the reissued Max Wilk book on the stage show were great books in their own right, but I think this book tops them all.

Although the numerous photos are the draw of this coffee-table book, a coffee-table book should offer much more than pretty photographs. For this it certainly delivers. His meticulously researched, well-written text tells us the whole Sound of Music story from Maria's birth to the first Austrian stage production in 2005. This book covers all important stops in the history of SOM up till now, and does not dwell too long on any one time period. An added treat is the inclusion of song lyrics and commentaries on the songs, explaining how they were written and what role they played in the musical. I admit there are a few typo errors in the text, but this well-researched book is jam-packed with facts of the musical. You could literally dip your teeth into it and come out a Sound of Music junkie. I do wish there were also lyrics and commentaries for I Have Confidence, So Long, Farewell and also The Lonely Goatherd.

In short, a really great Sound of Music book that makes a splendidd addition to any Sound of Music collection, except that the print tends to be a little too small for the size of the book. Otherwise, a really wonderful book from cover to cover, and a seminal work in the entire world of this well-loved musical. I think this is a book that deserves to be in print forever.

Wonderful! Very complete compilation of many sources regarding the Sound of Music. Covers not only the movie, but also the stageplay, the history behind the script and music, and the history of the Von Trapps themselves. The pictures are absolutely beatiful! There are stills from the movie, from the original Broadway cast, from many Broadway revivals, as well as many behind the scenes shots. This is a must have for anybody who loves the story of the Sound of Music.

This is definitely the best CD that I have heard in a while! It is certainly better than those of the majority of female singer/song writers that have come out in the last few years!
Musically, it is a mix of pop and rock, with more of a upbeat pop sound throughout most songs. The artists that Michelle Branch sounds most like would be from my point of viiew Jennifer
Knapp and Plumb, both christian contemporary artists. The first song on the CD is ''Everywhere'' a song that sounds musically somewhat like Plumb's ''Stranded''. It is Michelle Branch's hit from this record and you can surely tell why-the first time you hear it you love it! Other standout songs are ''All you wanted'' which sets a bouncy beat to lyrics about a helping love relationship. ''You set me free'' the song immediately following the one above is also a good song as is ''I'd rather be in love'' which also has a nice opening and chorus. My favorite song, though, is ''Here with me'' which is a very catchy song, one which you could put on repeat forever. All said, almost every song on this CD is perfect and serves to prove Michelle Branch is a very talented young artist.

This guitar book is very awesome, clear, and easy to understand. And although I don't read music very well, my sister who is 12, can play almost all the songs in the book. There are also some pictures that I had never seen before in the front of the book. Very worth the money.

I'm a bit of a lazy guitarist, so I don't like sitting down and figuring out chords by ear. Because of this, I first tried using the free tablature I found on the Internet--not such a good idea--a lot of it was incorrect and I found that good versions of songs are pretty hard to come by. So, one day I was browsing in a local music store and I found this book. Even though it was kind of expensive, I decided to buy it because I love the album and I wanted to be able to play along with it. Let's just say that buying this book was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I can play almost all the songs now--using the CORRECT chords and not something some amateur came up with. It's a great book and will definitely help you out if you're trying to play these songs.

i'm a beginner guitar player and i love michelle branch...this book is great if you want to learn how to play the songs on her debut album...the songs aren't exactly the eaisiest to play, but they aren't too difficult either

I had never played the guitar before but when Michelle Branch made her big debut back in 2001 she instantly became by idol and inspiration.Last year I got a guitar and I had nothing to say I already play the violin and piano but that wasnt about to stop me. I bought this book not knowing how to play a note but with a bit of help i automatically got it. I am still not a pro but i am working at it. I also suggust buying Game of Love too! this is the best book i have ever bought in awhile and I have Amazon to thank!

