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The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Classical Music Robert Ainsley (general editor)
Carlton Books Limited
hardcover, 272 pages
29cm x 24cm
Published 1995
ISBN 0-74752-380-0by Chia Han-Leon
This book makes a serious mistake in calling itself the "Ultimate" encyclopedia of classical music - in 272 pages? Yeah right. Still, it does make an admirable attempt to be: it provides a wide range of topics in classical music, and in many instances does prove to be a very informative book indeed. At S$19.90, it is as invaluable a bargain as "Classical Composers". Like this latter book, "The Ultimate Encyclopedia" is stuffed full of illustrations, though I think its design is not quite as stunning in appearance than "Classical Composers."
The "Ultimate Encyclopedia Of Classical Music" divides itself into various topics, beginning with Movements in Music. This includes discussions on Early Music, Baroque, Romanticism, and Atonality. Each section instroduces the movement, and includes many helpful tables. This is followed by a rather brief overview of Composers, including a "dictionary" for the lesser-known ones. Next comes Forms & Styles, a 70-page section of the book especially helpful to those (like me) who don't really like to get into the technicalities of forms like the dance, nocturne, concerto or overture. The Ensembles chapter deals with the history and music for various instrumental groups such as the trio, quartet, and orchestra. Each one is accompanied by a list of recommended listening. Instruments includes articles on early instruments, the development and form of the orchestra and of course the instruments themselves (including ten very useful pages on the human voice). Next, Words and Music, from choral polyphony to cantata, the Requiem, Handel and the oratorio and lieder - a good overview in 42. The book ends with Building Blocks, which is essentially a crash course in musical technicalities.
Happily, the writers supplement their main text with many examples. In Forms and Styles, under the sub-topic Incidental Music, an inset of 5 examples of the music is given. Each movement in Movements has a table of "Musical Developments" dealing with the advances made in each period, for example ornamentation in Baroque music.
This is not a general overview-of-the-basic-stuff book. There are write-ups on topics like the English Song, the evolution of orchestral size, the castrato, famous orchestras and concert halls, recent concertos, the travelling adventures of Romantic composers, concert-going, literary connections and women composers.
"The Ultimate Encyclopedia" is a useful book for any classical music enthusiast, though it is probably most useful to the middle-of-the-road music-lover, with some listening experience but limited or no musical instruction. Anyone interested in more than just music history will also benefit, as will those seeking a historically-aware guide to music repertoire.
This book is available at only S$19.90 at Popular Bookstore Outlets (Bras Basah Complex) and Big Bookshop outlets (Blk 451, Clementi Ave 3, near NTUC Fairprice).
Whenever the opportunity arises, Chia Han-Leon practises one-handed mid-air fly-swatting.
Back to the Classical Index!... or read previous classical music reviews and features at the InkpotOther classical music reviews by this or any other writer can be obtained from the InkVault by doing a key word search with the writer's name.
142: recon. 23.10.97
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