Music Books

This is a 40th anniversary reissue of *the* book about the search for the living Homer in then-Yugoslavia organized by Milman Parry and his assistant and successor Albert Lord in the 1930s. Anyone interested in Homer or Balkan traditional epic should know the book. The DVD contains wonderful material that is also available online, so there's no need to replace your older edition.

Any student of traditional literary forms needs to read this book, which analyzes in considerable detail the 30 odd years of research done by Lord and Parry into oral epic in Yugoslavia. It is generally more applicable to Homer than to the Bible, but "The Singer of Tales" at least provides a starting point for discussion on aspects of oral tradition and the use of formulas. It can't be ignored!

Albert B. Lord's "Singer of Tales" was published in 1960, as Number 24 of the "Harvard Studies in Comparative Literature," and was picked up in paperback by Atheneum only a few years later (1965). Over the course of four decades, and a variety of reprintings, "The Singer of Tales" has established itself as probably the most widely read book in the monograph series, and the most controversial. It is certainly the best known of its author's books and articles.

"The Singer of Tales" is established as a fundamental work in the study of oral literatures, and literatures which appear to have emerged from oral traditions (Biblical, Old English, African, and others). The book presented to English-language readers studies of oral heroic poetry collected in the Balkans in the twentieth century, analyzed their technique, and compared them in detail to the Homeric poems, and, to a lesser extent, medieval European works with similar traits. Homer's repeated phrases and verses were shown to be explainable as a technical device to assist the rapid composition of poems as they were recited, not a sign of scribal corruption or sloppy editing of independent short songs. The comparisons were not new - French scholars had called attention to the nineteenth-century collections of Balkan heroic songs -- but were presented in a coherent and even attractive package, and included additional material from Lord's own fieldwork.

The heart of the book, however, was the work of Lord's teacher, Milman Parry, who had died in 1935 leaving a seven-page draft of his projected synthesis. Parry's works had not had a great reception from English and American classicists (a major study was then available only in French), but the basic ideas had filtered into classical studies in an unsystematic way. In "A Preface to Paradise Lost" (1942) C. S. Lewis even formulated an "audience-theory" variant of "oral formulaic composition," explaining how it helped listeners as well as the reciter-composers. With Lord's presentation, however, a fairly esoteric theory became a part of the intellectual world of literary scholarship.

A Second Edition of "The Singer of Tales" appeared in 2000. It reprints the existing text unchanged, but includes a useful new introduction, describing the history and reception of the work, with extensive bibliography. It also includes a CD with reproductions of the original audio recordings of the sections of songs quoted in the text; those with the right PC or Mac hardware and software can also access visual material, including a short filmstrip of one of the traditional singers, and other interesting extras. Those not interested in these additions may prefer earlier printings. Harvard University is also making material available on-line; see my review of second edition for some details.

A great book which changed the way we look at poetry produced by an oral tradition. Based on fieldwork by Milman Parry Lord shows the structure behind the improvisation and applies the theory to Serbo Croation epic tradition, Homer and French medieval poetry.

Albert B. Lord's "Singer of Tales" was published in 1960, as Number 24 of the "Harvard Studies in Comparative Literature," and was picked up in paperback by Atheneum only a few years later (1965). It is probably the most widely read book in the monograph series, and the most controversial. It is certainly the best known of its author's books and articles.

Over the course of four decades and a variety of reprintings, "The Singer of Tales" has established itself as a fundamental work in the study of oral literatures, and literatures which appear to have emerged from oral traditions (Biblical, Old English, and others). The book presented to English-language readers studies of oral heroic poetry collected in the Balkans in the twentieth century, analyzed their technique, and compared them in detail to the Homeric poems, and, to a lesser extent, medieval European works with similar traits. Homer's repeated phrases and verses were shown to be explainable as a technical device to assist the rapid composition of poems as they were recited, not a sign of scribal corruption or sloppy editing of independent short songs. The comparisons were not new, but were presented in a coherent and even attractive package, and included additional material from Lord's own fieldwork.

