Genres Books

Handy and complete, solidly bound: a great bargain.

The work itself is important.

It would seem, from all I've read and heard, that Richard Strauss seldom edited those of his works that had successful premières; consequently one can't then go wrong with these Dover reprints of the first-edition scores of his best operas and symphonic poems. Certainly this score (especially in this beautiful reprint on fine paper, well-bound, good-sized such as to allow its ready use on the conductor's podium - which I've personally witnessed as happening - as well as on the table or in the lap of somebody merely listening to a recording!) has most richly earned its mandatory place in ANY music-library of substance as well as being most worthy of possession by all musicians and Straussians!

One of the other reviewers of this edition (which indeed costs about a fifth or less of what the official Fürstner / Boosey & Hawkes score goes for - at one point it was a tenth!) mentioned its moral aspects. Suffice it to say that those who see it as a terrible, sacrilegious monstrosity (and that included principal prelates in ALL of the branches of Christianity at the time of its première and for some time since - even 30 years afterwards, the Serbian Orthodox church tried to block its Belgrade première!) fail to realise that it (and the Wilde play) DOES have a moral message: it's Salome who's the real loser even before Herod orders her execution (which didn't happen in real-life anymore than the sordid parts added by Wilde as fiction to the barebones Biblical account). She doesn't realise what she's tinkering with as far as any other world other than the present is concerned! THAT in itself, coupled with the isolation in which she finds herself during the whole last scene, is of not a little significance, to be pondered by all (especially by those of us who're believing Christians)...

Upon seeing a performance of Oscar Wilde's play "Salome" in 1902, Richard Strauss began work on an opera based on the author's randy and decadent reworking of the Biblical tale. Strauss composed in his inimitable style, an alchemical blending of his talent for orchestration with a quasi-Wagnerian scope. He also stretched the limits of tonality, paving the way for compositions that would make "Salome" itself seem quaint within less than a decade.

After the opera's premier in Dresden on 9 December 1905, "Salome" became Strauss' succes de scandale. Although opera goers clamored to see the strange new work by Strauss, its controversial themes offended those with more delicate sensibilities, and probably contributed to its success. The opera's heady blending of sex and religion, the characters' unhealthy psychological states, the perceived level of violence, recent memories of the infamous trial of Oscar Wilde, and possibly the revolutionary nature of Strauss' composition, caused puritanical politicians and captains of industry to call for cleaned-up versions of the opera.

Within a generation, "Salome" no longer seemed a revolutionary work. Composers such as Schoenberg, Stravinsky, Webern, and Berg had become the arbiters of modernism in the concert hall and opera house. In the meantime, "Salome" had entered opera's standard repertoire, appearing unaltered in places that had once looked askance at it.

Even though subsequent compositions by more "modern" composers have surpassed "Salome" in dissonance, the opera still lends itself to more daring productions. Strauss himself considered his music sufficiently erotic and violent for portraying the title character's insatiable lust for the holy man Jochanaan (John the Baptist). Still, the ubiquity of nudity in movies over the past 30 years has helped prepare contemporary audiences (at least in "artier" places) for the prospect of seeing Salome remove all seven veils at the end of the dance she does for Herod, her lecherous stepfather and uncle.

Although sex is certainly an essential component of "Salome," so too is violence. However, like the films "Taxi Driver" and "Do the Right Thing," which some simplistically perceive as little more than violent movies, "Salome" is very spare with acts of violence. Still, the atmosphere of mounting tension prior to the climactic act of violence pervades "Salome," as it does in the aforementioned films, as well as Strauss' next opera "Elektra." Furthermore, the prevalence of gratuitous violence in arch-reactionary slasher flicks and action hero spectacles makes the opera's level of violence seem tame. Nevertheless, "Salome" retains its reputation as a violent opera, even though it has two onstage acts of violence: the suicide of Narraboth, the palace guard captain who is infatuated with Salome, as well as the execution of Salome herself, abruptly ordered by Herod at the very end of the opera. The climactic act of violence, the execution of Jochanaan, occurs offstage around the beginning of the opera's "final scene." Salome's monologue to his severed head begins as an extended act of verbal violence as she spews vitriol at it, and then changes into an oddly beautiful rhapsody that belies its necrophilic undercurrent.

