Burnett Books

Having received my music degrees from Queens College CUNY roughly 20-25 years ago, I was at once thoroughly primed to take on a text of this magnitude and yet highly skeptical of how my now "near-dormant" analytical skills would stand up to such rigors. Happily, "Composition, Chromaticism and the Developmental Process" is as succinct a read as any music theory tome could be, given that Henry Burnett and Roy Nitzberg neatly tie together a "unified field theory" for roughly 400 years of Western Art Music. Beginning with the Renaissance and ending with the early works of Schoenberg, the authors clearly map out a paradigm for understanding the nature and behavior of chromaticism in a theory that is fresh, plausible and invaluable to anyone looking for deeper insights and a path to understanding the development of our collective harmonic language. Other venerated theories are not cast aside or undercut to promote these new ideas, but what is refreshingly different is the style of the prose. No doubt the reader should be well versed in the common vernacular of music scholarship before attempting to read and absorb this book, yet the authors go out of their way to make the language straightforward. I really appreciated the strategically placed recapitulations of the theory's underlying principles throughout the text--this helps to solidify the constructs presented, especially considering the vast array of music considered.
Beyond the clear analyses contained in the book, Burnett and Nitzberg move in a direction that I feel is sorely underdeveloped in music education: they make a point of describing--in some detail--the connections between history and musical language/music theory. There's so much more to knowing what makes a piece by J.S. Bach sound like Bach than simply the notes; here the authors bring that insight to the forefront in a language that seems closer to Rosen and Tovey than Schenker but, frankly, with far less verbiage. Burnett and Nitzberg's discussion of style directly relates to their theory, making "Composition, Chromaticism and the Developmental Process" not only an attempt at a unified field theory of chromaticism, but also a unified theory of the collegiate musical field. That point alone makes this book a must-read for anyone interested in looking at music from the standard literature in a new and comprehensive manner.

As a Ph.D. candidate in Musicology at Cornell University (formerly a master's student at CUNY Queens College), I am constantly reading books and articles on music. Too often, I find that a lot of the writing that is available is disappointing, either in its ability to effectively communicate the potentially wonderful ideas being presented or in its utter lack of inspirational and insightful content. It is therefore of particular interest to me when I actually come across a book that sparks my imagination and allows me to engage with the music I study in a provocative way. Henry Burnett and Roy Nitzberg's "Composition, Chromaticism, and the Developmental Process" is without question one of these readings. Not since Charles Rosen's world-renowned trio, "Sonata Forms," "The Classical Style," and "The Romantic Generation," have I been so excited to read about music. Having already read the book once, I find that I often refer back to it in the midst of my studies and am consistently inspired by its contents each and every time I open it. In fact, I have needed to cite it in every paper I have written since it came out earlier this year.
One of the reasons it speaks to me so powerfully is the clarity of the writing. I am impressed by the effectiveness with which Burnett and Nitzberg explain their ideas concerning the harmonic and melodic properties of the modal gamut and the infrastructure of hexachordal systems that gradually arose from them. The theory hinges primarily on the subtle interplay between the diatonic and chromatic pitches within each hexachord system as observed by the authors in actual compositions by the world's most influential composers. Once the reader grasps the theory, the book reads literally like a romp through history, highlighting composers and their individual contributions to the evolution of music in Western culture. The musical examples, charts, and diagrams are all placed in such a way that one wants to look at them, in fact, needs to look at them in order to grasp the concept. I once read a book that included a multi-page chart of every symphony that was published within the span of a few decades just to demonstrate that symphonies were being written between Beethoven and Brahms! I never feel like this book is being "padded" in this way. The authors seem never to lose focus, and this attention to detail was not lost on this reader.
Writing is not capable of being powerful unless there exists strong content to support it. The ideas presented in "Composition, Chromaticism, and the Developmental Process" have revolutionized the way that I understand music, much in the way Rosen's books once did for me. However, while Rosen's knowledge has greatly enhanced my understanding of the musical landscape during the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries, Burnett and Nitzberg's new title casts a floodlight for me on the inner workings of the compositions themselves, providing insightful new methods of understanding them. This book is not just for those interested in the common practice tonal period, as it covers, with equal attention and ability, music from the Renaissance through to the twentieth century under a single provocative theory. It is fascinating to witness how Burnett and Nitzberg manage to corral aspects of a vast range of music by pinpointing and tracing common elements throughout the evolution of musical style. The content of this book has not only exponentially enhanced my individual studies, but has solidified my grasp of compositional style throughout Western music history and I strongly recommend it to anyone who is seriously interested in the study of music.