The heart of the book, however, was the work of Lord's teacher, Milman Parry, who had died in 1935 leaving a seven-page draft of his projected synthesis. Parry's works had not a great reception from English and American classicists (a major study was published in French), but the basic ideas had filtered into classical studies in an unsystematic way. In "A Preface to Paradise Lost" (1942) C.S. Lewis even formulated an "audience-theory" variant of "oral formulaic composition," explaining how it helped listeners as well as reciters. With Lord's presentation, however, a fairly esoteric theory became a part of the intellectual world of literary scholarship.

A Second Edition of "The Singer of Tales" appeared in 2000. Serious students of Classical, Medieval, and several other literatures who do not already own a copy, and want (or need) one, will probably buy this edition; it is what is readily available. It reprints Lord's text without change (and rather more clearly than some copies I have seen!), so identifying references in early discussions of the book will not be a problem.

What about those of us who have a copy, or have just read the book several times? Is the Second Edition worth our time and money?

The differences from the first edition and its various reprintings are two.

First, there is an "Introduction to the Second Edition" by Stephen Mitchell and Gregory Nagy, distinguished scholars of Germanic and Greek literature (respectively). It surveys the history of the book, its reception, a variety of responses, and the development of Lord's thoughts on the issues it raises, and concludes with a six-page bibliography (in rather small print). The coverage is pro-Lord (not unexpectedly), but so far as I can see includes the most impressive of his critics. This is useful, and the execution is excellent, but the needs of the student can probably be met by consulting it in a library. Inevitably, as a review of current scholarship, it will be dated more quickly than the rest of the book.

Second, the volume comes with an Audio and Video CD. This contains actual recordings, made in the field by Parry or Lord, of Serbian traditional singers. The audio tracks are accessible on a CD player (or DVD player). For those with an appropriately powerful PC or Mac, it is possible to see the texts and translations as the singer performs. The passages chosen are those given in the text of the book, and are a minute fraction of the audio archive and published transcripts, but they bring the descriptions to life. The sound quality is that of the actual recordings, and has not been "cleaned up" or otherwise enhanced. For those with the right software, it is also possible to see an actual short film of a traditional singer performing, and Bela Bartok's attempts to transcribe some of the music. Assuming that changing technologies (see below) do not make it inaccessible, this should retain its value indefinitely.

(Or until the entire archive, with transcriptions and translations, miraculously shows up on DVD. Meanwhile, a substantial selection of material from the Milman Parry and Albert B. Lord collections, including more Bartok manuscripts and his public letter on the value of the collection, a collection of photographs, and the filmstrip, has been made available online by Harvard University, on a site dedicated to Oral Literature Studies and the Milman Parry Collection; additional material is promised.)

So, if it fits your budget (and the price is quite reasonable, despite my sticker-shock when I remember what I had paid for a copy in 1968), go ahead; just make sure that you are getting the second edition, with CD, not a copy of the first edition.

Note: On the Macintosh side, I have run the CD successfully on an early PowerMac using System 7.5.5, although the "film strip" (which needs a slightly later version of QuickTime) was, predictably, not accessible; completely successfully on a G3 under System 9.2; and again, on a G4 with System 10.2.7 (and later 10.2.8), which needed to open the "Classic" System 9 emulator to display the visual material. The "Classic" mode is supposed to be phased out over time, so problems of obsolence may already be closing in. A report on Windows issues would be useful.

This book was educational as well as an enjoyable book to read. I used this book when studying stories of survival. My students really enjoyed listening and reading it.

This is a testimony to the strength of women and the power of music to soothe the soul. Music is a common ground for all people and this true story illustrates how beautiful sounds calm and restore our spirits and, in this story, that of the oppressors. There must be thousands of heroic folks who lived through this terrible war with strength and dignity. I am always glad to find another inspiring story.

I have not yet read the book, certainly plan on reading it. I have however attended aplay this past Friday evening. A local Community Theatre presented it and I was in great awe of their performance. They did great justice to the story line and I am so pleased to have been present. At the end I so wanted to stand up with/for them as they closed with The Captive's Hymn. The message of strength, courage, and spirit were felt by all in attendance. Such strength these women had, makes me proud of my female sisters!

It wasn't long ago that America watched "Paradise Road" in movie theaters across the country. Audiences were captivated with the story of a young girl and her family's struggle to survive imprisonment by the Japanese. Like many moviegoers today, the audience may not have read the inspirational work behind the motion picture. Helen Colijn's Song of Survival is a real story. The experiences that Coljin documents in her work are real. The author gives her readers a glimpse of her life, and that of the other women imprisoned in Southeast Asia by the Japanese during World War II. Readers follow Colijn through the experiences of a shipwreck, being captured, and being imprisoned for three-and-a-half years.