Beyond the sensationalistic aspects of "Salome," the opera poses a number of questions about its "meaning" to listeners, whether Strauss (and perhaps Wilde) intended them or not. Does Salome only have a primal lust for Jochanaan, or does she also perceive his religious worldview as a viable alternative to life in the palace? Does Salome see no incompatibility between her sexual desires and Jochanaan's spiritual vision, a feeling that seems implied by the extended orchestral paroxysm as the final scene reaches its conclusion? Does the cacophonous debate among the five Jewish scholars, as well as certain other aspects of the opera, reflect anti-Semitic undertones (as explored by scholars such as Sander Gilman and Anne Seshadri), or is it just an extension of Strauss' general antipathy towards organized religion? Despite Strauss' relatively mundane personal life and detached public persona, is "Salome" one of the standard repertoire's "queerest" operas? Some gay fans and scholars, such as James Jordan, have ruminated on possible reasons beyond the obvious fact that Wilde wrote the original play.

Whatever opinions one has of "Salome," it remains fascinating for the way Strauss deftly combines horror and beauty. Perhaps "Salome" (as well as other works that appear to glorify the unrestrained pursuit of desires) simply gives us an outlet for our ids, even if the desires of the protagonists do not exactly match our own. One could see similarities between those who almost forget the shocking elements in "Salome" while taking in the strange beauty (and perhaps even beatitude) of Strauss' composition, and those who squirm and laugh while watching the violent and darkly humourous film "Pulp Fiction."

Speaking specifically about "Salome," priest and opera scholar Owen Lee offers an alternative explanation for the fascination with works that can appall audiences while simultaneously appealing to them. Strauss cared little for conveying morals or finding redemption in his works, but Lee still finds moral aspects hidden under the decadent veils of "Salome": "Decadence in life we decry, but decadence in art has its positive aspects. By showing us the terrible depths of evil, art can give us moral vision... the moral vision of the human being made suddenly conscious of the potential for evil as well as for good in his (or her) nature."

As Strauss' masterful orchestration seduces listeners, his opera poses to them compelling riddles with layers of potential meaning, as well as a disturbing blend of the horrible and the beautiful, the erotic and the holy. A century has already passed since Strauss unleashed "Salome" on the world, and it would not be surprising if its mysteries continue to haunt us for centuries to come.

This is a full orchestral score of this innovative opera, with which Richard Strauss shocked the opera world and surprised the avantgarde music scene in 1905.
Even after almost a century, the provocative and wildly exciting music sounds as voluptuous, as colourful and as ruthless as hardly any other opera written since.
Like with other publications by Dover, the printing is excellent. This is a copy of the first edition from 1905, which explains why it is so cheap. Other available editions of this score are either at a smaller size, or four times more expensive.

An abridged book about one on one interesting, controversial, and at times hilarious interviews with Salsa artists, some who have truly contributed to the history of Salsa. With her book, Mary Kent helps you to grasp how Salsa was formed. Some sketchy interviews by some of the artists, but SALSA TALKS makes for a wonderful table book. A must-read. I'm Waiting for part two!

It is huge, it is intense, it is beautiful. The interviews capture all the richness of the world of 'salsa' from the artists themselves, and the photographs alone would have made a great book.

Don't bother with second-hand semi-accurate 'journalism' from self-appointed experts - get this book. It's the real thing.

