The Book of World-Famous Music: Classical, Popular, and Folk (Fifth Edition, Revised and Enlarged) [Paperback]

James J. Fuld (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 11, 2012

This classic, painstakingly researched compilation of music information analyzes nearly 1,000 of the world's most familiar melodies, tracing them back to their original printed sources. Features the composers, lyricists, copyright date, first lines of music, lyrics, and other data. Explores "We Shall Overcome," Haydn's Surprise Symphony, "Silent Night," Pictures at an Exhibition, many more. Includes 30 black-and-white illustrations.

Product Details

• Paperback: 752 pages
• Publisher: Dover Publications; 5 edition (April 11, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0486414752
• ISBN-13: 978-0486414751
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,924,295 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great fun, but don't believe everything you read..., January 1, 2008

By 

Michael Beckerman - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Book of World-Famous Music: Classical, Popular, and Folk (Fifth Edition, Revised and Enlarged) (Paperback)

This book has been around for a while, and has lots of wonderful things in it. It does not, however, always represent the highest standards of scholarship. After all, how could it? He's discussing dozens of tunes and one can't be on top of all of them equally. This doesn't mean anything if you're reading for entertainment, but just don't believe everything you read. The entry on "Happy Birthday," for example relies on third hand testimony (referenced in the footnotes as if that made it authoritative) and unfortunately, the effect is to impugn Mildred Hill, composer of the original version, titled "Good Morning to All" by implying that she took it from earlier themes. Most weird is that the author mentions the tune Bishopsthorpe by Clarke, implying that it's opening measures are the basis for "Happy Birthday's" final four bars. Not only are there significant differences between the two, to confuse the four four bars of a hymn tune in 4/4 with the last bars of another song in 3/4 with any implication that they are related is just wrong.

In many ways Mr. Fuld has done a great thing with this book, and has pulled together lots of different kinds of work. But when suggesting that people have based their work on the work of others, as is clearly done in the "Happy Birthday" piece, one must really do the legwork oneself and look at all the antecedants first hand. The author has not done this, so each article should not be considered an end in itself--actually articles should never be--but really the beginning of digging.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Despite the title this appears to be a scholarly work., April 21, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Book of World-Famous Music: Classical, Popular, and Folk (Paperback)

I recently had an opportunity to glance at this book. The title makes it sound like a coffee-table book, but in fact it consists of hundereds of mini-investigations into the sources of very well-known pieces of music. Footnotes include references to other works and to primary sources. Recommend to anyone with an eclectic desire for information on music.

5.0 out of 5 stars A must, October 19, 2011

By 

marcat - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Book of World-Famous Music: Classical, Popular, and Folk (Fifth Edition, Revised and Enlarged) (Paperback)

This is a scholarly book in a user-friendly disguise. If you've ever wondered about the origin of a song or some other music, rely on this book to give you the straight dope. So the Ingalls family sang "Jingle Bells" on an episode of "Little House on the Prairie?" Had it been written yet? This book will tell you.