Based on her original manuscript written just after her imprisonment, Colijn's story is one of hope and perseverance. Many other books written by soldiers and survivors of World War II are laden with hardship and sadness especially those books detailing the accounts of brutality of the Japanese during their quest to expand their empire westward through Asia such as The Rape of Nanking by Iris Chang. Colijn's story is unique in that it details true survival of not just the body of the imprisoned, but the soul as well. The women of the camp in which Colijn was imprisoned used music to life their spirits and "free their souls" from detainment.

Reading a book such as Song of Survival can open up a new door to the way in which we learn about prisoners of war. Colijn describes disease and starvation leading to the deaths of more than one-third of the population of the camp (Colijn 159-169). "Before our internment was over, twenty-six Dutch children lost their mothers," she says (Colijn 162). But all the while, the women kept their spirits from breaking entirely through singing classical songs and even performing vocal concerts among themselves (Colijn129-146). Colijn gives her readers an idea of the sisterhood within her camp among the prisoners. This feeling of family is often discussed within the realm of the formation of a brotherhood-such as is seen in Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose--of soldiers, but is rarely seen in accounts of imprisonment. The work is so poignant because Colijn is able to draw from true personal experiences.

The author teaches her readers that even during imprisonment, with just a little faith and a little music, souls will have the ability to wander free. By using an effective autobiographical format, Colijn tells her story from a very personal perspective. She recalls the events so vividly that it is impossible for readers not to feel the same emotions that the prisoners felt. Colijn's work is so well crafted that even her feelings of optimism shine through the seemingly unpromising situation. As trite as it may seem, Colijn notes that several women even made "liberation dresses" to wear for the day that their camp was liberated by the Allied forces (Colijn 129).

A book such as Colijn's is an important element in any study of World War II as it not only brings to light the idea of hope in spite of hardship, but it also shows what seems to be a neglected area of war accounts-the struggle of women as prisoners of war. A personal account of the struggles of being imprisoned by the Japanese that is so seasoned with hope is rarely seen. Colijn serves the women of her camp well with Song of Survival. With the work of one author, hundreds of women's stories will live on to be read by future generations who will bear witness to the events taking place-the immense struggle-during World War II. Song of Survival will live on long after the last survivor passes away. It will carry a message of faith and perseverance for the women in Colijn's camp who kept hope alive through their immense personal strength.

When one reads of the hardships that Colijn and her fellow inmates lived through, one expects that they would have focused on survival, and thrown all other concerns to the wind. There were some who did, but not others. Many strove to keep a modicum of loveliness in their lives. Sometimes, all they could do was escape to memories of their past, either through daydreaming or conversation. There were instances, however, of actual impact on their current situation, including a refusal of some inmates to lick their plates(though food was scarce), struggles to live in peace and harmony with fellow inmates, and, most of all, the musical peformances.

You might imagine that if you were living in a filthy prison camp where people were dropping like flies, you would owe it to yourself to fight for your survival tooth and nail, even against the other inmates, and the furthest thing from your mind would be music. You would need to look out for number one, period. Colijn believes that many more of them might have perished, or, at least, might not have come out as well, had there not been a commitment to community and beauty in that abject misery. In a sense, this book tells about war heroines.

I wish a bit more info had been given on the site, but it was in pretty good condition considering it was 10 years old

This is a wonderful book. It's lovingly researched and was obviously put together by someone who cares about film music. It's recommended for reference and pleasure alike. Plus, the book has the courage to discriminate---we don't waste our time reading about plagiarists,..... who are not included at all.

Although clearly a labour of love by the author, this is also an entirely professionally written and produced book. Perhaps wisely, it doesn't set out to be a comprehensive, definitive guide to film music composers and their recordings - this would have been impractical both in terms of the writing and the eventual weight of the tome! But what Jon Burlingame has done is to include a mini-biography of just about every important film music composer there has been up to the present day, plus a selection of what he considers to be their best works. This provides both an invaluable reference guide not only to composers but also an interesting debating point as to which of their scores should have been included.