I saw this book for the first time on the living room table of a friend's house. I couldn't wait to get my own copy. If you've ever danced salsa, listened to it, or studied its origins, you'll want to own your own copy, too. The book delivers portraits of over 40 outstanding people who were instrumental in making salsa what it is today. Musicians, promoters, managers, writers and others are featured in interviews, very high quality photographs and essays. Some have passed away, others no longer perform. So it is this work that keeps the memory of them alive. The publication is very timely as salsa today is at a crossroads. The creation of this permanent record of salsa's history will enable those who follow the great artists of the 70's and 80's to maintain a connection to the culture. This book is also an excellent historical resource with articles from writers, music historians and musicologists. Very Highly Recommended

Salsa Talks!: A Musical Heritage Uncovered by Latin music expert and enthusiast Mary Kent is a veritable "who's who" focusing on the men and women associated with the Afro-Caribbean music called "Salsa" which is rooted in the Cuban culture and revamped in the barrios of New York City. Here are noted band leaders, musicians, arrangers, singers, producers, promoters, and Salsa experts ranging from songwriter, journalist and musicologist Tite Curet Alonzo; to pianist, composer, arranger, founder of the Cuban group Irakere Chucho Valdes; to band leader, Apollo Sound, percussionist, dancer, Fania All Star Roberto Roena. Profusely illustrated throughout, Salsa Talks! is a 416-page hardcover coffee table book that is enhanced with a three level index, an extensive biography, a glossary, and Mary Kent's own picks for a Salsa musicians "Hall of Fame". A strongly recommended addition for academic and community library American Music History collections, all Salsa music enthusiasts will want to simply browse through the pages of Salsa Talks!: A Musical Heritage.

Fast shipping! Great Book. I love Red Hot Chili Peppers. Great book for all them fans...

I couldn't stop reading the book. It was the best book I have read in years. Guys like Anthony Kiedis should always share their story. It is very inspiring to learn that somebody that didn't have very much now is rich and famous. I wish I had half of the fun Anthony had in his young life. I would recommend this book to everyone.

It is so hard when
you can't look into your own eyes
cause that's where u see the person
you mostly- despise

So be honest
don't threat don't preach
your spiritual embrace
and love will reach

A scar is a place to start
New stories overcoming the old fears
and old glories.

There is no Holywood sweetener most are used to,
expect nothing but raw emotional poetics that will question your wounds, your principles and your ethics. The beautiful person who has almost discovered himself will start you on a jorney to- yourself.

I couldn't get over how this guy did SO MANY drugs and is still alive! And in relatively good health it seems. He certainly is a master at taking narcotics. Most people would have OD'ed I think. I wouldn't know a song by the RHCP if I heard it, but being a reader of biographies, this one sounded juicy....sex, drugs and rock & roll most definitely. I got a bit tired of reading about drugs and more drugs and every time I thought he had it licked he went back. Like he says-insanity. It's got to be. Girlfriend after girlfriend, wow. His story continues. I would be curious if he's EVER yet found true love and how long his sobriety and drug free time is. I don't think he'll ever be totally free until he finds the True Higher Power, but there's still time. Well written, very interesting. Quite unbelievable but then a lot of musicians end up this way. I don't think they are good role models for our children. They are so nonconformist. I don't envy their lives at all. At least he didn't seem obsessed by having lots of money eventually.

I stumbled upon Steven Havill's books by perusing Amazon's amazing resources. Though I write books for young readers (www.grahamsalisbury.com), I read mysteries for R&R, and am always thrilled when I discover great new (to me) writers. Steven Havill is the best of the best, in my opinion. His Posadas County series is as comfortable as a snapping fire in January. What makes it great is the chracterization. Bill Gastner and Estelle Reyes Guzman are endearing in every way, making Steven Havill one of my all-time favorite authors. The greatest mystery of all is why Steven Havill is not as widely loved as such fine authors as James Lee Burke, or Tony Hillerman. He's every bit as superb as they are. Try a Posadas County Mystery. You'll love it. And want more. Promise.