I'm not going to wax poetic but this is the PERFECT textbook for my high school musical theatre class. It is written at a level that is accessible to students but doesn't pander. It is well researched and informative but still includes occasional editorial comments that remind us that the author is human and really does have a personality. I appreciate the fact that the book is relatively short and will not overwhelm someone who just picks it up and wants to travel chronologically through the history of the American musical. Obviously, Miller's book is not exhaustive and he admits this up front. He doesn't waste time talking about musicals that weren't socially or theatrically important or influential (The Sound of Music) but also touches on a few groundbreaking but relatively underrated shows like Little Johnny Jones. The best thing about this book is that Miller takes a decade like the 1940s (arguably one of the most rich and influential periods in musical theatre) and gives us the basics in fifteen pages. But he hits ALL the high points. That book is such a great jumping off point for so many great discussions because Miller really does a good job showing the *development* of musical theatre and its connectivity to their contemporaneous social and political conditions. Overall, this is just a refreshing and sophisticated rendering of musical theatre that doesn't get bogged down in trivialities or tangents. Miller keeps moving and consequently, keeps us looking forward. THANK YOU!

My ONLY two complaints... Miller considers Porgy and Bess an opera and therefore omits it entirely. Also, I wish there was a hardcover edition.... as a textbook, the paperbacks will not stand up well to the abuse of high school students :)

Great turn-around time. Arrived quickly and in great condition. Would buy from them again!!

Thanks!!

This is a very clever and insightful distilled overview, and as a performer I appreciate his experience as a performer, director and producer all of which informs his deep academic research. He has a strong, unapologetic author's viewpoint which makes for more interesting reading.

I have read and enjoyed Scott Miller's past books and "Strike Up the Band" is a worthy addition to his output (though I have to admit that I have only read about three-fourths as of this writing). Miller writes interestingly and informatively about composers, works and, especially, helps the reader relate the musical art form to the social and political environment that its history mirrors. I plan to use the book as a text for a class I will be teaching next year.


The above notwithstanding, I did see evidence of sloppy editing, e.g. "Juilliard" not "Julliard"; "Antonio" not "Anthony" Banderas" and vocal "cords" not "chords"), and I regret that my students will not have the benefit of a bibliography with which to expand their scholarly curiosity.

Starting with the first page entitled, "The Overture", this book instantly captures your interest and compels you to read on to find out what each consecutive chapter contains. Scott Miller's words make every era, from the early 1900's up to the present time, an exciting journey through the history of musical theatre. I liked the fact that he integrated into his book what was going on in the world at the time the musicals were produced. Reading about my old favorites, "Oklahoma", "The King and I" and "South Pacific" was pure fun, but learning about one of the newer musicals, "Urinetown", was not only fun, but enlightening. I've read all his previous books, but this one tops them all!

This book was written with class. The pieces selelected are all very beautiful and fun to play. The CD provides a very honest interpretation of the pieces. There are definitions in the back of the book as well as a listing of each genre of the solos. Furthermore, there is a suggested list of pieces for a student who is interested in entering a guitar program at a school from freshman undergraduate, to second year grad student. The book provides the intermidiate to advanced guitarist an excellent basis for expanding his or her repertoire.

Excellent for the beginner to intermediate Classical Guitarist. This book is easily a valued essential for any Guitar Library. Comes with a CD. Hope to see more from this author!

I recently purchased this book for pieces to use in my Classical Guitar class. Mr. Ferrara produced an excellent work that I predict will be a future classic. All the pieces are thoughtfully selected and presented with clear and helpful explaination. The CD is also a pleasure to listen to. Thank you Lawrence Ferrara for producing such an enjoyable work. I will be able to use this book for many years to come. I highly recommend it to all beginning and intermediate classical guitar players.

I'm a self taught guitarist who recently took up the guitar again after a 20 year break. I love this book. The pieces are beautiful and are arranged from beginning intermediate (I think) to advanced intermediate. You must be able to read music. The author includes some notes on playing each piece -- technique, musicianship. But mostly you advance through practice and listening to the CD. The CD, by the way, is wonderful, and I often put it on just for pleasure. One of the things I love about this book is how the author emphasizes musicality, things like subtle pauses and changes in tempo, crescendos, etc.

This book progresses from first pieces for players who read music and understand classical guitar technique through increasingly difficult intermediate pieces. It is ideal for first and second, and perhaps third year students. One aspect that I find particularly appealing as a teacher is the musical integrity of each piece. They are all very musical, the progression is very well thought out, and the presentation on the page is clear and uncluttered. Probably the best collection of easy to intermediate pieces available. The CD performances are outstanding.

The translator distributes his English version of Fux's ''Gradus ad Parnassum'' between this and ''The Study of Counterpoint''. I recommend that every composer and theorist pick up copies of Mann's ''The Study of Counterpoint'' and ''The Study of Fugue'' and work through the Fux, and that every music historian be familiar with these two works.