It was pleasing to see a large number of photos of the composers and some record sleeve reproductions. Many potential readers will doubtless be familiar with the likes of John Williams, John Barry, Henry Mancini and Elmer Bernstein, but they'll also get the opportunity to see some 'golden age' composers, like Miklos Rozsa, Alfred Newman, Dimitri Tiomkin and Franz Waxman, as well as relatively unsung heroes such as John Scott, Christopher Young and Rachel Portman, and those more associated with classical music, such as Ralph Vaughan Williams, Sergei Prokofiev and Dmitri Shostakovich.

The author's enthusiasm for the subject is very apparent and no stone has been left unturned in order to ensure this book becomes an essential purchase for all lovers of film music. An excellent effort, which is thoroughly recommended, not just to film music aficionados, but also to anybody with an interest in the cinema.

Jon Burlingame is nothing short of a hero to many film composers, because in addition to the astounding depth of his knowledge about composers and their work, he shares a tremendous passion for what they do and effortlessly conveys that to his readers. "Sound and Vision" is an essential book for anyone interested in film music, not only because it contains fascinating information that can't be found anywhere else, but because it's written by a greatly respected and dedicated journalist whose enthusiasm for his subject is unparalleled.

In Sound And Vision: 60 Years Of Motion Picture Soundtracks, Jon Burlingame has created an indispensable, seminal, very highly recommended reference guide featuring a detailed history of Hollywood film music on record and compact disc. Also included are up-to-date biographical sketches of soundtrack composers from the inception of the movies down to the present day. Annotated listings of the best-selling, award-winning, or otherwise memorable soundtracks of the past and present (original film scores as well as movie musicals and song-compilation scores) further enhance this marvelous compendium. Of special note is the "user friendly" and comprehensive index so that the reader can quickly reference whether a particular piece of movie music is commercially available.

I have collected a large number of books on communes and hands down, this book is the most interesting, the most informative and the most open story about the experiences The Source group has had. If you're only going to buy one book to learn about life in a cooperative and collaborative society, BUY THIS ONE. You will learn more from this book than you can in most conversations with people who have "been there." That the group designated a historian to annotate their experiences solidifies an authenticity of experience you won't find outside of the other commune book experiences. A terrific read.

Oh how good it is to have a refreshing, honest reflection of a time when pushing the limits, opening the senses and growing past traditional norms was a way of life. This book presents beautiful photographs and true accounts of a unique period of our history.

Beyond judgements and discussions of this "family" being a cult, are woven in truths which have become mainstream in our society today. Father, Jim Baker was a revolutionary, visionary, luminary who opened the door for healthy living.

Thank you so much for creating this body of work. It just goes to show that The Secret and those who we look to today for enlightment have roots in a time which was not as receptive as we are today. It is truly an amazing reflection and a breath of fresh air.

This book is most amazing. It has opened up a belief in me that there is some light on this planet that has been in the hands of darkness and the grip of greed by those who have the power. This group made a difference and I hope they keep going. The writing was supurb and the story timeless.

This book was fascinating. I couldn't put it down and when it was finished I wanted more. There was lots of great information and stories of a bygone era...a magical time in history, a magical time in Los Angeles, and a magical time in the lives of those who lived being part of The Source Family. The pictures of a that era and the family were great...definitely recommended for anyone interested in spirituality, group living, and that unique time of the early 70's.

I truly enjoyed this book...fascinating! What a journey the Source Family took through those years! What is interesting is that they were a very clean tribe and financially successful....compared to so many "dirty hippies" of that day and age. The photos are gems of a by-gone era. A real insight into commune life.

I AM A HUGE SPICE GIRLS FAN ( I HAVE ABOUT 340 PICS IN MY ROOM!!!!) AND I HAVE TONS OF MERCHENDICE! THIS BOOK WAS GREAT READING AND WAS FULL OF BEAUTIFUL PICS, ESPECIALLY OF VICTORIA, WHO IS MY FAVE!!! READ THIS BOOK NOW!!!!

this book is the bomb.i think it is the best spice girls book i own.so if anyone plans to get a spice girl book they should pick this one.i especially like the geri and emma chapters because ther my favorite.

this book is filled with pics. it has a seprate chapter for each girl. even geri.