Henry Burnett and Roy Nitzberg's new book offers a fresh and interesting approach to chromaticism that opens the door to unexplored territories in music theory and analysis. The book tackles such a difficult and challenging topic by presenting a thought-provoking theory that is supported by a generous amount of solid and inspiring musical analyses. As the authors state, this book reveals a new theory that "can interpret the steady metamorphosis of Western art music from late medieval modality to twentieth century atonality within a single theoretical construct."
One of the most interesting aspects of this theory is that applies perfectly well to music from the sixteenth century to the first atonal works by Schoenberg, as it is confirmed by musical analyses that follow in chronological order. This aspect of the theory helps to distinguish composers by the way they use chromaticism while at the same time presents commonalities between them that help to musically shape the different periods.
This book is a must on the shelves of music students, performers, theorists, and historians; especially geared to the educated music public avid for a new and exciting approach to music that helps her/him to understand a musical composition from another perspective.
I personally think that this theory provides solutions to different aspects of the compositional and developmental process that other theories (by authors Tovey, Schoenberg, Riemann, and Schenker among others) fail to explain or simply overlook. Furthermore it is our duty as musicians, both performers and musicologists, to know all these analytical methodologies in order to fully understand a musical composition. As Henry Burnett affirms at the end of his prologue: "We feel that no one theory can explain every aspect of musical composition, and that the informed musician should ideally be open to any number of philosophical and analytical approaches, if only to avoid being overly dogmatic and thereby denying himself of herself the opportunity to understand a composition from more than a single viewpoint."

Now I only need one cookbook for my Passover cooking rather than having dozens of recipe cards sliding around under my matzah meal and matzah boxes! I now have all the basics for my seder and for our Passover meals. I love the humor, the traditional messages and how easy the recipes are to follow. And when my guests ask me whose recipe the prune tzimmes is I will say, "It's Aunt Sophie's, of course"

A wonderful book about a wonderful warm family. I am ordering a few more to give as gifts during Passover and the rest of the year. A must read for all who make or attend a Passover seder.

You can be returned to the seders of your childhood simply by reading this book. So much the better if you actually follow the recipes; a Dubroff seder is a once in a lifetime experience.

Young Snowflower lives with her grandmother, Dame Frostyface, in a little cottage at the edge of a forest. The two are very poor, and own only a cat, two hens, a bed of dried grass, and one good piece of furniture: "a great armchair with wheels on its feet, a black velvet cushion, and many curious carvings of flowers and fawns on its dark oaken back."

One day, Dame Frostyface leaves to visit her aunt, and asks Snowflower to remain behind. She tells the girl that the fancy armchair was made by a cunning fairy, and that it is enchanted. If Snowflower should feel lonely, she should lay her head gently on the cushion of the armchair and say, "Chair of my grandmother, tell me a story. Should Snowflower have the occasion to travel, she should sit in the chair and say, "Chair of my grandmother, take me such a way."

After an interval of solitude, Snowflower's food stores are nearly depleted, so she decides to travel in the armchair along the same path her grandmother took. While journeying, she hears that King Winwealth plans to give a seven day feast to celebrate the birth of his only daughter, Princess Greedalind. Snowflower, who is quite hungry, wishes to share in the feast, and travels to the palace in the enchanted armchair.