Also recommended: PENTATONIC SCALES FOR THE JAZZ-ROCK KEYBOARDIST by Jeff Burns.

It's not very simple to find books about musical forms and composition. This is an excelent title. The text is very rich and complete and it's possible for the reader to do your own fugues. Of course is not for begginers, it's necessary that you have a good knowledge in music, including counterpoint. Counterpoint is aborded, of course, but if you'd never seen the subject, the read may be a little boring.

The good news are: If you like music, if you have studied for a long time and would like to begin with your own compositions, this is a mandatory book.

The translator distributes his English version of Fux's "Gradus ad Parnassum" between this and "The Study of Counterpoint". I recommend that every composer and theorist pick up copies of Mann's "The Study of Counterpoint" and "The Study of Fugue" and work through the Fux, and that every music historian be familiar with these two works.

Also recommended: "Pentatonic Scales for the Jazz Rock Keyboardist" by Jeff Burns.

Get this book, it is so great, beyond words, Alfred Mann is like the Saint of Musical theory!
What it contains is a complete study of the subject fugue - through the works of 4 theorists,
Fux, modal-style,
Marpurg, student of bach,
Albrechtsberger, teacher of Beethoven
Padre Martini, most famous theorist at the time of Mozart, and at one point the teacher of Mozart(the book contains a Mozart fugue, and the "corrections" done by Martini)

Before hand it may proove essential to know the basic theory - start with "Gradus ad Parnasum"(same author)
and get a good book of Functional Harmony as well.
After that, this book will be all you need to start fugal writing.

Good luck!

This work, which essentially includes a large portion of work by Fux, is great for the person studying counterpoint (fugues more specifically) or the person with a deep interest in the subject. I am a student with a deep interest in the subject and I enjoy this study quite well. If your ears perk up when someone says fugue or counterpoint then check this book out!!

I love this song by Ella Fitzgerald. The pictures in the book are wonderful, you can almost feel the heat of the sun and the sound of the cotton blowing in the breeze. A real winner that illustrates a family's summer and the love that surrounds them.

This is a gorgeous book of oil paintings depicting a rural African-American family during the summer. The focus of the paintings is an expressive little girl enjoying the natural world and the comforts of home with her family. I am surprised it hasn't won any awards, b/c it is a stunning book. My 17 month old daughter loves this book and requests it over and over.

I was completely charmed by the paintings in this book. They were skillfully done, and depict the summertime of an African-American family in the south. Very warm pictures of family life.

I am a second grade teacher who read this story to a group of second graders last fall. The students also had an opportunity to listen to the Louie Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald jazz rendention of the song. My students love the story and frequently read it along with the CD. I like the beautiful illustrations that accompany the story lyrics. The author did a wonderful job of combining vibrant illustrations with music lyrics to tell a wonderful story.

I have always loved the song "Summertime," which my mother used to sing to my family when I was growing up. This book adds new layers of meaning to the song, with gorgeous illustrations depicting an African-American family living in the South. This is currently one of my thirteen-month-old daughter's top three favorite books, although it is not intended for her age group. She responds intensely to the images of the children in the swimming hole, the grandfather sleeping in his hammock, the mother baking an apple pie, and especially the last page where the baby is learning how to walk on the front porch. Although I have sung this book aloud to our daughter at least 100 times, I always look forward to singing it one more time. It's an absolute treasure.

Thank you to alternate providers of items. Though I have yet to thoroughly read this book, my songwriting instructor highly recommends is as THE book to have in the field. Thank you again. SJ Mackenzie

This is the litmus test of all other books I own on songwriting. Much more than the creative prose of lyric writing; It is the rubber meets the road text for a career in music. If you're serious about business and songwriting this is an exceptional guiding investment.

Having composed songs for all sorts of pop and country stars and written a number of other songwriting-related books, Jason Blume is already one of better known names in the industry. Personally, I think this is the most useful of his books. It is a very well written, extremely informative book about exactly what it says on the cover. Having read Donald Passman's music industry text, I felt reasonably informed before reading it, but this takes the issue of publishing to another level. Obviously, it's aimed at songwriters (those of us who have a desire to write for others or perform our own songs) rather than bands who want to "get a record deal". So much the better, in my opinion, as the numbers of books that get to the nuts and bolts of this side of the industry are scarce. Totally and utterly essential for any songwriter who wants to make a living from writing songs.