I thought this Spice Girl book was great! Mainly because it has an individual chapter of each Spice, including Geri. Emma is my favorie Spice Girl and there was some interesting information about her. I strongly suggest to get this book and out of all of my Spice Girl books this one is the best!!

I thought that the book was absolutly magnificent it tells about each one of the girls in a chapter and it tell the truth about why Geri left. It has quotes from the spice girls themselves. I think that if you love the spice girls yoou'll love this book.

This is a great book. After reading the book and becoming more aware of the Holy Spirit, God started using my preaching to really connect with my audience. In the book Dr. Heisler shows how the preacher needs to take the text and let the Holy Spirit speak through it as well as let the Holy Spirit reveal how he should speak to the audience. The pastor also needs to teach his auidence (congreagation) how to be sensitive to the Spirit as well. Since reading the book we have had a greater response at the Invitation. The Spirit is moving the people. I highly recommend this book to all pastors.

I have been blessed to read this book. Dr. Heisler has very effectively shown the need for dependence on the Spirit of God throughout the entire preaching process. This means from preparation through delivery. By allowing the Holy Spirit to illumine the heart of the preacher with the Word of God, he can trust that God will speak through His Word. This book is a great reminder to all preachers that it is all about Jesus. "You cannot make much of Jesus and much of yourself at the same time." (86) Preachers must rely on the Spirit of God to change hearts. I believe that every pastor who reads this book and takes to heart its teaching will see a transformation in his preparation and his preaching for the glory of God.

In Spirit-Led Preaching Heisler has provided readers with a concise yet informative look into the role of the Holy Spirit in Christian preaching. Writing from a mainstream Baptist perspective with a leaning towards a Reformed theology of Word/Spirit, this book tackles the tough questions most other preaching books leave unattended. Heisler retains the strengths of solid biblical preaching and challenges his readers to not only be unafraid of God's Spirit, but to passionately pursue the work of the Holy Spirit in every aspect of the preaching task. Where books abound on the mechanics of preaching, this work addresses the more dynamic, less easily defined aspects of Spirit prepared, Spirit empowered, Spirit led preaching. It is from this area, however, that many Christian preachers need a strong word from one who has applied his heart, mind, and life to the subject. This word, Heisler supplies. If you are content with simply crossing the homiletical i's and crossing the hermeneutical t's, then don't read this book. But if you are hungry for a fresh anointing in your calling as a Christian preacher, then devour this book at least once a year, and rejoice in the power of God that still fills the pulpits where the man of God, brings the Word of God, to the people of God, by the Spirit of God, to the glory of God. Pastor Keith, Live Oak Baptist Church

Dr. Heisler has articuated through his own journey the key to moving sermon prepartion and delivery from a mere religious exercise to igniting an encounter with God through God's word and God's messenger. "Spirit-Led Preaching" should not be the second book a person desiring to preach should reach, it must be the first. "Spirit-led Preaching" will lead every preacher to connect with the power of the Holy Spirit in their Homiletics. A Must Read.

Dr. Greg Heisler (Ph.D., The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, KY) serves as assistant professor of preaching at the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina. His passion for the nature of preaching is quite clear:

Our students need to see the complementary relationship between the Word and the Spirit and to understand the proper function of sermon mechanics and sermon dynamics for preaching. They need to have as much zeal for the theological realities as they do for the dependence on the Holy Spirit (15).

He states this because the previous generations of homiletics professors and their works only offer a "passing reference to the Spirit" (11). In this volume, Heisler admirably makes the case in how the Holy Spirit must not be an afterthought in sermon preparation and delivery, but he must stand in the forefront in every step of the process of constructing a sermon as well as a holy life.

The preacher will appreciate Heisler's chapter on "What is Spirit-Led Preaching?" He illustrates two differing models of expository preaching: "text-driven preaching" (18) in which the focus is on presenting the biblical text correctly, with the Spirit's role seen as implicit; and "spirit-driven preaching" in which the focus is "on the dynamic of the Spirit and the Spirit's text" with the result being a "Christological witness and Spirit-filled living" (19). He uses a picturesque illustration to drive home this concept:



I imagine the Holy Spirit's power touching down on the tracks of the biblical text, and suddenly the combination of Word and Spirit together ignite into sermonic propulsion. The preacher's
responsibility is not to push the train in his own strength; nor it is the preacher's responsibility to build new tracks to new places. The preacher's responsibility is to keep the train on the tracks (19)!