Since the disappearance of his brother, Prince Wisewit, King Winwealth has been an unhappy ruler, especially since his marriage to the covetous and disagreeable Queen Wantall and the birth of their unpleasant child. The King's low spirits prompt his favorite page to suggest that Snowflower's chair might provide some diversion, so she and the chair are summoned to the banquet each evening to entertain the king.

Each evening, the chair tells a different story until a total of seven stories are told: "The Christmas Cuckoo", "The Lords of the White and Grey Castles", "The Greedy Shepard", "The Story of Fairyfoot", "The Story of Childe Charity", "Sour and Civil", and "The Story of Merrymind". As each consecutive evening passes, the king's depression lifts and Snowflower's situation improves, until all of the stories end happily together.

This wonderful collection of creative and pleasing stories will entertain fairytale enthusiasts of all ages.

Frances Browne, the author of this enchanting and original collection of fairy tales lived between 1816 and 1879. She was blinded by smallpox when she was a baby and so all of the vivid descriptions in this charming book are from her own memory of the tales that she heard as a child and from her colorful imagination. In 1904 Frances Hodgson Burnett wrote an introduction for a new edition of the book because as a little child she had won a copy of it as a prize for good behavior in school. It became her favorite book but was lost to her over the years. She searched high and low for it and it eventually surfaced in Boston and again in a second hand shop in London. This edition contains the introduction by Burnett that is certainly an added treat. It is brilliantly illustrated by Switzerland's Gisele Rime with her characteristic bright colors and whimsical decorative borders. Unlike other collections of fairy tales these are completely original and bring us new characters and plots with gentle moral lessons. The fame of Frances Browne may not approach the Grimms or Andersen but the beauty and cleverness of her tales will enchant and delight you just the same. Curl up in Granny's wonderful chair, snuggle close and follow the stories of Fairyfoot and Childe Charity, Prince Wisewit and Merry Mind. Meet the Lords of the White and Grey Castles. This is a grand experience not just a good book.

Do you remember visiting Grandma as a child? Perhaps snuggling into her favorite chair when you were too tired to possibly do anything else? Do you recall the comfort, the smell, the feel, the total release of 'Grandma's' chair? This was one my of favorite 'escape' books as a child. I would curl up in 'Granny's Wonderful Chair' and be transported to many a wonderous place. I have searched for many years for this title, and was so excited to see it unearthed for republishing! We will be reading it aloud as a family now. Granny's Wonderful Chair is a great addition not only to your library, but to you and your children's memory's as well!

While this book works wonderfully as a travel guide for your visit to California's Salinas, Carmel and the Monterey Peninsula, it is equally enjoyable when you read it from the comfort of your armchair at home. The vivid pictures, poetic descriptions and interesting sidebars help Steinbeck's California come alive to diehard Steinbeck fans and the uninitiated alike. Beware though, because after reading Shillinglaw's book, you'll want to read all those Steinbeck books you missed in high school and college.

Last weekend our family had a great time on vacation in Monterey. Following Steinbeck's story as it intertwined with places and people in Monterey made my walks around town alive with history. We spent part of a day in Pacific Grove and loved looking at pictures of the past incarnation of present buildings and sites. Definitely added a rich dimension to our trip.

I bought this book for my folks--who were planning a visit through California--and ended up reading it myself. I've been to the Steinbeck Institute (and loved it) in Salinas, but this book has a broader scope and takes you to the places in California where Steinbeck grew up and lived, as well as the places that appear in his books. I heartily recommend it for any Steinbeck fan.

this classic isnt the original but it is still wonderfull. It is about how a girl lives in india and has to move to new york because her father cant take care of her since her mother died. She is sent to an all girl school and Miss. MInchin the teacher is really mean will she be able to get used to it and live like a princess again?

Sara Crewe is a girl that lives in India but had to move to New York because her father had to go to war. In New York, she stays in a place called Miss.Minchan's Seminary for girls. One day when it is Sara's birthday, she is having a fun time with her friends. They have a big cake and they are very happy until Miss Minchon comes in. She takes Sara away and tells her that her father died in war. Sara has to go in the attic to live with the servant Becky because she has no money to live on. It is very cold in the attic. The end is for you to find out when you read it.
I liked this book because it has a very good ending and a supprising middle. It's not one of those books where you can tell what is going to happen. I think that you should read this book whoever you are.