It was with some trepidation that I started reading Steven Havill's latest book, SCAVENGERS, knowing that it was the start of a new direction in one of my favorite series. Bill Gastner has retired as Undersheriff of Posadas County, and Estelle Reyes-Guzman, his young protegee, is taking over. Havill is about as good at bringing the small world of a Southern New Mexico town to life as anyone could be. My fears were soon set to rest as I was reassured that he can also write well and convincingly from the point of view of a female, and a Latina at that. SCAVENGERS is just as sound in its police work, real in its evocation of the desert, and touching in its portrait of one busy woman in a small town. The U.S.-Mexico Border has many facets, but this series realistically portrays one of them, where the mixing of cultures is constant and taken for granted. A sound detective story in an endlessly fascinating setting.

Billed on the front cover as "A Posadas County Mystery" this reader was immediately alerted that after nine Undersheriff Gastner novels, this was not the tenth. It has been a great run and while I was hoping for a tenth, I expected due to the way the character has developed that there would not be a tenth. Unfortunately, my expectation proved correct, but while different from the Gastner series, this book still retains the flavor and color of the previous novels. However, since it is not Gastner it does take some adjustment to get used to the new style and tone of the series.

As the book opens, Gastner has been regulated to the sidelines in his role as Livestock Inspector. While he appears briefly a couple of times, the main action involves Estelle Reyes-Guzman. Long a fixture of the series she is now front and center and has her hands full. Along with her mother and her failing health, she has children who currently have the flu bug and her husband, a local doctor. Her boss, the newly elected Sheriff Bobby Torrez, is off at Quantico taking a course. As Undersheriff, she is in charge with all the usual problems that brings in running a department and then the bodies start showing up.

The first is found out on the prairie and has had half of his head blown off. The lower part of his face is shattered and according to the corner, he thinks it happened after the man was killed by the headshot. While the body is clothed, there are no personal effects and thanks to the weather and the assorted wildlife, roughly three weeks after the person was killed, there is not much to identify. As they start to work the case, within a couple of days, a second body is found. Certain clues with that body lead Estelle to believe that the bodies were killed by the same killer or killers and the hunt begins.

There are several secondary stories as well, but to explain them would violate the golden rule of a book review-don't reveal too much. Especially for those new to the series, the explanation of several of the secondary stories would render the reading of those books all but pointless.

While this is not a Gastner book, it does come awfully close. The stark beauty of Posadas County comes through once again along with all the colorful characters that make this imaginary piece of New Mexico landscape home. Fortunately, while the author did move Gastner to the sidelines, he wisely did not change the other characters that populate his books. So, while somewhat different, there is enough of the earlier books in this one to make it work once again.

Posedas County is a wide-open range between New Mexico and the Mexican border and for the most part it is a quiet place. There are some areas that are patrolled rarely because there is nothing there. One day a pilot flies over the area and sees what she thinks is a body. She returns to base and the local authorities are on the scene almost immediately. A man is lying in the dirt, his faced so smashed in that they can't obtain dental plates.

Now that Bill Gastner is retired and the newly elected sheriff Robert Torrez is in Virginia taking a law enforcement course, the case is headed up by Under Sheriff Estelle Reyes-Guzman. Even with her ailing and aging mother and her son down with the flu, Estelle copes with the investigation just fine until they find a second body buried in a shallow grave located a few miles near the first. Estelle thinks the two deaths are tied to together and Eurelio Scener, a person who acts like he knows more than he is telling, might have some answers but he has disappeared, perhaps involuntarily.

Anyone who likes to see an investigation played out from the beginning to the end will definitely like SCAVENGERS, a police procedural that has heart. Watching the Under Sheriff balance her home life with her work gives the audience an appreciation for the police performing duties that sometimes can be at the expense of their own families. Steven F. Havill continues to write excellent crime thrillers as his series keeps evolving with a true time line.

Harriet Klausner

thx for scorpion

i want to know that chords because i like all the types of a son

This guitar tab book about one of the world's leading guitar riff meisters covers all the bases for their most recent release, "Pure Instinct." For experienced guitar players as well as new comers, this book is easy to follow. Although this book covers only songs from their latest album, by which most Scorpions fans will tell you is not their hardest rocking album to date, the songs are well written and very melodic. If you're a fan of the Scorps and play guitar, this is a must have.