Preachers would do well to internalize this concept and embrace this powerful picture. Heisler rightly reinforces the complementary relationship between the Scriptures and the Spirit in Chapter Five. Given the problematic theology of the charismatic movement who puts the Spirit and the Word against one another, Heisler gives a strong argument demonstrating the harmony between the two.

Together Word and Spirit form the powerful catalyst that serves as the theological foundation for
Spirit-led preaching. The Word activates the Spirit, and the Spirit authenticates the Word. The Word is the instrument of the Spirit, and the Spirit is the implement of the Word. The Word is the written witness, and the Spirit is the inward witness. In terms of preaching, the Word is the source and substance of our preaching, and the Spirit is the supernatural power of our preaching (62).

He rightly notes how the three testimonies of preaching (Scripture, the Spirit, and the Preacher) come together toward a Christological witness. "The Spirit's ministry is a continuation of Jesus' ministry, as the Spirit stands in place of Jesus until Christ's triumphant return" (57). Heisler is correct when he says that preaching which claims to be Spirit-filled and Spirit-led but fails to preach Christ-centered sermons are not Spirit-led sermons.

The strongest chapter in this volume is Chapter Seven where Heisler addresses "The Preacher and the Spirit." Heisler makes a stunning statement that the preacher must absorb:

I believe that the passion and confidence the prophet of God experiences in his preaching ministry are directly proportional to the daily obedience and surrender to the call of God on the preacher's life. . . . It's as if God has subpoenaed us to stand before him, not in a courtroom in front of a jury but in a pulpit in from of his people. We are there by divine calling, and we are there by divine authority (72).

Heisler sounds a clarion call for ministers to incorporate the Spirit into their personal lives before they attempt to incorporate him into areas of their professional lives such as preparation, presentation, and delivery. Personal obedience to Christ and preaching the Word of Christ must coincide.

The only weakness found in this work is the lack of conciseness in Heisler's working definitions. For instance, when he presents his definition of expository preaching, he states:



Expository preaching is the Spirit-empowered proclamation of biblical trust derived from the illuminating guidance of the Holy Spirit by means of a verse-by-verse exposition of the Spirit-inspired text, with a view to applying the text by means of the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, first to the preacher's heart, and then to the hearts of those who hear, culminating in an authentic and powerful witness to the living Word, Jesus Christ, and obedient, Spirit-filled living (21).

While the construct of this definition reminds one of the Greek sentence construct of the Apostle Paul (see Ephesians 1:3-14), this structure does not allow for the reader to absorb the definition easily. Breaking this sentence down into two, three, even four sentences would be helpful. His vision of teaching homiletics commits the same faux pas -- to which he readily admits (75).

Even so, this reviewer plans on using this book as a textbook in training expository preachers in his local church setting. The evangelical world in general and preachers specifically should be grateful to Greg Heisler for re-introducing the Spirit to expositorypreaching. Along with this volume, Arturo G. Azurdia's book on Spirit-Empowered Preaching serves as an excellent compliment. Praise God for raising up Spirit-led preachers in our present age.

Excellent book. EXACTLY line for line from the musical. I highly suggest reading "Spring's Awakening" along with this. It is the original version of this play that the musical is based off of.

This is worth it if you are a Spring Awakening fan. I saw it on Broadway a month ago and absolutely fell in love with it.

Not only was it delivered ahead of schedule, but it was in perfect condition. I almost didn't want to take it out of the wrapping!

Steven Sater's new approach to "Spring Awakening" was suprisingly refreshing. The text was much easier to follow compared to the original version of the play.

But when I first picked it up I thought: How in the world do you make a musical out of this? But I have got to admit his post-modern twist on the play using the music to enchance the inner workings of the characters and not the story really worked!

The play ,although written quite awhile ago, still has issues and characters that audiences today can relate to. It's a great play that any reader will finish off quickly. Trust me; you're not going to want to put it down.