I think that the book A Little Princess was a very good book . The reason that I thought that it was so good was because they made it sound really real by making some people mean,some poeple nice, and some people anoying. I thought that Mrs. Michin was too mean.

Britain's only significant post-modern writer. A national treasure, scandalously neglected in her own country.

Britain's only significant post-modern writer. A national treasure, scandalously neglected in her own country.

Ivy Compton-Burnett's first novel, Dolores, was a sprawling and sentimental romance. She was deeply ashamed of it. In Pastors and Masters we see her own distinctive style first launched, laconic, ironic and understated. The story is set in a private school and contains the usual mixture of upper middle class misfits. It is a style that demands close reading. But it makes you laugh out loud on trains and planes.

If you are in any way interested in stage design,this is the BEST book I have.Informative,beautifully illustrated,with lots of interssting background on Broadway.I have already bought 2 as gifts and may buy more.
It's a Great book!

If you're thinking about this book you might want to go to [...], the Internet Broadway Data Base and look up the Eckart's. There's a list of thirty seven plays where they did the set design. They began in 1952 with the play 'Glad Tidings,' and for about twenty years it was a very rare year that they didn't do the sets on at least one major broadway play. It could be argued that they alone changed the basic concept of sets on the Broadway Stage. Before them the curtain went down and stagehands moved the furniture around. After them the sets moved themselves, automatically it seemed, and the set became part of the performance. And then in 1965 there was 'Mame.'

This book is a profusely illustrated tribute to their work showing how their sets changed the look of Broadway forever. It doesn't cover every play, but it begins with their work in college, shows the highlights of their Broadway careers, and takes them to Dallas where they concentrated on being parents, and in teaching.

A Masterful Book.

The Performing Set: The Broadway Designs Of William And Jean Eckart by Andrew B. Harris (formerly Chair of the Theatre Departments of Columbia University, Texas Christian University, and Southern Methodist University) is an eclectic and intrinsically interesting interpretation and collection of the works and influence of two outstanding visionaries and the mutual understanding the two of them shared. Introducing the reader to the wonderful background worlds of Hollywood and New York's Broadway, The Performing Set creates an interesting and informative format for all readers. The Performing Set is most especially recommended to film and theatre students, as well as to those who appreciate behind the scenes perspectives of the big screen, and aspire to creating theatrical sets of their own.

Our children love this. I love this. Gorgeous illustrations, wonderful story, great life lessons ... what more can I say? Appealing to both boys and s.

My grandmother had the Queen Crosspatch/ Queen Silverbell storis at her home and I dearly loved Racketty Packetty House as a child. It's a timeless story, beautifully told by Frances Hodgeson Burnett, and now I'm reading it with my own daughter.


I have seen the new edition, and the illustrations are pretty. However, they do not compare to the original breathtaking illustrations by Harrison Cady, a turn of the century master of children's illustrations.

This is really the second in a series of 4 stories, and I wonder why the others have not been re-issued. The premise is that the fairy queen "Queen Silverbell" has lost her "temper". This is actually a tiny elf that should live inside a silver cage dangling from a belt. It seems that too many children do not believe in fairies- an upsetting situation for a fairy queen. When she got angry, the cage burst open, and she lost her temper- who then transformed to a black imp and ran away. A sad state for a fairy queen, and now she is known as Queen Crosspatch, or sometimes Queen Silverbell-patch.

To regain her temper, the Fairy queen has a plan to tell 4 stories to convince children of the existence of fairies and the good works they do. The first story is How Winnie hatched the Little Rooks, the next is the Racketty Packetty house, the third is The Spring Cleaning (a fabulous tale of spring and garden fairies) and the last is The Cozy Lion.