This Business Of Songwriting: A Practical Guide To Doing Business As A Songwriter is a complete, 288-page instruction manual for the aspiring songwriter. Author Jason Blume has logged twenty plus years of professional experience in song writing and publishing, and he shares that experience in This Business Of Songwriting from first page to last. It is crucial for the songwriter to understand that it is not enough to be able to write great songs, or even to learn to write great songs. There are a plethora of practical business skills and music publishing details that can make the difference between success and failure as a songwriter. This Business Of Songwriting steps up to the plate and fully delivers. It has whole chapters dedicated to grasping the basics of music publishing, choosing (and being chosen by) a publisher, staff writing, understanding music publishing agreements (which can be quite complex), self publishing your work, exploiting your copyrights, co-publishing your work, operating as a performing songwriter, and understanding copyright administration agreements. Three additional sections deal with how songs generate income, how to protect your songs,, and maximizing your chances for success. Each section contains two to five chapters detailing information that is crucial to the songwriter who is "in the business." As in many other fields, the key is a combination of organization, persistence, realistic expectations, and determined follow-through on good ideas. A Final Note from Blume contains valuable nuggets of encouragement to students of songwriting: "In the years that I've taught songwriting I've been privileged to watch some of my students attain their goals and live their dreams - but I've not seen it accomplished without dedication and hard work...I know that success is possible, despite how it might sometimes feel. Take advantage of the educational and networking opportunities provided by classes, workshops, camps, and other music industry events; hone your skills by seeking professional feedback, studying the craft, and rewriting your work; learn about the business of songwriting; and most importantly, enjoy the ride (p. 310)."

I've been writing songs (without a lot of success) for more years than I'd like to admit. But I never really understood how to do the business without getting scammed. After reading this book, I finally understand about so many things: song publishing, being my own publisher, how to be a staff-writer, how to make money from TV and films, and what I need to do. This book is excellent. It explains so many things in plain English. This book gives the facts and the figures. It includes the actual contracts and licenses you would sign and explains them a paragraph at a time in a way that I wish I had understood before. It tells how much money you can earn from hit songs and from getting your songs in movies and TV shows. This is also the first time I've understood how ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC work and how to join them and how songs earn money. I highly recommend this book. It is well organized and easy to understand, and is a good reference guide.

I am a home schooling mother who needed a way to introduce the orchestra to my children without spending a fortune. This book gives great information about the instruments, as well as historical facts. The best part is being able to let my kids actually HEAR the instruments being played on the cd-rom (included). There are famous pieces of music featuring each instrument, as well as the ability to hear each one played alone. I highly recommend this book/cd-rom set.

My 6 year old son has recently taken an interest in music and instrumets. This book was exactly what we wanted. It gave him a good look and lots of information on all kinds of instruments. The CD was great and showed what each instrument sounded like. He loves to just sit and look through the pages, it has also encouraged him to read. Now he wants to play a saxophone, then a violin.

Most of us either fiddled or tootled as youngsters. Grammar school bands and orchestras sounded all the better for our efforts. Now, in this amazing book, author Genevieve Helsby explains how that happened (or was supposed to happen).

Under the direction of noted conductor Marin Alsop, musical instruments are described, their history explored, the complexity of their construction is illustrated and then the sounds are heard on the accompanying CD-ROM. They are heard alone, in groups, and finally in full orchestral glory. The book contains beautiful illustrations and captivating narrative and, together with the CD-ROM, makes a wonderful read aloud opportunity for youngsters of all ages. All the reader needs is a DVD player or laptop computer to present a wonderful program guaranteed to captivate the audience.

Each family of musical instruments--string, woodwind, brass, percussion, and keyboard--is explained through word, illustration, and sound. The reader and audience will learn what inspired the shape of stringed instruments or the construction of woodwind mouthpieces, and that the nose was once used to play the flute instead of the mouth. And who knew that paper bags, toy frogs, tin foil, metal trash cans, or trays of dishes have all been used in the percussion section? These are just some of the tidbits of information that add to the joy of reading this book, either to self or aloud.