I couldn't put it down when I first recieved it. Spring Awakening, is an amazing adapation of Wedekind's, Spring's Awakening first written in 1899. I own the original by Wedekind, and really appreciated how Steven Sater was able to maintain the integrity of the original while adapting it to a new libretto. When I read the lyrics of the songs in context to the story, I am nothin short of amazed. My recommendation is to read the script, and utilize the soundtrack at the appropriate times. It really enhances the experience. This book and play alone is magnificent, but coupled with the music of Duncan Shiek it is a masterpiece.

I absolutely liked this devotional and you get to learn more about the CCM group Point of Grace. There are 24 chapters, its easy to read, with song lyrics, questions, etc. I'd even reccomend it to those that aren't fans of POG, because its a very well done devotional. Great for beginners and new Christians. You can use this devotional anytime of the year, since it doesn't have any calendar dates. It's also great for a small group study.

I read the book it is really good it inspires me so much.I have all their cds.I love their music so much .I can't wait to meet them.I LOVE POG.

I had been wanting this book for awhile and I got it for my birthday. I was so thrilled. It is a truly awesome book. These four girls are very talented and definetly chose the right way in which to use them! Their voices blow me away everytime I hear them. God blessed them so much. This book is SO good! Please buy it! I assure you that you will love it too!! :o)

I'm a big fan of Point of Grace, so I got this book originally because I liked them so much. When I read the book I was blown away!! The girls may not consider themselves writers but the did an incredible job on this book. I had to contain myself to only read one a day! If you are a Christian, I garuantee it will bring you closer to God, and if it doesn't touch you in any way, e-mail me:o)

Point of Grace's "Steady On" Devotional book is a beautifully written piece of literature. For individuals who may be in a "dry" spell in their walk with Christ, I reccomend you read a devotional from "Steady On" every morning- read it in the morning (do the questions through keeping a journal)and that way you have started your day on a solid foundation. Also, be sure to end your devotional time in prayer. "Steady On" is a great way to get excited about your walk with Christ. Point of Grace is a pheonomenon in the Christian music industry. With amazing harmonies and their honesty behind their words in "Steady On", it's no wonder that this group is as succesful as they are. Go out and purchase "Steady On." If you sit down and get totally honest with yourself, this devotional book can lead you into days filled with the hope, peace, and contentment that Jesus longs for you to experience. You WILL NOT be disapointed. Enjoy...

The book contains some details about mcQueen's life that only the writer knew , that give a hint about how mcQueen viewed life, danger, and speed.
but the photos are mainly advertising ones and not real life.
i would expect more on the life of mcqueen as a person and not only as an actor

A wonderful work of art that captures what made Steve so charismatic and appealing. It leaves you wishing you could see more from other periods in his life. This is a book I will treasure all my life. Thank you Amazon, I would have paid ten times as much for this book. God Rest His Soul.

According to his foreward to this book, the photographer William Claxton met Steve McQueen in 1962 when McQueen was starring with Natalie Woods in LOVE WITH THE PROPER STRANGER. The two men formed a friendship and apparently Mr. Claxton became Mr. McQueen's favorite and most requested photographer. This book of wonderful photographs, covering a couple of years in Mr. McQueen's life from 1962 to 1964, is a result of that brief friendship. Most of the pictures appear to be shot in available light and have a wonderful, informal spontaneity about them impossible to capture in formal portraiture. Both the photographer and subject are comnpletely without pretention.

Mr. Claxton caught Mr. McQueen smiling, clowning and pensive. There are photographs of McQueen in fast cars as well as on motorcycles. Many of the shots were done while Mr. McQueen was working on movies. There are also many pictures of him with family and friends. Most of the shots are in black and white with a few in color. Every time I look at them I find yet another photograph that I think is the best in the book. There is a haunting shot of McQueen with his young daughter where the child, sitting on the floor and resting on her arms, looks into Claxton's camera. We only see her father's legs and feet. (p. 79) Another great shot appears on page 73. McQueen is embracing the family cat. Finally, there's a shot of McQueen lying on a blanket in a large field. His profile is beautifully backlit. Both photographs selected for the front and back covers are fine, informal portraits as well.

This book made me remember how much I enjoyed Steve McQueen's movies and made me sad that he is no longer among us.

A great book, considering it is of a short period in Steve McQueen's life. This is him in his prime captured by a great photographer.