I truly hope that interest in Racketty Packetty House will eventually lead to the reintroduction of the other stories too.

Read it, and enjoy the best of children's literature. If you love it, let the publisher know that this is only a fragment of the real series.

I liked the message that nothing is disposable. When a child is given a new toy, she almost discards the used one, but it is not willing to give up.

1st grader can almost read it. Very English vocabulary!

For anyone who is teaching their 8 or 9 year old how to write this is one fine book to read because it is so well written. I am a homeschooler who is using IEW to teach my children to write and this book is loaded with "dress-ups". All that aside, the story line is captivating, the characters are memorable, and there are lessons to be learned here that will last a lifetime.

THIS REVIEW IS ONLY ABOUT THE ORIGINAL VERSION, NOT THE MODERN REWRITE!!!

When I first read this book (at around 9), I loved it because of the main character, Mary. She was described as "disagreeable," but I liked her -- and I was disappointed when she changed from her "contrary" self into a nice little girl. I also loved the other characters (especially Martha, the "sturdy" housemaid and the "robin who showed the way" and Ben Weatherstaff), and the descriptions.

For example, Mary explores Miselthwaite Manor on a rainy day; she's heard that the house has over a hundred rooms-- and the book is so vividly written that all these years later, I can still remember her playing with a set of ivory elephants, finding a mouse and her young family in a sofa....Other vivid small moments are the maid talking about the moors and opening the windows which made me long to go to Yorkshire and breathe in the moor air. THe story itself is quite suspenseful and I loved that, too.

Now that I'm grown up, I still love all those things, but I understand why Mary had to change (though I still wish she hadn't!). Now, parts of the book (like her reaction to the flowers starting to grow in the garden) make me cry -- they're touching and Mary is too. I appreciate the descriptions and characters and plotting even more than I did as a child and agree that this is probably the best children's book ever written -- and one of the best books ever written, too.

It inspired me as a writer. I am the author of BLOW OUT THE MOON, which is also about a contrary child (but an American) who transforms herself as a result of kind-hearted English people in the English countryside. I didn't copy THE SECRET GARDEN, but the English boarding school I went to as a child (which is the subject of Blow Out the Moon) did remind me of that book!

This is a classic book about a girl, Mary, who is forced to go to her uncle's mysterious mansion to live. But when a boy is discovered in a secret passage, Mary gets suspicious, and a little scared.
All that suspicion is gone when the mean gardener tells her the story of a secret garden. Of course, her curiosity gets the better of her and she goes to find it, that is, with the help of her new birdie friend. The two of them embark on a journey that will change their lives.
Every night when I read this book, I could not put it down because it was so good! When you think the problems are over, another one joins in. I enjoyed reading this book, and I hope you do too!

-6th Grade Student-

I vividly remember the first time I saw this book at the local comic book store. Wow~ Just amazing, it blew my brains out. There is no other book like Spectrum series books. Book features full color drawing, paintings and sculptures by fantastic artist from all over the world. You will see so many styles and techniques that you never seen before. This is a must for Artist, Illustrators, and Art Directors.

Almost any one of the pieces in this collection is worth the price of the book. There are no monkey swathes of paint against white canvas here, my friends. No, here are works that will quicken your breath, accelerate your heartbeat, and ignite the synapses in your mind. And as my fellow reviewer commented, this book is a wellspring of inspiration. Just flip the pages and see for your self. Works like "Number 16" and "Prudence II" present this point more eloquently than I ever could. I have only one pique. There was no art from any of the Galerie Morpheus artists like Giger, Yerka, and De Es. Despite this, I urge all fans of SF and Fantasy art to buy this book. You won't be dissappointed.

Spectrum 4 is one of those books that artists turn to when ideas are at a premium. The artwork is so voluminous and diverse in character. Every possible stylization of fantasy art is represented. Some works are intense and mysterious, dark and brooding. While others follow a campy, comic book hero genre. My favorite works are more of an illustrative fairy tale approach. However, I find this book to be a wonderful resource for those times when the well is running dry.