Talented artists worked with the author to develop and design the book and the final product is a work of art. Don't miss this one.

This book is absolutely fantastic. My 3 year old is getting interested in music and I came across this by chance. It has really clear explanations and pictures of all the instruments in the orchestra (and their obscure relatives you don't often see)and very clever and humorous narrative for when they get older. It also has a CD rom to demonstrate the instruments. I can't recommend this highly enough.

This book/CD is REALLY AMAZING! I couldn't believe the information in this book and the accuracy. I teach music in a public school and ordered this for a unit I will be teaching on the orchestra. The interactive CD-ROM can be used with a projector so the entire class can view it.

The book is set up in sections: Introduction/Orchestra/Seating/Sound Waves; Strings; Woodwinds; Brass; Percussion; Keyboards; Voice; Electronic Instruments; Conductor; and even a Dictionary! An overview is given for each of the sections and each instrument has sound files on the CD-ROM. The photographs of each instrument are colorful, with the parts labeled. The descriptions include famous people who learned to play that instrument, how it is played, different genres where it is used; ranges of the instrument and it's relationship to the range of the entire orchestra.

This book not only includes orchestral instruments, but some folk instruments such as guitar (acoustic and electric) and mandolin. The Woodwind section includes 5 of the recorders, great bass, bass, tenor, alto, soprano, and sopranino! Awe shucks, they left out the little garklien!

I let children check out materials from my room and I want more copies of this book for them and one for myself!

I was originally introduced to this book while living in the UK...the pipe band with which I played incorporated several of the tunes into its competition march medley. Being a long-time fan of the 'classic' trad Irish groups such as the Chieftains and the Bothy Band, I quickly realized these tunes to be ones played by them but set for the Highland pipes; yet still maintaining the framework to keep them instantly recognizable. If you're a Highland bagpiper and are looking for some great Irish tunes that you seldom hear in GHB piping circles, this is an excellent addition to your collection. If you're looking for some fresh material for building a pipe band competition medley (Gr III or higher) that no one else is playing, you'll find some gems in here. Note that this is NOT a beginner's tunebook...many of the tunes are quite challenging--not on the level of Saul or Duncan, but still enough to result in a disappointment (and discomfort) for the listener if attempted by a beginner or poor piper not up to the task.

This is a great little book of tunes. I've owned a copy for years and learned many tunes from it. It includes the classic "A Glass of Beer", a very Irish sounding "Johnny Cope" and several great slow airs and marches. But the person who compiled and arranged the tunes is Dave Rickard, not Susan MacQuaid.

This is a great collection of music and I highly recommend it to all of the pipers out there

This books is very well laid out with some great original compositions. I highly recommend it.

I was somewhat dissappointed when I first received this book because I was expecting many tunes that I had heard of, but after I had played several of them I quickly saw that this collection is a trove of wonderful celtic melodies that I will enjoy learning. Many of these tunes are written in the old style and are quite satisfying to play. Enjoy!

This is a great book to introduce your kids to the instruments in the orchestra and what they sound like (CD included). The catchy Tuba melody and the Frog's "Bug-Gup" is adorable. My 3 year old can't get enough. He asks for the "Oompah Oompah" Book. Nice illustrations and great story.

This book will be a great introduction to the orchestra for my young students. I like the characters and the storyline. The accompanying CD is great for listening exercises in my music classes. Thanks!

My sons (ages 4 and 6) both love this book and the accompanying CD. Either the book or the CD would be excellent products on their own. Together, however, they are magic!

I bought "Tubby the Tuba" for my 3-year-old son last month, and it has been an unexpected smash hit. He has asked to hear it several times a day every day since we got it. (He is also a fan of "Carnival of Animals" and "Peter and the Wolf," but "Tubby" has elicited particular fervor.) He has memorized his favorite passages, learned to recognize the instruments by sound and sight, and is now asking to see the orchestra. An unexpected surprise!

When I was a little girl in the 1940's I loved my book and "78" recording of Tubby the Tuba. I honestly think I learned the sounds of the instruments of the orchestra at an early age because of this delightful recording. I was happy to learn that a book and recording are now available, and so ordered it for my three-year-old granddaughter. She loves the CD and the book and wants to hear them every time she visits. No doubt she, too, will learn the sounds of the violins, french horn, and tuba (of course) from this wonderful recording and sweet story!