Pure instinct is one of the best scorpions' albums, especially guitar arrangements. I think it is so important to have this book because it is so good to play its songs.

I just got done reading this book and it was great. I thought he did a good job writing the book, everything was in detail it felt like my own family and I was in it. I hope he keeps on writing books. He is an excellent writer.

A believeable fiction that captures your curiosity and bonds you emotionally to the characters. You won't want to put it down!

This is a great read for anyone with a family who has kept secrets, and who's hasn't. The author is very good at building suspense and creating characters who are as real as your own family. While reading this book, I felt as though the characters could have been friends, they were so real! Hope this author continues to write more books - this one was very good!

I just finished reading Secrets and I just loved it! It made me cry a lot but it also made me laugh and smile a lot too. The characters are so clear and real. It is an excellent book. I hope McCracken publishes many more.

I must admit that this is the first biography of Prokofiev that I have ever read. Jaffe must have been mindful of the book's length. I would guess that the good folks at Phaidon told him to 'keep it short.' As such, he moves rather quickly through the events of Prokofiev's life, with occassional commentary on important works and insight into Prokofievs' character and personality.

With that in mind I would say that it is a great first Prokofiev bio to read. Having read it I would now like to read more of the details and the personal accounts of what happened.

Jaffe writes with authority, I can tell he has really done his research!

Along with Rachmaninoff, Stravinsky and Shostakovich, Sergei Prokofiev is one of the 20th century's greatest Russian composers. His seven symphonies, works for piano and his ballets (most notably "Romeo and Juliet") are widely well known alongside his immortal children's classic "Peter and The Wolf".
In this biography, part of Phaidon Press's 20th Century Composers series, author Daniel Jaffe not only digs deep into Prokofiev's creative genius but also gives detailed annotations on the composer's personal life and his surroundings in communist Russia. It is written in such as way that it's like getting to meet Prokofiev in a very personal manner.
This book is definitely a must-read on one of Russia's greatest masterminds. It is very well-written and packed with detail as well as some great photos (one of which depicts Prokofiev at the piano surrounded by children as he was giving a first-reading of "Peter and The Wolf" in 1936).
A Must for any Prokofiev fan!!

This is an accurate,clear and very well documented Biography
that is worth for everyone who is interested in the composer and accessible to the uninitiated.
The requirement for brevity compelled the author to
fly rather fast over Prokofiev childood. The best and most amazing source for this period is the composer own autobiography
Prokofiev by Prokofiev now unavailable. I suggest to read both if you can find Prokofiev own autobiography used or in a public library.
The early years are very essential and enlightening even if not from a strict musicologist point of view.
The photos in this book are very beautiful and well coupled with the text. In some cases they speak alone.For example the very expressing '46 photo with other soviet composers included Shostakovich is worth the price of the book for an almost fanatic Prokofiev(&Shostakovich) lover.
Personally I would have prefered a less fastened and concise
overlook. Such a life deserves a narration that leaves you breathless. This is not achieved by Jaffé biography.
He gives well structured information but he doesn't pretend to offer good literature . I would have both, but maybe I ask too
much and the alternatives aren't better written,for what I know(they 're only less concise and more aproximative). Probably only the massive Dorigné Biography (available only in french) can stand up.
So I strongly suggest this book.

This is another solid entry in Phaidon's 20th Century Composers series -- heavy-stock paper and great photos (including one of his first performance of "Peter and the Wolf" for a group of children) add to Jaffe's text. Jaffe offers the best answer I've found (searching through several books) to the question of why Prokofiev returned to Russia at the height of Stalin's terror. Apparently it was a combination of homesickness, vanity, political naivete, and aesthetic theory. The Soviet regime promised Prokofiev an exceptional privileged status, which appealed to his vanity -- he was overshadowed by Stravinsky in the West, where he never felt he was properly appreciated. And the turn to "social realism," forced on Soviet artists by Stalin, coincided with Prokofiev's voluntary turn away from modernism toward simplicity, melody, and populist narratives. I enjoy both the early and late Prokofiev, but I can see the point of those who claim that his later works are more accomplished. While his music is not on the cutting edge, and thus he was never a critics' darling, Prokofiev's music is marvelous.