Very comprehensive. Show's a different side of the rough and tumble character known as Steve McQueen. Very entertaining.

Shenkerians principles in digestable form. A great approach to analysis(one that seems to be dominating todays music analysis). I was not really sold on Shenkerian analysis until I read this book. I still feel that sometimes the principles are "over-exhausted", but Shenkerian analysis is certainly better, and more meaningful than strict chordal grammar analysis. The only problem is that the examples are not placed within the text; so you constantly have to flip back and forth to look at the example that the text is referring too.

For anyone interested in Tonal Theory this work is absolutely necessary. Salzer's work is a continuation & extrapolation on Heinrich Schenker's work on music theory. The only drawback is it is not fully consistent when dealing with post-Romanticism (but then Schneker's theory is not always applicable in later musical contexts, & in some cases not completely internally-consistent). However, for the foundations of music from Bach to Beethoven (& the Romantic composers afterward as well as any modern composition even remotely tonal) it is a masterwork.

i believe we are biological machines. We process stimuli from our environment in parallel processing neural nets called brains. this is done so that we have appropriate motor output for our environment.

concepts are essentially processing categories of our brains. the concepts we have reflect certain efficient ways of processing environmental stimuli, ways that WORK. the most successful concepts are the ones that work.

when it comes to music composition, the concepts in this book WORK.

though some criticize and say a host of difficulties and nuances are subsumed under some pretty broad strokes, that ultimately doesn't matter. because suspended maj 9th don't matter. music that moves matters. this book focuses on the motion in music.

the basic idea is that harmony indicates certain stopping points, like the hard bones of an organism. but the motion between these points, the flesh as it were, is counterpoint.

bones and flesh, structure and motion, crystallization and fluidity, harmony and counterpoint.

that's the idea. will change the way you hear music. very, very deep. very, very good.

these ideas are very close to an explication of how composers think.

This comment has more to do with the format of the Dover reprint than it does with the actual text. In the older edition of "Structural Hearing" the text was in volume one and the examples were in volume two. This allowed the reader to have the examples in front of them to refer to while they read the text. The Dover reprint is essentially both volumes bound into one book. This causes the book to be very cumbersome, although it probably significantly lowers the production cost. When I read "Structural Hearing" I finally had to check out volume two from the university library. I sincerely hope that the new Longman edition of "Der Frei Satz" maintains the original format.

This is a great book for those interested in exploring the many and varied aspects and ramifications of Schenkerian theory. I first bought this book in its hardback-two-separate-volume edition in 1972 or 1973, when, as an undergraduate music student, I was looking for answers to how music "works." This was while studying at a university where the music theory department had been commandeered by a couple of "avant-gardiste" professors who, after eliminating all traditional harmony classes,further insisted that all students should compose, regardless of interest or ability, and that atonality, interminable dissonance, and "originality" for its own sake be the ideals which one should be forced to uphold. It was in this environment that I began my search for musical understanding, and started researching the theoretical, harmonic, contrapuntal, and formal aspects of music that were so sorely neglected in my university education. It was at this time that I became aware of the book "Structural Hearing." In fact, one friend of mine told me, that this was the best book on theory that he had ever read.
There are three things I would recommend to anyone interested in studying this book:
1. First, understand the basics of 4-part harmony, and become proficient at reading figured bass notation. This will help you understand the sections of the book that deal with what the author refers to as "chord grammar."
2. Second, get a copy of "The Study of Counterpoint," by J. J. Fux. This is the Norton edition of the translation of the famous "Gradus ad Parnassum." Work through the exercises in this book. In addition to being a lot of fun, these exercises will teach you a ton about the origins of harmony, voice leading, etc., and will provide some amazing practical solutions to problems you may encounter later, in composing original music, and/or arranging. I have always been happy for the work I did in this book. Trust me, you won't regret it!
3. Go to the nearest print shop that does book binding. They can split your book into two volumes, laminate the covers of them, and spiral bind each section. This will allow you to have the text and the examples side by side, and, as they are spiral bound, will allow you to lay them out flat. I do this with almost all of the scores, or music books with which I work. I recommend this to the reviewer above who expressed regret that the book was bound as a single volume, as well as all others who study this book.
I am delighted to get this book in the paperback edition, and I hope my recommendations are helpful.