This is the best single book available at the moment for anyone who wants to know more about one of the greatest early 20th century composers!

This book is so informative. You get many different Shostakovich experts talking about what information exists out there. Incredibly informative about Shostakovich, but also about what information is reliable if you would like to do further research.
I highly, highly recommend this book, before all other Shostakovich materials out there.

I could not possibly agree more strongly with Mr. Katz, the other reviewer. The Washington Post review cannot be let stand as it misunderstands the problem and demonstrates more than ever our need for this book. It is a sad truth that every book of falsehood published needs probably five or ten books of truth to correct.

Plus, and alone worth the price of the volume, there is included one of Richard Taruskin's invaluable essays on Shostakovich demonstrating once more his astonishing vision and learning with respect to Russian music.

I write only to second the first two reviews and bring the debate up to date. When 'Testimony' first appeared in 1979, the naive political attack of the then Soviet union obscured the more profound criticism of those who knew Shostakovich well - namely, their incredulity that a personality as complex and secretive as Shostakovich was would ever have revealed himself to such a degree to a comparative stranger. Volkov did not help his cause by refusing to disclose the bulk of the transcript for many years.

But when he finally he did so, it turned out that his practical reasons for keeping the ms. to himself were correct - for inspection revealed such obvious indications that Shostakovich had by no means endorsed the book as to end the controversy and Volkov's reputation with it. This analysis is detailed in the Shostakovich Casebook, and also in the Bard Festival handbook. The material is not at all dry, but quite interesting to people wondering how working historials and biographers actually do business.

It is worth noting, however, that even the harshest critics acknowledge the enormous service 'Testimony' performed to Shostakovich, in presenting the West with a different image of the man than simply genius-cum-party-hack. It caused many people (myself, for example) to take a look at a musical accomplishment that was prodigious by any standard. The revitalized interest in DDS's chamber music, songs, and what were once considered his minor works, has led to a massive and long overdue appreciation of a towering musical genius. Volkov is owed a debt of gratitude for that that no one denies.

I've never posted a review before, but I can't allow the above "editorial review" to go unanswered. I don't understand how, after reading Laurel Fay's article in this book, there could possibly be a sliver of doubt in anybody's mind that Testimony is a massive fraud.


While I agree that the view of Dmitri Shostakovich as a loyal communist is naive and simplistic, the view espoused by Testimony is at least as much so. The veracity of the portrait of Shostakovich presented in Testimony is, at least, open to questions. The authenticity of the book itself has been demolished by Laurel Fay's excellent detective work. There can no longer be any doubt that what Shostakovich affixed his signature to was a collection of previously published writings. The departure from these earlier texts comes, in every single case, immediately following the end of the page which has been signed. There could not be any clearer evidence that the authentification of the book was carried out under false pretenses.


Mr. Page draws attention to the agressive tone and the sometimes-monotonous focus of A Shostakovich Casebook. Publishing this kind of jeremiad wouldn't be necessary if Western journalists didn't persist in their stubborn refusal to acknowledge that Testimony, whatever its merits may be, was written by Solomon Volkov without the help of Dmitri Shostakovich.


--Jonah I. Katz

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

David Hurwitz's book on the orchestral works of composer Jean Sibelius is definitely a must-have for anyone doing extensive research on Sibelius's music.
This book offers a highly detailed analysis on all of Sibelius's symphonies, tone poems and shorter works and puts these works under the microscope so-to-speak. Granted, after reading this book, you'll probably never listen to a Sibelius piece the same way again.
Additionally, the book comes with two audio CDs. One is nearly 80-minutes worth of highlights from Sibelius's masterworks including the third and seventh symphonies heard in their entirety. The second disc is a compilation of music from various Finnish composers who have followed in Sibelius's footsteps. Brief bios of these composers are spread throughout the book as well.
Mr. Hurwitz has definitely performed his research well in writing this book. I personally have never read such an analysis on Sibelius's music that cuts right down to the most minute detail until this book was released. It's about time too.
Definitely a must-have for die-hard Sibelians!!!

I have some of the other books from this Unlocking the Masters series, and they are WONDERFUL!!! Not only are they factual and informative, but they are easy to read and really show you what to look/listen for in the music! It comes with a CD which has musical examples of pieces that are talked about in the book! This book is a wonderful tool for any student!

Written by radio commentator David Hurwitz, Sibelius the Orchestral Works An Owners Manual is a book and CD set celebrating the classic creations of Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. The text discusses Sibelius' musical language, symphonies, violin concerto, tone poems, theatrical music, and more, while two full-length CDs offer a beautiful cross-section of not only Sibelius' work, but also the compositions of his contemporaries and successors. An in-depth, at times modestly technical analysis, written especially for dedicated music lovers and musicologists, and a "must-have" for anyone interested in learning about and experiencing the Finnish master.

When I call the book Gigantic, I'm not referring to its physical size, which is quite modest. I'm talking about its intent and accomplishment.

Writing about classical music is difficult. Much of the terminology is unfamiliar to most readers, and there's always the temptation to go in one of two unwelcome directions: either over-popularizing the subject or being dry and academic. The effective path lies along a fine line between those two extremes, and David Hurwitz walks that line beautifully. I'm so impressed by this treatise on Sibelius that I'm going to immediately start collecting the rest of his similar books on Dvorak, Mahler, Haydn, and anybody else he's covered that I don't know about yet.

Although the market for a book like this one must be incredibly narrow, Mr. Hurwitz has waxed expansive and entertaining. His insights into the composition techniques employed by the Finnish master are unparalleled. The illustrative samples on the two included CDs are both wisely chosen and luminously recorded-- bravo!

I should probably explain that I consider myself somewhat of an expert on Sibelius and his music, having studied both the composer and his output for well more than fifty years. David Hurwitz, who is considerably younger than I am, has nevertheless studied these subject even more deeply than I have, and his analyses and evaluations ring absolutely true. From now on, when people ask me about Sibelius, I will quote Hurwitz rather than myself!

For anyone familiar with the jargon of classical music essays and with an interest in the subject, this book is a godsend. I had high expectations for it, and it exceeded them.

Yes this is a well-written book, and yes I use it frequently when encountering a new technique I haven't tried yet. Sometimes it's faster than searching the "Sibelius Reference" PDF that comes with the software.

I was, however, disappointed that this book was specifically written for Sibelius 4.0. Not that the info contained is that out-of-date or inaccurate, but there are so many new features now in the current Version 5 that it makes this book incomplete for new Sibelius users just jumping in on Version 5 like I did. I did not see anywhere in the Product Description that told me I was buying an outdated manual. The book still is helpful, but I wish I could have waited for a version 5 guide to come along. (I heard one is "in the works" somewhere by a different author.)

As a new user of Sibelius and someone who is not real computer savy, I was so happy to hear about this book!! It was the only real comprehensive guide that I've found, and it has done wonders!!! It makes using the program not only easy, but fun! I bought this program so I could get my creative ideas down on paper and now I can! I highly recommend this book for any Sibelius user!!!

extremely well written book. great format and sequence. absolutely great companion for learning sibelius.

This book is an excellent addition to the original Sibelius manual. The original manual that comes with Sibelius is extremely well written and is very effective at explaining the software. The authors do not try to replace, but to clarify the Sibelius manual and add additional shortcuts and illustrations to help all Sibelius users more quickly learn how to use the software.